Is it necessary to add " the" before an instrument? / myLot

China

July 24, 2018 6:31am CST

We were taught at school that we should always add the word "the" before an instrument. Such as, I can play the piano. I can play the guitar. I want to know if it's true? Do you always use "the" when you say you can play an instrument?

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6 responses

Mike

@Mike197602 (15515)

• United Kingdom

24 Jul 18

You should but in American English I've seen it plenty of times where people say/write I can play piano...it is far less common in real english

1 person likes this

bobosusanwang

@bobosusanwang (135)

• China

24 Jul 18

@myklj999 I think you just explained when we should add " the" ?

bobosusanwang

@bobosusanwang (135)

• China

24 Jul 18

American English is not real?

1 person likes this

Mike

@Mike197602 (15515)

• United Kingdom

24 Jul 18

@bobosusanwang that was a sort of joke...obviously it is very similar but it's often pretty easy to tell by someones writing if the are from the US or UK.

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Kokil agarwal

@amitkokiladitya (171927)

• Agra, India

24 Jul 18

It depends..some format says you should write while some other format says that you should not.

1 person likes this

bobosusanwang

@bobosusanwang (135)

• China

24 Jul 18

Do you mind give me an example that we should use and the other that we shouldn't?

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Kokil agarwal

@amitkokiladitya (171927)

• Agra, India

24 Jul 18

@bobosusanwang like we can say that I play piano. But you have to say that I see the sun. Anything which is just one of its kind has to be addressed with a the