At the opticians

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

This sentence is from the book Let's Talk About it by Craig Drayton. 'Your eyesight is checked at the opticians.' Why isn't it 'optician's'?

 

[Rover_KE]

It's a mistake. It should be optician's.

 

[Rachel Adams]

It's a mistake. It should be optician's.

Why do they use the definite article if it wasn't mentioned before?

 

[emsr2d2]

It's a set construction.

I'm going to the optician's.
You need to go to the optician's.

It's the same as things like "I'm going to the doctor/doctor's" and "She should really go to the dentist/dentist's".

 

[Yankee]

Why do they use the definite article if it wasn't mentioned before?

Good question. I think, with certain professions or sub-professions referred to as a group, e.g. pediatricians, engineers, doctors, managers etc. and in that type of context it would be used. I would like to see other responses.

 

[jutfrank]

Why do they use the definite article if it wasn't mentioned before?

You don't always have to have mentioned something before to use a definite article.

Here's how I teach this use of the definite article:

When you're referring generically to facilities and services in your town, use the:

the doctor's
the dentist's
the vet's
the supermarket
the train station
the hospital
etc.

It only works for facilities/services that you would expect to find in a typical town.

 

[Rachel Adams]

You don't always have to have mentioned something before to use a definite article.

Here's how I teach this use of the definite article:

When you're referring generically to facilities and services in your town, use the:

the doctor's
the dentist's
the vet's
the supermarket
the train station
the hospital
etc.

It only works for facilities/services that you would expect to find in a typical town.

And probably 'to go the bank' is also on the list.

 

[jutfrank]

And probably 'to go to the bank' is also on the list.

the bank, yes.

 

[Rachel Adams]

the bank, yes.

Are they set constructions when they are used only with 'go' and 'at'?
'at the doctor's', 'at the supermarket', 'at the dentist's', 'at the vet's' , 'at the hospital', 'at the train station'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Why don't you give us some sentences with different verbs and we'll see?

 

[jutfrank]

Are they set constructions when they are used only with 'go' and 'at'?
'at the doctor's', 'at the supermarket', 'at the dentist's', 'at the vet's' , 'at the hospital', 'at the train station'.

I don't think of them as set constructions, no, but if that helps you, then fine.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I don't think of them as set constructions, no, but if that helps you, then fine.

Yes, for me it is easier. Because if I am not mistaken, an indefinite article is also possible before 'hospital' as in 1. 'She has to stay in/at a/the _ hospital'. 2. 'She has to stay in/at hospital' 3. 'She is in / at the/a /_ hospital'. The definite article is not impossible in my sentences either. Is it? I used both articles and '_ no article.'

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, for me it is easier. Because if I am not mistaken, an indefinite article is also possible before 'hospital' as in 1. 'She has to stay in/at a/the _ hospital'. 2. 'She has to stay in/at hospital' 3. 'She is in / at the/a /_ hospital'. The definite article is not impossible in my sentences either. Is it? I used both articles and '_ no article.'

I don't understand what's going through your mind. Try to clarify your thoughts and ask again. Pay special attention to making your posts as coherent and as readable as possible.

 

[Rachel Adams]

I don't understand what's going through your mind. Try to clarify your thoughts and ask again. Pay special attention to making your posts as coherent and as readable as possible.

Could you please tell me if the sentences I wrote are also possible?
1. 'She has to stay in hospital'.
2. 'She has to stay in the hospital.'
3. 'She has to stay in a hospital.'
4. 'She is at hospital.'
5. 'She is at a hospital.'
6. 'She is at the hospital.'

 

[jutfrank]

They're all possible except 4.

I don't see how these sentences are related to what we're talking about, though. In fact, I can tell you that they are not.

 

[Rachel Adams]

They're all possible except 4.

I don't see how these sentences are related to what we're talking about, though. In fact, I can tell you that they are not.

I didn't know that some of the sentences in this thread are set constructions. I would often put articles or use the wrong preposition in such set phases. So yes they are related and your answer was very helpful.
Thank you!

 

[Rachel Adams]

They're all possible except 4.

I don't see how these sentences are related to what we're talking about, though. In fact, I can tell you that they are not.

Is the fourth sentence wrong in BrE only? Would it work if I was not talking about a patient but about someone who is staying there with a member of their family or about someone who works there?

Why am I asking this question? In one of the textbooks I read that articles are not used with the words 'school', 'college', 'market', 'hospital', 'bed', etc, when they denote the aim they serve. Other words are 'prison' and 'church'. The name of the book is English Grammar by Gakhokidze.
Examples from the book. 'Mother goes to market'. 'I go to school'.

 

[jutfrank]

Is the fourth sentence wrong in BrE only?

No.

Would it work if I was not talking about a patient but about someone who is staying there with a member of their family or about someone who works there?

No.

Why am I asking this question?

Because you've confused two different uses:

1) The use of the that we're talking about in this thread.
2) The use of the with institutions, such as hospital/prison/church, etc.

In one of the textbooks I read that articles are not used with the words 'school', 'college', 'market', 'hospital', 'bed', etc, when they denote the aim they serve.

Yes, that's use number 2) above, which is different. You have to try to separate these two uses in your mind.

 

[Rachel Adams]

No.



No.



Because you've confused two different uses:

1) The use of the that we're talking about in this thread.
2) The use of the with institutions, such as hospital/prison/church, etc.



Yes, that's use number 2) above, which is different. You have to try to separate these two uses in your mind.

So the book which I have mentioned suggets the use of the word 'hospital' as in this sentence 'She has to stay in hospital'. 'At' is just the wrong use of preposition. Right? This is so confusing. There are no examples in the book. Only very common ones. In your first answer you were talking about not going there as a patient. Right? I mean when you said 'the hospital'.

 

[jutfrank]

So the book which I have mentioned suggets the use of the word 'hospital' as in this sentence 'She has to stay in hospital'. 'At' is just the wrong use of preposition. Right?

Right.

This is so confusing. There are no examples in the book. Only very common ones. In your first answer you were talking about not going there as a patient. Right? I mean when you said 'the hospital'.

That's right. I was not talking about going there at all, whether as a patient or not. I was just talking about how to refer to places that exist in a typical town.