Page 43 - Basic English Usage
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45 articles: special rules and exceptions
Common expressions without articles
Articles are not used in these expressions:
toschool atschool fromschool _ to/at/from university/college
to/at/in/into/from church _ to/in/into/out of bed/prison/hospital
to/at/from work to/atsea__to/in/ffromtown _ at/from home
for/at/to breakfast/unch/dinner/supper — at night
by car/bus/bicycle/plane/train/tube/ boat
onfoot gotosieep watchtelevision(TV) onTVv
Possessives
A noun that is used after a possessive (like John’s, America’s), has no
article.
John's coat (NOT thedehr's-ceat)
America’s economic problems
(NOT the America's eeonemie_prebiems)
Musical instruments
We usually use the article the when we talk in general about a musical
instrument. (See 42.2.)
I'd like to learn the piano.
But the is not used when we talk about jazz or pop music.
This recording was made with Miles Davis on trumpet.
alland both
We sometimes leave out the after both, and after a// when there is a
number.
Both (the) children are good at maths.
All (the) eight students passed the exam.
We can say aff day, all night, all week, all summer/winter, all year, without
the.
{ve been waiting for you all day.
Seasons
We can Say in spring or in the spring, in summer or in the summer, etc.
There is little difference.
Jobs and positions
We use the article with the names of jobs.
My sister is a doctor. (NOT My sister+s-deeter-)
But the is not used in titles like Queen Elizabeth, President Lincoin.