in prison, to prison, at the prison

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi everyone,

Where could I do more exercises like this? I am not quite sure about the difference in the following sentences. Your help is appreciated.

1 and 2 are quite ok, but I have doubts about the rest.

She went to prison.
She has gone to prison.

She went to the prison.
She has gone to the prison.

She is in prison.
She is at the prison.

Best,

2

Bagheeeeee.
Long time, no see.
I hope you’re okay.

went to - in the past
has gone to - is continuing now

All the sentences are okay.

3

This is how most of us in India understand the difference though there may be other views.

She went to prison. (She is a convict)
She has gone to prison. (She is a convict)

She went to the prison. (She is not a convict, perhaps a visitor)
She has gone to the prison. (She is not a convict, perhaps a visitor)

She is in prison. (A general statement about the convict who is undergoing some sentence in some jail)
She is in the prison. (A statement about the convict who is undergoing the sentence in a specific prison known to the speaker and the listener)

4

She is not necessarily a convict. She might be visiting or working there.

5

How will you make the sentence when the person who is a convict is in a specific prison known to the speaker and the listener?

6

Is it correct? Isn’t the action complete? Just check!

7

It’s correct. The person is still there. Just think!
Use logic alongside grammar.

8

She’s being detained in XX prison.
She’s serving her sentence in XX prison.
She’s doing a stretch in XX prison.
… among others.

9

  1. The activity of ‘going’ DOES NOT continue in the present perfect. If it does, what is the purpose of the progressive?

  2. You have established and stuck to your version by using ‘detained’ and 'serving’or any other straw which is uncalled for and out of the question or context. And it shows you will go to any extent to prove you are correct.

10

[quote=“Anglophile”

She went to the prison. (She is not a convict, perhaps a visitor)
She has gone to the prison. (She is not a convict, perhaps a visitor)

[/quote]

The task was to explain the difference between the two. Is it just that the action refers to the present in the first sentence and past in the second one?

11

Hiiiii,

Thaaaaks Bev, nice to see you too!

12

Went to the prison - in the past
Has gone to the prison - she went at some recent time and is still there.