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Practice or practise?

Here is a mistake I see alll the time in written English, and I've often made it myself, too. Practice with a 'C' is a noun. It means either a doctor's or another professional's business or can refer to the abstract concept of repeated rehearsal. It is used correctly here:

The lawyer's practice was growing

Practice is the only way to improve in sport

But when you use the word as a verb, that 'C' becomes an 'S' and we write about the act of practising. Here is the verb form used properly:

When you practise law you have a duty of care to your clients

The more time you spend practising a skill, the better you'll get

A similar distinction applies for licence/license. You apply for a driving licence, for instance, but you can be licensed to undertake certain activities.

 

Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 07:48AM by Registered CommenterRay Blake in | CommentsPost a Comment

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