Advice and advise look almost identical, but they do different jobs in a sentence.
Advice is a noun. It refers to guidance, suggestions, or recommendations.
Advise is a verb. It means to give guidance or recommend what someone should do.
The spelling difference is only one letter, but choosing the wrong form changes the grammar of the sentence.
Advice vs Advise: The Main Difference
The simplest distinction is:
| Word | Part of speech | Main meaning |
|---|---|---|
| advice | noun | guidance or a recommendation |
| advise | verb | give guidance or recommend |
For example:
Her advice helped me prepare for the interview.
She advised me to prepare several questions beforehand.
In the first sentence, advice is the guidance itself. In the second, advised describes the act of giving that guidance.
When to Use Advice
Use advice when you are referring to guidance, suggestions, or recommendations.
Jordan asked his mentor for advice before accepting the promotion.
The consultant gave us practical advice on reducing unnecessary costs.
Her advice changed how I approached the negotiation.
You will often see advice in expressions such as:
ask for advice
give advice
seek advice
take advice
For example:
Before signing the contract, Priya sought legal advice.
Marcus took his supervisor’s advice and delayed the announcement.
In each case, advice names the guidance rather than the act of giving it.
Advice Is an Uncountable Noun
In standard English, advice is an uncountable noun.
That means you do not normally use a or an directly before it.
Incorrect:
She gave me an advice.
Correct:
She gave me some advice.
You also do not normally make advice plural by adding -s.
Incorrect:
The consultant gave us several advices.
Correct:
The consultant gave us several pieces of advice.
How to Count Advice
When you want to count individual recommendations, use piece of advice.
My professor gave me a useful piece of advice before the presentation.
The career counselor offered three pieces of advice for improving my résumé.
Other natural combinations include:
some advice
useful advice
practical advice
a little advice
So:
I need some advice about the application.
is standard.
But:
I need an advice about the application.
is not.
When to Use Advise
Use advise when you mean give guidance, recommend, or suggest a course of action.
Because advise is a verb, its form can change:
advise
advises
advised
advising
Several sentence patterns are especially useful.
Advise Someone to Do Something
A common structure is:
advise + person + to + verb
The accountant advised us to keep copies of every receipt.
The doctor advised Nina to rest for a few days.
Her editor advised her to shorten the opening section.
The person receiving the guidance comes directly after advise.
Advise Someone on or About Something
Use advise someone on or advise someone about when naming the subject of the guidance.
The solicitor advised the company on the terms of the agreement.
Could you advise me about the application process?
The consultant advised the team on how to reduce operating costs.
Both on and about can be natural, depending on the context.
Advise Against Something or Doing Something
Use advise against when recommending that something should not be done.
The engineer advised against reopening the road before the inspection.
Our guide advised us against hiking after dark.
The lawyer advised against signing the agreement without further review.
After against, you can use a noun or an -ing form.
Advice vs Advise Pronunciation
The two words are also pronounced differently.
Advice ends with an s sound.
Advise ends with a z sound.
The pronunciation difference matches the spelling difference and can provide another clue when choosing the correct word.
Please Advise or Please Advice?
The correct expression is:
Please advise.
Not:
Please advice.
The sentence needs a verb, so advise is the correct form.
You may also see:
Please advise me if the schedule changes.
Please advise whether additional documents are required.
Please advise is common in professional and business communication, although it can sound formal or direct.
Depending on the tone, a more conversational alternative might be:
Please let me know.
or:
Could you let me know what you recommend?
Give Advice or Advise?
Use give advice when you need the noun:
Elena gave me useful advice before the presentation.
Use advise when you need the verb:
Elena advised me to rehearse the opening twice.
The meaning is closely related, but the grammar is different.
What About Adviser and Advisor?
A person who gives advice can be called an adviser or advisor.
Both spellings are standard, but their usage varies by style and context.
How to Choose Advice or Advise
Use advice when you need the name of the guidance:
I need your advice before I make a decision.
Use advise when someone is giving the guidance:
I advise you to review the figures again.
And if you need to count individual recommendations, use piece or pieces of advice:
She gave me two useful pieces of advice.
A reliable shortcut is:
advice = the guidance
advise = giving the guidance
The First English Grade Editorial creates simple English grammar, vocabulary, and language guides for students, beginners, and everyday learners.