“Homo….what?” you might ask. Many people do not know the word ‘Homophone’, but they are dealing with homophones every day. When we speak, listen, write or read, homophones are here among us, escaping from their clouded life of secrecy in grammar books, causing confusion and embarrassment.
The word derives from the Greek homo (‘same’) and phone (‘sound, utterance’). It describes a word that sounds the same as another one or more words, but that is spelled differently and has a different meaning. The English language has literally hundreds of these pairs that are consistently confused by people and thus provide a steady income for proofreaders.
A comprehensive list of English homophones can be found here. Some of the most commonly used (and confused) ones and their meanings are:
|
Homophone |
Meaning / Example |
|
its it’s |
Belonging to -> The dog wagged its tail Short form for ‘it is’ -> It’s none of your business! |
|
there their they’re |
Points to a location -> Please put the book there Belonging to -> People covered their faces with masks Short form for ‘they are’ -> They’re planning to arrive at 6 |
|
your you’re |
Belonging to -> Don’t forget your coat! Short form for ‘you are’ -> You’re late again! |
|
to too two |
Preposition -> He was going to the park for some fresh air An adverb, often meaning ‘excessively’ -> He ate too much The number between 1 and 3 -> Vacation starts in two days |
|
then than |
Indicates passage of time -> First we met John, then Donna Used in a comparison -> Paul was taller than his father |
|
affect effect |
Indicates influence -> The flu shot did not affect him negatively Use as a noun -> The flu shot did not have any side effect on him |
|
complement compliment |
Indicates an enhancement -> Her shoes complemented her dress Expressing praise -> He complimented Rose on her dress |
|
break brake |
To shatter something -> Don’t break the vase, it’s expensive! To slow things -> He had to brake hard to avoid an accident |
|
bare bear |
Without cover -> His bare feet felt cold on the stone floor To accept or carry -> Jim could hardly bear the pain |
|
principal principle |
Of highest importance -> The principal reason for his trip was work Fundamental law -> Gravity is a basic principle of physics |
|
stationary stationery |
Without movement ->The wheel rotated around a stationary axle Writing materials -> Writing his letter, Jack ran out of stationery |
|
tail tale |
Rear end -> We sat in the tail section of the airplane Story or falsehood -> Judy did not believe his tale of innocence |