(take) a pleasure or pleasure in something

[opinion_ow]

(take) a pleasure or pleasure in something
<Topic added to post by moderator (Florentia52)>

Hi!
What is the normal usage of the phrase: with or without 'a'?
I suppose the answer lies in the context, but can`t fathom it out.

Your partner may also love it or will simply take pleasure in your happiness. and They take a perverse pleasure in causing trouble.

 

[london calling]

All you had to do was check the WR Dictionary:

1. when intr, often followed by in: to give pleasure to or take pleasure (in)

 

[velisarius]

You may "take pleasure in something" (enjoy something). "Pleasure" is uncountable in that sentence.

If you qualify "pleasure" with an adjective or adjectival phrase (other than a quantifier), you are talking about one particular type of pleasure, and the noun becomes countable: a perverse pleasure, a certain pleasure, a malicious pleasure, an almost melancholy pleasure, a pleasure bordering on pain, etc.

Of all those, I think you could omit the article from "He felt (a) pleasure bordering on pain."

Google Ngram Viewer

Your partner may also love it, or will simply take pleasure in your happiness. - The indefinite article would be unidiomatic there.

They take a perverse pleasure in causing trouble. - I think the article would normally be used, but the sentence doesn't look weird without it.