Keep Calm and Learn Some Common English Homophones

Homophones are words that are known to have different spellings and meanings, but similar pronunciation. 

Take a look at this set of homophones 👇🏿

to-too-two

To-too-two have different spellings and different meanings, but are pronounced exactly the same.

to (preposition)too (adverb)two (noun)
used to show motionmeans also or extremelymeans the number 2
I am going to the park.I am too tired today.They bought two apples for pie.
(whizo.in)

Here’s a list of some confusing homophones and their meanings:

1. ate-eight

Ate (verb): past tense of the verb ‘to eat’

  • I ate the entire cake and now the birthday girl is crying.

Eight (noun): means the number 8

  • Joy has to catch a bus at eight o’clock tomorrow morning.
Enjoy the riddle!

2. dew-do-due

Dew (noun): small drops of water that gather on plants and objects during the night (also a popular brand of soft drink)

  • The grass is wet with dew.

Do/to do (verb): an auxiliary verb, used to indicate an action

  • I want to do a language course for school.

Due (adjective): expected at or planned for at a certain time

  • He is due a refund for the sweater he returned.

3. they’re-their-there

They’re (contraction): form of they are

  • They’re very happy about going to Disneyland.

Their (pronoun): used to show possession

  • The students placed their books on the table.

There (pronoun or adverb): indicates position

  • Put the basket over there.

4. know-no

Know (verb): to have knowledge or understanding about something

  • You can never know everything, my child.

No (determiner): not any

  • There was absolutely no furniture in that room.

5. principal-principle

Principal (noun): head of a school or an organization, or a sum of money

  • The Principal said that hard work is the key to success.

Principle (noun): fundamental truth or proposition serving as the foundation for a system of belief

  • Democracy operates on the principle that everyone should be treated equally. 

Here are some more examples of commonly used English homophones:

accept-exceptaddition-editionaffect-effectallowed-aloud
bawl-ballbyte-bitebare-bearblue-blew
ceiling-sealingcouncil-counselcourse-coarsecheck-cheque
deer-deardie-dyeeye-Ifeet-feat
flew-flugrown-groanhere-hearhour-our
know-notmain-manemail-malemade-maid
new-knewnight-knightone-wonpause-paws
pear-pairpain-panepeak-peekright-write
roll-rolered-readsome-sumson-sun
stair-staretoe-towtail-taleweak-week
whizo.in

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