Vice or Vices? Don’t Get It Twisted!

 Have you ever seen someone write “shun vices” and wondered, “Is that even correct?” You’re not alone. English can be a little tricky, but that’s why we’re here to learn together.

In English, “vice” and “vices” look similar but are used differently depending on what you’re talking about.

VICE (Uncountable):
This means serious criminal activities like prostitution, drugs, or other illegal activities like drug dealing, gambling, or anything that dangerously breaks the law.

✅ Correct: The new law aims to reduce crime and vice in the city.
❌ Wrong: The new law aims to reduce crime and vices in the city.

VICES (Countable):
These are bad habits or moral weaknesses in someone’s character, like greed, jealousy, pride, or laziness. They’re not always criminal or necessarily illegal, but they’re not great either.

✅ Correct: Eating too much junk food and always coming late are some of his vices.
❌ Wrong: Eating too much junk food and always coming late are some of his vice.

So when someone says "shun vice," they’re probably talking about staying away from serious crime. But if they say "shun vices," they mean avoiding bad personal habits. Getting this right shows you’re paying attention to detail, and that’s a big part of good communication.

Have you ever used "vice" or "vices" the wrong way? No worries, we’re all learning. Share this post with someone who loves learning English too. Let’s keep learning, growing together and keep levelling up.

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Book a session with me today and start your journey to clear, confident, and powerful communication.

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