Why we use the gerund and not the noun?

[Stefan]

Test No. incompl/elem-27 "Sailing", question 7

But not in ........., eh?

(a) practices
(b) practice
(c) practical
(d) practicing

Test No. incompl/elem-27 "Sailing", answer 7

But not in practicing, eh?

Correct answer: (d) practicing

Your answer was: incorrect
But not in practice, eh?
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Why we use the gerund and not the noun???

Thanks

[Alan]

Yes, you're quite right. It should be in practice. Thank you for pointing this out -we'll get it corrected.
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Ella]

Dear Alan, you forgot to change practicing to practice in the correct sentence.

[Torsten]

Hi Ella,

Many thanks for reminding us - it'll be amended with the next update.
Regards
Torsten

TOEIC listening, photographs: A submarine

[Kathryn Wong]

i got it wrong with the answer "practice"???

[MrPedantic]

Hello Kathryn,

"Practice" is correct; perhaps the test has not yet been amended.

Also, a comma is missing after "me", in the first question:

"......... me what did you do at the weekend?"

Best wishes,

MrP

[Omario]

Dear Sir,
It's hard for me to accept the practice instead of practical.I still don't understand,I'd like more explanation, thank you.
Best regards
Omario.

[Amalmusica]

me too wanna know why it is not practical?
always after the "in" , the noun comes?practical is adverb
practical experience and the like right?
in practice is the correct..
but teachers , please make it more clear for me

[Vuongdieulinh]

dear teachers,
you forgot to change "practicing" to " practice" in the audio answer.

[Mitra584]

Dear Torsten,
I can not understand why can not we use 'practicing' instead of 'practice' ? Would you please to explain it for me?
In advance thanks a lot.
Mitra
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Peace&Love

[N.jafari]

HI dear Torsten,
I can't understand why we use 'practice' instead of 'practicing' ? Would you please explaining it for me?
Thanks.
Narges.

[Beeesneees]

Here, it is because of the preceding 'in' which joins with practice to form a phrase with a specific meaning:

'In practice' means 'in fact' or 'in reality' or 'in actuality'.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Alan]

Hi N.jafari,

'In practice' is a set expression and is the opposite in meaning to another set phrase 'in theory'.

If you wanted to use the verb 'practise' after 'in' and make it into a gerund, you could say: In practising what she told us to do, we all became better students.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Manjubala]

why not the answer is "practical" ?

[Beeesneees]

Hi Manjubala,

Welcome to the forums.

Please read Alan's answer in post #13. The set expression is 'in practice', which means 'in reality'.

'Practical' is an adjective so would not work in this sentence.
('Practical' as a noun is only used in informal English to describe a lesson or an exam in which students have to do or make things.
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Cheers m' dears!