council and counsel - the difference

Free grammar tips, lessons and tests

Recommended purchases

This site: Grammar Monster on line Daily tips with Grammar Monster's gadget Daily tips with Grammar Monster on Twitter  The best grammar reference books Grammar Monster off line The only grammar checker we'll endorse
Common grammar errors
Easily confused words
Grammar terms & definitions
Grammar tests
Grammar lessons
Search this site


 Home

Search
 

Glossary
of Terms

Common
Errors

FAQs

Grammar
Chat

Download

Grammar
Checker

COUNCIL / COUNSEL

 
A council is a committee elected to lead or govern.
Counsel is advice (usually legal advice).
To counsel is to advise.
 

Writers occasionally confuse the words 'council' and 'counsel'.

Council

The noun 'council' denotes an assembly of people who serve in an administrative capacity.  For example, a committee elected to lead or govern could be described as a council (e.g., a church council, a town council and student council).

Examples:

The emergency session was convened due to the failure of the United Nations Security Council to resolve the instability at the Suez Canal.

In December 1046, Holy Roman Emperor Henry III established a church council to reform the papacy.

She yelled: "It's not the council's job to sift through your bins for glass."

Counsel

The word 'counsel' is most commonly a verb meaning 'to give advice'. It is also a noun meaning advice (usually legal assistance) or opinion. Counsel can also refer to a body of people set up to offer advice (usually legal advice); e.g., the Queen's Counsel, the General Counsel of the Army.

Examples:

We are seeking staff who can counsel the homeless on where to attain social services.
(Counsel is a verb in this example.)

The litigation team offers excellent counsel on a wide range of subjects.
(Counsel is a noun in this example.)

After bereavement, who counsels the counselor?
 
Select the correct version:



 
COUNCILORS AND COUNSELORS

Councilors work in a council.  For example:  
 

          City council sign in
        Aberdeen, Scotland


Counselors work in a counsel. For example:
  

 Sign of the General Counsel
     of the Army (US Army)
Associated lessons:
 
What are nouns?
What are verbs?
List of easily confused words
 
 

Grammar Monster © | Copyright Registration Number: 226604 | All rights reserved