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8/10/2019 Homophones (Similar Sounds) [Different Meanings]
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1/13/14 Homophones: Words with similar sounds but different meanings
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Homophones
Words that sound alike or nearly alike but have different meanings
accept
except
Acceptmeans to receive. Exceptmeans to exclude.
e.g. Everyone except Joaquin accepted her apology.
advice
advise
Adviceis a noun (which rhymes with ice) and adviseis a verb (which
rhymes with lies).
e.g. I need your advice.
I advise you to bring bott led water.
affect
effect
Affectis a verb which means to influence. Effectis a noun which means
the outcome or result. When used as a verb, effectmeans to produce
a result.
e.g. The injury wont affect her performance.
The song had a calming effect on the baby.
The medicine effec ted a complete recovery.
all ready already
All readymeans completely prepared or that everyone or everything is
prepared.Alreadymeans before the time specified.
e.g. We were all ready for the results.
I ate already.
allude
elude
Alludemeans to refer indirectly or casually. Eludemeans to avoid orescape.
e.g. Writers often allude to Shakespeare.
The bandits continue to elude the police.
allusion
illusion
An allusionis an indirect or casual reference. An illusionis false idea or
image.
amoral
immoral
Amoralmeans either not subject to or lacking moral distinctions. For
instance, logic or pure mathematics can be seen as amoral. Immoral
means violating conscience or public morality: plagiarism and other kinds
of cheating are immoral. Note that ethicalis the term to use when
referring to practices in professions.
ante-
anti-
Anteis a prefix meaning before or in front of.Antiis a prefix meaning
hostile to or against.
e.g. anteroom, antecedent
antiwar, antipathy
are
our
Areis the form of to be used with you, we, and they. Ouris a
possessive pronoun that means belonging to us.
e.g. Our dogs are fast.
beside
besides
Besideis a preposition that means next to. As a preposition, besides
means in addition to or other than; as an adverb, besidesmeans
also or moreover.
e.g. The notepad was beside the telephone.
They offer many flavours besides vanilla.
Im want to go to sleep; besides, its late.
choose
chose
Choosemeans to select and rhymes with booze. Choseis the past-
tense form of this verb and rhymes with suppose.
e.g. Yesterday I chose pasta but today I choose rice.
complement
Complementmeans to complete and complimentmeans to express
praise. Complimentaryis an adjective that means free of charge.
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1/13/14 Homophones: Words with similar sounds but different meanings
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compliment e.g. They complimented her on the sash that complemented her
dress.
conscience
conscientious
conscious
Conscience(a noun) is the recognition of right and wrong.
Conscientiousis an adjective that means careful or thorough.
Conscious(adj.) means awake or aware.
e.g. Sharon was conscious that Martys conscience was
troubled, but she conscientiously avoided asking him about it.
decent
descent
dissent
Decentis an adjective that connotes propriety or respectability.
Descent refers to a plunge downwards or to ancestry. Dissentmeans
disagreement.
desert
dessert
As a verb, desertmeans to abandon; as a noun, desertrefers to a
barren place. Dessertis the last course of a meal.
discreet
discrete
Discreetmeans tactful or prudent and can connote secrecy.
Discretemeans distinct or separate.
elicit
illicit
The verb elicitmeans to draw forth. The adjective illicitmeans
illegal.
faze
phase
Faze, meaning to worry or disconcert is a slang term that you
shouldnt use in formal essays. Phasehas a number of specialised
scientific meanings, but tends to refer to a stage in a process.
have
of
off
Ofis often mistaken for the sound of havein compound verb tenses.
e.g. they must have been, would have been
Do not use of after off in phrases like: They walked off the field,
jumped off the bed, etc.
human
humane
Humancan be a noun referring to a person and is preferred to man or
mankind because it is inclusive. As an adjective, humanrefers to the
qualities of the human race. Humaneis an adjective that refers to
kindness, benevolence, sympathy, or civilisation.
immanentimminent
eminent
Eminentmeans distinguished. Imminentmeans about to happen.
Immanentmeans pervading or existing within.
e.g. He was an eminent scholar.
The exam period is imminent.
The rooms immanent tension made her anxious.
its
its
Itsis a possessive pronoun, meaning belonging to it. Itsis a
contraction, meaning it is. Avoid using contractions in formal essays.
e.g. The dog scratched its ear.
Its a lovely day.
lose
loose
Loseis a verb that rhymes with news. Looseis chiefly an adjective
and rhymes with moose.
e.g. Dont lose your mittens.
My winter clothes are loose.
may be
maybe
May beis a verb phrase. Maybeis an adjective.
e.g. You may be right.
Maybe you are right.
nauseous
nauseated
Nauseousmeans producing nausea and nauseatedmeans enduring
nausea.
e.g. The nauseous smell of garbage left me feeling nauseated.
persecute
prosecute
Persecutemeans to harass, maltreat, or oppress. Prosecutecan mean
to carry out or to take legal action against.
precedeToprecedeis to go ahead of. Toproceedis to go forward.
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proceed
predominant
predominate
Predominantmeans superior in power, effectiveness, number, or
degree. Predominatemeans to be in control, to prevail or to be
superior.
e.g. She was the predominant competitor.
She predominated over the meet ing.
principal
principle
As an adjective,principalmeans chief or primary. As a noun,
principalmeans the chief official and may also mean the capital.
The nounprinciplemeans a fundamental truth.
respectable
respectful
respective
Respectablemeans deserving of respect. Respectfulmeans showing
respect. Respectivemeans relating to each and connotes relativity.
e.g. 70% is a respectable grade.
Each daughter was respectful to her respective mother.
than
then
Thanis used to make comparisons whereas thenrefers to a point in
time.
theirthere
theyre
Theiris the possessive form of they. Theremeans in that place.
Theyremeans they are: since it is a contraction, it should not be
used in formal essays.
e.g. Theyre waiting for their tickets over there.
though
thorough threw
through
Thoughmeans however or despite the fact.Thoroughmeans
completely done.Threwis the past tense of to throw. Through
indicates movement from one side to another.
e.g. They ate though they werent hungry.
She made thorough revisions to her draft.
He threw a ball.
She searched through the house for her socks.
to
too
two
Tois a preposition. Toois an adverb meaning excessively and twois
a number.
e.g. It was too late in the evening to watch two movies.
whos
whose
As a contraction, whos(an abbreviated form of who is) should not
appear in formal essays. Whoseindicates possession: Whose book is
this?
youre
your
Youreis another contraction, meaning you are. Yourmeans
belonging to you.
e.g. Youre showing your fear.