Instrument / Mediator
Instrumental
Instrument
Means
With what or through what does it happen?
extended
intermediate
Scene core
Signification
The tool, medium, body part, system, channel, or mediator used to perform or transmit the action.
Comment le repérer
Ask what tool or channel makes the action possible.
Exemples
Mots
knife|phone|car|email|hand
Expressions
with a knife|by email|through the app
Phrase
He cut the bread with a knife.
Visual guide
Basic shape
Actor │ uses ▼ Instrument / mediator │ makes possible ▼ Action He cut bread with a knife.
Compare shape
Same role, different shapes: with a knife (preposition) knife-CASE (case ending) by email (medium) through the app (channel) hand + cut (bare/compound) Ask: with/through what?
Vue par langue
Dans votre langue
French (standard)
Présence
strong
Importance
Instruments are usually introduced with avec, par, à, or fixed lexical patterns.
Il coupe le pain avec un couteau.
He cuts the bread with a knife.
Dans la langue d’apprentissage
Japanese
Présence
strong
Difficulté
Instruments and means are commonly marked by で.
ナイフでパンを切った。
I cut bread with a knife.
Difficulté fréquente
Learners may confuse で as instrument marker with で as location of action.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.