Advice and advise have similar meanings and pronunciations. However, they are different parts of speech.

Advice is a noun, and it means suggestions meant to help someone.

Let me offer you some fashion advice. Don’t wear that brown belt with those black shoes.

Advise is a verb, and it means to offer suggestions meant to help or inform someone.

The scientists advised the public not to drink the tap water, because of the presence of harmful bacteria.

Using Advice in a Sentence

People use advice often when speaking casually. They can either ask for advice, or offer it. Advice is information intended to help.

For example,

I know he only wants to help, but he always offer such terrible advice!

I have no idea what to get my mum for her birthday. I need to ask you for your advice.

Some common collocations with advice include

Give/offer/provide advice

The wise old woman provided advice to those who asked her for it.

Seek or ask for advice

He was too proud to ever seek advice.

Follow advice: do what the person advised

My children would avoid so many problems if only they would follow my advice!

Expert advice: a qualified opinion

It seems counterintuitive to exercise my injured knee, but I’m just following the expert advice of my physical therapist.

Another way to think of advice is as an opinion or recommendation on what another person should do.

Using Advice in a Sentence

When to use advise: Advise has the same meaning as advice, but it is a verb. Use it when telling people what they should do, or how they should do something.

The instructions on the box advise users to seek medical help if they accidentally ingest the product.

The police advised all the town’s residents to stay indoors while the killer was running through the streets

Advise is not so common in everyday conversation, but rather in written English.

Sometimes institutions use it in the passive voice to give formal rules posted on a wall in a public area. In this case, it appears as be advised. One example is:

Please be advised: no running or diving is allowed in the pool.

She advises agents to get a copy of a client’s driver’s license and keep someone informed about your whereabouts at all times.

Remembering Advice vs. Advise

There is an easy way to remember which of these words is the noun and which is the verb. Keep in mind that many nouns end in ice, just like advice. These include words such as ice, rice, spice, device, and even vice itself.

Additionally, many verbs end in ise, just like advise. These include words like compromise, exercise, and despise.

Remembering that these endings are often associated with a part of speech will ensure that you choose the right word.

Quiz Time

• The president of the country invited a team of economists to __________ him regarding creating a stimulus plan.
• The actor hired a professional trainer to give him fitness and nutrition _________.
• Don’t give __________ to someone who doesn’t want it.
• Please be _____________ to keep your luggage with you at all times.
• All the experts __________ dog owners to properly socialise their pets.

What about you? Do you have a pair of confusing words that you want to clarify? Why don’t you share them with me and the English Connection community in the comments section below! 

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