noun
1
BAD : Her daughter wants to leave the school and get married.
GOOD : Her daughter wants to leave school and get married.
BAD : He still isn't old enough to go to a school.
GOOD : He still isn't old enough to go to school.
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Use the/a/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, etc (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 (↑ cinema )
2
BAD : Most Norwegians speak English quite well because everybody has to learn it in school.
GOOD : Most Norwegians speak English quite well because everybody has to learn it at school.
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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 (↑ visit )