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Since English is not my native language, I am very interested in how to interpret "to practice" in the following English interrogative sentence. I'd like to know which option below is grammatically correct.

What do you bring to practice?

  1. It is common to think of the word "practice" as a noun.
  2. It is common to think of "to practice" as an infinitive.
  3. Both of the two interpretations are equally common.

Which option is correct seems especially important in the following situation. For example, let's assume that a person brings a doll to every soccer practice (to the practice location). If you interpret the above question using #1, you can include "a doll" in the answer. However, if you interpret the above question using #2, you cannot include "a doll" in the answer, because "a doll" is irrelevant to the purpose of soccer practice.

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    In British English, practice is always a noun when spelled with a second 'c' rather than 's'.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Jun 8 at 14:34

2 Answers 2

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'Practice' here is the noun, with 'to practice' a prepositional phrase rather than a to-infinitive.

One can compare related fixed phrases such as

  • brought to light
  • brought to his senses
  • brought to book.

(A counterexample is 'brought to bear [on something]').

Examples found on the internet are:

The expression is close in meaning to 'put into practice' but (1) is more formal and rarer and (2) hints more at a structure (think of a medical practice) wherein the application is made, the new technique say introduced.

....................

I deliberately didn't stress the spelling variants (practice vs practise). In the US, the verb is more usually 'practice' [M-W]; thinking this usage is a spelling mistake is itself a mistake. So mere morphological analysis can't distinguish which intercategorial polyseme is in play.

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  • of course in speech, there is no difference (in modern English) between the sound of "practice" and "practise". Using "c" instead of "s" is such a common spelling mistake, it might also be treated as a non-standard variant.
    – James K
    Commented Jun 8 at 14:39
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    I deliberately didn't stress the spelling variants. In the US, the verb is more usually 'practice' [M-W]; thinking this is a spelling mistake is itself a mistake.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 8 at 14:50
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    Those examples are over-intellectual in the sense of soccer practice or musical practice. I agree they are not to infinitives, though.
    – Lambie
    Commented Jun 8 at 15:04
  • I've tried to point out that 'brought to practice' in the sense it is usually encountered is not the less idiom-orientated 'bring along to a soccer practice'. In the UK at least, 'I've brought my shin pads / own piano scores along to the practice' would be far more usual for this prosaic situation. 'Put into practice' similarly doesn't refer to a sports or music practice session.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 8 at 15:29
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https://laura-bradshaw-yoga.mailerpage.io/faqs

Q: What do I need to bring to practise?

A: A mat, a bottle of water are essential. If you have your own props you like to use (blocks, straps, blankets) then please bring them.

This 'to practise(AmE:to practice)' is obviously a to-infinitive.

I guess the option 3 is right. At least, this sentence is grammatically correct.

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  • I am afraid this question is not about "to practise." I would like to know how native English speakers would interpret "to practice", not "to practise". I assume from your handle that you are Japanese like me, but I would like to hear what native speakers think. Also, pointing out that there is a usage does not prove that it is as common as some other usage.
    – L-traveler
    Commented Jun 11 at 7:05
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    To a native speaker is is not 'obviously a to-infinitive', just a spelling mistake for the noun practice (session).
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Jun 11 at 9:50

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