If you're wondering which of the two you should use between 'listen to music' or 'listen to the music,' look no further. This article will reveal all.
'Listen to music' and 'listen to the music' are both correct. Which one you use will depend on the context and whether or not you're referring to a specific piece of music.
In this article, I'll explain the meaning of listening to music and the difference between a noun preceded by the article 'the' and one that isn't. I'll also give some examples of each phrase so you can see them used in context.
There's only one definite article in English, and that's 'the.' When you use this article, you tell the listener or reader that you're referring to something specific. This is as opposed to using an indefinite article ('a'/' an') or no article.
And that's the difference between 'listening to music' and 'listening to the music.' If you say that you're 'listening to music,' it's pretty general. You're not giving any indication as to which music you'll listen to.
Whereas if you say that you're going to 'listen to the music,' then you're referring to something specific.
Top tip! You can never say 'listening to a music' because 'music' is an uncountable noun.
You listen with your ears. When you listen to music, you activate one of your five senses (hearing) to perceive the music.
There's a certain sense of being active when you say 'listen' instead of 'hear.' You can also combine the word 'hear' with music, but it changes the meaning slightly. 'Listening' implies paying attention instead of passively hearing something playing in the background.
I will show you some examples of both phrases used in a sentence, so you can see how they work in context.
'Listen' is a verb; you'll notice I've used different tenses.
She has a habit of listening to music a little too loud.
We were listening to music when suddenly, the power shut off.
Do you feel peaceful when you're listening to music?
It's our first time at an orchestra; can we just be quiet and listen to the music?
Listen to the music I picked for us to walk down the aisle.
We lay in bed and listened to the music coming from the radio.
That concludes this article about the difference between 'listen to music' and 'listen to the music.' I hope you feel more confident in using both phrases.
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