Using determiners

Question

I have a problem in using determiners for some situation like below:

He goes to school.

School is a singular countable noun and to is a preposition here, so why no determiner is used for the school in above sentence please?

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

There is no special reason for that idiomatic usage. Some words take no article if we think of the primary purpose of the place. Examples:

He still goes to school. (He is student.)
Mr Brown teaches at a school in London.(Mr Brown is not a student. A is used because there are many schools in London.)

He is in jail. (He is a prisoner.)
He works in a/the jail. (He isn't a prisoner.)

I met him in church. (We attended a divine service or some other religious ceremony.
I met him in a church. (We were perhaps tourists taking a look inside a church. There was no religious ceremony going on.)

He was taken to [the] hospital. (He was taken there to receive medical treatment. Americans use the article, Britons don't.)
He is in [the] hospital. (He is a patient.)
He works at/in a/the hospital. (He isn't a patient.)

CB

KhoshtipMan · Answer

Thanks.

Cool BreezeSome words take no article if we think of the primary purpose of the place.

So, that way we can find out whether it's needed to use a determiner or not, right?

Cool Breeze(He is student.)

"He is student" or "he is a student"? Which is correct?

Cool Breeze · Answer

KhoshtipManhe is a student

Oops! Sorry. The article is of course needed.

CB

KhoshtipMan · Answer

Cool BreezeOops! Sorry. The article is of course needed.

No problem

Thanks again

Using determiners

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