Common expressions without articles

Articles are not used in these expressions:

to school     at school     from school     to/at/from university/college to/at/in/into/from church     to/in/into/out of bed/prison/hospital to/at/from work     to/at sea     to/in/from town     at/from home for/at/to breakfast/lunch/dinner/supper     at night by car/bus/bicycle/plane/train/tube/ boat on foot     go to sleep     watch television (TV)     on TV

Possessives

A noun that is used after a possessive (like John's, America's), has no article.

• John's coat (NOT the John's coat)
• America's economic problems (NOT the America's economic problems)

Musical instruments
We usually use the article the when we talk in general about a musical instrument.

• I'd like to learn the piano.

But the is not used when we talk about jazz or pop music.

• This recording was made with Miles Davis on trumpet

all and both
We sometimes leave out the after both, and after all when there is a number.

• Both (the) children are good at maths.
  
• All (the) eight students passed the exam.

We can say all day, all night, all week, all summer/winter, all year, without the.

• I've been waiting for you all day

Seasons
We can say in spring or in the spring, in summer or in the summer, etc. There is little difference.

Jobs and positions
We use the article with the names of jobs.

• My sister is a doctor. (NOT My sister is doctor )

But the is not used in titles like Queen Elizabeth, President Lincoln.
 
Exclamations

We use a/an in exclamations after what, with singular countable nouns.

• What a lovely dress! (NOT What lovely dress!)

Nature
We often use the with the words town, country, sea, seaside and mountains, even when we are talking in general. The same happens with wind, rain, snow and sun(shine).

• Do you prefer the town or the country?

• I love the mountains
• I like the noise of the wind
• She spends her time lying in the sun

Place-names
We usually use the with these kinds of place-names:

• seas (the Atlantic)
• mountain groups (the Himalayas)
• island groups (the West Indies)
• rivers (the Rhine)
• deserts (the Sahara)
• hotels (the Grand Hotel)
• cinemas and theatres (the Odeon, the Playhouse)
• museums and art galleries (the British Museum, the Tate)

We usually use no article with:
continents, countries, states, counties, departments etc (Africa, Brazil, Texas, Berkshire, Westphalia) towns (Oxford) streets (New Street) lakes (Lake Michigan)
Exceptions: countries whose name contains a common noun like republic, state(s), union (the People's Republic of China, the USA, the USSR). Note also the Netherlands, and its seat of government the Hague.

We do not usually use the with the names of the principal buildings of a town.
Oxford University (NOT the Oxford University) Oxford Station (NOT the Oxford Station) Salisbury Cathedral Birmingham Airport Bristol Zoo
Names of single mountains vary — some have articles, some do not (Everest, the Matterhom).
 
Newspapers

• The names of newspapers usually have the.
• The Times  The Washington Post Most names of magazines do not have the.

Special styles
We leave out articles in some special ways of writing.

• newspaper headlines MAN KILLED ON MOUNTAIN
• notices, posters etc SUPER CINEMA, RITZ HOTEL
• telegrams    WIFE ILL MUST CANCEL HOLIDAY
• instructions    Open packet at other end
• dictionary entries        palm inner surface of hand between
• wrist and fingers
• lists    take car to garage; buy buttons;
• pay phone bill
• notes    J. thinks company needs new office

• For the use of articles with abbreviations {NATO, the USA).
• For the use of the in double comparatives {the more, the better).
• For a with few and little.
• For a with hundred, thousand etc.