Showing posts with label Homophones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homophones. Show all posts

Common Errors : Homophones - Aid/Aide

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Homophones are words that have different spellings and meanings but the SAME pronunciation.

Aid and Aide

both pronounced as [eyd]*
*dictionary.com
 
Aid

"Grant" "financial aid"
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
To give help or assistance.
To provide support or relief.
To facilitate.
Subsidy / Grant.

For example :
1) Without any financial aid, they might have to face bankruptcy.
2) The earthquake victims waited desperately for aid from the United Nations.
3) She is willing to offer any aid they might need.
"Flood victim" "flood rescue" "helping flood victim"
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
4) Let's hope they get some foreign aid, or they won't be able to survive.
5) We collected cash, food and clothes as aid for the flood victims.
"cane" "walking stick" "Brad Pitt hurt" "Brad Pitt walking stick" "Brad Pitt cane"
6) The actor walked with the aid of a cane when he injured his leg.
* cane = walking stick
7) The pie chart was a great visual aid for her presentation.
"businessman" "visual aid" "presentation" "presenting with visual aid"
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
* Visual aid = is something used during presentations or in the classroom during a lesson to make the explanation easier to understand such as posters, slides, pictures, objects, graphs and so on. For example, when explaining about the bones in a human body, a skeleton can be used as a visual aid.
8) Please help him as he has lost his hearing aid.
* Hearing aid = is a small amplifier worn to improve hearing. It is usually placed in or behind the ears. Those who have partial hearing loss usually wear hearing aids so that they can hear better. 


"sweeping" "servant" "cleaning lady" "cinderella" "housework"
Aide
An assistant / helper (person)
For example :
1) She hired a foreign aide for her mother, to aid with the household chores.
2) She decided to quit her job as a nurse's aide as the workload was too much.
"aide" "nurse" "aiding to walk" "helping to walk"
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
* Nurse's aide = A person who assists professional nurses in a hospital or medical centre by performing routine work like making beds and so on. A nurse's aide normally does not have any formal training or education.
3) The President walked with his hand on his aide who was there to help him.
4) An aide to the Minister said we will have the results next week.

aide-de-camp = A military/naval officer who serves as an assistant to a more senior military officer usually a general officer or admiral.

Common Errors : Homophones - Hear/Here

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Homophones are words that have different spellings and meanings but the SAME pronunciation.

Here and Hear

Here

In this place or spot.
Happening now
For example :
1) She will bring her children here.
2) Here is my answer.
"handbag" "slingbag" "purse"
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
3) I will be leaving for the trip from here.
4) I am very sure I left my handbag here.


Idioms

here and now
immediately / without delay

For example :
1) We must settle this problem here and now.

here and there
this place and that / all over the place
For example : 
"cute cat" "kitty" "gif"1) When his cat went missing, he drove here and there looking for it.  
2) He has worked here and there, not really the best candidate for our company.  
3) I have been here and there but it is time I settled down.

here goes
This phrase is usually used before one does something one does not want, usually an unpleasant, scary or difficult task.
For example :
"ski smiley" "animated ski" "gif" "smiley" "sports smiley"1) You have asked me to ski down this mountain slope, so here goes!
2) I do not want to do this but here goes! Wish me Luck!

Here's to
It is a salutation that you use to wish someone / 
used in proposing a toast to someone
For example :
1) Here's to a safe journey. Bon Voyage!
2) Here's to a happy married life.
"goodbye" "animated" "Bon Voyage" "See you" "smiley"Bon Voyage :
is a French saying that means “good journey”. 
It is translated to mean “Have a good trip”.
You CANNOT say “Happy Bon Voyage”. 
The correct terms is : “Bon Voyage”.


Hear

to listen / find out something / pay attention to something / to be told something
For example :
1) Did you hear the news?
2) Where did you hear that?
3) Did you hear that loud noise?
4) My teacher refused to hear my side of the story.

Saying
Hear! Hear!
This saying is used to express approval of something, usually a speech / It is a listener's agreement of the points made by the speaker.
For example, in a debate. If you agree with the points made by the speaker, you can shout “Hear! Hear!”.
Another example is a Committee Meeting and a new Secretary or Treasurer has been nominated. 
If you agree, then you can shout “Hear! Hear!”.
This saying is commonly used in parliament.


"blah blah blah" "animated smiley" "smiley" "rambling" "headache" "talkative" "never hear the end of it"
Idioms
never hear the end of
To be continuously reminded of something / for someone to continuously talk about something
For example :
1) If you do not ask her to marry you now, you will never hear the end of it from her.
2) If I do not buy that toy car for my son, I will never hear the end of it from him.
"animated" "speech" "gif"3) You do realize that if she wins that award, we will never hear the end of it.

Explanation for the Homophone Quiz

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To try the Homophone Quiz, please click this link
Photobucket

1) I had no other choice other 
than returning the book to your sister. 
Than – to show comparison or preference 
(which one is liked better)
Your – to show possession/belonging : 
The sister belongs to you. 

2. I could not believe that the guard remained stationary for that long. 
Stationary– not moving 



3) Please make sure there are sufficient stationery during that meeting or he might lose his temper.
Stationery : Writing materials – paper, pens, pencils, envelopes
lose one's temper / lose one's cool : Get angry
Another phrase : 
hold one's temper / keep one's temper / Keep one's cool : stop from showing anger / remain calm and composed / remain in control 

4) The then Prime Minister made such huge changes.
Then – being or existing at the time indicated
  
5) Then and there, I told her not to buy that site. 
Site : place 
Then and there : is an idiom/proverb that means : 
at that precise time and place / at once / on the spot.
For example : 
Then and there, he asked her to marry him. 
Then and there, she moved out of that haunted house. 
(haunted : got ghost) 
  

6) Who's coming? Write down your name on this stationery, then give it to your superior.
who's : who is
then : after that
your : to show belonging : the name belongs to you.
stationery : any material such as paper for you to write upon 

7) It's taking care of its young in that nest.
It's : It is
its : To show belonging (normally used for animals)
its young : babies / children... 
The bird's young.
nest : home for birds made out of twigs, grass and mud made by birds usually on a tree. 


8) Never lose sight of what is important in our life.
“Lose sight of” means fail to take into account / no longer able to see. So in this instance it is saying never forget what is important in life.
Other examples :
1) Never lose sight of your past.
2) They lost sight of the tall tower.
(This means : Cannot see the tower anymore).
Sight here does not only refer to the act of seeing something. Here 'sight' means mental perception, consideration, regard or judgment. 
For example : We lost sight of the purpose of our visit.   

9) I was surprised to receive 
a compliment from her.
Compliment – praises 

10) Whose dress are you wearing 
as it's so loose on you?
Whose : to show possession/belonging.
it's : it is
  

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Homophone Errors - Then and Than

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1) Then

Photobucketa) Description of time / Point in time : 
For example :
I will see her then.

b) Next / Later : 

For example :
1) Then, suddenly, the baby started crying and I immediately panicked. 
2) I will finish my work first then go out for lunch.


2) Than 

Is used to show comparisons.
Photobucket Smiley Working Hardworking ComputerFor example :
1) I would rather do my work than go out for lunch. 
2) She is taller than me.

Homophone Errors - Sight / Site / Cite

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Sight / Site / Cite
Sight
Love at first sight
is something seen by the eyes.
For example :
Do you believe in love at first sight?
At first sight, it looked good but on closer inspection, 
I noticed the dress was torn.

Site
Night time factoryPlace (Tapak).
For example :
This is the site of the murder.
This is the perfect site to build the factory.

Cite
To quote or list as a source / To mention in support or confirmation (Rujukan).
For example :
Please cite the sources you used in your report.


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Homophone Errors - loose and lose

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loose and lose

Loose
Opposite of tight.
For example : 
The shirt is loose for her now
because she has lost so much of weight.
The screw is loose.

lose
Means to not be in your possession any longer (it is lost) or misplaced. It could also mean not to win something.
losing moneyFor example :
She will lose her friends if she's not careful.
We will lose money if we 
believe everything she says.
She will lose the match if she's not careful.
Did you lose my books? 

loose dress / lose dress
Both are correct. 
loose dress : not tight / 
a dress that is flowing  
For example : 
The dress is loose.
lose dress : missing  
For example : 
Make sure you do not lose her dress. 

*lose is not to be confused with lost. 
Lost has the same meaning as lose 
but lost is used to show something 
"losing books" "books carried away"
happened in the past.
For example :
She lost the books yesterday. 
(yesterday – happened in the past).

With “will”, we have to use “lose”. She will lose.
We CANNOT say : She will lost the match (X). 
You CAN SAY : She lost the match yesterday / last week / last month / 2 years ago.  



Homophone Errors - Part 2

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3) its and it's

its
cute cat kittenIs used to show possession. 
Something belonging to one. 
It is usually used for animals and 
objects and NOT for people.
For example :
cat long tailThe cat's tail is long.
In this example, the tail belongs to the cat. 
So we can say :
Its tail is long. 
I like that bag, especially its color. 

It's 
(with the apostrophe 's) is the short form for it is. 

It is a great day for a picnic. = It's a great day for a picnic. 

IF we use, it's tail is long then it becomes it is tail is long.  
(THIS IS WRONG. X) 

Other examples :
It's not available yet. = It is not available yet.
It's good. = It is good.


The same concept applies to the following :  


You're and Your
You're : You are.
Example : 
You're beautiful = You are beautiful.
You're welcome = You are welcome. 

Your : shows belonging.
Example : 
These are your books. (the books belong to you).
Are these your kids? (the kids belong to you?)



Whose and Who's

Whose : To find out who something belongs to.
Whose house is this? (The house belongs to …. ). 
This is the girl, whose house burnt down.
house
Who's : Who is.
Who's coming? = Who is coming. 

 


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