advising

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The activity of giving students or clients guidance about courses, plans, or personal matters.

   Grammar: Uncountable; often used with academic or professional: academic advising, advising session.

   Patterns

   • academic advising
   • advising session
   • advising office

   She works in academic advising at the university.

   The advising office helps students choose their courses.

   Good advising can make a big difference to a student's success.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitive

   Present participle of advise: giving someone suggestions about what they should do.

   Grammar: Used after be or another verb: She is advising him. It can take an object or stand alone.

   Patterns

   • advising someone on something
   • advising against something
   • be advising

   The doctor is advising him to rest for a week.

   They are advising against travel in the storm.

   She spent the morning advising new students.

Common combinations

academic advising

Academic advising is part of every student's first year.

advising session

I have an advising session with my professor tomorrow.

advising office

The advising office is on the second floor.

advising role

In her advising role, she helps new employees settle in.

Synonyms and how they differ

guidance

A more general word for help and direction; advising often suggests an ongoing relationship or official role.

counseling

Often used for personal or psychological help; advising is usually about practical or academic decisions.

Word family

advise verb

To tell someone what you think they should do.

adviser noun

A person whose job is to give advice.

advisory adjective

Having the purpose of giving advice.

advice noun

An opinion about what someone should do; an uncountable noun.

Commonly confused: advising or advice?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “advising”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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