Microsoft Word Longman-Common Errors docx

Her daughter wants to leave school and get married. 
He still isn’t old enough to go to a school. 
He still isn’t old enough to go to school. 
Use 
theta/my
 etc only when you are talking about a particular school: ‘She goes to a very good 
school.’ ‘Our two boys go to the same school.’ 
When you refer to school as a type of place or activity, use 
leave
 
school, start school, go to 
school, et
c (WITHOUT 
the/a/my
 etc): ‘Most children go to primary school at the age of five.’ 
The same rule applies to 
kindergarten, college, university, church, prison, jail
and (in British 
English but not American English) 
hospital
. 
Compare: ‘They deserve to be put in prison.’ ‘The new prison has a special security wing for 
dangerous criminals.’ 
See also CINEMA 
 
2 
Most Norwegians speak English quite well because everybody has to learn it in 
school. 
Most Norwegians speak English quite well because everybody has to learn it at 
school. 
In British English the phrase is 
at school 
(NOT 
in
): ‘What did you do at school today?’ 
Note that in American English both 
in school 
and 
at school 
are used. 
 
3 
See
 VISIT 3 

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277 
scientific 
I’m studying for a scientific degree. 
I’m studying for a science degree. 
He’s good at scientific subjects. 
He’s good at science subjects. 
The Scientific Centre is next to the History Museum.