A home
当home单独用即前后不加修饰词或短语时,不需要定冠词:
He is at home.
他在家。
当home单独用时,可以直接跟在具备运动意义的动词之后,或紧随在具备运动意义的动词+宾语之后。换句话说,
home可以当副词用:
He went home.
他回家了。
I arrived home after dark.
我天黑将来到家的。
但,当home之前或之后带有修饰词或修饰短语时,其使用方法
和其他名词相同:
They went to their new home.
他们到自已的新家去了。
We arrived at the brides home.
大家到了新娘的家。
For some years this was the home of your queen.
曾有的年头这里是你们王后的家。
A mud hut was the only home he had ever known.
一间小土屋就是他所了解的唯一的家。
B bed,church,court,hospital,prison,school/college/university大家去这类地方干在这类地方应该干的事时,上述词汇的前面不需要定冠词the。比如,we go:
to bed(to sleep or as invalids1) 上床睡觉或(患者)卧床
to church(to pray)去教堂祷告
to court(as litigants2)上法院打官司
to hospital(as patients)去医院就诊
to prison(as prisoners)进监狱坐牢
to school/college/university(to study)去学校/学院/大学念书
同样可以说:
in bed(sleeping or resting)在床上(睡觉或休息)
at church(as worshippers)在教堂做礼拜
in court(as witnesses)在法庭作证
in hospital(as patients)生病住院
at school(as students)在学校念书
大家可以说:
be/get back/home from school/college/university从学校/大学上学回到家
leave school离校,放学回家
leave hospital出院
be released from prison出狱
假如往这类地方去是因为其他缘由,则要用定冠词:
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.
他有时去监狱给囚犯演讲。
C sea
go to sea(as sailors)(当水手)出海
be at sea= be on a voyage(as passengers or crew)(作为旅客或船员)坐船航行
但:
go to/be at the sea=go to/be at the seaside去/在海边
还可以如此说:
live by/near the sea住在海边
D work和office
work(工作地址)前不加定冠词the:
Hes on his way to work.
他在去上班的路上。
He is at work.
他在上班。(在办公室或工作地址)
He isnt back from work yet.
他还没有(从办公室)下班回来。
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.
他正在努力地画一幅新画。
office(工作地址)前需要加定冠词the:
He is at/in the office.
他在办公室。
be in office(不加the)则表示担任一个官/公职(一般指政界职位)。
be out of office=be no longer in power不再担任某一职务,已去职
E town
在讲到主语或说话人我们的城镇时,town前面的the可以省略:
We go to town sometimes to buy clothes.
大家有时进城去买衣服。
We were in town last Monday.
上星期一大家在城里。