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TOEIC Link Part 5: council versus counsel

Council and counsel sound the same but split across parts of speech and meaning. Council is a noun for a group that meets to make decisions. Counsel is mainly a verb meaning to advise, and also a noun meaning advice or a legal adviser. Part 5 leans on the identical pronunciation, but the slot — a body of people versus the act of advising — decides which spelling is correct.

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TOEIC Link Part 5: council versus counsel

Council and counsel are homophones — they sound exactly alike — but they are different words with different jobs. Council is a noun naming a group of people who meet to decide things. Counsel is chiefly a verb meaning to give advice, and a noun meaning advice or a legal adviser. Part 5 pairs them precisely because the ear cannot tell them apart; only the grammar and meaning of the slot can. For the broader skill of answering by sense rather than sound, see word choice versus word form.

The core rule: a group versus advising

  • council is a noun meaning an assembled group that meets to make decisions or advise: The city council approved the budget. / She was elected to the advisory council. / The council meets on the first Monday of each month. Think "a committee or board of people."
  • counsel is mainly a verb meaning to advise or guide someone: The mentor counseled the new hires on career paths. / He was counseled to wait before signing. As a noun it means advice (wise counsel) or a legal adviser (the company's counsel reviewed the contract). Think "advice / to advise."

A memory hook: council has a c like committee — a group of people. counsel has an s like advise and counselor — the act of advising. A counselor gives counsel.

How to read the slot

  • Blank names a body of people who meet → council (noun). In the (blank) voted, a member of the (blank), the student (blank), the slot is a group, so it is council.
  • Blank is a verb meaning "advise" → counsel. In the firm will (blank) clients, advisers (blank) students, the slot is an action of advising, so it is counsel.
  • Blank means "advice" or "a legal adviser" → counsel (noun). In seek legal (blank), on the (blank) of her doctor, the slot is advice or an adviser, so it is counsel.

The fastest test: a group that meets → council; the act of advising, advice itself, or a legal adviser → counsel.

Common Part 5 traps

  • The verb slot is the clearest giveaway. Only counsel works as a verb. If the blank takes an object and means "advise" (to counsel employees), council — a noun — cannot fit. Spotting that the slot needs a verb settles it instantly.
  • A "legal (blank)" slot points to counsel. In law contexts, counsel is the adviser or attorney: legal counsel, outside counsel, the defense counsel. A council never means a single lawyer.
  • Watch the look-alike consul. A consul is a government official who represents a country abroad (at a consulate). It sounds close but is unrelated to meetings or advice, and appears only when the context is clearly diplomatic.

Quick check

Decide whether the slot is a group, an action, or advice, then choose.

  1. The advisory (blank) will meet next week to review the proposal.
  2. The agency (blank) small businesses on how to apply for grants.
  3. Before signing, the firm asked its legal (blank) to review the terms.
  4. Several residents addressed the town (blank) about the new park.

Answers: 1. council (a group that meets) 2. counsel (verb, to advise) 3. counsel (noun, legal adviser) 4. council (a group of people, the town body).

The takeaway

Council and counsel are impossible to tell apart by ear, so read the slot instead: a group that meets is a council; advising, advice, or a legal adviser is counsel. For more homophone and look-alike pairs the slot decides, see principal versus principle and cite versus site versus sight.