Omission Of The Article

Omission Of The Article

// Before school, college, university, church, bed, hospital, prison, when these places are visited or used for their primary purpose

The article is omitted -

1- Before names of substances and abstract nouns. (i.e. uncountable nouns) used in a general sense; as,

• Sugar is bad for your teeth.
• Gold is a precious metal.
• Wisdom is the gift of heaven.
• Honesty is the best policy.
• Virtue is its own reward.

Note-- Uncountable nouns take the when used in a particular sense (specially when qualified by an adjective or adjective phrase or clause); as,

• Would you pass me the sugar? (= the sugar on the table)
• The wisdom of Solomon is great.
• I can't forget the kindness with which he treated me.

2- Before plural countable nouns used in a general sense; as,

• Childlike chocolates. 
• Computers are used in many offices.

Note- that such nouns take 'the' when used with a particular meaning; as,
Where are the children? (= Our children)

3- Before most proper nouns (except those referred to earlier), namely, 

names of people (e.g. Paul, John), 

names of continents, countries, cities, etc. (e.g. Europe, Pakistan, Nagpur), 

names of individual mountains (e.g. Mount Everest), 

individual islands, lakes, hills, etc.

4- Before names of meals (used in a general sense); as,

• What time do you have lunch?
• Dinner is ready.

Note:

We use 'a' when there is an adjective before breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. 

We use 'the' when we specify.

• I had a late lunch today.
• The dinner we had at the Tourist Hotel was very nice. 

5- Before languages; as,

• We are studying English. 
• They speak Spanish at home. 

6- Before school, college, university, church, bed, hospital, prison, when these places are visited or used for their primary purpose; as,

• I learnt French at school.
• We go to church on Sundays. 
• He stays in bed till nine every morning. 
• My uncle is still in hospital.

Note-- 'The' is used with these words when we refer to them as a definite place, building or object rather than to the normal activity that goes on there; as,

• The school is very near my home. 
• I met him at the church. 
• The bed is broke.
• I went to the hospital to see my uncle.

7- Before names of relations, like father, mother, aunt, uncle, and also cook and nurse, meaning 'our cook', 'our nurse', as,

• Father has returned. 
• Aunt wants you to see her. 
• Cook has given notice. 

8- Before predicative nouns denoting a unique position, i.e., a position that is normally held at one time by one person only; as,

• He was elected chairman of the Board. 
• Mr. Paul became principal of the college in 1995.

9- In certain phrases consisting of a transitive verb followed by its object; as,

• to catch fire, to take breath, to give battle, to cast anchor, to send word, to bring word, to give ear, to lay siege, to set sail, to lose heart, to see foot, to leave home, to strike root, to take offence. 

10- In certain phrases consisting of a preposition followed by its object; as,

•  at home, in hand, in debt, by day, by night, at daybreak, at sunrise, at noon, at sunset, at night, at anchor, at sight, on demand, at interest, on earth, by land, by water, by river, by train, by steamer, by name, on horseback, on foot, on deck, in jest, at dinner, at ease, under ground, above ground.