Advice and advise differ by one letter and one sound. Advice is a noun: it is the opinion that someone gives you. Advise is a verb: it is the act of telling someone what you think they should do.
The ending sound tells you which one you are hearing. Advice ends with a soft s, like ice. Advise ends with a z sound, like eyes. The spelling follows the same pattern: c for the noun, s for the verb.
This page gives the sentence test, eight examples, and 15 questions. Every answer explains whether the sentence needs the thing or the action.
What each word means
advice
advice (noun, uncountable): an opinion about what someone should do. Ends with the sound /s/, like ice.
advise
advise (verb): to tell someone what you think they should do. Ends with the sound /z/, like eyes. Forms: advise, advised, advising.
The rule
Advice is the noun
- Advice is uncountable: some advice, a piece of advice, a word of advice. There is no word advices.
- It often follows give, take, ask for, follow or ignore: "She gave me good advice."
- It can follow my, your, his, her or the: "My advice is to wait."
- The ending is -ice, with the same sound as ice and price.
Advise is the verb
- Pattern one: advise + person + to + verb: "I advise you to see a doctor."
- Pattern two: advise + -ing: "I advise waiting until Monday."
- Pattern three: advise against + -ing: "They advise against driving tonight."
- The ending is -ise, with a voiced z sound. The past is advised and the -ing form is advising.
The sentence test
- Can you put a piece of in front of the word? Then it is the noun advice.
- Does to + verb or -ing follow the word? Then it is the verb advise.
- Does the word follow should, can or will? That space needs a verb, so use advise.
- Can you replace the word with opinion? Use advice. Can you replace it with recommend? Use advise.
People and institutions
- The person who advises is an adviser, also spelled advisor in American English.
- A bank adviser advises clients about money. The clients receive advice.
- Advice column and advice line are noun phrases with the c spelling.
- Both British and American English use advice for the noun and advise for the verb. The pattern on this page works everywhere.
How to remember
The trick: Advice is the thing you get, like ice. Advise is the action you do, with a z sound like eyes.
Examples
- She gave me some good advice.Advice is the noun after gave, and it is uncountable.
- Let me give you a piece of advice.A piece of advice is the standard way to count the noun.
- I advise you to see a doctor.Advise is the verb followed by a person and to + verb.
- The lawyer advised us to wait.Advised is the past tense of the verb.
- He never takes my advice.My advice is a noun phrase with a possessive adjective.
- They advise against travelling tonight.Advise against is a verb pattern with the -ing form.
- My advice is to start early.The noun advice follows my and introduces the suggestion.
- The doctor advised rest for a week.Advised is the verb, followed by a noun.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: She gave me a good advise. Right: She gave me some good advice.
- The sentence needs the noun, and advice is uncountable, so it takes some, not a.
- Wrong: Can you advice me? Right: Can you advise me?
- Can you needs a verb, and the verb is advise with an s.
- Wrong: I need some advices. Right: I need some advice.
- Advice is uncountable and has no plural form.
- Wrong: They adviced me to wait. Right: They advised me to wait.
- The past of the verb advise is advised, spelled with -ised.
- Wrong: Take my advise. Right: Take my advice.
- After the possessive my, the noun advice with a c is needed.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
She gave me some good ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. advice The sentence needs the uncountable noun advice, spelled with a c.
I ___ you to see a doctor.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. advise The verb pattern advise someone to do something needs the verb with an s.
He never takes my ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. advice After the possessive my, the noun advice with a c is correct.
The lawyer ___ us to wait.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. advised The past-tense verb is advised, spelled with -ised.
Can I ask you for a piece of ___?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. advice A piece of advice is the standard noun phrase, so advice is correct.
They ___ against travelling tonight.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. advise Advise against is a verb pattern, so the s spelling is needed.
My ___ is to start early.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. advice The possessive my points to the noun advice with a c.
The doctor ___ rest for a week.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. advised The sentence needs the past verb advised, followed by a noun.
I need some ___ about my career.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. advice Some before an uncountable noun points to advice with a c.
We ___ you to book early.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. advise The pattern advise someone to do something uses the verb with an s.
That was excellent ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. advice Excellent is an adjective, so the noun advice follows.
He ___ me to apply for the job.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. advised The past verb advised fits the pattern advised me to apply.
She ignored all the ___ we gave her.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. advice The article the comes before the noun advice with a c.
I would ___ you to check the contract.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. advise After would, the base verb advise with an s is needed.
Let me give you a word of ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. advice A word of advice is a fixed noun phrase with the c spelling.
Questions learners ask
Why is advice uncountable?
English treats many abstract things as uncountable, including advice, information, news and work. You can say a piece of advice, a word of advice or some advice, but not an advice or advices.
How do the pronunciations differ?
Advice ends with the unvoiced /s/, like ice, price and nice. Advise ends with the voiced /z/, like eyes, rise and wise. The two words have the same stress: ad-VICE and ad-VISE.
What is the difference between an adviser and an advisor?
Both spellings mean the same thing: a person who gives advice. British English prefers adviser, and American English often uses advisor. The choice is a style decision, not a grammar rule.
More confusing words
Weather vs whether
Weather is the condition outside. Whether means if, usually when there are two choices.
Especially vs specially
Especially means particularly or above all. Specially means for a special purpose, and it usually goes with made, designed or trained.
Rise vs raise
Rise means to go up by itself, with no object. Raise means to move something up or increase it, so it always needs an object.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.