Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[nawee]

Hello,

It's me with the article problem again. I have bean taught that in some expressions, we don't use the article "the" because they behave like expressions, e.g. go to school, go to bed, etc.

I read somewhere that the difference between "go to school/hospital" and " go to the school/hospital" is that without the article, it means that you go there to study/see the doctor (expected purpose), but with the article, it means that you go there for a purpose which is not normally expected. Is this true?

What about "unversity"? I understand "go to university" = receive higher education (university level), not the action of going to a university building. Am I right?

Then if I want to say, "I go to (the) university by car", should I use "the" or not?

Totally confused,

Nawee

[pinenut]

[Lorikeet]

I believe there might be a difference in American and British English (or maybe it's just my English!) but "I go to university." sounds funny to me. My kids go to a university; I say they go to college. It's enough to drive someone crazy!

[KazAV]

There certainly is a difference. In English English we say "go to university". College is generally understood to mean a different institution where things like vocational qualifications are studied for rather than where undergraduate study takes place.

[pinenut]