1. She works as a cleaner in/at a hospital.
(Which preposition do I have to use?)
2. She spent two weeks in hospital/ in the hospital.
(Are both OK? Do you use 'in hospital' in th UK? Do you use 'in the hospital' in the USA?)
3. I had to go to hospital.
4. I had to go to the hospital.
(Are both OK? Do you use 'to hospital' in the UK? Do you use 'to the hospital' in the USA? In #4, does the hospital mean a specific hospital or is 'the hospital' in generic use?)
1. Either preposition works fine.
2, 3, and 4 -- "in hospital" and "to hospital" are UK expressions. Adding "the" is the normal expression in the US.
In both expressions, it's the generic use of "hospital." If someone meant a specific hospital, he/she would name it:
Generic -- She was taken to the hospital by ambulance. [but we don't know which one unless there's only one hospital in town!]
Specific -- She was taken to MD Anderson Hospital by ambulance.
1. In this case, both "in" and "at" are grammatically correct, but they may have slightly different meanings.
Using "in" suggests that the person works inside the hospital, possibly performing their cleaning duties in various locations within the hospital building.
Using "at" suggests that the person works at the hospital location, but not necessarily inside the building. For example, they may be responsible for cleaning the exterior areas or maintaining the grounds of the hospital.
2. Both "in hospital" and "in the hospital" are grammatically correct, but their usage can vary by region.
"In hospital" is commonly used in the UK to refer to receiving medical treatment as an inpatient. For example, if someone says "She spent two weeks in hospital," it means she was staying at a hospital for two weeks as a patient.
"In the hospital" is often used in the USA to refer to being physically present within a specific hospital building, either as a patient or as a visitor. So, if someone says "She spent two weeks in the hospital," it means she was physically staying inside a particular hospital building for two weeks.
3. "I had to go to hospital" is more commonly used in British English, particularly in informal speech or writing. It means that the speaker had to visit a hospital for medical treatment or assistance.
4. "I had to go to the hospital" is more commonly used in American English, particularly in formal situations. It also means that the person had to visit a hospital for medical treatment or assistance.
In both cases, "hospital" is used in a generic sense, referring to any hospital, rather than a specific one.