Advice vs. Advise: What’s the Difference?

Grammar Rules updated on  April 13, 2023 2 min read

The main difference between advice and advise is that advice is something a person gives or gets, while advise is something a person does.

Meanings of advice and advise

When you look at the meanings of advice and advise, the difference between them grows clearer:

advice (noun): information or a suggestion about what a person should do

advise (verb): to give information about or suggest what a person should do; to give advice

Advice vs. advise examples

Comparing a few example sentences can also help you understand whether to use advice or advise.

Mr. Moreno advised the president on national security policy, and his advice was well received.

The Small Business Association website offers good advice for new business owners. It advises them to consider local zoning laws before launching their business.

When customers are indecisive, ice cream shop employees advise them to sample the flavors—advice that the customers never turn down.

How to remember the difference

Here are a couple of short rhymes that can help you remember how to spell and pronounce these two easily confused words:

Take my advice and think twice.
Please advise so I can be wise.

Synonyms for advice and advise

Synonyms for advice, a noun, are things a person gives or gets:

guidance pointers
guidelines warning
direction input
counsel insight
recommendation suggestion
tips feedback

Synonyms for advise, a verb, are things a person does:

guide warn
direct suggest
counsel urge
recommend encourage

Some good advice for you

When writing in English gets dicey, having the right tools on hand is a must. We advise you to turn to QuillBot’s Proofreader, Spell Checker, and Punctuation Checker for expert help. Our Essay Checker can also really boost your academic writing.

These tools offer insight into any errors that might be in your writing, including with words like advice and advise that look or sound alike, as well as how to fix them. And even though our tools are completely free to use, they provide valuable advice!

Which is correct: “please advice” or “please advise”?

Since advice is a noun and advise is a verb, “please advise” is the correct phrase.

What is the difference between advice and advise in UK English?

The difference between these two words is the same in UK English as it is in US English: advice is a noun, and advise is a verb. It’s like practice (noun) and practise (verb), although only practice is used in US English for both meanings.

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Hannah Skaggs

Along with Meredith Harris

Hannah, a writer and editor since 2017, specializes in clear and concise academic and business writing. She has mentored countless scholars and companies in writing authoritative and engaging content.

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