Vocabulary: Advice
To advise (v.) Advice (n.) Uncountable noun
He gave me some advice
She gave me a good piece of advice
He gave me a bit of advice
Other commonly mistaken words that are uncountable but can take ‘a piece of’ to make them
countable are… News / information / advice
Advisable (adj.) It’s not very advisable to watch too much TV
Giving advice We can say:
He advised me to go
He recommended me to go
He recommended/suggested going
He recommended/suggested that I go
I recommended/suggested that she go
Notice in this last case we use Subject + subjunctive. This is why we say “she go” instead of the
usual “she goes”.
Collocations
A bit of advice
A friendly piece of advice
Constructive advice = positive / helpful
Unsolicited advice = don’t ask for
Sensible advice = logical / useful
To heed advice = to follow advice or take advice
To ignore advice
Here is some useful language from the conversation I had with my guest Martin.
I try to pass on (= share / give) useful advice to students
Advice I pass on for the exam is to not speak too quickly
I’ve been getting advice about parenting
I have got some very welcome advice from other parents
My plan went out of the window = it was no longer useful, I had to forget it.
You get completely different advice
Follow your instinct = follow your feelings
The following 4 phrases mean to improvise, or do without planning,
To play it by ear To go with the flow
To wing it To do it off the cuff
I didn’t plan my presentation for yesterday’s meeting, I just winged it. I like to
play it by ear!
In hindsight = looking back and seeing the danger or opportunity of an event in the past.
In hindsight, it was a mistake to give up my job, because now I have no
salary.
To burn your bridges = To action so there is no way back
When you leave a company, you should stay in touch with your bosses. Don’t
burn your bridges because you never know when you may need them.
Also try to fill in the gaps below with the correct word.
1. I ____ you add a bit more salt, it’s a bit bland (not salty) for my liking.
2. ____ don’t you watch The Crown? I’ve heard it’s really good.
3. If I were you, I ___ buy him a nice T-shirt or something like that, your Dad’s into
fashionable clothes.
4. I reckon you ____ ask for a raise, it’s about time you had one.
5. I think it’d be _____ if you let me do it, you look really tired.
6. I wouldn’t do that if I were in your _____, that’s asking for trouble, my ________
would be to ignore it all together, or just delete it.
Idioms to talk about Advice
Here are a number of idioms that can be used when talking about advice.
I am at a loss, can you give me some advice? = I don’t know what to do!
A word in your ear, don’t that! = A friendly piece of advice
Don’t bite off more than you can chew = don’t do too much!
Give it your best shot = Do your best!
Learn to walk before you run! = don’t do too much!
Think before you jump/leap = think before acting
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch = Don’t assume something you want will
happen, until you know for sure it will happen.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you = don’t shoot yourself in the foot, don’t attack the things
/people you really need
Make hay while the sun shines = make the most of the good times you have now (before they
finish)
Students' Questions about Advice
1- Keith do you often follow other people’s advice?
Well, it’s an interesting question. I would say it depends on who is giving me advice. If it’s a
person I trust strongly and somebody who,
maybe, has been through a similar experience, then I would probably heed what they have
got to say. However, you know if it’s
unsolicited advice from somebody maybe I don’t know or don’t respect or don’t trust then it’s
unlikely, I am gonna follow what they say. So,
I can be a little bit picky (=fussy) about whose people I….. , whose advice I follow.
1Have your parents given you much advice?
Of course! Just like everybody’s parents, even mine have given me advice. Their way
is quite unusual. They don’t give advice to make me feel down. But they do so in the
form of stories and their own experiences.
2What kind of advice do parents give their children?
Basically, parents must stand by their childrens’ side at every step of their growing
stage until they have become mature enough to continue with their lives. Generally,
parents give advice on tips to study with concentration, how to ride a bike well, which
stream to choose, what job to go with, etc.
3What kind of advice do friends give each other?
Seemingly, friends advise each other about their experiences. For instance, if I have
tried a restaurant, I would like to advise my friends to try it. Likewise, others share
their experiences of travelling to a city, getting stuck in a situation, and more.
4Do you think young people should follow their parents’ advice?
It mainly depends on the situation. While there are some pieces of advice that are
nothing less than valuable; there are others that may not match your situation. Thus,
it depends on whether that advice is matching the situation. If not, you can ignore the
same.
NO COPIADO DESDE AQUI
1. What kind of advice do parents give to their children?
There is a saying that one's good or bad habits and behaviours de-
pend on how one's parents bring them up. So, every parent has a re-
sponsibility to guide their children to learn good things. Parents give
advice to children on various matters like studies, choice of friends,
play, food habits etc.
2. How do experts give advice to others?
Professionals in any field are experienced and knowledgeable and
have the ability to lead others. For example, if we approach a doctor
for any health problem, he will understand why we are suffering and
what is the solution to that problem. Based on that, he/she will give us
advice on what to do and how to do it.
3. What advice do parents give to teenagers about making
friends?
In my opinion, advising children and even people above 20+ years old
is less difficult as compared to teenagers. Because this is a risky age
to be easily misled by bad friends. So, it is crucial and challenging for
parents to keep them away from bad mates. Parents monitor their
children’s activity and moreover, they want to meet friends to know
their behaviour. It helps the parents to avoid their child's bad partner
and stay away from their child.
4. How is it helpful to ask for some advice before making a de-
cision?
It is always best to ask for some expert advice or think twice before
making any important decision. Because it helps to avoid some risks
and wrong moves. Discussion with knowledgeable people will give you
some clarity.
5. Is it good to let children make their own decisions?
If I were to answer this question, I would say that allowing children to
make their own decisions is not commendable. Because they are new
to this world and have no experience in anything. Therefore, they
need the help of parents, guardians and teachers while making any
decision.
IELTS cue card topics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. I suggest you add a bit more salt, it’s a bit bland for my liking.
2. Why don’t you watch The Crown? I’ve heard it’s really good.
3. If I were you, I’d buy him a nice T-shirt or something like that, your Dad’s into
fashionable clothes.
4. I reckon you should ask for a raise, it’s about time you had one.
5. I think it’d be best if you let me do it, you look really tired.
6. I wouldn’t do that if I were in your shoes, that’s asking for trouble, my advice would
be to ignore it all together, or just delete it.
