Hi. In the classroom today you will learn about homonyms.
Homonyms are two or more words that have the same sound
and often the same spelling but differ in meaning.
For example the word BANK can be an embankment or a
BANK, a place where money is kept.
Another example would be FLOWER and FLOUR.
Other examples would be RED and READ, or LED and LEAD.
Still another example would be REED and READ.
Knowing the differences between these words is extremely
important and will be good for your English
pronunciation and writing.
Until next time.
Note:
A homonym is actually one of a group of words with the
same spelling and the same pronunciation but have
different meanings. The term "homonym" is often used to
refer to words that are either homographs or homophones
which is the case in this lesson.
Homographs (literally "same writing") are
usually defined as words with the same spelling,
regardless of how they are pronounced.
Homophones (literally "same sound") are
usually defined as words with the same
pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled.
From
YOUR Teacher:Homonyms
Studying homonyms, homographs, and homophones is
actually really good pronunciation practice. Very often
English language students pronounce words incorrectly
because the spelling of a particular word is the same as
another. For example in the following sentences the word
read is pronounced
differently.
She is planning to read
the entire book today. (read is pronounced as reed)
She read the entire book
yesterday. (read is pronounced as red)
In this example read is a
homograph. You can see why studying homonyms,
homographs, and homophones is very important.
Test:Homonyms
This is a test of your
understanding of homonyms. For each question decide
which is the correct word to fill in the blank. There are 50 questions.
Good luck.
1. A ________ is a type
of tall, slender grass.
a. read
b. reed
2. After lunch, she
noticed the ________ in her pants.
a. hole
b. whole
3. I think you ________
to get a new pair of shoes.
a. need
b. knead
4. He was much ________
after taking first place in the competition.
a. bolder
b. boulder
5. A computer usually
has a model number and a ________ number.
a. cereal
b. serial
6. I ate a ________ for
lunch.
a. pair
b. pear
7. It is common to
________ when meeting for the first time in Japan.
a. bough
b. bow
8. The king talked to
his favorite ________ almost every day.
a. knight
b. night
9. A ________ is the
basic unit of storage capacity in a computer system.
a. bite
b. byte
10. It is ________ hot
today.
a. sew
b. so
11. I had to ________
16 potatoes for the party.
a. peal
b. peel
12. The ________ is
located on the belly.
a. naval
b. navel
13. Many people go to
the ________ during the summer.
a. sea
b. see
14. I often call my
friend my ________.
a. pal
b. pail
15. Maybe you ________
too much food last night.
a. ate
b. eight
16. The ________ trees
are really beautiful during the summer.
a. beach
b. beech
17. I usually eat
________ with butter for breakfast.
a. bread
b. bred
18. Please read the
story ________ to the class.
a. aloud
b. allowed
19. Recently, a
________ ring has become very fashionable.
a. toe
b. tow
20. She ________ the
group through the mountains.
a. lead
b. led
21. The mountain
________ is about an hour away.
a. peak
b. peek
22. I think you need to
________ your plans since it is raining today.
a. altar
b. alter
23. You can ________
many birds in the park this time of year.
a. here
b. hear
24. The high ________
was earlier today.
a. tide
b. tied
25. The mountains are
my favorite ________ to go hiking.
a. place
b. plaice
26. The room was
________ except for a table and four chairs.
a. bare
b. bear
27. She decided to eat
________ pieces of bread.
a. to
b. two
28. There has to be an
easier ________ to get there.
a. whey
b. way
29. She has a ________
on her foot.
a. sore
b. soar
30. She ________ the
bus and had to wait 30 minutes for the next one.
a. missed
b. mist
31. The clothing store
has a big ________ today.
a. sail
b. sale
32. Many people
________ when they go to a religious service.
a. pray
b. prey
33. That restaurant is
famous for serving a bigger than average ________.
a. stake
b. steak
34. You have to
________ that garbage away with a truck.
a. hall
b. haul
35. There was a loud
________ from the class when they saw their exam scores.
a. groan
b. grown
36. The class ________
a mess.
a. made
b. maid
37. The sunset was an
incredible ________.
a. sight
b. site
38. She liked ________
from the beginning.
a. him
b. hymn
39. Usually the
________ students complain about getting too much homework.
a. mail
b. male
40. That was a ________
movie.
a. grate
b. great
41. She felt ________
when she closed the door on her finger.
a. pane
b. pain
42. They ________ about
the sale and decided to go shopping instead.
a. heard
b. herd
43. The ________ is
actually a star.
a. son
b. sun
44. I think that was a
________ trade.
a. fair
b. fare
45. The supermarket is
located on the opposite ________ of the street.
a. sighed
b. side
46. There is only one
________ answer to the question.
a. right
b. write
47. Some people like an
________ seat when they go to the movies.
a. isle
b. aisle
48. The ________ spent
all afternoon sleeping in the barn.
a. hoarse
b. horse
49. They had an
interesting ________ to tell after returning from their
vacation.
a. tail
b. tale
50. The couple reserved
the honeymoon ________ at the hotel.
a. suite
b. sweet
Additional Lessons
About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional conversation, listening, and reading
practice.
Conversation Lesson -
Intermediate Level. Let's
Learn English conversation lesson
with a conversation video, a video script, audio
listening practice, and a new
words section.
Conversation Lesson
27 - Fish out of Water
(Intermediate -
Conversation, Listening, Reading)
In this lesson Anna visits a friend on her houseboat.
She says she wants to live on one. But, is that really a
good idea?
Lesson Video
Watch the video and then read the video script.
Video Script
ANNA: Hello, Ms. Weaver!
MS. WEAVER: Oh, Anna. I’ve invited some people to dinner Saturday. We’re going
to that new seafood restaurant -- Fish on a Dish.
MS. WEAVER: Why don’t you join us? My treat.
ANNA: Thanks, Ms. Weaver. But I already have plans. My friend has invited me to
her houseboat.
MS. WEAVER: Houseboat, really? That’s unique.
ANNA: Yes, it is. In fact, I’m thinking of living on a houseboat.
MS. WEAVER: Aren’t you too tall and klutzy to live on a houseboat?
ANNA: I am not too tall!
(She knocks over a display board.)
PROF. BOT VO: Is Anna really ready for a houseboat?
PROF. BOT: Ms. Weaver invited Anna to dinner. When we make friendly, informal
invitations, we use phrases like “Why don’t…?”
PROF. BOT: For example, Ms. Weaver said, “Why don’t you join us? My treat!”
That’s: Why don’t plus the subject plus the simple form of the verb.
PROF. BOT: Anna responded to the invitation by saying, “Thanks, but I already
have plans.” Keep watching for more examples of informal invitations!
FANNY: Anna, I’m so glad you could come!
ANNA: Hi, Fanny!
FANNY: Hi, this is my son, Phoenix.
ANNA: Hi, Phoenix.
FANNY: How about you give Anna a tour and I will make some lunch?
PHOENIX: Aye, aye, captain!
FANNY: Great!
ANNA: Do you really call her “captain”?
PHOENIX: I kind of have to.
ANNA: So, Phoenix, I think I’d like to live on a houseboat. Do you like living
here?
PHOENIX: I love it! It’s much different than living in a house.
ANNA: Oh, I bet. I bet you had to get rid of a lot of stuff, didn’t you?
PHOENIX: No way! We moved from a 3-story house to a boat! So, we really had to
downsize!
ANNA: I’d have to get rid of a lot of stuff. I have a rock collection and I have
some really big rocks.
ANNA: Can you stop this boat from rocking for a minute?
PHOENIX: No. We’re floating on water. I can’t do that.
ANNA: Well, since you live on the water, aren’t you afraid of great white
sharks?
PHOENIX: No, not really. They don’t live in these waters.
ANNA: … that you know of. What about killer whales?
PHOENIX: No.
ANNA: Electric eels?
PHOENIX: No.
ANNA: Barracudas?
PHOENIX: No.
ANNA: Piranhas?
PHOENIX: Uh-uh.
FANNY: You know, Anna, if you’re afraid of sea life, maybe you shouldn’t live on
a houseboat. Do you have any boating experience?
ANNA: Oh, oh yeah, Fanny. I have battled the great waters before -- once on a
swan boat and once in a duck boat ... bus. It was a boat that turned into a bus.
FANNY: Yeah, I don’t think that counts.
ANNA: Fanny, does this rocking ever bother you?
FANNY: No, I love it. It goes up and down and side to side and up and down.
Anna, I love it!
(Because of the rocking, Anna begins to feel seasick.)
FANNY: Anna, are you feeling okay?
ANNA: Yeah, yeah. You know, I just need some fresh air.
FANNY: Let me open a window for you.
ANNA: No, I need some fresh land air. I mean, I need to breathe air on land. Oh,
is that the time? I should really be going.
ANNA: Thanks for lunch, Fanny, and a tour of your houseboat. It’s given me a
great idea!
FANNY: You’re going to live on a houseboat?
ANNA: Sort of. Thanks again!
ANNA: Hi! How would you like to hang out on my boat? Great! See you then!
(Ms. Weaver and Anna sit in a boat on land.)
ANNA: …and this is my shark net.
MS. WEAVER: Thank you for the invitation, Anna.
ANNA: Of course, would you like more orange juice?
MS. WEAVER: Uh..
ANNA: (to young man) Ahoy!
Listening
Now practice listening to only the audio portion of the conversation.
Writing Practice
Now, you try it!
Try making invitations! Invite someone to an event or activity. Use the language
you learned today. Write your invitations in the comments below.
For example: Why don't you come to gym with me?
In English, we make friendly, informal invitations using phrases like:
How about + subject + simple verb
"How about you give Anna a tour...?" -Fannie
Let's + simple verb
"Let's learn English!" -Anna
How would you like to + simple verb
"How would you like to hang out on my boat?" -Anna
A few phrases for accepting are:
That’s a good/great idea!
That sounds good/great.
Thanks! I’d love to.
A few phrases for declining are:
Thanks, but I already have plans.
That’s a good idea but…
I’m not sure.
Test Yourself
How well do you know the grammar from Level 2? Test yourself!
In today's lesson, you saw examples of grammar from other lessons. Look for
sentences in Lesson 27 that have:
passive voice
conditionals
tag questions
adverb clauses
We also used many contractions -- the short forms of words. Find the
contractions and write their meanings in the comments below.
For example, Anna says, "I think I’d like to live on a houseboat." (I'd is a
contraction. It means I would.)
English contractions:
’m = am
’re = are
’s = is and has
’ll = will
’ve = have
’d = had and would
Or, just tell us what you think of the lesson. We'd love to hear from you! Write
to us in the Facebook comments section below.
New Words
accept –
v. to receive or take something offered
Aye, aye, captain! –
expression. A phrase meaning “Yes, sir!” in
naval language
barracuda –
n. a kind of fierce tropical fish that has
strong jaws and sharp teeth
battle –
v. to try or struggle very hard to do something
count –
v. to be considered or regarded as something
decline –
v. to say that you will not or cannot do
something
downsize –
v. to make something smaller
deck –
n. a flat surface that forms the main outside
floor of a boat or ship
electric eel –
n. an eel-like freshwater fish of South
America, using pulses of electricity to kill prey, to assist in navigation,
and for defense
fish out of water –
expression. a person or thing is completely
clueless or directionless when put into unfamiliar surroundings or an
unfamiliar situation
float –
v. to rest on top of a liquid
get rid of –
phrasal verb. to do something so that you no
longer have or are affected by something that is unwanted
great white shark –
n. a large aggressive shark of warm seas, with
a brownish or gray back, white underparts, and large triangular teeth
houseboat –
n. a boat which is or can be moored for use as
a house
invite –
v. to ask someone to go somewhere or do
something
juice –
n. the liquid part that can be squeezed out of
vegetables and fruits
klutzy –
adj. describing a clumsy person
killer whale –
n. a black-and-white whale that kills and eats
other animals
kind of –
expression. to some extent
orange –
n. a citrus fruit that is round and that has an
orange skin
piranha –
n. a small South American fish that has sharp
teeth and that eats the flesh of animals
respond –
v. to say or write something as an answer to a
question or request
seasick –
adj. feeling sick because of the movement of a
boat or ship that you are on
swan –
n. a large usually white bird that lives on or
near water and that has a very long and graceful neck
sort of –
expression. in some way
story –
n. a group of rooms or an area that forms one
floor level of a building
treat –
v. an occurrence in which you pay for someone's
food, drink, or entertainment
Study all 30 English intermediate conversation lessons.
Let's Learn English conversation lessons each with a
conversation video, a video script, audio listening
practice, and a new
words section.
These lessons are for
intermediate students.
Study all 52 English beginner conversation lessons. Let's Learn
English conversation lessons each with a conversation
video, a video script, audio listening practice, video
speaking practice, video pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
These
lessons are for beginning students.
The complete lesson includes an audio program explaining this
topic, the script for the audio program, a words in this story section,
and other important information.
Click for the complete lesson
Audio Program
Listen to the audio program explaining this topic.
The complete lesson includes an audio program explaining this
topic, the script for the audio program, a words in this story section,
and other important information.
Click for the complete lesson
Audio Program
Listen to the audio program explaining this topic.
The lesson includes an audio program explaining this
topic, the script for the audio program, a words in this story section,
and other important information.
Click for the complete lesson
Audio Program
Listen to the audio program explaining this topic.
Hey Students,
Use this dictionary and reference to look up any words you do not
understand in Fun Easy English.
