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Slocawber Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
ANY in questions with a singular countable name
I don't think the following is gramatically correct:
Do you play any musical instrument?
Nevertheless, I've found about 15,000 instances of it in Google. Do you agree? In my opinion it should be: Do you play any musical instrumentS?
Thank you
Do you play any musical instrument?
Nevertheless, I've found about 15,000 instances of it in Google. Do you agree? In my opinion it should be: Do you play any musical instrumentS?
Thank you
Top answer
slocawber Do you play any musical instrument? and that this is the final question. ” Correct.
- slocawber Do you play any musical instrument?
- and that this is the final question.
- ” Correct.
- ” Correct.
- ” Correct (even though ‘any’ implies ‘one’).
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7 Answers
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slocawberDo you play any musical instrument?If the word ‘any’ is being stressed/emphasized, the inference would be that previous questions had to do with whether or not you play a piano, a stringed instrument, a trumpet, etc.and that this is the final question.
“Do you play a musical instrument?” Correct.
“Do you play musical instruments?” Corr
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1) I'm not sure I see your point here.
Please, tell me if this is what you wanted to say.
ANY is used after a series of questions and answers like Do you play a piano? No, I don't. Do you play a guitar? No, I don't. etc.
Do you play any instruments? Yes, I do. I play a recorder.
Is that right?
2) I thought ANY would refer to an undetermined plural noun in an interrogative
Please, tell me if this is what you wanted to say.
ANY is used after a series of questions and answers like Do you play a piano? No, I don't. Do you play a guitar? No, I don't. etc.
Do you play any instruments? Yes, I do. I play a recorder.
Is that right?
2) I thought ANY would refer to an undetermined plural noun in an interrogative
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1) Not quite what I meant. With verbal communication, we can emphasize the word ‘any’. The result is an inference of ‘one’. Thus, “Do you play any instrument?” is acceptable.
With written communication, unless you use italics as I did above, the emphasis is not obvious; so it may need some prior history of the conversation to establish that all other instruments have been rul
With written communication, unless you use italics as I did above, the emphasis is not obvious; so it may need some prior history of the conversation to establish that all other instruments have been rul
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I hope I'm not too obsessive, but I really want to understand what you mean.
In order to do that I had a look at the Oxford Advanced Learner's D. and it tells about the following meaning of ANY: used with singular countable nouns to refer to one of a number of things or people, when it does not matter which one.
I expect this refers to the use of ANY that you have mentioned.
In order to do that I had a look at the Oxford Advanced Learner's D. and it tells about the following meaning of ANY: used with singular countable nouns to refer to one of a number of things or people, when it does not matter which one.
I expect this refers to the use of ANY that you have mentioned.
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Hello. Here am I again.
With ref. to point 1): if I understand what you mean, 'Do you play an instrument?' would refer to one instrument in a series that has been previously mentioned.
On the other hand, if I say: ' Do you play any instruments?' I'm talking about any possible instrument.
Is that right?
Thank you.
With ref. to point 1): if I understand what you mean, 'Do you play an instrument?' would refer to one instrument in a series that has been previously mentioned.
On the other hand, if I say: ' Do you play any instruments?' I'm talking about any possible instrument.
Is that right?
Thank you.
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Sorry. I meant: With ref. to point 1): if I understand what you mean, 'Do you play ANY instrument?'
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There are multiple possibilities, so I agree. Here's one:
"Do you play any instrument?"
Previous conversation might have been:
“Do you play the piano?” “No, I don’t.”
“But you seem to enjoy listening to me play!” “Yes.”
“Do you play any instrument?” “Just my record player!”
"Do you play any instrument?"
Previous conversation might have been:
“Do you play the piano?” “No, I don’t.”
“But you seem to enjoy listening to me play!” “Yes.”
“Do you play any instrument?” “Just my record player!”
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