TKG English Learner's Dictionary

advice

advicenoun

American /ədˈvaɪs/ British /ədˈvaɪs/
no plural
common

  1. an opinion or suggestion about what someone should do, given to help them

    uncountable [U]

    Collocations

    adjective + noun good advice, useful advice, practical advice, professional advice, legal advice, medical advice
    verb + noun give advice, ask for advice, take someone's advice, follow someone's advice, get advice, ignore someone's advice
    noun + preposition advice on, advice about, advice from
    preposition + noun on someone's advice, against someone's advice
    phrase a piece of advice, a word of advice, a bit of advice

    Synonyms guidance (guidance is more formal and comes from a teacher or an expert)

    Compare advise (advise is the verb, spelled with s and ending in a z sound); suggestion (suggestion is countable: a suggestion, two suggestions)

Phrases

a word of advice

one short piece of advice, often a warning, that you are about to give

Word family

  • advise (the verb, spelled with s and ending in a z sound)
  • adviser (also spelled advisor)
  • advisable
  • advisory

Choosing between advice · suggestion · recommendation · tip

Advice is uncountable and is an opinion about what someone should do, often from a person who knows more: her doctor's advice. A suggestion is one idea about what could be done, which the other person is free to take or leave: Can I make a suggestion? A recommendation is a suggestion from someone with knowledge or authority, often about a product, a person, or a course of action: the committee's recommendations. A tip is a small, practical piece of advice: a tip for saving money.

Usage

Advice is uncountable. To count it, say a piece of advice or a word of advice; for a large amount, say a lot of advice or plenty of advice. The noun advice ends in the s sound of ice; the verb advise is spelled with an s and ends in the z sound of eyes.

Common mistakes

She gave me an advice. She gave me some advice.
Advice is uncountable and never takes a or an; for one suggestion say a piece of advice.
His advices were useful. His advice was useful.
Advice has no plural and takes a singular verb.
The doctor adviced me to rest. The doctor advised me to rest.
The verb is advise, with an s; advice with a c is only the noun.

For translators

Meaning across languages In some languages the word for advice also means a council or a committee. English advice is only what is said to help someone decide; the group of people who give it is a council, a board, or advisers.
Grammar trap Advice is uncountable: no plural, no a or an, and a singular verb: the advice was good. Count it with a piece of or a word of. The verb advise takes an object and to plus a base verb, or a that-clause: she advised me to wait.
False friends Words that look like advice in other languages often mean a notice, a warning, or an announcement. English advice is a suggestion about what someone should do, never a notice or a piece of news.
Pronunciation trap Stress on the second syllable, with a weak vowel in the first: ud-VICE. The noun ends in the s sound of ice; the verb advise ends in the z sound of eyes.