【问】 He's in the hospital.
 这句话是指“他(因病)住院”呢，还是指“他(因事)在医院里”呢?
 【答】 按照英国英语，可将上面的句子理解为“他(因事)在医院里”。此时the hospital表示一个特定医院的建筑物或地方。因为在英国英语中，表示“去医院看病”、“住院治疗”或“病愈出院”这层意思时，在名词hospital之前一般是不加冠词的。请比较：
 1. He proposed that Vidler should go into hospital at once. (Cronin)
 他建议维德勒立刻去医院。
 2. The patient was in hospital. (LDCE)
 这个病人住院了。
 3. He will soon be out of hospital.
 他很快就要出院了。
 4. When she woke up a day later，she found herself in hospital. (New Concept English，Book 2，L.33)
 当她第二天醒来时，她发现自己已经在医院里了。
 5. While John Gilbert was in hospital，he asked his doctor to tell him whether his operationhad been successful，but the doctor refused to do so. (New Concept English，Book 2，L.39)
 当约翰·吉尔伯特住在医院时，他问医生，他的手术进行得是否成功，但医生拒绝回答。
 6. He then asked when Mr Gilbert would be allowed to go home and the doctor told himthat he would have to stay in hospital for another two weeks. (New Concept English，Book 2，L. 39)
 然后他又问什么时候可以允许吉尔伯特出院。医生说他还得住两个星期。
 7. He had taken a job at a hospital. (Snow)
 他在医院找到了一份工作。
 8. The young doctor was house surgeon at the local hospital. (FWF)
 这位年轻大夫在当地医院当住院外科医生。
 9. I'm going to the hospital to see my brother.
 我要去医院看我哥哥。
 在美国英语中则可以作两种解释。因为在表示“去医院看病”、“在医院住院治疗”这层意思时，在hospital之前也必须加冠词：be in/go to the hospital(参见in school)。