Go to school vs Go to a school vs Go to the school

Do you wonder which one is correct?

“Go to school”, “Go to a school”, or “Go to the school”?

The answer is that all are correct.

But they do not mean the same thing.

I will explain the differences in this article.

So if you want to learn more, read on.

 

 

Go to school

“Go to school” has two distinct meanings and is used differently depending on the context.

Note that the same rule applies to other types of schools, for example, preschools, colleges, universities, etc.

 

Meaning #1: Attending a school

When you are a student and attend school regularly, you go to school.

The phrase “go to school” is idiomatic and needs to be learned on its own. Its meaning should not be taken literally.

If someone says that they “go to school“, it simply means that they are a student.

Where did you go to school? My son goes to preschool two days a week. He loved the school the first day he went to kindergarten. Going to college is a huge step towards becoming an adult. She went to university aged 40.

Important Note We do not say “going to school” in this meaning. We always say “go to school” using the Present Simple.

 

Meaning #2: Travelling

When you are travelling (usually walking) to your school, you would say that you are “going to school“.

Remember that you still have to be a student to “go to school”.

In this meaning the phrase is used literally.

If someone says that they are “going to school”, it means they are travelling to their school now.

Apart from “go“, there are many other words you can use to describe how you get to school.

I walk to school. I go to school on the bus. ‘How do you go to school?’ ‘I go on a bike.’ I don’t like walking, so I take the bus to school. Is it true that Americans go to school by bus? She can’t go to school because she has a fever.

Important Note In this meaning, “going to school” is tense sensitive. What this means is that we can use both “go to school” and “going to school” depending on the context of the sentence.

 

Go to a school

This phrase is possible, but means something slightly different.

 

Meaning #1: Attending a school

Once again, we have the “attending school” meaning.

If you are a student and you attend a school, then it is possible to say that you “go to a school“, but the meaning is different.

This time, we are talking about a particular, although unspecified school that you attend regularly.

If we use the article “a”, the word “school” is used as a concept and the sentence becomes rather vague.

He went to a school that was pretty terrible. ((= we do not know which school) I went to a school with no grades. (= we do not know which school) ‘Where did you go to school?’ ‘I went to a school in Paris.’ (= we do not know which school) I do not want to go to a school that’s far away from home. (= any school) She says she regrets not going to a bigger school. (= any school)

 

Meaning #2: Travelling

You do not need to be a student to use “go to a school” in this meaning.

In fact, it is very unlikely you even can use this meaning as a student.

This is because “go to a school” is not specific, and when one is a student they are usually enrolled in only one specific school.

So in this meaning, “going to a school” is used to mean that you are a visitor.

If you say “I went to a school”, you are using the phrase literally to mean that you are travelling to a particular, but unspecified school.

I went to a school in London to apply for a place. I am planning to go to a school in Scotland and see my son.

The first sentence means that you are not a student and that you have travelled all the way to London to visit an unspecified school and personally submit an application for enrolment.

The second one means that your son is a student at an unspecified school in Scotland and you are wanting to visit him there.

Note that sentences like these are unlikely because there are better way of saying them.

 

Go to the school

Very similar to the previous phrases, but with slight differences.

 

Meaning #1: Attending a school

Once more we have the meaning “attend school”.

But this time, we are talking about a specific school. The school that you attend regularly as a student.

He goes to the school in Meadow Lane. (= a specific school, there is only one school in Meadow Lane) She teaches in the same school she went to. (= a specific school, the same she went to as a child) My dad will not let me go to the college I want to go to. (= a specific school) ‘It’s the best university. You should go there.’ ‘How do you know? Did you go to the university?’ (= a specific school)

 

Meaning #2: Travelling

When you are travelling to a specific school, you would say “go to the school“.

In this sense, it could be used for a student travelling to his own, specific school, or for a visitor going to a particular school.

I go to the school on a bus. (= a specific school, student) My son hates going to the school because it’s very far. (= a specific school, student) A former prisoner went to the school to give a talk. (= a specific school, visitor) He went to the college to see his daughter. (= a specific school, visitor)

 

Summary

• “Go to school” means that you are a student at a school, or that you are travelling to your school,
• “Go to a school” means that you are a student at an unspecified school, or that you are travelling to an unspecified school,
• “Go to the school” means that you are a student at a specific school, or that you are travelling to a specific school.