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Pedants' corner

Practice/Practise..............how do you know which one to use????

23 replies

FAQinglovely · 07/04/2009 13:18

I apologise in advance for any grammatical errors in my post - I'm not a pedant and will never be one, I'm just not clever enough.

Just seen on another thread about stationery a tip to remember that it's e for envelope......

So is there an easy way to get practice/practise correct?????

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Lilymaid · 07/04/2009 13:20

Practice with a "C" is a noun
Practise with an "S" is a verb
(but not in the USA)
Perhaps someone has a jolly rhyme that explains

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onegiantleap · 07/04/2009 13:22

I always think of The Doctor's Practice, that helps me sort out the noun from the verb.

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FAQinglovely · 07/04/2009 13:22

ahh now you see I never learnt my noun/verbs/adverbs/etc at school - my lower and middle schools failed me dreadfully there. It's a mystery as to how I managed to get a 2 in my Standard Grade Latin - given that a basic knowledge of grammar is required

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TrillianEAstraEgg · 07/04/2009 13:23

It's the same as advice = noun
Advise = verb

Those two are easier to remember because they sound different.

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smartiejake · 07/04/2009 13:27

The Doctor's practice is in Harley street. (Noun- thing)
The doctor practises medicine in Harley street. (verb- doing word)

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jura · 07/04/2009 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EasterEggsintheSky · 07/04/2009 13:30

I always remember stationery/stationary because of the 'ar'/car thing. Just as complicated really!

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lalalonglegs · 07/04/2009 13:33

Because practice and practise pronounced the same (as are licence and license etc), it is easier to think of advice/advise to distinguish which is a noun and which is a verb.

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FAQinglovely · 07/04/2009 13:33

yeah but you have to know what verbs and nouns are to be able to distinguish them

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lalalonglegs · 07/04/2009 13:34

Oops, see Trillian got there first

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ellingwoman · 07/04/2009 13:34

In the case of a doctor -

Practice is the place
Practise is what he does

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TrillianEAstraEgg · 07/04/2009 13:36

A verb is a doing word.

A noun is a thing (something that you can put 'the' in front of).

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FAQinglovely · 07/04/2009 13:38

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TrillianEAstraEgg · 07/04/2009 13:42

I blame Maggie Thatcher. that pretty much gets you out of anything school-related

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ellingwoman · 07/04/2009 13:43

Aaaargh! Can't believe I posted a sexist comment after ranting on about equality today

Correction :-

Practise is what she/he does

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popsycal · 07/04/2009 13:47

here is how I remember

alphabetical order

so practice and practise
noun and verb

practice goes with noun (both first in alphabet
practise goes with verb (both second in alphabet

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Tobermory · 07/04/2009 13:47

Im quite rubbish at remembering letter combinations in partic. words but have got practise/practice sorted

practice - 'ice' is a noun
practise - 'is' is a verb

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popsycal · 07/04/2009 13:48

A noun is a name ogf anything
as in chair or table, ball or string

A verb is an action word
As is run or ran, hear or heard

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FAQinglovely · 07/04/2009 13:49

oh TA I like that one and I am a Thatcher child (born in '79)

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nct73 · 05/06/2009 20:46

I use the Tobermory method. ice = noun

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chocolateismyonlyweakness · 05/06/2009 22:10

I wasn't taught grammar at school, and managed to get a degree in English Literature as a mature student - you're not alone, Faq!

I have also completed AS Level French this year and cobble the grammar together as I go along.

I went to school in the 70s when there was an idea that children absorbed how language fits together without having to teach the mechanics.

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chocolateismyonlyweakness · 05/06/2009 22:11

I wasn't taught grammar at school, and managed to get a degree in English Literature as a mature student - you're not alone, Faq!

I went to school in the 70s when there was an idea that children absorbed how language fits together without having to teach the mechanics.

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chocolateismyonlyweakness · 05/06/2009 22:11

Oops....

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