Many professionals struggle with Please Advise or Please Advice in emails or messages because the difference between a verb and a noun changes the meaning completely. Advise is a verb you use when you ask someone to give guidance, feedback, or instructions, while advice is a noun referring to helpful information. Knowing this difference improves clarity, accuracy, and prevents confusion in formal, informal, or business correspondence, ensuring your communication sounds polished and professional.
Using please advise properly lets you request action effectively and maintain professionalism. For example, in emails, reports, or messages, asking for clarification or guidance with please advise communicates respect and care for the reader. Misusing please advice can make a sentence unclear since advice cannot give feedback or instructions on its own. Skilled writers often pause, check phrases, and ensure choices match the context to deliver the intended message clearly.
In practical workplace scenarios, following guidelines, reviewing examples, and studying real-world communication helps reinforce correct usage. Paying attention to sentence roles, linguistic nuances, and tone ensures please advise or please advice is applied accurately. Using these terms properly makes your writing effective, professional, and meaningful while building clarity, confidence, and reader comprehension in every email, message, or business correspondence.
Understanding the Core Difference Between Advise and Advice
Many English learners and even native speakers confuse advise and advice. The key is to remember their grammatical roles:
- Advise – a verb. It refers to the act of giving guidance. For example, “I advise you to check your schedule before booking.”
- Advice – a noun. It refers to the guidance or recommendation itself. For example, “Her advice helped me finish the project on time.”
This distinction is simple in theory, but many people mix them in emails, texts, and casual writing. Misusing one instead of the other can make your message sound unprofessional or confusing.
Definitions and Pronunciation That Actually Matter
Getting pronunciation right can also prevent errors in writing.
- Advise is pronounced /ədˈvaɪz/ and ends with a /z/ sound. It’s always an action: “I advise taking notes during the meeting.”
- Advice is pronounced /ədˈvaɪs/ and ends with an /s/ sound. It is the thing you give or receive: “He gave me excellent advice.”
Many beginners write please advice because they hear the /s/ sound at the end. Remembering which one acts as a verb versus a noun solves most errors.
How “Advise” Works in Real Sentences
The verb advise fits in professional, academic, and everyday contexts. Common usage includes:
- “I advise you to submit the report by Friday.”
- “She advised him to review the guidelines carefully.”
- “We are advising all clients about the policy change.”
Tips for proper usage:
- Always follow with an object: “advise someone about something.”
- Use correct tense: advise (present), advised (past), advising (continuous).
| Tense | Example Sentence |
| Present | I advise you to read the instructions. |
| Past | He advised her to update the form. |
| Continuous | They are advising new employees on safety rules. |
How “Advice” Functions as a Noun
Advice is uncountable in English. That means you cannot say “advices” in standard writing. Use phrases like:
- “A piece of advice” – correct: “Here’s a piece of advice for you.”
- “Some advice” – correct: “I need some advice on this project.”
- “Helpful advice” – correct: “She gave me very helpful advice.”
Common mistakes include:
- ❌ “He gave me many advices.”
- ✅ “He gave me many pieces of advice.”
This is critical in professional emails and academic writing, where precision is expected.
“Please Advise” in Emails: Correct Usage and Tone
“Please advise” is widely used in emails, but understanding context is key.
Correct usage:
- “Please advise if the meeting time works for you.”
- “I would appreciate it if you could advise on the next steps.”
Situations to avoid it:
- Overusing in casual emails: “Please advise” may sound too formal or abrupt.
- Vague requests: Pair it with a clear object or action.
Polite alternatives:
- “Could you let me know your thoughts?”
- “Please let me know how you recommend proceeding.”
- “I would appreciate your guidance on this matter.”
Common Mistakes Writers Make (And How to Fix Them)
Writers often confuse advise and advice, creating embarrassing errors in emails, reports, or academic papers. Common issues:
- Using advice as a verb: “Please advice me” ❌
- Forgetting the object for advise: “I advise” (without explanation) ❌
- Overusing “please advise” in professional messages ❌
Quick fixes:
- Identify if the word is a verb or a noun.
- Use object + verb for advise.
- For advice, treat it as a thing, not an action.
Advise vs Advice in Side-by-Side Examples
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Please advice me on this. | Please advise me on this. |
| He gave me an advice. | He gave me advice. |
| I would like to advice you. | I would like to advise you. |
This table illustrates the subtle yet significant difference that can change the tone and correctness of your writing.
Case Scenarios From Real Writing Situations
Workplace Emails:
- ❌ “Please advice if you’re available.”
- ✅ “Please advise if you’re available.”
Customer Support Responses:
- ✅ “Our team will advise you on how to reset your account.”
Academic Feedback:
- ✅ “My advice is to revise your introduction for clarity.”
Informal Messaging:
- Casual messages can often drop “please advise” entirely: “Can you check this?”
Why Advice Cannot Be Plural
Advice belongs to uncountable nouns like “information” or “feedback.” You can say:
- “A piece of advice” ✅
- “Some advice” ✅
- “Advices” ❌
Understanding this prevents common mistakes in professional emails and reports.
Practical Memory Tricks to Never Confuse Them Again
- Verb–Noun Test: Ask yourself, “Am I giving the action (advise) or talking about the guidance (advice)?”
- Sound Reminder: /z/ = action, /s/ = thing.
- Proofreading Tip: Check sentences for objects after “advise.”
How Context Decides the Right Choice
Context clues are your friend. Look for:
- Action verbs → likely advise
- Guidance references → likely advice
- Questions like “What should I do?” → you may advise someone.
Understanding context prevents embarrassing grammar mistakes in emails, articles, and conversations.
Related Words That Cause Similar Confusion
Other English word pairs that often confuse learners:
- Practice vs practise (US/UK difference)
- Affect vs effect
- Recommend vs suggestion
- Guidance vs counsel
These pairs, like advise/advice, follow rules of parts of speech and context for correct usage.
Final Checklist for Writers and Professionals
Before sending an email or finalizing a document:
- Check if you need a verb or noun.
- Use proper objects after advise.
- Never pluralize advice.
- Consider polite alternatives to “please advise” when tone matters.
- Reread sentences aloud to hear if it sounds correct.
FAQs
Q1: What is the main difference between “advise” and “advice”?
Advise is a verb used when you ask someone to give guidance or instructions, while advice is a noun that refers to helpful information or recommendations.
Q2: Can I use “please advice” in emails?
No, using please advice is incorrect because advice cannot perform an action. Always use please advise when requesting guidance.
Q3: Is it okay to use “please advise” in casual messages?
Yes, please advise works in both formal and informal communication, but ensure the context and tone are appropriate for the reader.
Q4: How do I remember which one to use?
Think of advise as an action (verb) and advice as information (noun). If you are asking someone to act, use advise.
Q5: Can “advice” ever be pluralized?
No, advice is uncountable, so it is never plural. Instead, say “pieces of advice” if referring to multiple suggestions.
Conclusion
Using Please Advise or Please Advice correctly is essential for professional, business, and everyday communication. Advise acts as a verb when you request guidance, while advice is a noun that provides helpful information. Paying attention to context, sentence structure, and tone ensures your emails, messages, and reports are clear, professional, and effective. Observing these rules prevents confusion, demonstrates polish, and builds trust with readers. Mastering this subtle distinction enhances your writing, strengthens communication skills, and ensures every message conveys exactly what you intend.
