Last Update: Jan 03, 2023
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
Asked by: Solon Gibson
Score: 4.6/5
(24 votes)
Words that having similar sounds are called homonyms. Within the category of homonyms are two commonly confused concepts: homographs and homophones.
What are the sounding words?
Examples of these sound words include:
- bam.
- bang.
- clang.
- clank.
- clap.
- clatter.
- click.
- clink.
What are some badass words?
badass
- agitator.
- rebel.
- demagogue.
- dissident.
- fighter.
- frondeur.
- renegade.
- sparkplug.
What are 2 words that sound the same?
What Is a Homophone? As mentioned above, sets of words like “you’re” and “your” are called homophones. The root of that word, homo-, means “same,” and the root phone- means “sound.” Homophones are two words that sound the same, but have different meanings.
Can you give me a list of Homographs?
Homograph Examples
- agape – with mouth open OR love.
- bass – type of fish OR low, deep voice.
- bat — piece of sports equipment OR an animal.
- bow – type of knot OR to incline.
- down – a lower place OR soft fluff on a bird.
- entrance – the way in OR to delight.
- evening – smoothing out OR after sunset.
- fine – of good quality OR a levy.
44 related questions found
What is homophonic mean?
having the same sound. Music. having one part or melody predominating (opposed to polyphonic).
Which word is pronounced the same as one?
A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and/or spelling. “Flower” and “flour” are homophones because they are pronounced the same but you certainly can’t bake a cake using daffodils. Continue reading…
What is polysemy English?
When a symbol, word, or phrase means many different things, that’s called polysemy. The verb «get» is a good example of polysemy — it can mean «procure,» «become,» or «understand.» … Generally, polysemy is distinguished from simple homonyms (where words sound alike but have different meanings) by etymology.
What are same words with different meanings?
When words are spelled the same and sound the same but have different meanings, then they are called homonyms.
What are the 10 homonyms?
10 Homonyms with Meanings and Sentences
- Cache – Cash:
- Scents – Sense:
- Chile – Chili:
- Choir – Quire:
- Site – Sight:
- Facts- Fax:
- Finnish – Finish:
What are homonyms words?
Homonyms may be words with identical pronunciations but different spellings and meanings, such as to, too, and two. Or they may be words with both identical pronunciations and identical spellings but different meanings, such as quail (the bird) and quail (to cringe).
What is a word that is spelled the same but have different meanings?
Homophones are words that sound the same but are different in meaning or spelling. Homographs are spelled the same, but differ in meaning or pronunciation. Homonyms can be either or even both. … Welcome to homophones, homographs, and homonyms.
Which word has many meanings?
Homonyms, or multiple-meaning words, are words that have the same spelling and usually sound alike, but have different meanings (e.g. dog bark, tree bark).
What are polysemous words?
A polysemous word is a word that has different meanings that derive from a common origin; a homograph is a word that has different meanings with unrelated origins. Polysemous words and homographs constitute a known problem for language learners.
What are Polysemantic words?
Definitions of polysemantic word. a word having more than one meaning. synonyms: polysemant, polysemous word. type of: word. a unit of language that native speakers can identify.
What is a correct pronunciation?
Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. This may refer to generally agreed-upon sequences of sounds used in speaking a given word or language in a specific dialect («correct pronunciation») or simply the way a particular individual speaks a word or language.
Is the S silent in chassis?
Strictly following the formal rules of English, both the singular and plural possessive are spelled and pronounced the same: chassis’ prononounced chasseez.
What word is pronounced the same even after removing?
Answer Expert Verified
Queue is the only 5 letter word which has the same pronounciation even if the last 4 words are removed. That is , even though if we remove «ueue» from the word Queue , we will get the same pronounciation which was earlier. Hence, The answer is Queue.
What is homophonic example?
An example of something homophonic is a piece of music with chords, where two instruments play the same line of melody in the same rhythm; however, one instrument plays one note and a second intrument places a note in harmony. An example of homophonic words are pair and pear. Having the same sound.
What is an example of homophonic texture?
So, a homophonic texture is where you can have multiple different notes playing, but they’re all based around the same melody. A rock or pop star singing a song while playing guitar or piano at the same time is an example of homophonic texture.
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meaning and spellings. You can download and learn homophones with our A-Z List PDF. In English there are many words in that category. You should learn how to use them, most importantly understand them correctly. English words that sound same can be hard for second comers. With some English practice and using those words in context will help you greatly.
I recommend getting some help from dictionaries and using visual cards can help you a lot. You can find some most common English words that look and sound similar with example sentences. Practice can help you to tell the difference between them easily.
1. Difference between Bear-Bare
Bear is a verb. Meaning: to hold up; support; carry
-to bear the weight of the roof.
Bare is an adjective. Meaning:(of a person or part of the body) not clothed or covered.
-bare walls, bare walls
2. Difference between Break-Brake
Break is a verb. Meaning: to smash, split, or divide into parts violently; reduce to pieces or fragments
-He broke a vase.
-She broke her promise.
Brake is a noun. Meaning: anything that has a slowing or stopping effect.
-You should brake your car when you see someone on the road.
3. Difference between Coarse-Course
Coarse is a adjective. Meaning: composed of relatively large parts or particles.
-The beach had rough, coarse sand.
Course is a noun. Meaning: Course: a series of classes you take to learn about a certain subject.
-English course
4. Difference between Desert-Dessert
Desert is a noun. Meaning: a hot, dry land with little rain and few plants or people.
-The Sahara is a vast sandy desert.
Dessert is also a noun. Meaning: cake, pie, fruit, pudding, ice cream, etc., served as the final course of a meal.
-Maybe we should have vanilla ice cream for dessert.
5. Difference between Race-Raise
Race is noun. Meaning: a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
-They spent a day at the races.
Raise is a verb. Meaning: to move to a higher position; lift up; elevate.
-Raise your head
6. Difference between Price-Prize
Price is a noun. Meaning: the sum or amount of money or its equivalent for which anything is bought, sold, or offered for sale.
-Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Prize is noun. Meaning: a reward for victory or superiority, as in a contest or competition.
-her invention won first prize in a national contest
7. Difference between Plain-Plane
Plain is an adjective. Meaning: not decorated or elaborate; simple or basic in character.
-good plain food
Plane is a noun. Meaning: a vehicle designed for air travel.
-flying with a plane
8. Difference between Lose-Loose
Lose is a verb. Mostly used with a object. Meaning: suffer a loss or fail to keep something in your possession
-I lose my hat everyday.
-I am losing my mind
Loose is an adjective. Meaning: free or released from fastening or attachment.
-a loose end.
Homophones A-Z List PDF
Homophones-A-Z List PDF – download
Asked by: Cale Funk
Score: 4.3/5
(66 votes)
A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and/or spelling. “Flower” and “flour” are homophones because they are pronounced the same but you certainly can’t bake a cake using daffodils.
What is the word for when words sound similar?
Homonyms are words which sound alike or are spelled alike. In a strict sense, a homonym is a word that both sounds and is spelled the same as another word.
What are three words that sound the same?
Homonyms are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things. In the sentence «The two boys want to play too.» the three highlighted words are pronounced identically, but in each case the spelling is different. To, too, and two are homonyms.
What are similar words?
similar
- akin,
- alike,
- analogous,
- cognate,
- comparable,
- connate,
- correspondent,
- corresponding,
What is a rhyming word?
Rhyming words are two or more words that have the same or similar ending sound. … If they sound the same or similar, they rhyme. For example: car and bar rhyme; house and mouse rhyme. If the two words sound different, they do not rhyme.
34 related questions found
What are 100 Homographs examples?
Homograph Examples
- agape – with mouth open OR love.
- bass – type of fish OR low, deep voice.
- bat — piece of sports equipment OR an animal.
- bow – type of knot OR to incline.
- down – a lower place OR soft fluff on a bird.
- entrance – the way in OR to delight.
- evening – smoothing out OR after sunset.
- fine – of good quality OR a levy.
What is a Phononym?
A homonym is a word that has a different meaning than another word but is pronounced the same or spelled the same or both. The word homonym can be used as a synonym for both homophone and homograph. It can also be used to refer to words that are both homophones and homographs.
What are homonyms words?
Homonyms may be words with identical pronunciations but different spellings and meanings, such as to, too, and two. Or they may be words with both identical pronunciations and identical spellings but different meanings, such as quail (the bird) and quail (to cringe).
What are Homographs words?
: one of two or more words spelled alike but different in meaning or derivation or pronunciation (such as the bow of a ship, a bow and arrow)
What are two Homographs?
Homographs are words that have same spelling but can be used in different meanings and/or pronunciations. For examples – wind, bear, founded, wound, row, evening, bat etc… The usual pronunciation is similar to ‘I’ in the words ‘is’ or ‘in’. Wind means blowing air.
What is Homographs with example sentences?
a) in baseball or cricket: Tom has a strange way of holding his cricket bat. b) an animal: We often see bats in our garden in the early evening. a) sphere: We love ball games. b) a dance: At university, there was always a Summer Ball.
What are the 10 homonyms?
10 Homonyms with Meanings and Sentences
- Cache – Cash:
- Scents – Sense:
- Chile – Chili:
- Choir – Quire:
- Site – Sight:
- Facts- Fax:
- Finnish – Finish:
What is a homonyms sentence?
Homonyms are words that sound the same but have completely different meanings. For example: Incorrect: There house is a mess! (“There” refers to the opposite of “here.” This sentence does not make sense.) Correct: Their house is a mess!
What is homonyms and examples?
Homonyms are words that are pronounced the same as each other (e.g., «maid» and «made») or have the same spelling (e.g., «lead weight» and «to lead»). … Therefore, it is possible for a homonym to be a homophone (same sound) and a homograph (same spelling), e.g., «vampire bat» and «cricket bat».
What are the 50 examples of homophones?
50 Homophones with Meanings and Examples
- Aunt (noun) or Aren’t (contraction) – …
- Ate (verb) or Eight(noun) – …
- Air (noun) or Heir (noun) – …
- Board (noun) or Bored (adjective) – …
- Buy (verb) or By (preposition) or Bye (exclamation) – …
- Brake (noun, verb) or Break (noun, verb) – …
- Cell (noun) or Sell (verb) –
What is homophonic mean?
having the same sound. Music. having one part or melody predominating (opposed to polyphonic).
What are 10 words that rhyme?
Words that Rhyme in English
- Cat – Sat – Bat.
- Ball – Fall – Tall.
- Right – Kite – Height.
- Owl – Towel – Growl.
- Bore – Four – Roar.
- Rock – Chalk – Hawk.
- One – Gun – Won.
- Face – Place – Race.
What is a Homograph for animal?
a word of the same written form as another but of different meaning and usually origin, whether pronounced the same way or not, as bear1 “to carry; support” and bear2 “animal” or lead1 “to conduct” and lead2 “metal.”
What are Homographs kids?
A homograph is one of a group of words that have the same spelling but have different meanings. They can also have different pronunciations.
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By
Last updated:
February 14, 2023
There are a few things you can try to learn English more quickly.
One of them is to practice your pronunciation with minimal pairs.
Read on to learn about 20 minimal pairs in the English language.
Contents
- What Are Minimal Pairs?
- Minimal Pairs: Vowel Sounds
-
- 1. Lit and Let
- 2. Pen and Pan
- 3. Cut and Cat
- Minimal Pairs: Consonant Sounds
-
- 4. Lot and Not
- 5. Flight and Fight
- 6. Pat and Bat
- 7. Sip and Zip
- 8. Writer and Rider
- 9. Tease and Knees
- 10. Tie and Lie
- 11. Arrive and Alive
- 12. Grow and Glow
- 13. Sigh and Thigh
- 14. Pin and Bin
- 15. Tent and Tenth
- 16. Sheer and Cheer
- 17. Bowling and Boring
- 18. Kneel and Near
- 19. Hard and Heart
- 20. Bent and Vent
- How to Practice with Minimal Pairs
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
What Are Minimal Pairs?
Minimal pairs are two words that are pronounced almost in the same way, but they have one sound that makes them different. The sound can be a vowel or a consonant.
These pairs have nothing to do with spelling or meaning. The words sound similar but they do not mean the same thing. Their definitions have nothing to do with each other.
They might be spelled very differently, but the actual sounds (called phonemes) will be quite similar. Or, the two words in a minimal pair might be spelled very similarly, with just one different letter.
Minimal pairs often confuse English learners. Many English learners will replace one word with another while speaking. This completely changes the meaning of the actual sentence.
However, if you learn minimal pairs, you can really improve your English pronunciation. Practicing minimal pairs is a great way to become a better English listener.
Minimal Pairs: Vowel Sounds
1. Lit and Let
Lit is the past tense of the word light. It means to burn something like a candle or a cigarette. Lit can also be used as an adjective, to say that something is full of light such as a room.
Let is a synonym of allow.
The word lit rhymes with fit or kit. And let sounds more like get.
The vowel in the middle is what differentiates these words.
2. Pen and Pan
A pen is a thin, small tool used to write and draw.
A pan is a circular, flat utensil used to cook food like eggs.
The “e” resembles the vowel in hen or end. Meanwhile, the “a” sounds the same as the one in hand.
The vowel in the middle differentiates these two words.
3. Cut and Cat
To cut is to make an opening or create two or more pieces of something using a sharp tool.
A cat is, of course, an animal.
The middle sound in “cut” is pronounced as “uh,” and in “cat” it sounds like “ah.”
Minimal Pairs: Consonant Sounds
4. Lot and Not
The word lot in English is generally used to talk about a large number of things. For example, “I ate a lot of food.” In American English, it might be used to talk about a piece of land, usually for sale.
Not is used to refuse or negate something. For example, “I am not well today.”
These words sound the same, except for their first consonants, “l” and “n.”
5. Flight and Fight
As a verb, flight refers to the action of flying. It can also refer to a trip in a plane, such as “My flight leaves at 2:00.”
Fight, on the other hand, means to be violent with someone.
The main difference between them is the consonant “l” in the word flight.
6. Pat and Bat
To pat someone is to lightly touch them with the flat surface of your hand. Pat can also mean a piece of something very soft like butter.
Bat is usually a long, wooden thing used in sports like cricket or baseball. It is also a kind of bird that flies at night.
These words might sound very similar. But the “p” in pat sounds slightly harder than the “b” in bat.
When you say pat, some air will come out of your mouth. When you say bat, this won’t happen.
7. Sip and Zip
To sip something is to drink something slowly.
Zip as a noun is a short word for zipper, the thing that you use to close your pants or jacket. As a verb, it means to close a zipper.
The “s” in sip sounds like the hiss of a snake. The “z” in zip sounds like the buzz of a bee.
8. Writer and Rider
A writer is someone who writes, usually for a living.
A rider is someone who rides an animal or a vehicle. This is commonly used in the context of riding a horse.
The consonants in the middle (“t” and “d”) make them different in terms of pronunciation.
9. Tease and Knees
To tease someone is to playfully make fun of someone. And knees are the joints in your leg that connect your upper and lower legs.
Even though their spellings are completely different, they sound very similar. The second part of both these words sounds like “ease.”
But the first part of tease sounds like “tee-“ and the first part of knees sounds like “nee-“ because the “k” is silent.
10. Tie and Lie
As a verb, tie means to join two things with a knot using a string or rope. As a noun, it refers to the piece of clothing that men usually wear around their neck when dressing formally.
To lie is either to say something false, or to be in a horizontal position (such as to lie in bed).
The difference, of course, is the first consonant of each word.
11. Arrive and Alive
To arrive is to get to a place.
To be alive is to have life.
The middle sound in both words will help you separate these pairs. Other than the “r” and “l” sounds, these two words sound exactly the same.
12. Grow and Glow
To grow is to become larger over time.
To glow means to shine, or to create light in a dark place.
In terms of sounds, it is quite easy to separate them since the last part of both the words are spelled as they are written.
The end of each word sounds like “oh”. Like the previous pair, the “r” and “l” consonants are what make them different.
13. Sigh and Thigh
To sigh is to take a deep breath as a sign of sadness, relief or tiredness.
The thigh is the part of your leg that is above your knee.
Since both these words have such different meanings, it is easy to differentiate them.
The “s” in sigh sounds like the hiss of a snake. And the “th” in thigh sounds like the end of the word tooth.
14. Pin and Bin
A pin is a small, sharp metal object used to fasten cloth or paper. It can also refer to the act of pushing someone to the ground or a wall and holding them there.
A bin is a narrow basket-like object. In British English, a bin is a place where you put trash.
The first consonant is what makes these words different.
Like with pat and bat, you can practice by seeing if air comes out of your mouth when you say pin and not when you say bin.
15. Tent and Tenth
A tent is a temporary shelter made from cloth or wood.
Tenth can refer to the number ten in a series. For example, the tenth house on a street.
The final sound is what makes these words different.
The “t” at the end of tent is a hard “t” sound. The “th” at the end of tenth sounds like the end of the word tooth.
16. Sheer and Cheer
Sheer is a word that is used to emphasize an adjective. For example, “The president’s speech was sheer nonsense.”
Sheer can also refer to a kind of cloth that is so thin you can almost see through it.
Cheer is encouraging someone by making loud noises and exaggerated gestures, like at a sporting event.
To differentiate between the two, you need to focus on the first sound.
The “ch” of cheer is pronounced similar to the “ch” of cherry.
The “sh” in sheer sounds like the sound you make to tell somebody to be quiet: shhh!
17. Bowling and Boring
Bowling is a sport played with huge balls and pins.
Boring means the same thing as uninteresting.
The “l” and the “r” sounds make them different. Every other part of the word is pronounced in the same way.
18. Kneel and Near
To kneel is to bend on your knees.
Something is near you when it is close to you physically.
The “k” in kneel is silent, so the first consonants of these words actually sound exactly the same.
The last parts of the words are different, though. These parts are pronounced just like the words eel and ear.
19. Hard and Heart
If something is hard, it is either physically solid or it is difficult to do.
The heart is the organ in our body that constantly pumps our blood.
The different sounds of “d” and “t” in these words make them sound different.
20. Bent and Vent
If something is bent, then it is curved in an angle.
A vent can be an opening in a wall that lets gases pass through a room. The word can be used as a verb, meaning to let out strong emotions.
The “b” and “v” sounds are what make these words different.
One way to practice is to watch what you do with your mouth while saying these words.
When you say bent, your two lips will come together at the beginning.
When you say vent, you will put your upper teeth on your bottom lip.
How to Practice with Minimal Pairs
- Watch a YouTube video to learn the pronunciation of minimal pairs.
- Use a pronunciation dictionary like Forvo to listen to the pronunciation of similar words and try to hear their different sounds.
- Study the sounds on an IPA (International Phonetic Pronunciation) chart.
- Try to identify minimal pairs while listening to people speak English.
If you want to improve your English listening skills, the FluentU language program has authentic English language videos like music videos and movie trailers where you can listen for minimal pairs.
The short videos also have interactive subtitles in English, so you can quickly find those similar words and add them to your own flashcard deck for more pronunciation practice.
We know that separating one word from another in these pairs might feel confusing. In fact, even some native speakers make mistakes while listening or speaking. But if you learn the basics of English pronunciation properly, English speaking actually becomes quite easy.
Noticing how your mouth and tongue move while you speak English words is a great first step. Then, you can learn the different vowel and consonant sounds that exist in English.
You’ll be a master of minimal pairs in no time.
Good luck!
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
You can learn the difference between similar-sounding words in English, the context in which these words are used, along with the relevant examples.
Identical words are quite complex. They almost look alike but they differ in their meanings and contexts. We can also say that some English words have twins. When you learn English vocabulary, you come across different words that are identical, but in reality, they are very different from one another.
Synonyms are words that have very similar meanings but slightly different functions or applications. Instead of simply saying the pasta you had last night was delicious, you could spice things up by using synonyms like tasty, yummy, or even mouthwatering.
In addition to synonyms, there are words with the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings (homonyms), words that sound the same but are spelled and used differently (homophones), and words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings (homographs).
All these similar words in English are quite confusing and sometimes frustrating as well. We will explore some tips to distinguish these similar words.
1. Use a dictionary regularly
The dictionary is your best language-learning guide. If you are not sure what a word means, look it up in an English-language dictionary.
Keep in mind that a single word can have numerous meanings and applications. A good dictionary or dictionary app will list them all, with context examples. A thesaurus (which lists synonyms for any word) can also aid in the identification of words with similar meanings.
2. Create your own clues about the word
Similar English words can be very complicated, but you can create special cues and images to help you to remember which one is which.
Make an image of something familiar (a person, a thing, or an event) and connect it to the word. When you see the word again, that clue will automatically come to mind, and you will easily remember the difference.
3. Use flashcards to make notes
There are numerous ways to use flashcards as learning tools. Use the flashcard to test yourself by writing the word on one side and its meaning on the other. Flashcards are portable, enabling you to review them when you have free time. Even better, you can create and study with flashcards online.
4. Focus on learning words based on their context
If you only try to remember English words and their definitions, you will quickly become confused. There are several words that are used interchangeably. For example, the words ‘rob’ and ‘steal’ are used interchangeably but their definitions may vary in the dictionary.
The definitions of ‘rob’ and ‘steal’ in the dictionary are:
Rob: “to take personal property from someone by violence or danger”
Steal: “to take the property of another illegally”
Now the two definitions look identical but they vary in their context. To understand the contextual difference, you would need to hear native speakers in real situations. You can also learn the contextual use of English words with italki. Enroll yourself to learn English online with the best and most professional online English tutors who will improve your understanding of similar words in English.
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The instructors will help you generate your notes for English vocabulary, parts of speech, conjunction, prepositions, and homophones in English with relevant examples and exercises.
Words having similar spellings but different meanings
Coarse/Course
Coarse: (adjective) a rough, not smooth texture.
Example: Is the upper you are wearing smooth or coarse in texture?
Course: (noun) a series of classes taken to learn about a specific subject.
Example: Are you taking any courses to improve your writing skills?
Race/Raise
Race: (verb) compete in a speed contest, such as running or cycling.
Example: My kids enjoy racing each other in school.
Raise: (verb) lift up something like your hand.
Example: If you want chocolate, raise your hand.
Desert/Dessert
Desert: (noun) a hot, dry land with few plants and people (for example, the Sahara)
Example: If you plan to visit the Sahara desert, how much water would you require?
Dessert: (noun) a sweet dish served at the end of a meal (for example, cake)
Example: Maybe we should have dessert at the end of the meal.
Bear/Bare
Bear: (verb) produce outcomes or fruit
Example: This tree will bear fruits this summer.
Bare: (verb) expose or display
Example: When we opened the gate, John’s dog ran up and started to bare its teeth at us.
Break/Brake
Break: (verb) divide something into pieces or cause it to stop working, usually after dropping or misusing it.
Example: Please do not break this expensive glass.
Brake: (verb) slow down or come to an end
Example: You should press the brake of your car at the signal.
Price/Prize
Price: (noun) the amount of money you pay for something.
Example: I did not buy the dress because its price was very high.
Prize: (noun) something offered to conquerors of a competition or contest.
Example: If you want to get first prize, you must work hard.
Lose/Loose
Lose: (verb) suffer a loss or fail to keep something in your ownership.
Example: Please do not lose these papers or you won’t be able to host the meeting.
Loose: (adjective) not tightly or properly fixed.
Example: She is very thin, and this jacket is loose for her.
Plain/Plane/Plan
Plain: (adjective) average, not decorated
Example: This top is too plain. I am not wearing it.
Plane: (noun) short form of airplane
Example: I am traveling to the USA by plane.
Plan: (noun) a thorough program of action.
Example: My plan is to travel to all the nearby places in a month.
Words in English with Similar Meanings
Rob/Steal
Rob: (verb) take something away from someone forcefully.
Example: someone tried to rob John this afternoon.
Steal: (verb) take something away illegally or without consent.
Example: if I leave my bag in the park, someone will definitely steal it.
Cut/Chop
Cut: (verb) divide something into pieces with a knife or any sharp tool.
Example: Please cut the onion into small pieces.
Chop: (verb) cut into many small pieces with recurrent strokes of a knife.
Example: You must chop the garlic before putting it into the pan.
Lend/Borrow
Lend: (verb) give someone short-term use of something in exchange for it being returned later.
Example: Do not worry if you don’t have money, I can lend you some.
Borrow: (verb) accept or demand temporary use of something in exchange for its return later.
Example: I have a Mathematics test tomorrow, can I borrow your calculator?
Hear/Listen
Hear: (verb) become conscious of a sound.
Example: Did you hear the phone ring?
Listen: (verb) pay attention or be aware of a sound.
Example: I like to listen to music when I am sad.
Ice/Snow
Ice: (noun) frozen water
Example: It is so cold that the car is covered with a layer of ice.
Snow: (noun) tiny white frozen droplets of water that fall from the sky.
Example: Snow is expected tonight.
Amount/Number
Amount: (noun) the total number or quantity, used for innumerable things.
Example: you must use this amount of baking powder in the cake.
Number: (noun) the total quantity of units, used for countable things.
Example: The number of passes sold this month is twice the previous month’s passes.
See/Watch/Look
See: (verb) identify by eye or sight
Example: Did you see him taking the book from the shelf?
Watch: (verb) observe responsively.
Example: we are all set to watch a cricket match tonight.
Look: (verb) cast your eye on
Example: Please look at this object before you start sketching.
So, these were some words that look similar and can be very confusing. We hope that the differences are clear to you now. Sometimes, we get confused while using similar words. Such as, a majority of people get confused about whether to use to or too. It requires deep observation and plenty of practice to get a command of these words.
Conclusion
If you are learning English, you must make flashcards for yourself. Practice them on daily basis in your conversations with friends and family. You can also read English books and watch English movies or web series to understand the difference between similar words in English.
Most importantly, keenly observe native speakers while they utter such words. It will help you understand the use of different words based on their context.
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If you’re teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), there are some unique sounds that can be difficult for cultures to speak. For example, this includes the /r/, /l/ and /th/ sound.
One way to practice these sounds is by using minimal pairs, which are two similar sounding words that differ in only one phonological element. This means that one of your biggest assets is how well you can pronounce the sounds of English.
In the minimal pairs pictures activity, students have to circle the word they hear. As with all minimal pair worksheets in this list, this focuses on identifying similar sounds. Finally, go through each sound by repeating the sounds.
Minimal Pairs Pictures Worksheet
- Mouth/Mouse
- Thumb/Sum
- Sing/Thing
- Rocker/Locker
- Fan/Van
- Math/Mass
- Bent/Vent
- Shell/Sell
Related Minimal Pairs Worksheets
If you need more minimal pairs worksheets, see our free printable activity sheets below.
- 5 Best Minimal Pairs Worksheets for Proper Pronunciation
- Minimal Pairs ESL Cards: Grab the Correct Card
- 5 Vocabulary Lesson Plans: How to Boost Students Collection of Words
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|
Word |
Hint |
|
Accept |
Verb: to receive (I accept your apology.) |
|
Affect |
To have an influence on. Note: this word is only used as a verb |
|
Allowed |
Permitted (Am I allowed to smoke here?) |
|
Aural |
Related to the ability to hear |
|
Broach |
Verb: to carefully introduce a topic that may be sensitive |
|
Change |
Verb: to make something different |
|
Choose |
Present tense of the verb to choose; stress the /oo/sound |
|
Complementary |
Adjective: describes when two different things match or go well together |
|
Coarse |
Adjective: describes a rough texture; rude or offensive material (for example: coarse jokes) |
|
Council |
Noun: a group of people with a particular responsibility |
|
Foreword |
Noun: an introduction to the author or the subject, at the beginning of a book |
|
Loose |
Adjective, meaning ‘not tight’ (I lost weight and now my clothes are loose.) |
|
Of |
Stress the /ov/ sound |
|
Passed |
Verb, the past tense of to pass (The car passed me at full speed.) |
|
Personal |
Adjective: individual or private |
|
Principal Principle |
Noun: the head of, or person in charge, of an institution |
|
Quiet |
Adjective: to be silent or almost noiseless (The class was completely quiet.) |
|
Role |
Noun: relating to the way someone is involved in an activity |
|
Stationary |
Adjective: not moving (There was a stationary car outside the house.) |
For additional support, see the Words that Sound Similar page and the Words That Sound Similar Tip Sheet.