suggest, recommend, advise

[PelajarBaru]

Dear Teachers

What is the difference between suggest, recommend and advise? Can you please give me a few examples on how they are used?

Thank you.

[BobK]

Dear Teachers

What is the difference between suggest, recommend and advise? Can you please give me a few examples on how they are used?

Thank you.

I suggest you use a dictionary. I recommend any of the Big Five (I think they all have 'Learner' in the title). I advise you to use a monolingual dictionary.

They have meanings that partially overlap. That means that in some contexts they are interchangeable but in some they aren't. For example, I might suggest or recommend a good restaurant; I'd advise you against eating at a bad one. In this context, suggest and recommend have similar meanings (though 'recommend' suggests I've been there before). "Advise" is stronger. If there are two restaurants, one good and one bad, I'd advise you to go to the good one. I would think it a mistake if you didn't take my advice.

But in other contexts the overlaps would be different. Use a monolingual dictionary (and read as much as you can) to get an idea of the differences.

b

[Monticello]

Dear Teachers

What is the difference between suggest, recommend and advise? Can you please give me a few examples on how they are used?

Thank you.

Hi PelajarBaru,

You might want to also include The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fourth Edition) among your reference sources. Take a look at the entries for each of the words you question and you will see why this source may be of help to you: suggest, recommend, advise. Within each of the entries pay especial attention to the SYNONYMS and USAGE NOTE sections.

(Bear in mind that comments about usage within the USAGE NOTE sections reflect (of course) American (US) usage.)