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Play or game?

Play​

Play as a noun means 'a piece of dramatic writing for the theatre or radio or television':

  • The students performed a play by Shakespeare and sang some folk songs.
  • Radio plays are always much better than TV plays–you can use your imagination more.
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We use play as a verb when we talk about individual roles in a dramatic production, but we say that someone acts in a play (noun):

  • Who played Hamlet?
  • Not: Who acted Hamlet?
  • McBride acted in over 40 plays.
  • Not: McBride played over 40 plays.

We use play as a verb to talk about doing sports, music and other leisure activities. We usually don't use an article (a/an, the) when we talk about sport or leisure activities. We usually use an article when we talk about musical instruments:

  • I played rugby as a child; we never played soccer.
  • Can you play the piano?
  • I've never played poker. Have you?

We usually don't use an article (a/an, the) when we talk about sport or leisure activities. We usually use an article when we talk about musical instruments.

See also
  • A/an and the

Game​

Game is a noun. We use it to talk about sports or other entertaining activities:

  • Would you like a game of tennis? (or Would you like to play tennis?)
  • Not: Would you like a play of tennis?
  • The children invent some fantastic games to occupy themselves.