do you know your synonyms and homonyms ?

[Dancing Fire]

are there words that confuse you?

 

[oobiecoo]

I can honestly say that I don't have a problem with them. Once in a blue moon I'll accidentally type the wrong word but I know the differences as far as meaning and spellings.

 

[Tuckins1]

I''m pretty good with synonyms, homonyms, and antonyms. I do have a hard time keeping straight my homophones, homonyms, and homographs! (I think homographs= same spelling but different meaning, homophones= sound the same but different meaning, and homonyms= same spelling, same pronunciation, different meaning)

 

[Sabine]

I''ve got to keep on top of things being an English teacher, but I can tell you the most commonly misused/misspelled words by my students are by far:
its/it''s - they use it''s for possession no matter how many times I try to drill into their heads that pronounds don''t use apostrophes to become possessive.

There''s another one that I''m totally blanking on right now, the word that if spelled with an "e" is a noun and with "a" is a verb...too early for this.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 1/16/2009 7:24:43 AM
Author: Sabine
There''s another one that I''m totally blanking on right now, the word that if spelled with an ''e'' is a noun and with ''a'' is a verb...too early for this.

affect and effect? A lot of people have problems with that one.

I don''t often have an issue unless I type something without thinking occasionally. But it annoys me so I really try to proofread what I write.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 1/16/2009 7:24:43 AM
Author: Sabine
I''ve got to keep on top of things being an English teacher, but I can tell you the most commonly misused/misspelled words by my students are by far:
its/it''s - they use it''s for possession no matter how many times I try to drill into their heads that pronounds don''t use apostrophes to become possessive.

There''s another one that I''m totally blanking on right now, the word that if spelled with an ''e'' is a noun and with ''a'' is a verb...too early for this.

i''am one of your students.

 

[Sabine]

It was affect and effect! Even I have to stop and think about these sometimes!

 

[Haven]

Actually . . .

Homonyms are words that have the same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings.
Examples: lie (lie down/tell a lie), fair (appearance/county fair/reasonable), bear (animal/carry something), left (vs. right/past tense of leave)

Homophones are words that have different spellings, the same pronunciation, and different meanings.
Examples: sealing/ceiling, accept/except, principle/principal, capital/capitol, led/lead, their/they're/there

Homographs are words that have the same spelling, different pronunciation, and different meanings.
Examples: bow (take a bow/shoot a bow), bass (fish/guitar), lead (lead the way/lead pencil)

There are a lot of publications and websites that incorrectly define homonyms as words that sound alike but have different meanings. However, if the words also have different spellings, they are not homonyms, they are homophones.

The distinction is important when you teach students word roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
"nym" = name (from the Greek "onoma")
"phon" = sound
"graph" = writing/printing/letter

Nerdy, I know. Give me a break. I'm a high school reading specialist (and English teacher). I spend a lot of time teaching this stuff.

ETA: I don't mean to be one of those snobby people who corrects grammar on the forum. I figured it wouldn't come across as snobby since the topic is about homonyms. If I'm wrong, sorry. I didn't mean to offend, just to inform.

 

[musey]

Oh, I'm sorry, what were we talking about? Homophonoantonymosymophones?

 

[cammy85]

I hate there/their/they''re when they are misued, as well as your/you''re. To/too is another pet peeve.

I pretty much know the difference of usage but I have to admit I confuse myself when i see the letters w - i - n - d.

Wind - the blowy stuff outside
Wind - bending, turning, flexure

without fail, every time I see that word when I''m reading, i use the wrong one. But they aren''t even close so I confuse myself and look at the page and think ''wow, that makes no sense at all!'' It takes me a second, then I realize it''s the OTHER word

, and then it makes sense. I don''t get why that one is so hard. You''d think context would help haha.

 

[Haven]

Date: 1/16/2009 2:45:38 PM
Author: musey

Oh, I''m sorry, what were we talking about? Homophonoantonymosymophones?

Ha. It''s okay. I get that (

) a lot.

 

[Steel]

Date: 1/16/2009 2:07:41 AM
Author:Dancing Fire
are there words that confuse you?

Yes, there are two:

1.) No

2.) Too expensive

 

[joflier]

Date: 1/16/2009 2:45:38 PM
Author: musey

Oh, I''m sorry, what were we talking about? Homophonoantonymosymophones?

Ehhhhhhh..............Yup...........all makes perfect cents to me.

 

[HollyS]

And doesn''t it just bug you when you see an advertisement, or a publication, or just the crawl of news under the talking heads on TV . . . . and they''ve misspelled, punctuated in the wrong places, used the wrong words because they sound/look alike, Capitalized Where None Is Needed, or turned a plural into a possessive?

The DH is an editor, and this is his ultimate pet peeve -- especially when it is done by professionals who must have a degree to work in those fields.

 

[Elmorton]

I find these in my posts all the time because I think my typing/thinking speed aren''t the same or something.

My students do have a hard time with effect/affect, too. But the biggest issue is there/their/they''re.

For there/their/they''re I break it down like this -

Their - An heir is someone who gets money after a death. Therefore, when you see heir in their, think about ownership.

There - Here is a place. When you see here in there, think of a place.

They''re - Instead of saying They''re in your head when you see this, break it apart to "They are."

I''m sure someone else has some up with this, but I''d never seen it like this in a textbook and I was shocked and amazed to see that for the majority of my students, this system works. I think it has to do with changing the sound..."they are" and "t-Here" separate out which is which.

 

[musey]

Date: 1/16/2009 3:39:43 PM
Author: Steel

Date: 1/16/2009 2:07:41 AM
Author:Dancing Fire
are there words that confuse you?

Yes, there are two:

1.) No

2.) Too expensive

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 1/16/2009 6:27:56 PM
Author: musey

Date: 1/16/2009 3:39:43 PM
Author: Steel

Date: 1/16/2009 2:07:41 AM
Author:Dancing Fire
are there words that confuse you?

Yes, there are two:

1.) No

2.) Too expensive

Haha, good one Steel.

 

[diamondringlover]

I actually do know these, I have a son still in school and I have to help him with his homework

 

[musey]

Date: 1/16/2009 3:21:54 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 1/16/2009 2:45:38 PM
Author: musey

Oh, I'm sorry, what were we talking about? Homophonoantonymosymophones?

Ha. It's okay. I get that (

) a lot.

No offense, my english teacher friend! My eyes just glaze over sometimes.

 

[strmrdr]

I met them at a party once I think they were Swedish.

 

[AprilBaby]

My cinnamons? (as i pronounce it) NO.