thrown in prision vs. thrown in the prison

English as a Second Language English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
1

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #42 [color=blue]“American Slang Words (16)”, question 4

The armed robbers were quickly apprehended and then thrown in the slammer.

(a) prison
(b) cold
(c) work camp

English Idioms and Expressions, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #42 [color=blue]“American Slang Words (16)”, answer 4

The armed robbers were quickly apprehended and then thrown in the prison.

Correct answer: (a) prison

Your answer was: [color=green]correct
[size=200]_________________________[/size]

What is a better way to put it, considering the context of the sentence:
a. He was thrown in prison
b. He was thrown in the prison ?

Many thanks !
Alex.

2

Hi Alex

If the reference is not to a particular prison, you would omit the word ‘the’ as follows:

  • thrown in prison
  • thrown in jail

BUT if you use ‘slammer’, you need to include the word ‘the’.

(AmE)
.

3

Hi, Amy

That is the reason why I picked up on the definite article before the word “prison” in the test sentence :slight_smile: - definitely we don’t have in mind any particular prison, do we?

I understand that we can only say “to throw somebody in the slammer”, but why do we have to say The armed robbers were quickly apprehended and then thrown in [color=red]the prison ? Maybe it is a misprint ?

4

Hi Alex

Yes, the way the test question is currently programmed is a bit misleading. That problem could possibly be solved this way, for example:

.
.

[size=84]I got a little carried away with option (b)…[/size] :lol:

5

We’ve removed the article and so the sentence will soon read “… in prison”.[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, photographs: In a hair salon[YSaerTTEW443543]