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What are homophones? 20 pairs of homophones in English
Every language has homophones, and English is no exception. In today's article, let's find answers to questions like "What are homophones in English?", "Why do homophones in English exist?", and discover 20 pairs of homophones in English to improve your knowledge with PREP!
I. What are homophones in English?
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings. Sometimes, they are spelled the same, and sometimes they are not.
Examples of homophones pairs in English:
Homophones | Pronunciation - Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
Then - than | Then /ðen/ (adverb, adjective) | after that | Let me finish this job, then we'll go. |
Than /ðæn/ or /ðən/ (preposition, conjunction) | used with "more" or "less" to compare numbers or amounts | My son is a lot taller than my daughter. | |
To - too - two | To /tu/ (preposition) | used before a verb to show that it is in the infinitive | I'll have to tell Alex. |
Too /tuː/ (adverb) | more than is needed or wanted; more than is suitable or enough | Thank you, you're too kind. | |
Two /tuː/ (cardinal number) | the number 2 | I have two cars. cars. |
II. Why do homophones in English exist?
There are several reasons why languages have homophones. In English, most homophones originate from the changes in pronunciation over time. All languages develop as people migrate, integrate with new cultures, advance in technology, and incorporate new languages into their native language. Each region and locality has its own distinct dialect, and homophones in one region may not be homophones in another.
For example, in some regions in the United States, the words "marry - merry - Mary" are pronounced the same: /ˈmær.i/ - /ˈmær.i/ - /ˈmær.i/. However, in other regions, they have different pronunciations: /ˈmær.i/ - /ˈmer.i/ - /ˈmer.i/.
Furthermore, many homophones today were not originally homophones. For instance, originally, the words "knight" and "night" were not pronounced the same (/naɪt/). The word "Knight" originally came from the Old English word "cniht" and was related to the Dutch word "knecht," both pronounced with the "k" sound. On the other hand, "Night" originally came from the Old English words "neaht" and "niht." After the Norman invasion and the shift of English away from its Germanic roots, the "k" sound gradually ceased to be pronounced.
Other words, such as "knot," "knife," and "knit," also underwent similar linguistic shifts (losing the "k" sound) as English evolved from Germanic to English-Latin.
III. Types of homophones in English
Let's explore two common types of homophones in English with PREP!
1. Homographs in English
Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings. For example:
Homographs | Meaning | Example |
Lead /liːd/ (noun) | a chemical element that is a very heavy, soft, dark grey, poisonous metal, used especially in the past on roofs and for pipes and also for protection against radiation | The lead pipe is broken. |
Lead /led/ (verb) (simple past, past perfect) | to control a group of people, a country, or a situation | Who will lead the inquiry into the accident? |
2. Heterographs in English
Heterographs are words that are spelled differently, pronounced the same, and have different meanings. For example:
Heterographs | Meaning | Example |
Pear /per/ (noun) | a sweet fruit, usually with a green skin and a lot of juice, that has a round base and is slightly pointed towards the stem | I love pears. |
Pair /per/ (noun) | two things of the same appearance and size that are intended to be used together, or something that consists of two parts joined together | I can't find a matching pair of socks. |
IV. Homophones in English - How are they used?
Almost every language has homonyms with different meanings, and they are used in wordplay and riddles. For example:
- A: What do you call a piece of wood that has nothing to do?
- B: Board /bɔːrd/
➞ In the above riddle, "A piece of wood" refers to "board," but "nothing to do" means "bored."
V. Common English homophones
PREP has compiled and collected 20 pairs of homophones in English from reputable sources. Let’s take a look now!
Homophones in English | Pronunciation - Part of speech | Meaning |
By - Buy | By /baɪ/ (preposition) | used to show the person or thing that does something |
buy /baɪ/ (verb) | to get something by paying money for it | |
Whether - Weather - Wether | Whether /ˈwɛðər/ (conjunction) | (used especially in reporting questions and expressing doubts) if, or not |
Weather /ˈwɛðər/ (noun) | the conditions in the air above the earth such as wind, rain, or temperature, especially at a particular time over a particular area | |
Wether /ˈwɛðər/ (noun) | a male sheep that has been castrated (had its sex organs removed) | |
Principle - Principal | Principle /ˈprɪnsəpl/ (noun) | a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works |
Principal /ˈprɪnsəpl/ (noun) | first in order of importance | |
Brake - Break | Brake /breɪk/ (noun/ verb) | a device that makes a vehicle go slower or stop, or a pedal, bar, or handle that makes this device work/ to make a vehicle go slower or stop, using its brake or brakes |
Break /breɪk/ (noun/ verb) | an interruption/ to (cause something to) separate suddenly or violently into two or more pieces, or to (cause something to) stop working by being damaged | |
Waist - Waste | Waist /weɪst/ (noun) | the part of the body above and slightly narrower than the hips |
Waste /weɪst/ (noun/ verb) | unwanted matter or material of any type, especially what is left after useful substances or parts have been removed/ to use too much of something or use something badly when there is a limited amount of it | |
Week - Weak | Week /wiːk/ (noun) | a period of seven days, especially either from Monday to Sunday or from Sunday to Saturday |
Weak /wiːk/ (adjective) | not physically strong | |
Complement - Compliment | Complement /ˈkɒmplɪmənt/ (noun/ verb) | a part of a clause that usually follows the verb in English and adds more information about the subject or object/ to make something else seem better or more attractive when combining with it |
Compliment /ˈkɒmplɪmənt/ (noun/ verb) | a remark that expresses approval, admiration, or respect/ to praise or express admiration for someone | |
Discreet - Discrete | Discreet /dɪˈskriːt/ (adjective) | careful not to cause embarrassment or attract too much attention, especially by keeping something secret |
Discrete /dɪˈskriːt/ (adjective) | clearly separate or different in shape or form | |
Bail - Bale | Bail /beɪl/ (noun/ verb) | an amount of money that a person who has been accused of a crime pays to a law court so that they can be released until their trial/ to remove water from a boat using a container |
Bale /beɪl/ (noun/ verb) | a large amount of something such as hay, paper, wool, or cloth that has been tied tightly together/ to tie up something tightly into bales | |
Bear - Bare | Bear /bɛər/ (noun/ verb) | a large, strong wild mammal with a thick fur coat that lives especially in colder parts of Europe, Asia, and North America/ to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant |
Bare /bɛər/ (adjective/ verb) | without any clothes or not covered by anything/ to take away the thing that is covering something so that it can be seen | |
Here - Hear | Here /hɪər/ (adverb) | in, at, or to this place |
Hear /hɪər/ (verb) | to receive or become conscious of a sound using your ears | |
Illicit - Illicit | Illicite /ɪˈlɪsɪt/ (adjective) | illegal or disapproved of by society |
Elicit /ɪˈlɪsɪt/ (verb) | to get or produce something, especially information or a reaction | |
Sight - Site/ Cite | Sight /saɪt/ (noun) | the ability to see |
Site /saɪt/ (noun) | a place where something is, was, or will be built, or where something happened, is happening, or will happen | |
Cite /saɪt/ (verb) | to mention something as proof for a theory or as a reason why something has happened | |
Lead - Lead | Lead /liːd/ (noun) | a chemical element that is a very heavy, soft, dark grey, poisonous metal, used especially in the past on roofs and for pipes and also for protection against radiation |
Lead /liːd/ (verb) (Simple tense) | to control a group of people, a country, or a situation | |
Carrot - Caret - Carat | Carrot /ˈkærət/ (noun) | a long pointed orange root eaten as a vegetable |
Caret /ˈkærət/ (noun) | the symbol ^ , found on a keyboard and used in marking text | |
Carat /ˈkærət/ (noun) | a unit for measuring the weight of jewels (= precious stones) | |
Bark - Bark | Bark /bɑrk/ (verb) | (of a dog) to make a loud, rough noise |
Bark /bɑrk/ (noun) | the hard outer covering of a tree | |
Be - Bee | Be /bi/ (verb) | used to say something about a person, thing, or state, to show a permanent or temporary quality, state, job, etc |
Bee /bi/ (noun) | a yellow and black flying insect that makes honey and can sting you | |
Whole - Hole | Whole /hoʊl/ (adjective) | complete or not divided |
Hole /hoʊl/ (noun) | an empty space in an object, usually with an opening to the object's surface, or an opening that goes completely through an object | |
Seal - Seal | Seal /sil/ (noun) | a large mammal that eats fish and lives partly in the sea and partly on land or ice |
Seal /sil/ (verb) | to close an entrance or container so that nothing can enter or leave it |
VI. Distinguishing homophones, homographs and heterographs
So what is the difference between homophones, homographs, and heterographs in English? Let's find out with PREP below!
Definition | Pair of words | Example | |
Homophones | Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings | Dear - Here
| Although he is dear to me, he is currently far away. I wish he were here. |
Homographs | Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings | Like - Enjoy
| I like studying, but I also enjoy taking breaks to relax and recharge. |
Heterographs | Heterographs are words that are spelled differently, pronounced the same, and have different meanings | Big – Small | The elephant is big, while the mouse is small. |
VII. Exercise on homophones in English
Fill in the appropriate pair of homophones in English in the following sentences: "ate - eight"; "be - bee"; "blew - blue"; "brake - break"; "dear - deer".
- I _________ too much at dinner.
- The movie starts at _________ o’clock sharp!
- A ___________ stung me at recess today.
- She is supposed to _______ at work today.
- My favorite color is ________.
- The wind _________ the tree over.
- We had a quick _____________ for lunch.
- The ______________ on her back tire didn’t work.
- Be a _________ and get me a drink, please.
- The _________ jumped right into the road in front of us.
Answer:
- ate
- eight
- bee
- be
- blue
- blew
- break
- brake
- dear
- deer
PREP hopes that the article above has helped you understand the meaning of homophones in English and also provided you with 20 common pairs of homophones in English. Wishing you effective English communication and success in achieving high scores in exams like IELTS, and TOEIC!
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