After the success of our first homophones lesson, we saw your comments asking for something more difficult. We have responded with a more advanced homophones quiz available on our blog!
Check it out, and don't forget to let us know what you think in the comments!
What are homophones?
A homophone is a word which sounds the same as another word, but has a different meaning and/or spelling.
Do you know the difference between some of the most common homophones in English?
Test your skills by choosing the correct homophone in the examples below!
Top tip: When you complete the exercise, check your answers and be sure to look for the meaning of each word in your dictionary.
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This week’s lesson explains the difference between still and anymore as well as how to use both words!
Still
The word still is used to show that an action is happening or not happening up to the present. It is often, but not always, used especially when the action was expected to end earlier.
The placement of this word can vary, but is most commonly used in front of the main verb, or after the present simple or past simple of ‘to be’, as you can see in the example below.
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While both of these words are used to show the negative, knowing how and when to use ‘no’ and ‘not’ is an important skill and can make a big difference in your English.
‘No’ is usually used to mean something like “not any” or “not a/an”, and usually refers to a noun. It is commonly used in the following situations:
When should you use ‘do’ and ‘make’? The two common words can be confusing to language learners, and that’s why today we’re going to look at the differences and practise using the words!
How to use do
What’s the difference between an ‘acronym’ and an ‘abbreviation’? Well, an acronym is a word made up of the first letters of a phrase; an abbreviation is a shortened version of a word.
Acronyms and abbreviations are commonly used are by native speakers, and can be quite confusing for anyone learning English for the first time. To help you understand some of these terms, let’s take a look at some of the most common acronyms and abbreviations in use.
1. 24/7
Have you ever read or heard the word ‘though’? This rather informal word can be confusing for students and native speakers alike! In this lesson we discuss the different uses and meanings of the word ‘though’.
It is often used to describe a ‘contrasting’ situation, in which the speaker is aware that it is contradictory, however both parts remain true. Pronounced like “thow” (ð??). There are 4 main uses of ‘though’:
Basically, use good to describe a thing and use well to describe an activity.
Good is an adjective
Use good to describe a noun.
You smell good. I like your perfume.
(good describes the noun you)
This is a good song.
What a good boy.
You speak good English.
Well is an adverb
A minimal pair or close pair consists of two words with sounds that are very similar but have different meanings.
For example, rot and lot may sound similar, especially to some non-native English speakers.
Below are ten other examples of minimal pairs, in the each sentence choose the correct word. Try saying the words out aloud, do you notice how similar they sound?
Take a look at these ten sentences, there is one mistake in each one. Can you find all of them? Write your correct sentences in the comments area.
