Homonyms

Words that sound alike (homonyms):

We have selected the ones we see in the Writing Center most often. For a complete list of homonyms you may click here.

Accept, Except:

Accept is a verb meaning to receive. Except is usually a preposition meaning excluding. I will accept all the packages except that one. Except is also a verb meaning to exclude. Please except that item from the list.

Affect, Effect:

Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning result. The drug did not affect the disease, and it had several adverse side effects. Effect can also be a verb meaning to bring about. Only the president can effect such a dramatic change.

Allusion, Illusion:

An Allusion is an indirect reference. An illusion is a misconception or false impression. Did you catch my allusion to Shakespeare? Mirrors give the room an illusion of depth.

Capital, Capitol:

Capital refers to a city, capitol to a building where lawmakers meet. Capital also refers to wealth or resources. The capitol has undergone extensive renovations. The residents of the state capital protested the development plans.

Climactic, Climatic:

Climactic is derived from climax, the point of greatest intensity in a series or progression of events. Climatic is derived from climate; it refers to meteorological conditions. The climactic period in the dinosaurs' reign was reached just before severe climatic conditions brought on the ice age.

Elicit, Illicit:

Elicit is a verb meaning to bring out or to evoke. Illicit is an adjective meaning unlawful. The reporter was unable to elicit information from the police about illicit drug traffic.

Emigrate from, Immigrate to:

Emigrate means to leave one country or region to settle in another. In 1900, my grandfather emigrated from Russia. Immigrate means to enter another country and reside there. Many Mexicans immigrate to the U.S. to find work.

Hints:

Emigrate begins with the letter E, as does Exit. When you emigrate, you exit a country.

Immigrate begins with the letter I, as does In. When you immigrate, you go into a country

Principle, Principal:

Principal is a noun meaning the head of a school or an organization or a sum of money. Principle is a noun meaning a basic truth or law. The principal taught us many important life principles.

Hint:

To recognize the spelling of Principal first think of yourself as a greedy opportunist. You definitely would want to be a pal of anyone who is in a position of power or anything to do with money. This principal has pal in it.

Than, Then:

Than is a conjunction used in comparisons; then is an adverb denoting time. That pizza is more than I can eat. Tom laughed, and then we recognized him.

Hints:

Than is used to compare; both words have the letter a in them.

Then tells when; both are spelled the same, except for the first letter.

There, Their, They're:

There is an adverb specifying place; it is also an expletive. Adverb: Sylvia is lying there unconscious. Expletive: There are two plums left. Their is a possessive pronoun. They're is a contraction of they are. Fred and Jane finally washed their car. They're later than usual today.

Hints:

If you are using there to tell the reader where, both words have h-e-r-e. Here is also a place.

If you are using their as a possessive pronoun, you are telling the reader what
"they own. Their has h-e-i-r, which also means heir, as in someone who inherits something. Both words have to do with ownership.

They're is a contraction of they are. Sound out they are in the sentence and see if it works. If it does not, it must be one of the previous versions.

To, Too, Two:

To is a preposition; too is an adverb; two is a number. Too many of your shots slice to the left, but the last two were right on the mark.

Hints:

If you are trying to spell out the number, it is always t-w-o. Two has a w which is the first letter in word. The opposite of word is number.

Too is usually used as also when adding or including some additional information. Whenever you want to include something else, think of it as adding; therefore you
also need to add an extra o.

Your, You're:

Your is a possessive pronoun; you're is a contraction of you are. You're going to catch a cold if you don't wear your coat.

Hints:

Sound out you are in the sentence. If it works in the sentence it can be written as
you're. If it sounds awkward, it is probably supposed to be Your.

EXAMPLE: You're shoes are muddy. "You are shoes are muddy" does not work, so
it should be written as: Your shoes are muddy.

Words that don't sound alike but confuse us anyway:

Lie, Lay:

Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest on a surface. Its principal parts are lie, lay, lain. Lay is a transitive verb meaning to put or place. Its principal parts are lay, laid.

Hint: Chickens lay eggs. I lie down when I am tired.

Set, Sit:

Set is a transitive verb meaning to put or to place. Its principal parts are set, set, set. Sit is an intransitive verb meaning to be seated. Its principal parts are sit, sat, sat. She set the dough in a warm corner of the kitchen. The cat sat in the warmest part of the room.

Who, Which, That:

Do not use which to refer to persons. Use who instead. That, though generally used to refer to things, may be used to refer to a group or class of people. I just saw a boy who was wearing a yellow banana costume. I have to go to math next, which is my hardest class. Where is the book that I was reading?

Problem phrases:

Supposed to: Do not omit the d. Suppose to is incorrect.

Used to: Same as above. Do not write use to.

Toward: There is no s at the end of the word.

Anyway: Also has no ending s. Anyways is nonstandard.

Couldn't care less: Be sure to make it negative. (Not I could care less.)

All walks of life: Not woks of life. This phrase does not apply to oriental cooking.

Chest of drawers: Not chester drawers.

For all intents and purposes: Not intensive purposes.




Extensive List

A
a very short little insignificant English word

eh an interrogative utterance
acts things done

ax chopping tool
ad short for advertisement

add short for addition
adds performs additions

ads more than one advertisement

adze axe-like tool
ade fruit beverage

aid to assist

aide an assistant
aerie eagle's nest

airy breezy
aero of aircraft

arrow slender, pointed shaft
affect to change

effect result
ail sick

ale beer
air stuff we breathe

are 1/100th of a hectare

e'er contraction of "ever"

ere eventually

err to make a mistake

heir one who will inherit
aisle walkway

I'll contraction of "I will"

isle island
all everything

awl pointed scriber
allowed permitted

aloud spoken
altar raised center of worship

alter to change
an a single instance

Ann a woman's name
ant insect

aunt parent's sister
ante preliminary bet

auntie sister of a parent
arc portion of a circle

ark vessel
ascent the climb

assent to agree
ate past tense of eat

eight the number base of octal
auger a drill

augur foretell
aught anything

ought should
aural of hearing

oral of the mouth
auricle external part of the ear

oracle seer
away distant

aweigh just clear of the bottom
awed in a state of wonder

odd not usual
aweful filled with awe

awful really bad

offal butchered entrails
aye naval affirmative

eye ocular organ

I oneself
B
bail bucket handle

bale bundle of hay
bailed pumping water out of a boat

baled to gather into a bale
bailee a person to whom goods are committed for custody or repair

bailey the outer wall of a castle

bailie a municipal officer in Scotland
bailer one who bails (water)

bailor a person that entrusts goods to a bailee

baler one who bales (hay)
bailing pumping water out of a boat

baling wire used to tie bales
bait to torment

bate to lessen
baited past tense of bait

bated past tense of bate
baiting tormenting

bating lessening
baize green felt

bays one or more enclosed arms of the ocean

beys one or more Turkish officials
bald hairless

balled carnal knowledge

bawled cried aloud
ball playful orb

bawl to cry
band a group

banned forbidden
bard a poet

barred enclosed by poles
bare naked

bear wild ursine
bark outer sheath of a tree

barque square-rigged sailing ship
baron minor royalty

barren unable to bear children
Barry a man's name

berry small fruit

bury to take under
basal forming the base

basil an herb
base the bottom support for anything

bass the lowest musical pitch or range
based supported

baste to swab with liquid during cooking
bases what baseball players like to steal

basis principal constituent of anything

basses many four-stringed guitars
bask to warm oneself pleasantly

basque tightfitting bodice or tunic (or, people of the Pyrenees)
bat a blind, flying rodent

batt a flat pad
baud bits per second

bawd brothel manager
bay an enclosed arm of the ocean

bey a Turkish official
be to exist

bee pollinating buzzer
beach where i want to be

beech a type of tree
bean a legume

been past tense of be
beat to hit

beet edible red root
beau male friend

bow a curve or bend; double-slipped reef knot
beaut slang for beauty, beautiful

butte steep sided hill
been past tense of be

bin a box or container
beer universally brewed comfort food

bier a temporary frame for a coffin
bel indian thorn tree

Bel Babylonian god

bell ding ding

belle beautiful woman
berth anchorage

birth your method of arrival
besot to get drunk

besought past tense of beseech
better superior

bettor one who bets
bight middle of a rope

bite a mouthful

byte eight bits
billed has a bill

build to construct
bit past tense of bite

bitt large cleat for tying up ships
blew past tense of blow

blue color of California sky
bloc an alliance

block square object
boar wild pig

Boer a South African of Dutch descent

boor tasteless buffoon

bore not interesting
board a plank

bored not interested
boarder lodger who gets meals, too

border perimeter
bode an omen

bowed curved
bold brave

bowled knocked over
bolder more courageous

boulder large rock
bole trunk

boll round seed pod

bowl dish
boos disparaging sounds from fans

booze whiskey
born brought into life

borne past participle of bear

bourn a small stream or boundary
borough township

burrow dig into the ground
bough tree branch

bow front of a ship; respectful bend
bouy navigational aid

boy male child
bra brassiere

braw well-groomed
braid a weave of three strands

brayed a donkey cried
braise cook with oil and water

brays loud, harsh cry
brake stopping device

break to split apart
breach to break through

breech the back part
bread a loaf

bred past tense of breed
brewed fermented

brood family
brews more than one beer

bruise a contusion
bridal pertaining to brides

bridle horse's headgear
broach to raise a subject

brooch an ornament fastened to clothes
brows multiple foreheads

browse grazing
bundt type of cake

bunt hit a pitch without swinging
burger meat sandwich

burgher merchant
bus large multi-passenger vehicle

buss a kiss
bussed kissed

bust head and shoulders sculpture
but excepting

butt the thick end
buy to purchase

by near

bye farewell
buyer one who purchases

byre a cow barn
C
cache hidden storage

cash legal tender
cached hidden away

cashed converted to legal tender
calendar chart of days

calender paper press
call to summon

caul amnionic membrane

col a mountain pass
caller one who calls

collar my cat has collar ID
can't contraction of "can not"

cant a bevel
cannon big gun

canon body of law
canter a moderate gallop

cantor singer
canvas rough cloth

canvass to examine thoroughly
capital most important

capitol center of government
carat unit of weight for precious stones, equal to 200 milligrams

caret proofreader's insertion mark

carrot edible orange root

karat one 24th part of otherwise pure gold
carol Christmas song

carrel study enclosure
carpal a bone of the carpus

carpel a pistil
cast to throw

caste a social class
caster one who throws

castor beaver's smelly gland
cause generative force

caws sounds of crows
cay a low island

key opens locks

quay a wharf
cedar an evergreen tree

seeder one who broadcasts seeds
cede to give

seed part of a plant from which a new one grows
ceding giving

seeding planting
ceiling top of the room

sealing to close a package or envelope
cell a small room

sell to exchange for money
cellar under a house

seller one who sells
censer incense dish

censor bad people who fear knowledge

sensor a device which detects
census numbering

senses faculties
cent one hundredth of a dollar

scent an aroma

sent dispatched
cents hundredths of a dollar

scents many things to smell

sense detection equipment
cere waxy fleshy covering at the base of the upper beak in some birds

sear to scorch

seer a prophet

sere natural succession of plant or animal communities
cereal grains

serial numbers in sequence
Ceres Roman Goddess of agriculture

series a sequence of things
cession giving up

session a group sitting
chalk calcareous earthy substance

chock wedge to keep wheels from rolling
chance happenstance

chants more than one litany
chard spinach-like vegetable

charred burnt
chased quickly followed

chaste virginal
check a tic mark

Czech from Czechoslovakia
chews masticating

choose to select
Chile a South American country

chili dried pod of red pepper

chilly uncomfortably cool
choir church singers

quire the twentieth part of a ream of paper
choler yellow bile

collar around your neck
choral by a chorus

coral marine polyp skeleton
chorale a choir

corral a pen for horses
chord three tones in harmony

cord very light rope

cored divested of its central part
chute inclined trough

shoot to project an object
cite to refer to

sight vision

site a location
cited referenced

sighted visually identified

sited located
cites past tense of cite

sights tourist rationale

sites more than one location
clack a chattering sound

claque a group hired to applaud, sycophants
Claus fat, jolly guy with presents

clause contractual unit

claws big fingernails
clew sheet cringle on a sail

clue a hint
click ticking noise

clique exclusive group
climb ascending

clime climate
close to shut

clothes garments
coal black mineral

cole plants in the crucifer family
coaled supplied with coal

cold not supplied with coal
coarse rough

course path of travel
coat wear it for warmth

cote small animal shed
coax persuade

cokes more than one soft drink
cocks more than one male bird

cox a coxswain

Cox a variety of eating apple
coddling tenderly treating

codling small, unripe apple
coffer a strongbox; decorative, sunken ceiling panels

cougher one who coughs
coin money

quoin corner stone
colonel military officer

kernel seed
complacence self-satisfaction

complaisance willingness to please
complacent self-satified

complaisant willing to please
complement allotment

compliment encomium
conch marine mollusk

conk blow to the head
coo a soft murmuring sound

coup a successful stroke
copes gets along with adversity

copse a stand of trees
copped swiped

copt a native Egyptian to a Roman
cops police officers

copse a small wood
core inner part

corps body
cosign to sign in addition

cosine sine of the complement
council group of leaders

counsel advisor
craft a manual occupation

kraft a strong paper made from wood pulp
crater impact hole

krater ancient Greek jar
Crays more than one supercomputer

craze sensation needed to buy more than one supercomputer
creak to squeak

creek small stream
crewed served by a crew

crude coarse
crewel embroidery yarn

cruel merciless
crews more than one crew

cruise a sea journey
cue a signal

Kew home of the famous English gardens

queue a waiting line (another famous English-ism)
currant small berry

current of the present
curser one who swears

cursor on-screen positional indicator
cygnet a young swan

signet an authenticating seal
cymbal percussive brass dish

symbol a representation
D
dam holds back water

damn a curse
dammed prevented from flowing

damned cursed
darn to mend

darne a fish steak
days more than one day

daze to bewilder
dear beloved

deer Bambi
dew morning condensation

do to perform

due payable
die to become dead

dye coloring agent
died passed away

dyed colored
dies passing away

dyes colors
dine to eat

dyne unit of energy
dire desperate

dyer one who dyes
disc a phonograph record

disk a round, plate-shaped object
discreet confidential

discrete individual
discussed talked about

disgust sickening
do first note of diatonic scale

doe a female deer

dough uncooked bread
doc a physician

dock where a boat is kept
does several female deer

doughs several uncooked breads

doze to nap
done completed

dun demand money
dos opposite of don'ts

dues membership payments
draft a preliminary written version

draught a gust of wind; depth of water needed to float a ship
dual two things

duel a fight between two over honor
E
e'er, see: air

e'er, see: air

earl British nobleman

URL Internet address
earn to come to deserve

urn a jar
effect, see: affect

eh, see: a

eight, see: ate

elicit to draw out

illicit unlawful
elude to escape from

illude to deceive
epic a narrative poem or story

epoch a noteworthy period in history
ere, see: air

err, see: air

eunuchs men unable to serve all of humanity

Unix operating system unable to serve all of humanity
ewe female sheep

yew a type of tree

you the second person
ewes more than one female sheep

use to apply

yews more than one yew tree
eye, see: aye

eyelet small hole for laces

islet small island
F
facts objective things

fax obsolete, but widespread, image transmission technology
fain willing

feign pretend to be affected
faint pass out

feint a weak, misdirected attack to confuse the enemy
fair even-handed

fare payment
fairing streamlining

faring the state of progress
fairy imaginary magic person

ferry river-crossing boat
faker a deceiver

fakir a Hindu ascetic
farrow a litter of pigs

pharoah Egyptian king
faux fake

foe enemy
fay a fairy

Faye a woman's name

fey strange and otherwordly
fays more than one fairy

faze to disconcert
faze to stun

phase a part of the sequence
fazed stunned

phased done in sequential parts
feat an accomplishment

feet look down
ferrate a salt containing iron and oxygen

ferret a domesticated polecat
feted celebrated

fetid stinking
few not many

phew expression of relief
file a folder for holding papers

phial a small glass bottle
fills plural of fill

fils one one-thousandth of an Iraqi dinar
filter keep the bad stuff from passing through

philter a love potion
find to locate

fined to have to pay a parking ticket
finish to complete

Finnish from Finland
fir evergreen tree

fur animal hair

furr to separate with strips of wood
fisher one who fishes

fissure a crack
flair verve

flare to spread
flea parasitic insect

flee to run away
flecks many tiny specks

flex to bend
flew past tense of fly

flu short for influenza

flue chimney pipe
Flo a girl's name

floe sheet of floating ice

flow to glide along
flocks more than one group of birds

phlox a scented plant
floes sheets of floating ice

flows glides along
floor what one walks on

fluor something that glows
flour powdered grain

flower a bloom
for in place of

fore in front

four number after three
forego to precede

forgo to abstain from
foreword introduction to a book

forward the facing direction
fort a fortification

forte a person's strong point
forth a direction

fourth following the third
foul grossly offensive to the senses

fowl domestic hen or rooster
frees releasing

freeze very cold

frieze a wall decoration
friar a monk

fryer small chicken
G
gaff a barbed spear

gaffe a mistake
gage a pledge or security deposit

gauge instrument for measuring
gait a manner of walking or running

gate fence door
gaited describing a walking horse

gated having a gate
galley ship's kitchen

gally to frighten or terrify
gallop horse's fastest gait

galop a round dance
gays a frisky gathering

gaze a languid look
gene a chromosome

jean cotton twill
gild to coat with gold

gilled having gills

guild a craft society
gilt gold-plated

guilt culpable
gin alcoholic beverage

jinn plural of jinni, a Muslim spirit or demon
gnawed chewed

nod head tilting
gneiss coarse-grained metamorphic rock of feldspar, quartz and mica

nice pleasant
gnu African antelope

knew past tense of know

new not old
gnus several antelope

news timely information
gored pierced by an animal's horns

gourd fleshy fruit with hard skin
gorilla large ape

guerrilla irregular soldier
grade a slope

grayed turned gray
graft to attach

graphed plotted
grate a lattice

great extremely good
grays more than one shade of black

graze to eat grass while wandering
grease lubricant

Greece Mediterranean country
greave leg armor

grieve to mourn
greaves more than one greave

grieves to mourn
grill to sear cook

grille an iron gate or door
groan reaction to hearing a pun

grown has gotten larger
guessed past tense of guess

guest a visitor
guide one who shows the way

guyed secured with a rope or wire
guise appearance

guys Garrison Keillor's obsession
gunnel small, eel-shaped marine fish; butterfish

gunwale upper part of sides of a boat
gym sports room

Jim nickname for James
H
hail frozen rain

hale robust health
hair grows from your head

hare rabbit
hairy having much hair

Harry a man's name

harry to harass or hunt
hall a large room

haul to carry
halve break in two

have to hold in possession
halves more than one half

haves those who possess
hammock rope bed

hummock low, rounded hill
hangar garage for airplanes

hanger from which things hang
Harold a man's name

herald a horn blower
hart a stag

heart blood pump
haut high, as in "haut couture"

ho an expression of admiration or surprise

hoe garden tool
hay grass

hey a shout
hays more than one type of hay

haze atmospheric obscuration due to water or dust
he'd contraction of "he would"

heed to pay attention
he'll contraction of "he will"

heal to make well
he'll contraction of "he will"

hill smaller than a mountain
heal to cure of disease

heel hind part of foot
hear to listen

here at this location
heard listened to

herd a group of ruminants
heigh an exclamation

hi a greeting

hie to go quickly

high way up
heir, see: air

heroin narcotic

heroine female hero
hew to chop

hue a color

Hugh a man's name
hide animal skin

hied hurried
higher farther up

hire to employ
him pronoun

hymn religious song
hoar a white frost

whore a prostitute
hoard a great stash

horde a great many people

whored prostituted
hoarse rough voice

horse equine
hoes more than one garden weeding tool

hose tube for watering garden weeds
hold to grip

holed full of holes
hole round opening

whole entirety
holey perforated

holy with religious significance

wholly completely
hostel inexpensive lodging for travelers

hostile unfriendly
hour sixty minutes

our possessed by us
hours time measurement

ours belonging to us
humerus funny bone

humorous funny
I
I, see: aye

I'll, see: aisle

I'll, see: aisle

idle not working

idol object of worship

idyl paradise
illicit, see: elicit

illude, see: elude

in expressing inclusion

inn hotel
inc short for incorporated

ink writing fluid
incite to provoke

insight understanding
innocence a state without guilt

innocents more than one innocent
inns hotels

ins those on the inside
isle, see: aisle

islet, see: eyelet

it's contraction of "it is"

its possessive pronoun
J
jam to smash together

jamb side post of a doorway
jean, see: gene

jewel precious stone

joule unit of energy measure
Jim, see: gym

jinn, see: gin

juggler one who juggles

jugular artery to head
K
karat, see: carat

kernel, see: colonel

Kew, see: cue

key, see: cay

knap crest of a hill; break with a hammer

nap a short sleep
knead working bread dough

need must have
knew, see: gnu

knickers woman's underwear

nickers those who nick
knight chivalrous man

night darkness
knit interlocking loops of yarn

nit louse egg
knits verb form of knit

nits louse eggs
knob handle

nob rich person
knock to rap

nock a notch in an arrow
knot fastening in cord

naught nothing

not negation
know to possess knowledge

no negation
knows "Only the shadow knows..."

noes "The noes have it..."

nose "Plain as the nose on your face..."
kraft, see: craft

krater, see: crater

L
lacks does not have

lax loose discipline
lain past tense of lay

lane narrow road
lam headlong flight

lamb baby sheep
lay to recline

lei a flower necklace
lays to recline

laze to recline with extreme prejudice

leis several flower necklaces
lea a meadow

lee downwind

li about one-third of a mile in China
leach washing action

leech sucking parasite
lead heavy metal

led guided
leak accidental escape of liquid

leek variety of onion
lean angle of repose

lien a claim on property
leas more than one meadow

lees the dregs
leased rented

least the minimum
lends allows to borrow

lens convex glass
lessen to reduce

lesson a segment of learning
liar tells falsehoods

lyre stringed instrument
lichen a fungus among us

liken to compare
lie an untruth

lye a caustic
lieu instead

loo British toilet

Lou short for Louis
lightening removing weight or darkness

lightning static electricity from the sky
limb tree branch

limn delineate
limbs arms or legs

limns to illuminate, as in a manuscript
links pieces of chain

lynx feral cat
literal taking words in their primary sense

littoral having to do with the shore
lo interjection

low not high
load cargo

lode mineral vein
load what is carried

lowed a cow mooed
loan allow to borrow

lone by itself
loch a lake

lock a security device
lochs more than one lake

locks more than one security device

lox salmon jerky
loon a water fowl

lune a crescent shape
loop a circular pattern

loupe a jeweler's monocular magnifier
loos several British toilets

lose fail to win
loot ill-gotten gains

lute stringed instrument
lumbar lower back

lumber dimensional wood
M
mach speed of sound

mock parody
made accomplished

maid young woman
mail postal delivery

male masculine person
main primary

mane back hair
maize corn

maze puzzle
mall hallway

maul shred

moll gangster's girlfriend
manner method

manor lord's house
marc coarse brandy

mark a sign

marque a license to privateer; a brand
marquee a rooflike projection over a theatre entrance

marquis a nobleman ranking between a duke and a count
marry to join in matrimony

merry happy
marshal to gather

martial warlike
massed grouped together

mast sail pole
Mays several spring months

maze a labyrinth
me myself

mi musical note
mean average

mein manner
meat animal flesh

meet to connect

mete a boundary
medal an award

meddle to interfere
men's owned by males

mends to repair
metal ductile element

mettle moxie
mewl to whimper

mule offspring of female horse and male donkey
mews stables

muse creative inspiration
might possible

mite tiny creature
mince chop finely

mints aromatic candies
mind thinking unit

mined looked for ore
miner one who digs

minor small
missal hymn book

missile projectile
missed not hit

mist fog
misses young ladies

Mrs. married lady
moan to groan

mown the lawn is freshly cut
moat water around a castle

mote a speck
mode condition

mowed a lawn in a well-trimmed condition
moiré optical illusion

moray eel
mood emotional state

mooed what the loquacious cow did
moor swampy coastland; to anchor

more additional
moose a large elk

mousse dessert of whipped cream and eggs
moral a social imperative

morel a mushroom
morn AM

mourn remember the dead
morning AM

mourning remembering the dead
muscle fibrous, contracting tissue

mussel a bivalve mollusc
muscles more than one muscle

mussels more than one mussel
mussed made messy

must required
mustard spicy yellow sauce

mustered assembled for roll call
N
nap, see: knap

naught, see: knot

naval pertaining to ships and the sea

navel pertaining to the belly button
nay no

neigh a horse's cry
nays votes against

neighs a horse vocalizes
neap the lowest tide

neep a turnip
need, see: knead

new, see: gnu

news, see: gnus

nice, see: gneiss

nickers, see: knickers

night, see: knight

nit, see: knit

nits, see: knits

no, see: know

nob, see: knob

nock, see: knock

nod, see: gnawed

noes, see: knows

none not one

nun woman of God
nose, see: knows

not, see: knot

O
oar boat propulsion system

or boolean deathtrap

ore mineral-laden dirt
odd, see: awed

offal, see: aweful

oh interjection

owe to be indebted
ohs more than one letter "O"

owes in debt
one singularity

won victorious
oohs as in "oohs and ahs"

ooze slime
oracle, see: auricle

oral, see: aural

ordinance a decree

ordnance artillery
ought, see: aught

our, see: hour

ours, see: hours

overdo carried to excess

overdue past time for payment
P
paced measured by footsteps

paste thick glue
packed placed in a container

pact agreement
pail bucket

pale light colored
pain it hurts

pane a single panel of glass
pair a set of two

pare cutting down

pear bottom-heavy fruit
palate taste

pallet a platform for transporting goods; bed

pallette a selection of paint
pall to become wearisome

Paul barefoot Beatle

pawl locks a ratchet
passed approved; moved on

past before now
patience being willing to wait

patients being willing to wait
pause to hesitate

paws cat transportation
pea round, green legume

pee piss
peace what hippies want

piece what hippies want
peak mountain top

peek secret look

pique ruffled pride
peal ringing sound

peel fruit wrapping
pealed rang with sound

peeled ready to eat
pearl round, luminescent gem from an oyster

purl to edge with a chain of small loops
pearl something of value made from an irritant

Perl something of value made from an irritant
pedal foot control

peddle to sell
peer an equal (a captain at sea has no peer)

pier wharf (a captain at sea has no pier)
pencil writing implement

pensil thin, swallowtail flag
per for each

purr endearing cat hum
pharoah, see: farrow

phase, see: faze

phased, see: fazed

phew, see: few

phew, see: few

phial, see: file

philter, see: filter

phlox, see: flocks

pi 3.1416

pie good eating
picnic outdoor meal

pyknic physiological type with thick neck, large abdomen and short limbs
pieced assembled from pieces

piste a ski run of compacted snow
pincer claw-like gripping action

pincher one who pinches

pinscher terrier
pistil seed-bearing organ of a flower

pistol hand gun
place a location

plaice a flounder
plain not fancy

plane a surface
plait braid

plate a dish
planar flat

planer one who planes
pleas crys for help

please good manners
pleural related to lungs

plural more than one
plum purple fruit

plumb straight up and down
polar relating to the North or South poles

poler one who uses a pole
Pole a person from Poland

pole big stick

poll a voting
poled a pole was used

polled lacking horns
pone the dealer's opponent in two-handed card games

pony a small horse
poor no money

pore careful study; microscopic hole

pour to flow freely
popery a disparaging term for Catholics

potpourri a miscellaneous collection
praise to commend

prays worships God

preys hunts
pray worship God

prey hunt
precedence priority

precedents established course of action

presidents commanders-in-chief
presence the state of being present

presents what Santa brings
pride ego

pryed opened
pries wedging open

prize the reward
prince son of the King

prints impressions
principal head of school

principle causative force
profit money earned

prophet seer
pros multiple experts

prose ordinary language
psi twenty-third letter of Greek alphabet

sigh sad and weary breath

xi fourteenth letter of Greek alphabet
Q
quarts several fourths-of-gallons

quartz crystalline rock
quay, see: cay

queue, see: cue

quince small, round fruit

quints multiple quintuplets
quire, see: choir

quoin, see: coin

R
rabbet a groove cut in a board

rabbit small mammal
rack shelf

wrack wreckage
racket illegal moneymaking scheme

racquet woven bat for tennis
rain precipitation

reign sovereign rule

rein horse's steering wheel
raise elevate

rays thin beams of light

raze to tear down completely
"raise" is the antonym of "raze"
rap a sharp knock

wrap to encase in cloth
rapped knocked sharply

rapt spellbound

wrapped encased in cloth
ray arrow of light

re musical note
read having knowledge from reading

red a primary color
read to get the meaning by looking

rede advice

reed tall, thin water plant
reading what you are doing now

reeding a small semicylindrical moulding or ornamentation
reads gets the meaning by looking

reeds more than one aquatic plant
real authentic

reel armature for winding
recede to move backward

reseed to plant again
reck to care

wreck a ruin
reek smells bad

wreak to inflict
resinate to impregnate with resin

resonate sympathetic vibration
resisters protesters

resistors electrical restrictors
rest stop working

wrest take away
retch call Ralph on the porcelain telephone

wretch a ragamuffin
review a general survey or assessment

revue a series of theatrical sketches or songs
rheum watery discharge of mucous

room partitioned space
rheumy having a watery discharge of mucous

roomie colloquialism for "roommate"

roomy lots of space
rho seventeenth letter of Greek alphabet

roe fish eggs

row aisle; pull an oar
rhumb a constant compass direction

rum liquor distilled from sugar cane
rhyme a verse with regular recurrence of sounds

rime frost
rigger one who rigs

rigor discipline
right correct

rite ritual

wright a maker

write to inscribe
ring circle around your finger

wring twisting
rise to stand up

ryes varieties of grain
road a broad trail

rode past tense of ride

rowed to propel a boat by oars
roam to wander

Rome Italian capital
roil to make turbid

royal worthy of a king or queen
role part to play

roll rotate
rood a cross

rude coarse
roomer a tenant

rumor gossip
root subterranean part of a plant

route path of travel
rose pretty flower

rows linear arrangement
rot decay

wrought made
rote by memory

wrote has written
rough coarse

ruff pleated collar
rout to force out

route path of travel
roux cooked butter and flour

rue regret
rude impolite

rued regretted
rye grain

wry twisted
S
sachet a small bag containing perfumed powder

sashay to strut or flounce
sacks bags

sax short for saxophone
sail wind powered water travel

sale the act of selling
sane mentally normal

seine fishing net
saner more mentally normal than others

seiner one who fishes with a net
saver one who saves

savor to relish a taste
sawed cut timber

sod turf
scene visual location

seen past tense of saw
scent, see: cent

scents, see: cents

scull rowing motion

skull head bone
sea ocean

see to look
seal to close

seel to close someone's eyes
sealing, see: ceiling

seam row of stitches

seem appears
seamen sailors

semen male discharge
seams more than one rows of stitching

seems it appears to be
sear scorched

seer a person who sees
sear, see: cere

seas oceans

sees looks

seize to grab
sects religious factions

sex if you have to ask, you're too young
seed, see: cede

seeder, see: cedar

seeding, see: ceding

seek to look for

Sikh Hindu religious sect
seer, see: cere

sell, see: cell

seller, see: cellar

sense, see: cents

senses, see: census

sensor, see: censer

sent, see: cent

sere, see: cere

serf slave

surf breaking waves
serge strong twilled fabric

surge forceful push
serial, see: cereal

series, see: Ceres

session, see: cession

sew needle and thread

so in the manner shown

sol musical note

sow broadcasting seeds
sewer one who sews

sower one who sows
sewer waste drain

suer one who sues
shake vibrate

sheik Arab prince
shall is allowed

shell aquatic exoskeleton
she'll contraction of "she will"

shill a decoy
shear to cut or wrench

sheer thin; abrupt turn
shears cuts or wrenches; scissors

sheers abruptly turns
sheave pulley

shiv knife
shoe footwear

shoo "go away"
shoes more than one shoe

shoos sends away
shoot, see: chute

sic to set upon

sick ill
sics sets upon

six whole number
side lateral

sighed breathed sorrowfully
sigh, see: psi

sighs multiple sad and weary breaths

size magnitude
sight, see: cite

sighted, see: cited

sights, see: cites

sign displayed board bearing information

sine reciprocal of the cosecant
signet, see: cygnet

sink to submerge

synch together in time
Sioux tribe of native Americans

sou French coin worth five centimes

sough soft sound

sue bring civil action
site, see: cite

sited, see: cited

sites, see: cites

slay kill

sleigh snow carriage
sleight cunning skill

slight not much
slew past tense of slay

slough bog

slue to swing around
sloe blackthorn berries

slow not fast
soar fly

sore hurt
soared to have sailed through the air

sword long fighting blade
solace comfort

soulless lacking a soul
sole only

soul immortal part of a person
some a few

sum result of addition
son male child

sun star
sonny diminutive for male child

sunny lit by the sun
soot black residue of burning

suit clothes
sordid squalid

sorted arranged
spade shovel

spayed to sterilize a female animal
spoor trail of an animal

spore single cell reproductive body
staid reserved

stayed remained
stair a step

stare look intently
stake wooden pole

steak slice of meat
statice an astringent herb

status position with regard to law
stationary not moving

stationery writing paper
steal take unlawfully

steel iron alloy
step a measure taken

steppe a level, grassy, unforested plain
stile narrow passage

style mode
stoop a small porch

stoup a drinking cup
storey the horizontal divisions of a building

story a narrative tale
straight not crooked

strait narrow waterway
succor relief

sucker one who sucks
suede split leather

swayed curved; convinced
suite ensemble

sweet sugary
summary precis

summery like summer
sundae ice cream with syrup on it

Sunday first day of the week
symbol, see: cymbal

T
tach short for tachometer

tack small nail
tacks small nails

tax governmental tithe
tail spinal appendage

tale story
tailer one who hauls in on a ship's line

tailor one who makes clothes
taper wedge-shaped

tapir hoglike, Malaysian mammal
tare allowance for the weight of packing materials

tear to rip
taught past tense of teach

taut stretched tight
tea herbal infusion

tee golfball prop

ti musical note
team a group working together

teem to swarm
teaming a fortuitous pairing

teeming a swarming
tear eyeball lubricant

tier a horizontal row
teas more than one herbal infusion

tease tantalize

tees more than one tee
tenner English slang for a ten pound note

tenor tendency
tense nervous

tents more than one temporary shelter
tern a shorebird

terne alloy of lead and tin

turn rotate
Thai from Thailand

tie a draw
the denoting persons already mentioned

thee objective case of thou
their belonging to them

there a place

they're contraction of "they are"
threw to propel by hand

through from end to end
throe a spasm of pain

throw to discharge through the air
throes spasms of pain

throws discharging through the air
throne the royal seat

thrown was hurled
thyme herb

time natures way of keeping everything from happening at once
tic twitch

tick small noise; parasitic bug
ticks the sounds of a clock

tics more than one twitch
tide periodic ebb and flow of oceans

tied passed tense of tie
tighten to make tighter

titan a giant
timber wood for building

timbre musical quality
tire round, rubber things on your car

tyer one who ties
to toward

too also

two a couple
toad frog

toed having toes

towed pulled ahead
tocsin an alarm

toxin a poison
tocsins more than one alarm

toxins more than one poisons
toe forepart of the foot

tow to pull ahead
told what was spoken

tolled a bell was rung
tole lacquered metalware

toll a tax or charge
ton 2000 lbs.

Tun a large cask
tongue mouth muscle

tung Chinese tree and its oil (similar to linseed)
toon cartoon personality

tune song
tort a sweet cake for lawyers

torte a sweet cake for kids
tough difficult

tuff a stratified, porous rock
tracked having tracks

tract a plot of land
tray a platter

trey three; Bill Gates' nickname
troop a company of soldiers

troup a company of actors
trooper a private soldier

trouper a staunch colleague
troopers several soldiers

troupers multiple actors
trussed tied up

trust faith

U
Unix, see: eunuchs

URL, see: e'er,

urn, see: earn

use, see: ewes

V
vain worthless

vane flat piece moving with the air

vein blood vessel
vale valley

veil gauzy fabric
vary to change

very extremely
verses paragraphs

versus against
vial narrow glass container

vile despicable

viol stringed instrument
vice bad habit

vise bench-mounted clamp

W
WACs members of the Women's Army Corps

wax candle stuff

whacks several blows
wade walk in shallow water

weighed weight was measured
wail a cry

wale welt; corduroy ridge

whale large oceanic mammal
wain a wagon

wane decrease

Wayne a man's name
waist between ribs and hips

waste make ill use of
wait remain in readiness

weight an amount of heaviness
waive give up rights

wave undulating motion
waiver contract for giving up rights

waver rocking motion
Wales Western division of UK

wales corduroy ridges

whales a pod of ocean mammals
walk perambulate

wok Chinese cooking pan
walks moves by foot

woks salient feature of a Chinese kitchen
want desire

wont accustomed
war large scale armed conflict

wore past tense of wear
ware merchandise

wear attire

where a place
warn to advise of a hazard

worn displaying evidence of use
warrantee one who is protected by a guarantee

warranty a guarantee
warship naval implement of destruction

worship revere in a religious manner
wary cautious

wherry light row boat
way path or direction

weigh to measure weight

whey watery part of milk
we us

wee very small
we'd contraction of "we would"

weed like how our flowers won't grow
we'll contraction of "we will"

wheel what we keep reinventing
we're contraction of "we are"

weir a low dam, or a fence in a river for catching fish
we're contraction of "we are"

were past tense plural of "to be"

whir prolonged swish or buzz
we've contraction of "we have"

weave to make cloth
weak not strong

week seven days
weal a skin welt

wheel what we in Silicon Valley continually reinvent
weald a rural area

wheeled having wheels

wield to apply or use
weather meteorological conditions

wether a castrated ram

whether if it be the case
weld to join metal by melting its edges

welled pouring forth
wen a benign skin tumor

when at a specific time
wet watery

whet prime
which selection

witch broomstick ridin' crones
whig supporter of American revolution

wig false hairpiece
while during

wile craft
whiled passing the time

wild untamed
whine annoying cry

wine fermented grape juice
whined past tense of whine

wind what you do to a clockwork

wined drank well of spirits
whirled rapidly rotated

world Earth
whirred made a whizzing or buzzing sound

word a speech sound
whit insignificant amount

wit cleverness; sense of humor
whither to which place, point, condition, etc.?

wither shrivel up
who's contraction of "who is"

whose belonging to whom
whoa equestrian directive to stop

woe despair
whole, see: hole
wholly, see: holey

whore, see: hoar
whored, see: hoard

why how come?
wye the shape of the letter "Y"

won, see: one
won't contraction of "will not"

wont accustomed
wood what trees are made of

would will do

worst least best
wurst sausage

wrack, see: rack

wrap, see: rap

wrapped, see: rapped

wreak, see: reek

wreck, see: reck

wrest, see: rest

wretch, see: retch

wright, see: right

wring, see: ring

write, see: right

wrote, see: rote

wrought, see: rot

wry, see: rye

X
xi, see: psi

Y
y'all Southern contraction of "you all"
yawl two-masted sailboat with mizzenmast abaft the tiller

yack informal talk
yak long-haired Tibetan ox

yew, see: ewe
yews, see: ewes

yoke oxen harness
yolk yellow egg center
yokes more than one harness

yolks an omelet
yore the past

you're contraction of "you are"
your belonging to you


you'll contraction of "you will"
yule Christmas
Z

Homophones

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound alike, but have different meanings and spellings. They are the sets of words that you probably learned in elementary school, though your teacher may have used the broader category of homonyms.

Examples of homophones include:

acts/ax
ad/add
ads/adds/adz
aid/aide
ail/ale
air/heir/err
aisle/isle/I'll
all/awl
all ready/already
all together/altogether
allowed/aloud
alter/altar
ant/aunt
arc/ark
assent/ascent
assistance/assistants
ate/eight
aural/oral
away/aweigh
aye/eye
bail/bale
bait/bate
ball/bawl
band/banned
bard/barred
bare/bear
baron/barren
base/bass
bases/basis
bazaar/bizarre
be/bee
beach/beech
beat/beet
beau/bow
bell/belle
berry/bury
billed/build
berth/birth
bite/byte
blew/blue
bloc/block
boar/bore
board/bored
boarder/border
bode/bowed
bolder/boulder
born/borne
bough/bow
bouillon/bullion
boy/buoy
bread/bred
brake/break
brewed/brood
brews/bruise
bridle/bridal
broach/brooch
browse/brows
but/butt
buy/by/bye
cache/cash
callous/callus
cannon/canon
canvas/canvass
capital/capitol
carat/carrot/caret/karat
carol/carrel
cast/caste
cede/seed
ceiling/sealing
cell/sell
cellar/seller
censor/sensor
cent/scent/sent
cents/scents/sense
cereal/serial
cession/session
chance/chants
chased/chaste
cheap/cheep
chews/choose
chic/sheik
chilly/chili
choral/coral
choir/quire
chute/shoot
chord/cord
cite/sight/site
clause/claws
click/clique
close/clothes/cloze
coal/cole
coarse/course
colonel/kernel
complement/compliment
coo/coup
coop/coupe
core/corps
correspondence/correspondents
council/counsel
creak/creek
crews/cruise
cruel/crewel
cue/queue
currant/current
curser/cursor
cymbal/symbol
dam/damn
days/daze
dear/deer
defused/diffused
desert (abandon)/dessert
dew/do/due
die/dye
disburse/disperse
discreet/discrete
doe/dough/do (musical note)
done/dun
draft/draught
dual/duel
earn/urn
ewe/you/yew
eye/I
faint/feint
fair/fare
faun/fawn
faze/phase
feat/feet
find/fined
fir/fur
flair/flare
flea/flee
flew/flu/flue
flour/flower
flocks/phlox
for/four/fore
foreword/forward
fort/forte
forth/fourth
foul/fowl
friar/fryer
gait/gate
gene/jean
gild/guild
gilt/guilt
gnu/knew/new
gored/gourd
gorilla/guerilla
grate/great
grease/Greece
groan/grown
guessed/guest
hail/hale
hair/hare
hall/haul
halve/have
hangar/hanger
hay/hey
heal/heel/he'll
hear/here
heard/herd
heed/he'd
hertz/hurts
hew/hue/Hugh
hi/high
higher/hire
him/hymn
hoard/horde
hoarse/horse
hole/whole
holey/holy/wholly
hoes/hose
hold/holed
hostel/hostile
hour/our
idle/idol
illicit/elicit
in/inn
insight/incite
instance/instants
intense/intents
its/it's
jam/jamb
colonel/kernel
knap/nap
knead/kneed/need
knight/night
knit/nit
knot/not
know/no
knows/nose
laid/lade
lain/lane
lay/lei
leach/leech
lead/led
leak/leek
lean/lien
leased/least
lee/lea
lessen/lesson
levee/levy
liar/lier/lyre
lichen/liken
lie/lye
lieu/Lou
links/lynx
load/lode
loan/lone
locks/lox
loot/lute
low/lo
made/maid
mail/male
main/mane/Maine
maize/maze
mall/maul
manner/manor
mantel/mantle
marry/merry/Mary
marshal/martial
massed/mast
maybe/may be
meat/meet/mete
medal/metal/mettle/meddle
might/mite
mince/mints
mind/mined
miner/minor
missed/mist
moan/mown
mode/mowed
moose/mousse
morn/mourn
muscle/mussel
mustard/mustered
naval/navel
nay/neigh
none/nun
oar/or/ore
ode/owed
oh/owe
one/won
overdo/overdue
overseas/oversees
pail/pale
pain/pane
pair/pare/pear
palate/palette/pallet
passed/past
patience/patients
pause/paws
pea/pee
peace/piece
peak/peek/pique
peal/peel
pearl/purl
pedal/peddle/petal
peer/pier
per/purr
pi/pie
plait/plate
plain/plane
pleas/please
plum/plumb
pole/poll
pore/pour
pray/prey
presence/presents
prince/prints
principal/principle
profit/prophet
rack/wrack
rain/reign/rein
raise/rays/raze
rap/wrap
rapped/rapt/wrapped
read/red
read/reed
real/reel
reek/wreak
rest/wrest
retch/wretch
review/revue
right/rite/write
ring/wring
road/rode/rowed
roam/Rome
roe/row
role/roll
root/route
rose/rows
rote/wrote
rough/ruff
rung/wrung
rye/wry
sail/sale
scene/seen
scull/skull
sea/see
seam/seem
seas/sees/seize
serf/surf
sew/so/sow
shear/sheer
shoe/shoo
shone/shown
side/sighed
sighs/size
slay/sleigh
sleight/slight
slew/slue/slough
soar/sore
soared/sword
sole/soul
some/sum
son/sun
staid/stayed
stair/stare
stake/steak
stationary/stationery
steal/steel
step/steppe
stile/style
straight/strait
suite/sweet
surge/serge
tacks/tax
tail/tale
taught/taut
tea/tee
team/teem
tear/tier
tern/turn
their/there/they're
theirs/there's
threw/through
thrown/throne
thyme/time
tic/tick
tide/tied
to/too/two
toad/towed
toe/tow
told/tolled
trussed/trust
vain/vane/vein
vale/veil
vary/very
vial/vile
vice/vise
wade/weighed
wail/whale
waist/waste
wait/weight
waive/wave
want/wont
ware/wear/where
way/weigh/whey
ways/weighs
we/wee
weak/week
we'll/wheel
weather/whether
we'd/weed
we've/weave
wet/whet
which/witch
while/wile
whine/wine
who's/whose
wood/would
yoke/yolk
yore/your/you're
you'll/Yule

Regional accents may affect whether words are homophones. For example, in certain parts of the country, weather and whether sound the same. For those of us in the U.S., due and do are pronounced alike, but in most British accents, they sound different.

Teaching Homophones

Students often find homophones interesting and it can be fun teaching them! You may like to teach them as they come up in everyday spelling and reading, or you may prefer to teach them directly. Some kids like to use worksheets—my daughter did. This free workbook provides practice for 40 of the most common homophones.

And some kids really dislike worksheets! For those kids, try some of these other methods of teaching:

*
When a spelling word has a homophone, point it out to your student and have him add it to his own personal list.

*
Take turns making up sentences that contain pairs of homophones—the sillier, the better. "The toad towed the car." "Wait here while I check the elephant's weight."

*
Concentrate on the most important pairs first. The ones needed most often in writing include ad/add, ant/aunt, ate/eight, be/bee, blew/blue, buy/by/bye, hear/here, hour/our, its/it's, know/no, one/won, their/there/they're, theirs/there's, to/too/two, who's/whose, and your/you're.

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Point out a pair of homophones, such as rose/rows, and ask a question such as "Which word means a flower?"

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My favorite idea is to find two pictures, like those at the top of the page. Ask the student to match a picture with the WRONG word, instead of the right word. After the student has correctly matched each picture with the wrong word, ask him to match it with the correct one. Pictures add fun to the whole activity.

Short, interesting sessions teach more than long, boring ones, so make them memorable!

I can still remember the day I first found out about homophones. My second grade teacher had a small collection of books in the back of the classroom. After we were done with our work we could choose a book and bring it back to our desk. Well, one day I discovered a book that had pairs of homophones. It was the first time I realized that there were such things, and my pulse quickened. The thrill of such knowledge! I read that book over and over, and to this day I still like these pairs of words!

As teachers—of our own children or a classroom of children—let's take each opportunity to instill a love of learning. There are no "small things" when it comes to teaching.

Top Barriers that come during effective listening

Effective listening is every bit as important as effective speaking, and generally much more difficult. Although numerous barriers to effective listening can make the practice difficult, there are several habits one can adopt that will lead to a higher level of listening proficiency.

Listening is the most important part of the communication process. However, listening skills do not come naturally to most people; they require willingness, practice, and patience to develop.

There are many reasons individuals fail to listen successfully. These include:

1. Interrupting

2. Judging

3. Faking Attention

4. Becoming Emotional

5. Tuning Out

6. Jumping to Conclusions

7. Becoming distracted.

Interrupting is a problem for many reasons. First, it is aggressive behavior and will most likely bring a negative response from the speaker being interrupted. Second, it is difficult to listen and speak at the same time. When the listener is interrupting, he or she is certainly not listening fully.

Faking attention (often associated with tuning out) can be offensive and is usually hard to hide. This is hurtful and sends the message to the speaker that the listener doesn’t really care about what the speaker is saying. If an individual cannot listen actively in the present moment, it is best to let that be known and suggest that the communication process be put off until a point when there are no distractions.

Becoming emotional can hinder one’s ability to listen. It is important that the receiver be aware of his or her emotions. If the sender is sending a message that is offensive, it is important to acknowledge that fact and be aware of the fact that something is threatening a breakdown in the process. When a receiver is angered, it is easy for him or her to miss the most important part of the sender’s message.

To avoid jumping to conclusions, it may be helpful for the listener to wait until the speaker is finished before responding. It can also be helpful to ask questions throughout the conversation to clarify issues, or to let the speaker know that he or she is communicating in a way that suggests a certain thing, which may not be what they are intending to say.

It is easy to become distracted while trying to communicate. Often one has many tasks to do or there is a lot of other activity taking place while someone is trying to communicate. This can be a problem because it leads to miscommunication, faking attention, and tuning out all together—all of which threaten future communication.

Although the reasons for listening breakdowns are numerous, there are many ways to improve listening skills. These are:

1. Provide clues that you are actively involved

2. Concentrate

3. Refrain from formulating an immediate response

4. Try to prepare beforehand

5. Be prepared to accept revisions

6. Be sure the environment is conducive to listening.

Clues that one is actively listening can go a long way. It is important to the speaker to feel like the listener cares about what the speaker is saying. This is because it tends to send a message about whether or not the listener cares about the speaker in general. When people don’t feel like you care about them, they don’t trust you and the communication process quickly breaks down. Therefore, it sis important to use verbal and non-verbal clues that you are listening, including eye contact, gestures, and acknowledging statements.

Concentration requires willingness and practice. Practicing active listening helps with concentration but there are other elements that contribute to your ability to concentrate on what someone is saying. When you’re involved in an exchange of information, you can’t be multi-tasking. It’s important to position yourself in a way that maintains eye contact while allowing you to watch for body language and other non-verbal forms of communication.

It is important to refrain from formulating an immediate response. You won’t be able to fully concentrate on forming a genuine understanding of what the speaker is trying to say if you are too busy thinking about what you are going to say in response to them whenever it is your turn to talk. Instead, it is important to approach the communication as a dialogue. Dialogues help us to learn what others have to say by forcing us to think about their message and to acknowledge what we have heard rather than just responding with our own opinions.

Preparation can have a huge impact on the outcome of a dialogue or any form of communication. To prepare for an interaction where effective listening will be important, it is essential to keep in mind the purpose of the exchange. What decisions need to be made and how the collaboration between sender and receiver relates are important factors to keep in mind. It is also helpful to approach the situation with the attitude of really caring about and wanting to know the truth. The dialogue should be viewed as an opportunity to uncover the truth and make progress, rather than as a challenge or conflict.

A willingness to accept revisions will keep the communication process running smoothly. Often people are so busy trying to defend their positions that they fail to really stop and think whether they could be improved upon or viewed in a different way. This is what is often referred to as “spending 90 seconds expressing an opinion and 900 seconds blindly defending it.”

Choosing the right environment is important because it will help the listener focus and avoid distractions. Although there is no set environment which is best for all communication, in general it is best to avoid areas where there are high levels of activity, loud noises, an uncomfortable temperature, poor air flow, etc.

Implementing these techniques takes willingness and patience. The effort is worthwhile however, as the long-term benefit of improved communication skills will greatly increase one’s chances of success in the business world. Effective listening is the most important part of the communication process. It is probably the most difficult to master also. There are many barriers to effective listening, but practicing listening techniques will help one overcome these barriers and become a good listener.

What is meant by Accent? Bring out differences between British and American accent.

What is meant by ACCENT?

Language is the words used by a certain group of people e.g. English in order to communicate with other people. Language varies through different regions around globe, because people have different accents. Accent is the way people pronounce their words, the sound of their voice but not the actual words.

Different accents can greatly affect how we perceive people. If we spoke to somebody who spoke Received Pronunciation, then we will judge them to be middle class, well educated and wealthy. We would also guess that they come from a posh area, probably in Bangalore. Received Pronunciation is also associated with power and status, this is because all the politicians and people on the Aaj-Tak/BBC speak it, and politicians rule the country and therefore have power. According to Bernstein this is an elaborated code of language.

If we spoke to somebody who had a regional accent, we would probably perceive them to be working class. This is mainly because working class people have low social mobility so therefore never lose their accent because they are in the same place all of their life. Bernstein says this is a restricted code of language. People have different perceptions of working class people and would automatically stereotype this person from the moment they speak. A person who spoke Received Pronunciation would probably feel superior to this person.

Different regional accents also affect how people are perceived e.g. if I heard a Suffolk accent, then I would automatically assume the person isn’t very intelligent, this is because they talk slowly. I would also assume that they live on a farm. This stereotype can be unfair because it can affect the way we communicate with people e.g. if somebody assumed a person was unintelligent then they might look down on the person or take the mickey out of them, when in fact the person with the accent could be clever and not work on a farm.

People from Liverpool (A Society or A Place) can often be perceived to be criminal or untrustworthy because of their accents. This is probably because of the city’s bad reputation. However, I always assume when I speak to a Liverpudlian that they will be quite funny. This is probably because a lot of comedians are Liverpudlians and it’s quite a high-pitched accent that you can’t really take that seriously.

Accents can create physical and psychological barriers. This is because some accents are really heavy so it is hard to understand them. There may be an accent that we really dislike, so when a person talks to us in that accent we may not wish to listen and may ignore them.

Therefore, accent can greatly affect how we perceive and treat people. Stereotypes and assumptions are made because of this which can be unfair.



Differences between British and American.

The major differences between British and American English lies in the choice of VOCABULARY.

Common Words in American and British English

1.
American English:- Apartment
British English:- Flat

2.
American English:- Baby Carriage
British English:- Pram

3.
American English:- Band-aid
British English:- Plaster

4.
American English:- Corn
British English:- Maize

5.
American English:- Diaper
British English:- Nappy

6.
American English:- Flashlight
British English:- Torch

7.
American English:- Extra-time
British English:- Overtime

8.
American English:- Mail
British English:- Post

9.
American English:- Pharmacist
British English:- Chemist

10.
American English:- Susage
British English:- Banger

11.
American English:- Trash Can
British English:- Bin


Different Idioms


1.
British English:- Sweep under the carpet
American English:- Sweep under the rug

meaning:- To try to stop people from finding out about wrong , illegal, embarrassing etc. that has happened or that you have done.

2.
British English:- Not touch something with a bargepole.
American English:- Not touch something with a ten-foot pole.

meaning:- To refuse to get involved with or in a particular situation.

3.
British English:- Touch wood
American English:- Knock on wood

meaning:- Used when you have just mentioned some way in which you have been lucky in the past, to avoid bringing bad luck.

4.
British English:- see the wood for the trees
American English:- see the forest for the trees

meaning:- Clearly visible, in a way that is clearly visible.

5.
British English:- A drop in the ocean
American English:- A drop in the bucket

meaning:- An amount of that is too small or unimportant to make any real difference to a situation.

6.
British English:- A home from home
American English:- A home away from home

meaning:- A place where you feel relaxed and comfortable as if you were in your own home.