A home

當home單獨用即前后不加修飾詞或短語時,不需要定冠詞:

He is at home.

他在家。

當home單獨用時,可以直接跟在具備運動意義的動詞之后,或緊隨在具備運動意義的動詞+賓語之后。換句話說,

home可以當副詞用:

He went home.

他回家了。

I arrived home after dark.

我天黑將來到家的。

但,當home之前或之后帶有修飾詞或修飾短語時,其使用方法

和其他名詞相同:

They went to their new home.

他們到自已的新家去了。

We arrived at the brides home.

大家到了新娘的家。

For some years this was the home of your queen.

曾有的年頭這里是你們王后的家。

A mud hut was the only home he had ever known.

一間小土屋就是他所了解的唯一的家。

B bed,church,court,hospital,prison,school/college/university大家去這類地方干在這類地方應該干的事時,上述詞匯的前面不需要定冠詞the。比如,we go:

to bed(to sleep or as invalids1) 上床睡覺或(患者)臥床

to church(to pray)去教堂禱告

to court(as litigants2)上法院打官司

to hospital(as patients)去醫院就診

to prison(as prisoners)進監獄坐牢

to school/college/university(to study)去學校/學院/大學念書

同樣可以說:

in bed(sleeping or resting)在床上(睡覺或休息)

at church(as worshippers)在教堂做禮拜

in court(as witnesses)在法庭作證

in hospital(as patients)生病住院

at school(as students)在學校念書

大家可以說:

be/get back/home from school/college/university從學校/大學上學回到家

leave school離校,放學回家

leave hospital出院

be released from prison出獄

假如往這類地方去是因為其他緣由,則要用定冠詞:

I went to the church to see the stained glass.

我到教堂看染色拼花玻璃窗去了。

He goes to the prison sometimes to give lectures.

他有時去監獄給囚犯演講。

C sea

go to sea(as sailors)(當水手)出海

be at sea= be on a voyage(as passengers or crew)(作為旅客或船員)坐船航行

但:

go to/be at the sea=go to/be at the seaside去/在海邊

還可以如此說:

live by/near the sea住在海邊

D work和office

work(工作地址)前不加定冠詞the:

Hes on his way to work.

他在去上班的路上。

He is at work.

他在上班。(在辦公室或工作地址)

He isnt back from work yet.

他還沒有(從辦公室)下班回來。

注意:at work也可表示working(工作):

hard at work=working hard在努力工作

Hes hard at work on a new picture.

他正在努力地畫一幅新畫。

office(工作地址)前需要加定冠詞the:

He is at/in the office.

他在辦公室。

be in office(不加the)則表示擔任一個官/公職(一般指政界職位)。

be out of office=be no longer in power不再擔任某一職務,已去職

E town

在講到主語或說話人我們的城鎮時,town前面的the可以省略:

We go to town sometimes to buy clothes.

大家有時進城去買衣服。

We were in town last Monday.

上星期一大家在城里。