The definite article with public buildings

Unfortunately, there are numerous wrong explanations of English grammar rules on Internet. I'd advice you to double- check when you are uncertain or your resorce is not an official one like BBC Learning English, CAMBRIDGE English Learnig Assessment or OXFORD English Grammar Course etc.

This is what I found yesterday on Instagram:

I've been teaching for years how we use the definite article "the" with public buildings and I can say that it is absolutely incorrect. Let's see with Phil, why: 

❗❗So the difference is not the use of  the prepositions "in" vs "at", but the omission or not of the definite article❗❗

So at school or at the school?

Without 'the'

We often use a prepositions of place with public buidlings when talking about the main reason that people go there. We normally don't use the in this case.

• I'm at school. (I'm studying)
• I'm in hospital. (I'm ill)

With 'the' 

We often use 'the' in front of a public buidling when talking about an alternative activity to the normal reason that people go there. 

• I'm at the school. I'm here to pick up our son.
• I'm in the hospital to visit Mable.

More examples: 

My son (= a student)                                       vs            My son (= I'm a mother) has started 

starts school/goes to school/is at school                        school now, so I am at the school to
                                                                                        meet his teacher.   

The burglar (=a criminal)                                 vs           I spent a lot of time in the prison when

was sent to prison/was in prison                                    I was a social worker.         

A pregnant woman (=a patient)                       vs           I'm (=a visitor) in the hospital, my

goes to hospital/is in hospital*                                        sister has just had a baby.   

Believers                                                          vs          Tourists are at the church to admire the

go to church/are at church                                             beautiful frescoes.     

          

(*However, American English uses "the" when referring to someone who has been admitted to the hospital that is "I'm in the hospital", as Michael from New York explains:

)

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Test your English

More on special omissions of the definite article is on:

https://www.linguahouse.com/learning-english/general-english/nouns-2-special-omissions-of-the-definite-article 👍

Yet at school or in school?

You’ve most likely heard both of the expressions at some point in everyday conversation, but are they reallly interchangeable? There are many different ideas about that:

• "In school" is perhaps more common American English while "at school" is more British, but both are equally correct. Similarly, an American would probably say "in college", while a Brit would say "at university". "In" tends to be used for institutions, so you are "in hospital" rather than "at hospital", but "at home" not "in home" - although you might be put "in a home". There is perhaps a slight subtle difference that "in school" means they attend school - as opposed to having finished school, while "at school" means they are there now:
  "Are your children in school" = Are they under 16 or 18? But "Are your children at school" = Are they at school today or are they at home? English Stack Exchange

•  We use both "in school" and "at school", for slightly different situations. "At school means" the person is literally, physically, inside the school: (conversation at 2:00 PM) “Where’s John?” “He’s at school. His classes finish at 3:30.”  "In school" means the person is studying in general (usually at college or university) but not necessarily inside the school building at that moment: “My husband doesn’t have a job, because he’s in school. He’s studying law.” Espresso English

 

• We use the phrase “at school” to indicate that a person is currently anywhere within the designated “grounds” of the school or in a general sense are attending (or have attended) the educational institution to which you are referring:

We are at school today because it is not a nationally recognized holiday.

The children are at school from 7:00 AM until 3:00 PM every weekday.

The dance this weekend is at school, but I’m not sure where in the building they are holding it.

We use the phrase “in school” to imply that the person is within the actual school building (as opposed to just being somewhere on the school grounds) or in a general sense are attending (or have attended) the educational institution to which you are referring:

Jeremy is in school right now so he can’t come with me to the store to pick out new shoes.

Are your children at the ages now where they are in school?

The children are in school every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but we homeschool them on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Is "at school" or "in school" used the most? 👀