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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not be able to get the difference between 'practice' and 'practise' right?

38 replies

MariaWaria · 02/02/2019 08:30

I've had a lifetime of getting these wrong. I've googled sites which apparently explain - practice is a noun which means the act, and practise is the verb and is about doing something repeatedly, but I still get them wrong.

Something like: "If practised/practiced efficiently will pay benefits," stumps me.

AIBU to just not be able to get it?

OP posts:
Cismyfatarse1 · 02/02/2019 08:32

Choirs sing

Noun -C

Verb - S

AgentProvocateur · 02/02/2019 08:32

Its tricky because it’s also different in American English. But you practise piano (verb). An architects’ practice (noun). Piano practice (noun). Think of it like advise/advice. You advise (verb) someone but give them good advice (noun).

Paperdove87 · 02/02/2019 08:33

I always had trouble with it too.
An English teacher told me to try advice/advise in the sentence as they sound different.

E.g
You need to practise the piano, because it would be 'you need to advise the piano' not advice the piano.

Hope that makes sense and helps!

Eanair · 02/02/2019 08:33

Do you have the same confusion with advice and advise? For some reason I never got those confused but occasionally did with practice/practise (probably because the pronunciation is the same). I use advice/advise for reference if I get confused.

Paperdove87 · 02/02/2019 08:33

Oops cross post!

Eanair · 02/02/2019 08:33

Hah! Snap!

BarbaraMiceland · 02/02/2019 08:34

The example you have given isn’t a full sentence, but that one would obviously be ‘practised’. If you’ve had to add ‘-ed’ or ‘-ing’ then clearly it’s a verb.

Something that may be confusing you is that American English uses ‘practice’ for both, so maybe you’ve read things written by Americans where they appear to be using the wrong form?

redexpat · 02/02/2019 08:34

C is the noun s is the verb. C is closer to the start of the alphabet as is n. S and v are closer to the end.

BarbaraMiceland · 02/02/2019 08:34

It’s the same with effect (noun - most of the time Wink) and affect (verb)

redexpat · 02/02/2019 08:35

Same rule works for advice and advise.

It doesnt work for affect effect though.

Pinkcottonshirt · 02/02/2019 08:35

I’m another who relies on advice and advise :)

My problem is with affect and effect. I can’t get them right even with google. Advice appreciated.

MacarenaFerreiro · 02/02/2019 08:37

I was always taught that practice ends in ICE and ice is a thing/noun.
Practise contains IS, which is a verb.

foreverblessedbee · 02/02/2019 08:37

I always remember it as you practiSe Something, like practise the recorder or practise writing.

Iwannasnack · 02/02/2019 08:37

Yes! I also struggle with this. Normally get it right but I have to stop and think about it every time. Affect/effect is the one that completely stumps me. No matter how many times I read about verbs and nouns.

Barbarafromblackpool · 02/02/2019 08:38

I find this v difficult to remember.

I Google it at least twice a year.

Barbarafromblackpool · 02/02/2019 08:40

Licence and license too.

CathyEarnshawsGhost · 02/02/2019 08:40

I was also coming on to link it to advice/advise. Licence/license follows the same rule too.

Pink, for effect/affect, I always use:

The Effect is the End result
Affect is when you Alter something

FigandVanilla · 02/02/2019 08:40

I remember it alphabetically:

Practice with a c is a noun
Practise with an s is a verb

C comes before S in the alphabet
N comes before V in the alphabet

BikeRunSki · 02/02/2019 08:40

I remember inmt in terms of licence and license.

A driving licence allows you to drive a car (c in licence, c in car). So c is the noun (a driving licence). Which means license, as in licensed to kill is the verb (s in licensed, s in spy). Convoluted or what!

I don’t have trouble with advice and advise as they sound different.

FigandVanilla · 02/02/2019 08:41

The Effect is the End result
Affect is when you Alter something

This is brilliant, thank you!

MereDintofPandiculation · 02/02/2019 08:45

The Effect is the End result
Affect is when you Alter something

trouble is, "effect' can also mean "make something happen" "effect a change". So if you completely make something happen, it's "effect", if you merely alter something that is already happening, it's "affect".

sashh · 02/02/2019 08:51

My problem is with affect and effect. I can’t get them right even with google. Advice appreciated

A is earlier than e in the alphabet.

If I pick up a club and throw it at your head the affect is the club hitting our head. The effects are you will have a headache, you may have bruising, Ii may be arrested.

CathyEarnshawsGhost · 02/02/2019 08:51

Mere, I agree, you do ‘effect change’, but my reminders are for my students and 99% of the time, they are just writing about one thing ‘affecting’ another. (Sorry, that sounds like I’m being arsey back. I’m not, just have to find catchy ways that work for the most part)

ClashCityRocker · 02/02/2019 08:56

I always remember it as 'you go to the GP PractiCe to C the doctor'.

Pinkcottonshirt · 02/02/2019 08:57

The Effect is the End result
Affect is when you Alter something

That’s great, thanks Smile