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What't the difference between "Please be advised" & "please advise"

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Latest post Sat, Oct 4 2008 3:07 PM by Clive. 15 replies.
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Tiratum  +  160944 Mon, 21 Nov 05 05:51 AM

what't the difference between "Please be advised" & "please advise"?

which of the following is correct?

1. Please be advised that we have received your letter.

2. Please advise that we have received your letter.

thank you

 
Tiratum
Best answer by Clive  +  160946 Mon, 21 Nov 05 06:00 AM

Hi,

1. Please be advised that we have received your letter. This means 'We want to tell you that we have received it'. It's a standard business expression. Personally, I dislike this as it seems to serve no purpose usually. I'd omit it, and just say 'We have received your letter.

2. Please advise that we have received your letter. This is wrong. It makes no sense.

Best wishes, Clive
Clive
All the other replies..
Danyoo  +  160953 Mon, 21 Nov 05 06:30 AM
You would use the expression 'please advise' if you are looking for someone to give you some advice or direction on how to move forward.  For instance, if you write an email to your supervisor, explaining a difficulty you are having with a customer, you might end the letter by saying 'please advise" meaning please get back to me with your suggested answer.
Danyoo
Joined on Fri, Nov 11 2005
Chicago, USA
Regular Member 558
To err is human, to forgive divine. 잘못을 저지르는 것은 인간이지만 용서할수있는 것은 하늘과 같은것.
Tiratum, 4 yr 1 days ago

I see.

thanks for your help.

Kejcam  +  161355 Tue, 22 Nov 05 07:48 AM
 Clive wrote:

2. Please advise that we have received your letter. This is wrong. It makes no sense.

Best wishes, Clive



Hi! As I see it, 'advise' in the formal style takes on the meaning of 'inform', so in a slightly changed context it might mean 'Please inform (us) if/when you have received our letter.'
Kejcam
Joined on Fri, Nov 18 2005
New Member 23
Anonymous, 4 yr ago

Hi, Clive. I cannot agree with you more. when i first began to work in this law firm after graduation, i saw this redundant expression everywhere in our files, and i tended to follow suit then. but now I handle countless papers in our law firm, but seldom use it any more. the reason is that it just adds nothing to my writing. I dont mean to tread on anyone's toe, but i really feel some people take it so often just because they actually don't have a good comand of english and try to take this as a make-up.

do sever yourself with "please be advised", everybody. 

"please advise..." which is intended to mean "please tell/let me know..." is fine.  

 

Clive  +  161471 Tue, 22 Nov 05 02:00 PM

Hi,

Please advise that we have received your letter.

I dislike the formulaic aspect of this phrase. However, when I said This is wrong... It makes no sense... here is what I particularly had in mind. I think the writer meant to say this:

Please advise that you have received our letter.

After all, how can you advise that we have received a letter, how would you know that? As I said, it makes no sense.

Best wishes, Clive
Clive
Anonymous, 2 yr 212 days ago

The correct is "Please be advised that we have received your letter".

When you say "Please be advised" you are actually informing some thing.

"Please advise" would be used to require some information/advice. Ex. Dear... We have not received your letter as yet and we need to know how to proceed in this case. Please advise."

I hope I've helped a little. :o)

Grammar Geek  +  419211 Sat, 15 Sep 07 09:20 PM

Please be advised that X means I am telling you someting.

Please advise X about Y means I am asking you to tell someone else something.
Grammar Geek
Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member 19,652
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
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