There are too many homophones around—words that sound and are pronounced alike, but have different meaning. It’s just too easy to choose the wrong one. Check out this list I’ve compiled. Ever write one, but meant the other? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
new, knew
hear, here
dear, deer
see, sea
know, no
to, too, two
tow, toe
tea, tee
doe, dough
do, dew
die, dye
I, eye
since, sense
be, bee
wail, well
sale (n), sell (v), cell, sail
sill, ceil
site, cite, sight
write, right
wait, weight
way, weigh
grate, great
so, sew, sough, sow
but, butt
teem, team
sum, some
click, clique
reel, real
reed, read
alter, altar
tow, toe
bare, bear
wine, whine
wear, where
soul, sole
lye, lie
reign, rain
their, there
hi, high
you, ewe
hare, hair
sink, sync
by, bye
don, done
air, heir
ate, eight
pair, pear, pare
stair, stare
sike, psych
Then there are those tricky little words that tend to trip you up more often than not. They are confusing enough to make you seriously question which is the correct usage? Yes, they can leave you scratching your head.
choose, chose, choice
loose, lose
loss, lost
affect (v), effect (n)
dessert, desert
apart, a part
ashamed (adj), a shame (n)
own, on
pass, past, passed
re-sign, resign
raise, rise
lay, lie
awhile, a while
set, sit
If we native English speakers find ourselves confused by certain aspects of this language—like these type words—just imagine how those learning English as a second language must feel.