HOMONYMS, HOMOPHONES & HOMOGRAPHS


 For English learners, comprehension can be hindered by insufficient understanding of homonyms, homophones and homographs. For better understanding,  Homo originates from Latin and Greek. In Latin it means man while the latter means things that are  are similar in structure, function, or value. Homophones originates from the Greek work Homo (same)  and phone (sounds) therefore homophones are words that sounds the same but have different meanings and spellings. while homographs from the Greek words Homo ( same) graph (written) which means they are spelled or written the same but different meanings and the pronunciation varies as well.  A homograph that is pronounced differently is a heteronym.  We'll focus on homographs as we observe the steps in helping English learners to comprehend and use homographs;

1. Reading or listening

2. Defining and visualizing words

3. Identify part of speech

4. Categorizing words

5. Playing a word game with new words.

Join me as we read this together

1. The bandage was *wound* around the *wound*.

2. The farm was used to *produce produce*. 

3. The dump was so full that it had to *refuse* more *refuse*.

4. We must *polish* the *Polish* furniture.

5. He could *lead* if he would get the *lead* out.

6. The soldier decided to *desert* his *dessert* in the *desert*.

7. Since there is no time like the *present*, he thought it was time to *present* the *present*.

8. A *bass* was painted on the head of the *bass* drum.

9. When shot at, the *dove dove* into the bushes.

10. I did not *object* to the *object*

11. They were too *close* to the door to *close* it.

12. A seamstress and a *sewer* fell down into a *sewer* line.

13. Upon seeing the *tear* in the painting, I shed a *tear*.

14. I had to *subject* the *subject* to a series of tests.

15. How can I *intimate* this to my most *intimate* friend?   

I believe understanding these categories of words may not only improve student spelling development but vocabulary and comprehension competence as well.

The lovers of English language might enjoy this. There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word. That is *UP*.  It is easy to understand *UP* meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awake in the morning, why do we wake *UP*?   

At a meeting, why does a topic come *UP*? Why do we speak *UP* and why are the officers *UP* for election and why is it *UP* to the secretary to write *UP* a report? We call *UP* our friends and we use it to brighten *UP* a room, polish *UP* the silver; we warm *UP* the leftovers and clean *UP* the kitchen.

We lock *UP* the house and some guys fix *UP* the old car.  At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir *UP* trouble, line *UP* for tickets, work *UP* an appetite and think *UP* excuses.

To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed *UP* is special. A drain must be opened *UP* because it is stopped *UP*. We open *UP* a store in the morning but we close it *UP* at NIGHT. We seem to be pretty mixed *UP* about *UP*! To BE knowledgeable about the proper uses of *UP* look the word *UP* in the DICTIONARY.

In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes *UP* almost one quarter of the pages and can add *UP* to about thirty definitions.

If you are *UP* to it, you might try building *UP* a list of the many ways *UP* is used. It will take *UP* a lot of your time, but if you don't give *UP*, you may wind *UP* with a hundred or more.   

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding *UP*, but when the sun comes out we say it is clearing *UP*. When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things *UP*, when it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry *UP*. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it *UP* for now as my time is *UP* so... it is time to shut *UP*! 

Now,  it's *UP* to you to decide what you are *UP* to with this Post







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