Some nouns have to have “the” before it but seems like not all of them need it, so any explanations would be helpful!
edit: wow, didn’t expect so much traction on this. Thank you for your explanations! Interestingly, I’m actually a native English speaker but don’t really know grammar terminology all that well. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
In: 1233
If you tell someone you’re in school or in church doesn’t that suggest each are verbs? Verses their context as a noun… “I’ll meet you at the school on South Street” or “they’re having the meeting in the church downtown”
Two different language conventions.
In the UK (or British English), you can say “I’m in hospital”, but in the United States (US English) you would say “I’m in the hospital”.
It’s pretty arbitrary, these conventions develop over time, with people talking to each-other, and one way or the other “catches on”. I don’t think there’s a lot to understand about it really, sorry.
Just that people start to talk different, and different things become normal in different places. It’s kinda like how flocks of birds separated across islands will develop different songs and different shaped beaks. (See: Charles Darwin’s writings.) People diverge over time, but the norms of the group they socialize in tend to stay self-consistent.
I know this is not what you’re asking but I would never say I’m in school, I’d say I’m at school.
“Can’t talk.. I’m at school right now”
“We learned this in/at school”
I know this is not what you’re asking but I would never say I’m in school, I’d say I’m at school.
“Can’t talk.. I’m at school right now”
“We learned this in/at school”
I know this is not what you’re asking but I would never say I’m in school, I’d say I’m at school.
“Can’t talk.. I’m at school right now”
“We learned this in/at school”
It’s idiomatic, and you just learn which to use growing up with English as your language. Linguist can define general rules, but no one learns those rules in elementary school. And British and American forms don’t always agree. Americans would say “I’m in the hospital” while British would say “I’m in hospital.”
It’s idiomatic, and you just learn which to use growing up with English as your language. Linguist can define general rules, but no one learns those rules in elementary school. And British and American forms don’t always agree. Americans would say “I’m in the hospital” while British would say “I’m in hospital.”
It’s idiomatic, and you just learn which to use growing up with English as your language. Linguist can define general rules, but no one learns those rules in elementary school. And British and American forms don’t always agree. Americans would say “I’m in the hospital” while British would say “I’m in hospital.”
I thought it’s “I’m at school” and also, there’s only really one school you can be going to at a time, which is defined in the word itself. If you say “I’m at a school” it has a different meaning. Someone who’s touring schools and teaching things could say they’re at a school.
I thought it’s “I’m at school” and also, there’s only really one school you can be going to at a time, which is defined in the word itself. If you say “I’m at a school” it has a different meaning. Someone who’s touring schools and teaching things could say they’re at a school.
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