Articles: 'the' or no article

Do you know when you need to use the in common phrases and place names? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see when the is and isn't used.

I'm going to bed.
I walk to work.
My children are going to start school.
I visited the school yesterday.
Mount Everest is in the Himalayas.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1: Articles 2: Grammar test 1

Grammar explanation

Here are some ways we use articles in common phrases and place names.

Common phrases

We don't usually use an article in expressions with bed, work and home.

go to bed / be in bed
go to work / be at work / start work / finish work
go home / be at home / get home / stay at home

We also don't normally use an article in expressions with school, university, prison and hospital.

start school / go to school / be at school
go to university / be at university
be sent to prison / go to prison / be in prison
go to hospital / be in hospital

But we usually use the if someone is just visiting the place, and not there as a student/prisoner/patient, etc.

My son has started school now. I went to the school to meet his teacher.
I went to the prison a lot when I was a social worker.
I'm at the hospital. My sister has just had a baby.

Place names

We don't normally use an article for continents, most countries, cities, towns, lakes, mountains or universities. So, we say:

Africa, Asia, Europe
India, Ghana, Peru, Denmark
Addis Ababa, Hanoi, New York, Moscow
Lake Victoria, Lake Superior, Lake Tanganyika
Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus
Cardiff University, Harvard University, Manchester University

Some countries are different. Country names with United have the. There are other countries which are exceptions too. So, we say:

the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America
the Bahamas, the Gambia

Seas and oceans, mountain ranges and rivers have the:

the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Mediterranean
the Andes, the Himalayas, the Alps
the Nile, the Amazon, the Yangtze

Universities with of in the title also have the:

the University of Cape Town, the University of Delhi, the University of Tokyo

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2: Articles 2: Grammar test 2

Try another grammar lesson

Language level

A1 Elementary

A2 Pre-intermediate

Article 'the' lesson is a little confuse for me.

thank you sir

I have a lot of difficulty learning grammar.

I'm glad taking this lesson because even though it is basic grammar, sometimes I forgot how to use it.

Some sentences for it. I have visited another city to meet my friends. The Antlantic Ocean is one of a big ocean in the world. I want to study in an United States after graduate a school.

Why in these both sentences we used The instead of no article although "go to prison,go to school "are common phrases

"I'm going to the prison to see my uncle." and "I'm going to school for a parents' meeting."

thx in advance

Hello WHYtheRUSH,

When we go to certain institutions as a member of them or as a participant in the institution's work, we do not use 'the'. However, when we go there as an outsider for some other purpose we use 'the':

She went to hospital. [she is a patient]
She went to the hospital. [she is visiting someone]
I'm going to prison. [you're a criminal]
I'm going to the prison to see my uncle. [your uncle is a prisoner or a guard]

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Peter,

Why do we need to use 'the' with bank?

I need to go to the bank at lunchtime.

We go to banks for what the banks are for. Then why use 'the'?

Shetu Yogme.

Hello Shetu Yogme,

Yes, you need the article here.

The rule that you reference is relevant only to certain institutions, primarily hospitals, courts, prisons, schools, universities and churches. Banks are treated like normal businesses such as shops, gyms and libraries.

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team