-1
  1. I am going to school.
  2. I am going to the school.
  3. I'm going to my school.

Clearly, number 2 is grammatically wrong but has its exceptions. What are they?

Also, students would number one. Do teachers say number 2? Parents say number 2 when they are off the pick up their child or going to the school for whatever reason.

What does a university student say? 1. I am going to the university. 2. I am going to university. 3. I am going to my university.

What about college? 1. I am going to the college. 2. I am going to college. 3. I am going to my college.

  1. I am going to the temple. / I am going to my temple.
  2. I am going to church. / I am going to my church.
  3. I am going to the mosque. / I am going to my mosque.

The church is a social institution but are the temple and mosque not? Is my wrong?

  1. I am going to the apartment.
  2. I am going to my apartment.
  3. I am going to the apartment over there.

Number 2 is most common and grammatically correct. Is number 1 grammatically wrong? Why? When do you use "the"? Number 3 is correct and purposely vague.

  1. I am going to the classroom.
  2. I am going to my classroom.

Both are correct but does number 2 mean the student's homeroom? Does "the" sometimes imply not yours?

  1. I am going to the concert.
  2. I am going to a concert.

Number 1 is wrong but why is "the concert" wrong?

  1. I am going the doctor.
  2. I am going to the doctor's office.

Can both of their locations be in the hospital? Do they mean the same thing? I know the doctor's office can possibly be in the hospital but also it can be at their facility not having to do with the hospital. But can you explain if there is a difference.

  1. I'm going to bed.
  2. I'm going to my bed.

Are they both the same?

Thanks in advance!!!

Improve this question
4
  • Why do you say that number 2 is grammatically incorrect?
    – curiousdannii
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 4:25
  • None of your sentences are wrong. They just mean different things and are used in different contexts. They would only be "wrong" if the context called for one but you said the other.
    – Jim
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 4:35
  • If a mother is asking her child, "Where are you going?" He or she would say "I am going to school" not "I am going to the school".
    – eyewonder
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 5:01
  • @eyewonder- That depends on the context. If the child had to be at the school by 10:00 o'clock because they were going on a field trip to the zoo, he would likely say that he was going to the school and not, he was going to school. "the school" is used to refer specifically to the building or grounds; plain school is used to refer to attendance.
    – Jim
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 6:16

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

I am going to the school is grammatically correct in the right context. It would imply you're referring to a specific, concrete school and not "school" as a concept. Similarly, I am going to the concert is acceptable if you have a specific concert in mind.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .