A Word Exercise for Those Learning the English Language
by An exercise for students and teachers of the English Language. Words that sound the same but are spelt differently can be confusing when trying to learn the English Language. This is a simple exercise to encourage using a dictionary and identifying these words. A useful tool for foreign students.
In this exercise the meaning of the words are not given, the student must search for the meanings by using a dictionary. The words are not listed alphabetically, this is to encourage the student to find the alphabet within the dictionary.
There a many words in the English language that are spelt differently but sound the same, for example: Have you HEARD about the HERD? If you are trying to learn English, this can be a little confusing. Listed below are many words that sound the same. Your task is to find out what they mean in the dictionary:
- Bear / bare
- For / four
- By/ buy/ bye
- Flee /flea
- Our /hour
- Know /no
- Dear/ deer
- Boy /buoy
- Daze/ days
- Pour /pore /paw
- Read /reed
- Need /knead
- Court / caught
- Real / reel
- Piece /peace
- You /ewe
- Paws /pause
- Meet /meat
- Due /dew
- Leek /leak
- Main /mane
- Blew /blue
- Pane / pain
- Cheep /cheap
- Peel / peal
- Read /red
- Course / coarse
- Sew /so
- Knew /new
- Hare /hair
- Shoe /shoo
- Raw /roar
- One /won
- Been / bean
- Pail /pale
- I / eye
- Great /grate
- Wear /where
- Rain /reign
- Bred /bread
- Dye /die
- Write / right
- Wring / ring
- Road / rode
- Roll / role
- Rome /roam
- Wrung/ rung
- Sale /sail
- Sauce /source
- Saw /sore
- Tire / tyre
- Whole /hole
- Groin /groyne
- Son /sun
- Sum /some
- Higher /hire
- Steak / stake
- Main /mane
- Feet / feat
- Tow /toe
- There /their
- Wear /ware
- Pair /pear
- Flare /flair
- Air / heir
- Night /knight
- Laze /lays
- Might /mite
- Bow /bough
There are also many words in the English language that are spelt the same. Some sound the same and others have a different sound but they all have different meanings. Look up WHAT (or is that WATT ?) they mean in the dictionary.
- Row /row
- Arms /arms
- Train / train
- Bat / bat
- Tear /tear
- Spring/ spring
- Tips /tips
- Band /band
- Lean /lean
- Now try finding your own words
Liked it
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Post CommentFrancie
On May 19, 2008 at 10:46 am
This is just Great! Ok, rain/reign, seen/scene, lie/lye, I’ll think of more and hopefully be back. Thanks for the fun =)
Glynis
On May 19, 2008 at 10:55 am
See the brain is turning over Francie, I warn you it will become addictive for a few days, I wish I had thought of this lesson for my teacher then she would have made my life easier 40 years ago! lol
Thanks for your additions and comment
Dee Huff
On May 19, 2008 at 1:45 pm
What fun! How about fate/fete sees/seize!
Francie
On May 19, 2008 at 2:38 pm
What can I say? Its a rainy day here and your great article beckoned me back =) OK, at lunch today I thought of a few, ere/heir, eight/ate, ale/ail, scene/seen, new/knew. I better quit for now and get busy =) I love this article, great fun!!
Yes, addictive (the good kind) I hope many more see this article and keep on adding!!
Glynis
On May 20, 2008 at 9:10 am
Dee and Francie
Hey/ hay I warned you!
My friends are using on their children now so when I go around to ‘play’ drinking wine with Mummy and Daddy I am bombarded by their newly aquired words, the words but and butt are often bandied about, they are English children who attend an International school so they pick up new meanings of these words from friends there, great fun.
Thanks for your imput
louie jerome
On May 20, 2008 at 10:55 am
I teach foreign students to speak and write English and often come across this problem! A good list.
Glynis
On May 20, 2008 at 11:19 am
Thanks Louie, I am learning Greek and they have one word that covers every word in the every day language I think, you just have to say it with different tones! It is a very hard language to learn. My tutor loves my 2word English list, she uses it for her classes in our village
Francois Hagnere
On December 26, 2009 at 11:10 am
Excellent! you are so right. And we’re not talking about “false friends” in languages! French is difficult too, believe me! Great job Glynis, thank you so much.
PhoenixRox
On December 26, 2009 at 1:01 pm
These lists are very useful for people, who are starting out. Very thoughtful.
Glynis Smy
On December 26, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Merci, Francois.