Common Mistakes :  Breakfast

noun

.BAD: After the breakfast, we went shopping

.GOOD: After breakfast, we went shopping

.BAD: Before my breakfast I usually go for a run

.GOOD: Before breakfast I usually go for a run

When breakfast/lunch/dinner etc refer to an event (rather than to the meal itself), they are used without a/the/this/my etc

?What shall we do after lunch

.Pam and Simon have invited us to dinner

?What time do you have breakfast

You use a/the/this/my etc when you refer to the meal itself

.We enjoyed the evening, even though the dinner was cold

.I don’t usually have time for a cooked breakfast

.BAD: Before I have a breakfast, I usually make my bed

.GOOD: Before I have (my) breakfast, I usually make my bed

.BAD: Every morning my first job is to prepare a breakfast

.GOOD: Every morning my first job is to prepare (the) breakfast

(have (your) breakfast/lunch/dinner etc (NOT a

?Have you had (your) breakfast yet

(make/prepare (the/your) breakfast/lunch/dinner etc (NOT a

?Whose turn is it to make the dinner tonight

Use a/an with breakfast/lunch/dinner etc only when you describe the meal

‘a cooked breakfast’, ‘a big breakfast’, ‘an American breakfast’

.BAD: There wasn’t enough time to eat breakfast

.GOOD: There wasn’t enough time to have breakfast

.BAD: While I am taking breakfast, I listen to the radio

.GOOD: While I am having breakfast, I listen to the radio

(have (your) breakfast/lunch/dinner etc (NOT eat/take

.We had dinner in the hotel restaurant

have sth for breakfast/lunch/dinner etc

?What did you have for lunch

Do not use eat unless you wish to emphasize the activity of eating. Compare

.We prefer to have dinner in the evening

.James always takes a long time to eat his dinner