Writing Prompt ~ Advice and Advise
Posted by: Tara Benwell
Writing Prompt: The words “advice” and “advise” are commonly confused in writing and in speaking. Many English verbs that end in “ise” are also nouns, as in “surprise, promise, and exercise”. This is not the case with the verb “advise” (pronounced with /ize/ ending). In English, there is a different spelling and pronunciation of this word in its noun form: “advice”. Here is an easy way to remember this. The word “advice” has the word “ice” at the end of it. “Advice” and “ice” are both nouns. You can give or receive “advice” (and ice). Demonstrate your understanding of this spelling difference by writing a letter to someone who has just graduated from high school. Offer some advice!
Example
Congratulations on graduating from high school. My parents gave me some good advice the day I finished high school. My dad advised me to take a short break from school. He also advised me to do some traveling. My mom gave me some different advice. She thought I should just get a notebook and reflect on my life in my own hometown. I decided to take her advice. And now, I would like to advise you of the same thing. Please, take some time to think about what you love to do. What makes you feel most alive? You don’t have to go across the world to do this. (Take my advice; save your money for college!) I advise you to write down about five things that make you feel alive every day. Look at your list every few weeks to see if anything changes. Then, think about how you can make a career choice related to your interests and passions. Finally, ask a guidance counsellor to advise you on which courses to study. I hope you’ll accept my advice!
Congratulations again,
Your cousin Victor
One comment
-
betsy says:
The difference between “advice” and “advise” is still not clearly defined. I recommend to provide more examples and or a quiz to differentiate them and avoid confusion.