What gets me as a non-native speaker far more than "a vs an" is the "a vs the" conundrum. I still don't quite get when something needs to be "indefinite" and I've been speaking English for close to forty years. My native tongue lacks articles altogether and it's soo bloody hard I feel hopeless I'll ever master them fully.
That much is obvious and everyone learns it like on the first week of English learning, of course. It’s the various cases where that simple rule doesn’t apply that are difficult.
"I play the piano"
And then there are those cases where you actually use neither!
Instruments are interesting when it comes to articles. I'm wondering if it's a leftover for when people would play in orchestras.
> What do you play (in the orchestra)?
> I play the piano (in the orchestra).
Using 'the' here feels quite formal, as if you belong to something, or it's a career choice.
> Play any instruments?
> ah, I play guitar (casually)
> Yes, I play the guitar (for a band, or at least I larp as doing so)
When it comes to 'a/an', we should assume that there's an element of randomness, or irrelevance as to which one precisely.
> What you doing tonight? Playing guitar
> What you doing tonight? Playing a guitar
> What you doing tonight? Playing the guitar.
The second option doesn't sound natural interestingly, as 'tonight' in the question implies there's a plan. Playing 'an' instrument, therefore, comes off as more spontaneous; playing 'any' instrument which just happens to be there.
abraxas · · focus · HN ↗
AndrewDucker · · focus · HN ↗
"Pass me a plate" - any plate will do. "Pass me the plate" - I want the specific plate which we were talking about.
Sharlin · · focus · HN ↗
"I play the piano"
And then there are those cases where you actually use neither!
gaiagraphia · · focus · HN ↗
> What do you play (in the orchestra)?
> I play the piano (in the orchestra).
Using 'the' here feels quite formal, as if you belong to something, or it's a career choice.
> Play any instruments?
> ah, I play guitar (casually)
> Yes, I play the guitar (for a band, or at least I larp as doing so)
When it comes to 'a/an', we should assume that there's an element of randomness, or irrelevance as to which one precisely.
> What you doing tonight? Playing guitar
> What you doing tonight? Playing a guitar
> What you doing tonight? Playing the guitar.
The second option doesn't sound natural interestingly, as 'tonight' in the question implies there's a plan. Playing 'an' instrument, therefore, comes off as more spontaneous; playing 'any' instrument which just happens to be there.