Common mistakes
Advice or advise: noun or verb?
You want to suggest a plan in an email. Does your sentence need advice or advise?
Check whether you are naming guidance or describing the act of giving it.
Can you use "advice and advise" yourself?
Listen to a recording, type what you hear, and check your answer.
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advice and advise ad-VYSE-and-ad-VYZ
The short answer
Advice is a noun for helpful suggestions; advise is the verb for giving them. In everyday English, ask for some advice or a piece of advice, never an advice.
I advise you to take my advice.
Why it works: Advise is the verb; advice names the suggestion.
3 more examples
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Making a choice
Her advice helped me choose.
Advice names the guidance.
Not this:Her
advisehelped me choose. What changes: This position needs a noun. -
Choosing a product
I'd advise you to compare the prices.
Advise names the act of suggesting.
Not this:I'd
adviceyou to compare the prices. What changes: Would needs a verb after it. -
Asking for guidance
Can I ask for some advice?
Advice is not counted directly.
Not this:Can I ask for
an advice? What changes: An cannot go directly before advice.
Quick check
Which word fits the sentence?
Planning a train trip with a friend
I ___ you to check the train time before you leave.
Answer: advise
Show the answer
Answer: advise
Advise is the verb in the pattern advise someone to do something.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exerciseBoth words concern guidance, but they fit different places in a sentence. Look at the words around the gap before choosing c or s.
Choose the noun or the verb
The problem: I know the meaning, but I put advice where my sentence needs a verb.
A noun names something. Advice names guidance you give or receive. A verb tells what happens: someone advises another person. My advice and useful advice need the noun. After will, you need the verb advise.
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The guide gave us advice about the route.
Why it works: Gave is the verb; advice names what we received.
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The guide will advise us about the route.
Why it works: Advise is the verb after will.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that uses the verb advise correctly.
Answer: The tutor advises new students.
Show the answer
Answer: The tutor advises new students.
Advises is the present verb form with the tutor.
Separate the endings
The problem: I use the same ending sound for advice and advise.
The final sound changes with the spelling. Advice ends with s, like ice. Advise ends with z, like eyes. Both words have a stronger second beat; the first part is short.
Finish with a soft hiss.
Your advice was useful.
Finish with a z sound.
Can you advise me?
Your turn
Which word ends with a z sound?
Answer: advise
Show the answer
Answer: advise
Advise ends with z; advice ends with s.
One suggestion or several
The problem: I count suggestions by adding s to advice.
Advice is uncountable: you do not count it directly. You can have some advice or a lot of advice. For a number, count pieces of advice. Keep advice unchanged, even when you mean several suggestions.
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Not this:
He gave me three advices.Say: He gave me three pieces of advice.
Pieces takes the plural ending. Advice stays unchanged.
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That advice is useful.
Why it works: Advice takes is.
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Those pieces of advice are useful.
Why it works: Pieces takes are.
Your turn
Which phrase means two separate suggestions?
Answer: two pieces of advice
Show the answer
Answer: two pieces of advice
Count the pieces. Advice itself does not take a plural ending.
Build a useful sentence
The problem: I know the spelling but choose the wrong words around it.
You give or offer advice when you help someone choose. You ask for advice when you want guidance. Take or follow advice means acting on it. Use advise someone to before the action you suggest.
-
I advise you to save a copy.
Why it works: The person comes before to.
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I advise against deleting the file.
Why it works: After against, use the -ing form.
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Not this:
She made me some advice.Say: She gave me some advice.
Use give for offering guidance.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that recommends an action.
Answer: We advise visitors to book ahead.
Show the answer
Answer: We advise visitors to book ahead.
Use advise, then the person, then to and the action.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
In which sentence is advise itself the action verb?
Planning workplace tasks for tomorrow
Answer: I'll advise the team tomorrow morning.
Show the answer
Answer: I'll advise the team tomorrow morning.
Advise is the main verb in the first sentence. Share and ask are the verbs in the others.
Question 2 of 2 · One new sentence
You start a new job and your coworker offers to help. Which reply sounds natural?
Starting a new job at a software company
Answer: Thanks, I'd love some advice on this project.
Show the answer
Answer: Thanks, I'd love some advice on this project.
Some advice fits this request for guidance. Advice does not take an.
Remember this
Check the gap, then the ending: c for the noun and s for the verb. Count pieces when you need a number.
Listen first
Listen and write
Listen, type what you hear, then choose Check my answer. Use a hint when you get stuck.
0 of 3 done
Listening 1 of 3
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
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Listening 2 of 3
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 3
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
Practice complete
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Test yourself
Listen to a new clip and write what you hear. You can replay it, but hints stay off and the transcript opens after you check your answer.
0 of 4 done
Listening 1 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Chatting with a friend who looks very tired
0:00
Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
A travel agent speaking to holiday planners
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Listening 3 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Talking with a legal assistant before signing a lease
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Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
Asking a librarian for reading suggestions
0:00
Practice complete
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Save my progressQuestions about "Advice or advise: noun or verb?"
What is the difference between advice and advise?
Advice names guidance or a suggestion. Advise is the verb for giving guidance. Look at the sentence pattern: my advice needs a noun, while I advise uses a verb. The letter changes, and so does the final sound.
My advice is to label each box.
I advise you to label each box.
Can I say an advice or advices?
For ordinary suggestions, no. Advice is uncountable, so use some advice or a piece of advice. If you want a number, count the pieces. Advice stays unchanged. You can also use the countable word suggestion.
I need a piece of advice about the garden.
She sent three useful suggestions.
Do advice and advise sound the same?
No. Advice finishes with an s sound, like ice. Advise finishes with a z sound, like eyes. The stronger beat falls on the second part in both words. The verb is spelled advise, even though its ending sounds like z.
I value your advice.
Please advise the new team.
Should I use advise to or advise someone to?
When you name the person receiving guidance, put that person before to. Advise someone to do something gives a recommendation. Advise someone not to do something recommends avoiding it. You can also say advise against doing something.
The instructor advised me to slow down.
The instructor advised against rushing.
Is please advise correct in an email?
Yes. Advise can be used without naming the person who receives the guidance. Please advise is common in business messages, but it can leave the request unclear. Naming what you need makes your message easier to answer. Advise can also mean give official information, not just make a suggestion.
Please advise us on the next step.
Please advise us of any changes.
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