Robert M. Gary wrote:

My local guys usually say "Cleared for the ILS XX practice approach,
remain VFR".

Which is odd because you are always VFR unless he issues you a
claranace.

Well, "Cleared for the ILS XX practice approach" could be construed as a
clearance - it does start with the words "cleared for". So "remain VFR"
makes it clear that this is not, in fact, an IFR clearance, despite the
wording.