Job Discussion Forums

[Eric]

I was recently asked if one would say, "In the summer" or "In summer".

Can anyone tell me which is correct and when.

Thanks,
Eric

[king kakipi]

Off the top of my head, and with no guarantee that this is right, I would use the definite article (the) when talking about a specific summer and omit it when talking about summer in general. eg
Ah, in the summer of 1983, I fell in love for the first time; I remember it well
I usually wear shorts to work in summer

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Take hospital, as an example:

My father is in hospital. / My father is in the hospital.

The first sentence tells us as a certainty that my father was admitted to the hospital as a patient. The second one is not clear. Is he a patient, a doctor, or a visitor?

Seasons cannot be seen this way.

I like dancing in summer. I like dancing in the summer.

The second sentence needs "time" added after summer, making it "summertime".

Hope this helps.

[johnslat]

Whoa, let's not make this darn language any more complicated that it already is:

If you're referring to a specific summer - e.g. I met her in the summer of '76.

you need the article. But if it's "general", either one is OK - e.g. I like to swim in summer/the summer.

The "hospital" matter is mostly a British/American difference. In British English, the article "the" is usually dropped - e.g. He's in hospita - whereas Americans will usually add "the" - e.g. He's in the hospital.

It's the same principle as American use with "school" - e.g. He's in school.

The words "hospital" and "school" as used here are not referring to specific buildings, but to general ideas - i.e. He's in hospital = He's sick
He's in school - He's getting an education (one hopes).
Regards,
John

[shmooj]

[Eric]

I learned how to ride a bicycle in the summer. Doesn't this sound correct without the element of time. I think Smooj was correct. Language is constantly changing, so whatever form is most popular must be the one to use.

Eric

[johnslat]

Dear Eric,
But that's because you're referring (without giving the date) to a SPECIFIC summer.

You could say, though -

I love riding my bicycle in summer/the summer

or

In summer/the summer, I love to ride my bycycle.

"Common count nouns are used without articles in certain special situations:

with seasons: In spring, we like to clean the house."

from:

http://www.vnn.vn/vnn4/practice/grammar/article.htm

also -

"With the seasons, we don�t usually use an article, unless we are talking about a known and specific season and then we can use �the�
For example: We met in the summer = We met last summer.


from:

http://www.video-english.com/4/map.php?exercise=2989&type=Grammar

Regards,
John