Articles 2: Places, Institutions and Geographical Names
By the end: I can use common place-name patterns and distinguish an institution from a particular building.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Before you start
Name a country, a river and a place where you study. Which names normally include the?
Useful background: Articles: a, an, the and no article.
Institution or building
Some familiar expressions use no article for the institution’s usual activity: at school, at university, in prison, in bed. Add the when identifying a particular building or object in a normal noun phrase. Context matters.
My daughter is at school.
I’m waiting outside the school.
Common geographical patterns
Most country, continent and city names have no article. Rivers, seas, oceans and mountain ranges commonly take the. Names of single mountains and lakes often do not. Learn important exceptions with the name.
They travelled across Canada.
We took photographs of the Andes.
Useful fixed names and expressions
Names containing plural or descriptive political words often take the, as in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Say at home and go home, but at the office. In British English, in hospital commonly means as a patient; American English commonly uses in the hospital for that meaning too.
She works in the Netherlands.
I’m at home, but Max is at the office.
A patient can use different hospital expressions in different varieties
The expression describes being there as a patient.
This can describe the same patient situation.
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Compare the meaning and form; the model is one possible answer.
1. Complete with the or no article: They moved to ___ Canada.
Compare a model and explanation
no article
Canada normally takes no article.
2. Complete: They photographed ___ Pacific Ocean.
Compare a model and explanation
the
Names of oceans normally take the.
3. Complete: She studies at ___ university. Use the British institutional expression, not a named building.
Compare a model and explanation
no article
At university presents the activity or status of studying.
4. Complete: I am outside ___ school where we are meeting.
Compare a model and explanation
the
The relative clause identifies the particular building.
5. Correct: I’m going to home after work.
Compare a model and explanation
I’m going home after work.
Home does not take to in go home.
6. Complete: They work in ___ Netherlands.
Compare a model and explanation
the
The conventional country name includes the.
7. Explain the difference between in bed and beside the bed.
Compare a model and explanation
In bed refers to the familiar resting situation; beside the bed identifies a location next to a particular object.
The expressions organise the reference differently.
8. A learner says in the hospital as a patient in American English. Should you mark it wrong because British materials teach in hospital? Explain.
Compare a model and explanation
No. In the hospital is normal American English for that meaning.
Distinguish the model variety from an incorrect sentence.
A short conversation
Listen first if you can, then open the transcript when useful.
Open the conversation transcript
A: Is your brother at university now?
B: Yes. He studies near the coast, but he’s at home this week.
A: Are you meeting him at the university tomorrow?
B: No, we’re meeting outside the library. Then we’re going home together.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have their own score.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer in each situation. Your score is out of eight.
Use it in your own words
Speaking task 1
Describe the day of a fictional student, including university, home and one specific campus building.
Reveal a possible response
Leo is at university in the morning. His sister meets him outside the library at four, and they go home together. In the evening, he studies at home.
Success check: Distinguish institutional activity from an identified building.
Speaking task 2
Invent a short travel route using two country names and one ocean, river or mountain range from the lesson.
Reveal a possible response
My character starts in Canada and later travels to the Netherlands. In a separate part of the story, she photographs the Andes.
Success check: Use correct naming patterns; this is an invented route, not practical travel advice.
Speaking task 3
Explain why a simple rule such as places never take the is unreliable. Give three contrasting examples.
Reveal a possible response
We usually say Canada without the, but the Netherlands includes it. At school can describe the normal activity, while outside the school refers to a particular building.
Success check: Explain both conventional names and changes in reference.
Take it with you
I can use common place-name patterns and distinguish an institution from a particular building.