Practice and Practise are types of homophones. Homophones are those words that sound the same in pronunciation but have different meanings and spellings. For example: burned vs. burnt and defense vs. defence. Similarly, practice and practise are one of the pair of words that have the same meanings; the only difference lies in the region you live in.
| In Australia and British English | |
| In American English | Practice is used as both a verb and a noun. |
Practise and practice are two spellings of the same verb: “to engage in something professionally” or “train by repetition.” This term can also be used to refer to the business of a lawyer or doctor. The spelling depends on whether you’re using American or British English. So, it’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently.
The Noun is Always “Practice”
Regardless of the region and the version of English, the noun is always considered as “practice” with ‘c’. The word “practise” with ‘s’ is only used as a verb in Australia and British Language. Practice with ‘c’ as a noun refers to a custom, application of a theory or method, an idea, or a repeated exercise. Here are some examples of practice with ‘c’ as a noun that applies to all English languages and regions all over the world:
- You’re getting better at reading but need more practice before the final exam.
- The practice has a positive effect on performance.
- Praying five times a day is a common religious practice.
- He attended his weekly guitar practice to learn some new lessons.
- Consistent practice and hard work are the key to success.
What is the Difference between Practice and Practise?
Practice and practise are both pronounced as “prak-tuhs”. The main difference is that practice is commonly used in American English while practise with ‘s’ is standard in Australian and British English.
Practice: The word “practice” with ‘c’ is commonly used in American English as both a noun and a verb. Practice as a noun refers to habit, custom, or repeated exercise, while practice as a verb refers to doing something repeatedly. In American English, the spelling practise is usually never used. The distinction may sound strange, but this happens in the other case, and it’s not unique to British English.
Practise: Practise with ‘s’ is used in the UK, Australia, and Canada. The difference is that “practice” with ‘c’ is still used as a noun in these countries, and only ‘practice’ is used as a verb.
In British English and other varieties (including those used in Canada, Australia, and other places), a distinction is made between the verb and the noun form by varying the spelling: the noun is spelled practice (just like in American English) and the verb is spelled practise. E.g.: It is good practice to practise daily. This below table briefly describes the main difference between them.
| Practice (US) | Practise (Australia) | |
| Noun (activity) | Art of doing | The actual activity |
| Verb (action) | To carry out or perform | To perform or engage in |
| Example |
What Do You Mean by “Practising” or “Practicing”?
Practising and practicing differ in their spellings of verb practice and practise. These terms carry over to the present participle forms (ending in the suffix “-ing”).
| Practising | Practicing |
| Used in British, Australian and Canadian English | Used in American English |
| For example: I can’t afford to make mistakes. I’ve been practising for years. | For example: I can’t stand making mistakes. I’ve been practicing for years. |
| I’m a practising doctor in Manchester. | I’m a practicing doctor in Manchester. |
| I’m sure you’ll ace your exam. You’ve been practising for weeks. | I’m sure you’ll ace your exam. You’ve been practicing for weeks. |
Practiced Vs Practised
“Practiced” is the past tense and past participle of the verb “practice” in American English, as well as an adjective. “Practised” is the past tense and past participle of the verb “practise” in British English. Example: “He practiced his skills daily” vs “She practised her skills daily.”
Best Practice Vs Practise – Which To Use? ?
Best Practice is always correct with ‘c’ and never spelled as ‘best practise’ with ‘s’. Best practice is a compound noun that consists of an adjective (“best”) and a noun (“practice”). It refers to a set of rules that are considered the golden standard in a field. The plural noun form is best practices.
Examples: Best practice in a sentence
- It’s best practice to wear protective gowns and glasses in hazardous work environments.
- The best company always encourages employees to share best practices.
Examples Of Other Variations Of Practice Vs Practise
| In practice vs in practise | |
| Doctors practice or practise | |
| Medical practise or practice | |
| Artistic practice or practise | |
| Classroom practice or practise | |
| Clinical practice or practise | |
| Football practice or practise | |
| Common practice or practise | |
| Daily practice or daily practise | |
| Choir practice or practise | |
| Dental practise or practice |
Spelling Tricks to Remember as ‘Practice’ and ‘Practise.’
You will be confused while choosing the correct word between practice and practise. The definitions of these terms sound similar, but the main thing that differentiates them is that ‘practise’ is a verb (an action) and ‘practice’ is a noun (a thing). You can remember the difference in their spelling with my little trick:
- As ‘ice’ is a noun; therefore, ‘practice’ with ‘c’ is the noun.
To check whether you’ve used the right spelling in the proper context, consider substituting ‘practise’ (the verb) with other verbs and ‘practice’ (the noun) with other nouns. Let’s clear it in this example.
Ayan wants to practise his violin this afternoon.’ The verb ‘practise’ could be substituted with other verbs, such as ‘play’ or ‘perform’, and the sentence would make sense.
| Practice as a Noun | Practise as a Verb |
| Practice makes a man perfect. (Mnemonic phrase for the noun) | The only way to get better is to practise. (Mnemonic phrase for the verb) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Practice is used as a noun in British and Australian English. Practise with ‘s’ is used only as a verb in British and Australian English. However, in American English, only practice is used as a noun and a verb.
Practice is used in all English Languages as a noun worldwide. Always use practice as a noun and a verb in American English and for British English always prefer practics as a noun for any repeated exercise or activity.
In American english, always practice with ‘c’ is used. So, “teachers practice their profession as they engage in teaching. In British English, teachers practise (verb) their profession and engage in teaching practise (noun). Therefore, the practice’s spelling depends on the English variant being used.
The purpose of practice is to improve skills, develop proficiency, and reinforce learning through mistakes and repetition. The famous saying is that ‘practice makes a man perfect’. So, practice helps people gain confidence and achieve particular skills.
Classroom practice refers to activities that teachers employ to help students learn particular concepts. Various instruments and assessment tools can be used to practice achieving a specific knowledge and skill.
Practice and practise have different uses in American and British English. In British English, “practice” is used as a noun and “practise” as a verb. In American English, “practice” is used for nouns and verbs. So, “Practice” in “exam practice” is a noun, so you should use exam practice in both American and British English.
Yes, these words have similar pronunciation, so you have pay attention to the context to use the correct word.
