Note 36 – Is it advice or advise?

For the background to my writing challenge, please read my first blog by clicking the following link – http://wp.me/p1x6Ui-4.  If you would prefer to dive straight into note 36, then please read on…

When to use advice and advise

Unlike practice/practise and licence/license, remembering when to use advice and advise is much easier to remember.  The reason for this is because of the way it is pronounced – advice had an ending that rhymes with ‘rice’ and advise has an ending that rhymes with ‘rise’.  

The Pocket Writer’s Handbook by Martin Manser & Stephen Curtis (Penguin Reference Library), explains quite simply that advice is the noun and advise is the verb. 

1. Advice (noun)

I need some advice from my solicitor

Sometimes you have to pay for advice 

2. Advise (verb – to advise)

Jo advises the customers on the help desk

It’s not your job to advise people

Useful tip for similar words

Bernard C Lamb in his book The Queen’s English, makes a suggestion on how to memorise the difference; just remembering that advice (with a c) is a noun and advise (with an s) is a verb, can help with the similar words mentioned earlier i.e. practice (noun), practise (verb), licence (noun) and license (verb). 

Hope you are continuing to enjoy my blogs.  I’m not short of ideas to blog about, but if you do have any requests please let me me know.  36 days posted, 329 days to go!

Until tomorrow…

Sandra

This blog: http://mywritingnotes.wordpress.com

My other blog: http://sandramadeira.wordpress.com

My website: www.tipsandluxuries.com

Twitter: @madeirasandra  and  @tipsandluxuries

Reference list

The Pocket Writer’s Handbook by Martin Mander & Stephen Curtis (Penguin Reference Library)

Bernard C. Lamb The Queen’s English (2010), UK