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1. With uncountable and plural nouns when we talk about them in a general way.

Ex: Tea is more popular than coffee.

People like watching football.

Cindy likes music.

2. With some singular nouns referring to institutions.

Ex: school, college, church, university, hospital, work, prison.

3. With most countries.

Ex: We went on holiday to Switzerland.

She is from Brazil but he is from Spain.

But: the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines.

4. With meals.

Ex: We have breakfast at 7 a.m.

Tim usually eats a sandwich for lunch.

They had dinner at our house.

5. Wit seasons and special times of the year.

Ex: I celebrate Christmas at my parents’ house.

Are you going to be here for Easter?

Muslims celebrate Eid after Ramadan.

I prefer summer to winter.

6. With the names of months and days of the week.

Ex: My birthday is in June.

We have a meeting on Friday.

7. With towns, cities, continents, lakes and mountains.

Ex: Lake Victoria is in Africa.

Cape Town is one of my favorite cities.

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

8. With languages and school subjects.

Ex: She speaks Italian and French.

I would like to learn Japanese.

My favorite subject at school was art but I hated maths.

9. With “play + sports/game” and “by + transport”.

Ex: He plays rugby but I prefer tennis.

We usually go to work by car but sometimes we go by bus.