The "Please Advise" Habit

We all have unconscious habits. I learned about one of mine when I was visiting an elderly relative and she asked me, both of us standing in the kitchen, "Don't you ever close a drawer all the way?" I was confused--until I looked around the room and saw several drawers open about two inches. They were all drawers I had "closed."

That was last year. I still leave drawers open a bit sometimes, but now I notice them open, and then I close them all the way.

Do you have any unconscious habits in your business writing? Last week in a business writing seminar for people in the shipping industry, I noticed an unconscious habit among attendees: "Please advise."

They used "Please advise" in their opening sentences, their closing sentences, and sometimes in the middle, like this:

Please advise of shipping status.
Please advise what happened with the delivery.
If you have any questions or concerns, please advise.

This use of "please advise" is a habit. It's like my leaving the kitchen drawers open--not a terrible, serious problem. But it does get in the way of a clear, efficient message.

One of the problems with "Please advise" is that advise is a transitive verb, that is, it must have an object. Someone must be advised. For example, I can write, "The doctor advised me about taking supplements" or "I advised him to eliminate the angry tone in his writing."

Some usage experts accept advise in place of inform or tell. Others use advise only in situations that involve advice (as in the doctor's advice on supplements and my advice on eliminating the angry tone). I prefer that limited use.

Here are revisions of the "Please advise" examples above:

What is the shipping status? [or]
Please inform us of the shipping status.

Please tell me [us] what happened with the delivery. [or] Please let me know what happened with the delivery.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me [us] know.    

If using "Please advise" is a standard practice in your industry, then improve upon it. For example, "Please advise of shipping status" may seem perfect in your office, but it reads like an old telegram, in which each word cost money. These days, with no additional cost you can add us or me and have a clear, complete sentence: "Please advise us of the shipping status."

It's time to break those old, unconscious habits. Since my elderly relative "advised" me of my habit, I see those open drawers, and I close them. Look for your "Please advise" or other habitual expressions, and get rid of them.

Lynn
Syntax Training

Comments

[Clare Lynch]

Thanks for pointing this out to people!

Using the word "advise" for "tell" is one of my pet hates - it's just so pompous and pretentious! For me, the rule of thumb would be not to use any word or phrase that you wouldn't use outside of an office situation. For example, can you imagine saying to your spouse "please advise me what's for dinner tonight"?

I find that the misused "advise" is often to be found in emails alongside a misuse of the reflexive pronoun ("please advise myself").

And don't get me started on the utterly bizarre use of "revert" for "reply"...

[Lynn]

Hi, Clare. Your "Please advise me what's for dinner" is a perfect illustration of the stuffiness of "please advise." Thanks!

I am happy to say I have not seen "revert" for "reply"--and I hope I never do!

Lynn

[Steve]

That's funny. The reason i found this article is because today i thought about my abuse of "please advise". I use it in more and more emails every day as I deal with providers and customers. That's a good read, i'll take a few extra seconds to use proper words from now on.

[Lynn]

Steve, kudos on noticing your own writing habits--and deciding to change them!

[Wes]

I'm new to the corporate world and I keep running into this strange phrase, "please advise". I wondered if there might be some sort of hidden meaning to it. Its otherworldliness gives it an air of false sophistication that almost led me, against my better instincts, to start using it. I looked the phrase up on Google because I worried that I just wasn't getting it and found this site. Thank you for this post which has given me the perspective to use my normal vocabulary, and avoid the dark path into obscurantism (and douchebagetry).

[Pablo]

At my former job in IT, "please advise" became a bane of my existence. People would use it as a phony-polite way of saying "you do this for me now." Example: "My mouse is broken. Please advise."

I still cringe every time I see the phrase used.

[Lynn]

Pablo, thank you for your enlightening example. You have provided a great reason to avoid "Please advise." Sorry--don't cringe!

[R]

This is an awesome post. And the comments are funny. I found it through googling "please advise". I always knew the phrase felt wrong every time I read it in emails, but now it's good to know exactly why, grammatically. Out of curiosity, does anyone know where this phrase originated?

[Ryan]

I also just googled "please advise" because someone ended an e-mail with, "Please advise...." I had no idea what she was trying to tell me because I wasn’t sure what the “…” was supposed to mean. Was I supposed to advise other people about what she had told me? I think she was just telling me to "please consider this" information I just gave you. I'm not sure if I'm offended because of the redundancy or because I will of course consider the information you just gave me. I just asked for the information. Anyway, thanks for the info and the comments are funny. Unfortunately, I will not be helping your cause of stopping "please advise" because I do not know her well enough to send her the link.

[Sullivan Miles Lane]

My team constantly uses this phrase. It started innocuously enough with my boss, but then spread like a zombie invasion throughout the rest of my team, consuming the rational, coherent parts of their brains. I have put up with seeing the phrases 'Please advise the status of the servers' or 'Please advise the attached spreadsheet' for almost a year now hoping that it would gradually fade out (like signing emails with 'Cheers'). How can I gently break it to them that they are not making any sense? I am embarrassed for my entire team.

[moveonup]

Can someone please advise on some alternatives at your earliest convenience

[Elizabeth]

I must admit that I started using this phrase to replace "Please let me know," which I was abusing and overusing. What's a good alternative when you are confused about something, and need people to give you advice on how to handle it? I guess I could just say, "I could use your advice on this." Hmm. I'll definitely be more conscious of it going forward!

[Lynn]

Hi, Elizabeth. The problem with "Please advise" is using it on its own, without a direct object. It's fine to say "Please advise me about the software." You can also say "Please help me with the software" and "I would appreciate your advice on the software."

Use whatever sounds natural. Just avoid "Please advise" alone.

[Francisco Amat]

What about "please advice"?

[Lynn]

"Please advice" does not make sense because "advice" is a noun, a thing.

[Marco Rinaudo]

It looks like some people don’t realize that “I googled” is as inappropriate as “Please advise” at the bottom of an email without an object as you would expect for a transitive verb.
Google is not a verb, instead it is a noun, actually it is a company name and consequently you should not say “To google” or “I googled”.
Hey Lynn, please advise :-)

[Lynn]

Marco, I am all for googling, and I use google as a verb. It simply makes sense to me, despite any efforts by Google to control the use of its name. Sorry!

The only time this habit has gotten me in trouble is when I used it during a class I was teaching at Microsoft. There it is not a popular verb!

Lynn

[Ran]

To say I "googled" it is just a catchy term/phrase and I doubt anyone is going to discontinue the usuage of it where it's deemed appropriate or not. The english language can and has been subject to usage. If enough people use "please advise" as a standard then sooner or later it's very meaning will be slightly altered to add-on the way it's being used. Granted not every catchy phrase or term gets an addition to its definition but I'm sure it will at least fall into the "unofficial" usuage. Point is that yes, granted you don't want to over-use any term or phrase. Mix it up a bit.

[BW]

Everything gets shortened over email. When "Please advise" is used, it should be clear by the content of the email on what advice is needed. I believe it is a nice way of asking for needed advice without typing a lot. There are so many things we shorten with email or phrases we use which we don't use elsewhere. How about lol? I actually hate that term, but it serves as an example. People really need to get over this being an issue. That is more pompous and pretentious then someone actually using the term. It is still your choice whether you respond with the advice or not...

[Maria]

Can I just say, I hope that "Please Advise" becomes banned from email jargon....

It is the most overused and unnecessary phrase.

[Gina]

It just goes to show that a little education on a really overused phrase can go a long way. I had no idea I was doing something wrong until my Outlook did a green underline on my "advise" in "Please advise." And this is how I found your post. Excellent! Thank you!

[BrianAlt]

The, "green underline," in Outlook is even worse! It advises to use, "advice," instead of, "advise."

I see, "please advice," in emails all the time. I would much rather see the correct, "please advise."

Tell is such a dull word. Advise is more than to just tell; it's to inform, to counsel, to recommend. That's certainly more than to just, "tell."

[Ladynta]

I feel much better now, realizing that I am not alone!

My boss actually taught me the other way (it is completly wrong...)
Just like Wes, when I first joined the corporate world a year ago, I adopted "Please advise" after receiving thousands of email ending in this phrase. Then 6 months later, my boss told me the other way, saying that it should be "Please adviCe" not "advise". I was like "OH! Thank you Boss. I will correct it from now on!"
I am not a Native English speaker, so I entirely trusted my boss, UNTIL TODAY! I should have known better to do more research before using it!

Thank you Lynn for your advice. :)

[SK]

Finally I got the answer. Thank you.

[Zem]

What I often see is the "awaiting revert" phrase at the end of the e-mails - but then again, I work in a very Indian English-influenced enviroment...

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

"Revert" does not make sense for "reply" in American English.

Lynn

[Jennifer Kerkhoven]

I use the phrase "Please advise" daily in my e-mails. I googled it becauise it is always flagged as a grammar error. I'm unconvinced to change my ways. I agree with BW's assessment. It lets the reader know that I need a response to whatever concern has been laid out in the e-mail.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Jennifer. Besides its being incorrect, the phrase "Please advise" irritates and confuses many people, as you can see in the comments above. Choosing to use it daily may not be in your best interest.

Lynn

[Liza]

Hi, Lynn!

Thanks very much for this article. I was writing an email for my buyer and guiltily use this phrase. I have "googled" it to be sure that I made sense as I'm worried my American buyer will be confused (I'm from the Philippines). So there, I stumbled upon this article. I guess this phrase had become a widespread virus in my work. Luckily, I'm a freelance provider now and I have all the luxury to "Google" for incorrect usage of the English language.

Kudos to you!

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Liza, it was fun to read your comment when I returned from my vacation. Thanks for stopping by.

Lynn

[Patrick]

To the best of my knowledge (and it might be slightly inaccurate) the phrase stems from the military.

During WWII "radio speak" was developed into an artform and it was important to have a quick version of saying "I need and am expecting you to give me further instructions (advice)". Since you where usually taking these instructions from someone of higher rank and politeness was an important part of society and especially in military culture when dealing with an officer, the please got prepended.

This phrase is still in use in the military today, and is probably equally common in other radio intensive fields (police department, fire department, etc).

Since such a large portion of the American male population has been in military during or after WWII the phrase has become part of the common vernacular in certain industries.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Patrick, thank you for that very interesting explanation! I appreciate your taking the time to share the information.

Lynn

[SamanthaCR]

After getting this puzzling statement in an email for the up-teenth time, I finally had to Google the phrase and happened upon your blog. THANK YOU. My instincts pretty much told me that when someone uses this particular statement, it's a subtle way of making me feel like a moron. It's one thing if someone says, "please let me know what you think about ABC" because it's direct and not vague. "please advise" seems more like, "I don't get it" or "maybe you don't understand what I'm talking about, so I'm going to throw it back to you."

Anyways, thank you.

[Adam Cavotta]

Thanks for the article. While I agree with most of the statements in your article, I find it odd that we should reject this commonly used phrase simply based on the fact that it is habitually used. Grammar is nothing but convention anyway and in this respect we create the meaning through the habit. It is no different than FYI (in fact often used in conjunction with this acronym) to efficiently communicate the purpose of the message, which is typically a forward message where approval or advise is required.

I can think of no way to convey the same amount of information with an equal economy of words.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi Samantha. I was interested to read your take on "Please advise." I had not thought about the "making me feel like a moron" possibilities.

I am glad you found comfort here.

Lynn

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Adam. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your view.

I don't see "Please advise" as efficient in any way but its brevity. Too many people find the expression irritating or vague. I would rather add a few words and keep my readers happy.

Lynn

[rachel]

Great article. I found this blog by searching the term "please advise" after I'd seen it in numerous emails and not really understood what information the sender wanted from me. It would have read in a much more pleasant manner had they simply added a "me to the time frame of this project" on the end.

Good call to Samantha for pointing out this cultural meaning of "Please advise." It seems to conjure the feeling of a very curt "explain yourself" attitude.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Thanks for stoppping by and commenting, Rachel.

Lynn

[Alison]

Thanks for your article!! I just had a tiff with someone over the use of 'please advise on' when he meant 'please inform me of' because the information we needed was not going to influence any decisions to be made.. Said person also likes using the phrases like 'to my mind', which i find absolutely ridiculous and pompous.

Your blog is interesting and useful, I think I'll follow it. Sorry for the rant.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

It's okay to rant now and then, Alison. You didn't attack anyone. You just expressed a bit of frustration.

You may want to try practicing acceptance of expressions such as "to my mind." People simply get comfortable with certain expressions, just like certain foods, and choose them often. Unless the phrase inhibits communication, why not try to accept and even enjoy it?

I know that's difficult advice. But if you can follow it, you will be more content when you interact with that person.

Good luck!

Lynn

[Dini Arofanti]

Thank you so much for this. I'm stuffed each day seeing this habit in incoming emails. This phrase is being abused making it sound like it was computer-generated or like a standard template. I am out on a good cause to break the habit at the institution I work for. Thanks again.

Oh and I love your blog!

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Dini, good luck with the good fight! Remember to relax and choose your battles.

Lynn

[vane a.]

This is too funny! I also "put this phrase in google" (to avoid using "googled it" and offend anyone :) because my outlook would always mark it wrong. Today, I finally had the need to investigate why. This article and the hilarious comments are better than I expected to find. I must say, I use "please advise" because it was in every email between us and our clients. I try to use proper grammar and it bothers me that I have been using "please advise" all this time, while always knowing that it sounds so stupid to say. "we havent received the documents. please advise".... UGH! I am definitely switching up the vocab. Thank you Lynn.

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Vane A., thanks for taking the time to share your appreciation. Now you can stop feeling "UGH"!

Lynn

[Matt]

How pedantic of you all! 'Please advise' is concise and efficient. Why use some bloated sentence when two words will suffice?

[Lynn Gaertner-Johnston]

Hi, Matt. I believe the discussion above answers your question.

Lynn