British English word choices
Practice vs Practise in British English: Examples and Practice
I need more practice. I need to practise. Same sound, different jobs in the sentence. Try eight examples to get used to choosing the spelling.
The short answer
In British English, use practice with a c for the noun and practise with an s for the verb.
- I need more practice. You are naming what you need: practice.
- I need to practise. You are saying what you need to do: practise.
Both spellings sound the same. In American English, practice is used for both the noun and the verb. The questions below use British English.
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Eight examples with answers
Keep these examples for learning
Save these eight British English questions to try again. Learnalist introduces them gradually and brings them back for review. An account is needed to save.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. I need more ___ before my driving test.
Answer and explanation
I need more practice before my driving test. Practice is a noun: it names what you need more of.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. I need to ___ parking before my driving test.
Answer and explanation
I need to practise parking before my driving test. Practise is a verb: it says what you need to do.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. I'm going to choir ___ after work.
Answer and explanation
I'm going to choir practice after work. Practice names the choir session. The word to belongs to going to that session.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. Can we ___ the first line of the song again?
Answer and explanation
Can we practise the first line of the song again? Practise says what you want to do: sing the line again to work on it.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. We've booked a room for a ___ session.
Answer and explanation
We've booked a room for a practice session. Practice names the purpose of the session. It is not a verb here.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. I try to ___ speaking English on my lunch break.
Answer and explanation
I try to practise speaking English on my lunch break. Practise is the verb. It can be followed by an -ing form, such as speaking.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. Let's put that advice into ___ tomorrow.
Answer and explanation
Let's put that advice into practice tomorrow. Put into practice means apply or use. Practice is a noun in this phrase; put is the verb.
Prompt
Choose practice or practise in British English. We ___ together on Fridays.
Answer and explanation
We practise together on Fridays. Practise is the verb: it says what we do together.
The cases that can catch you out
A practice session
Use practice in a practice session, a practice test and practice questions. It names the purpose of the session, test or questions. Compare We have a practice session tonight with We practise tonight.
Going to practice or going to practise?
Both can be right in British English:
- I'm going to choir practice. You are going to a session.
- I'm going to practise this song. You are going to do something.
Look at what the word does in the sentence, not just whether to appears before it.
Put it into practice
Let's put that advice into practice. This means using the advice in reality. Practice is a noun here, even though the whole sentence is about doing something.
The familiar saying is Practice makes perfect, with a c: practice is the thing being talked about.
Practises, practised and practising
The British verb keeps its s: She practises, we practised, I'm practising. Drop the final e before -ing. American English uses practices, practiced and practicing.
References: ABC Education: practise or practice; Cambridge Dictionary: practice, practise and put something into practice.