English is easy… RIGHT

Really easy…RIGHT! The bandage was wound around the wound. The farm was used to produce produce. The dump was so full it had to refuse more refuse. We must polish the Polish furniture. He could lead if he would get the lead out. The solider decided to desert his dessert in the desert. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

Super Easy A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. I did not object to the object. The insurance was invalid for the invalid. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. They were too close to the door to close it. The buck does funny things when the does are present. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

I can’t stop myself… A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. To help with planting, a farmer taught his sow to sow. The wind was too strong to wind the sail. I had to subject the subject to a number of tests. How can I imitate this to my most intimate friend?

Remember the rule: “i” before “e”, but not after “c”, except for… Weight, Weird, Ceiling, Deceit, Perceive, Receipt, Science, Efficient, Height, Beige, Vein, Neighbour, Forfeit… “i” before “e”, but not after “c”, except for…

Homographs, Homophones and Homonym A homograph is a word that has the same spelling as another word but has a different sound and a different meaning: lead (to go in front of)/lead (a metal) wind (to follow a course that is not straight)/wind (a gust of air) bass (low, deep sound)/bass (a type of fish) A homophone is a word that has the same sound as another word but is spelled differently and has a different meaning: to/two/too there/their/they're pray/prey

Not so bad, right? The ending –graph means drawn or written, so a homograph has the same spelling. The –phone ending means sound or voice, so a homophone has the same pronunciation. But here's where it gets tricky. Depending on whom you talk to, homonym means either: A word that is spelled like another but has a different sound and meaning (homograph); a word that sounds like another but has a different spelling and meaning (homophone) OR A word that is spelled and pronounced like another but has a different meaning (homograph and homophone)

Write this on the board to start Tuesday’s class.

It’s and Its It’s = the contraction of it is or it has. Its = is a possessive. Things that belong to them or that they have. Examples: It’s your turn to cook tonight. (It is) The dog lost its ball. It’s and Its

Your and You’re Your: is the possessive of you. You’re: is the contraction of you are. Examples: Where is your hat? You’re a great friend. (You are) Your and You’re

Who’s and Whose Who’s: is the contraction of who is. Whose: is the possessive of who Examples: Who’s coming to my house? (Who is) Whose money is on the table? Important Note: Use who when referring to he/she. Use whom when referring to him/her. Who’s and Whose

Than: is used when a comarison is being made. Then: has a variety of meanings including ‘at some point’ and ‘in addition to’. In simplest terms, it is used in situations of time. Than: is used when a comarison is being made. Examples: I went to science, then English class. I like apples better than organes. Then and Than

Witch: a sorcerer or magician. Which: is used when asking questions, when asking for something, and when referring to something. Witch: a sorcerer or magician. Examples: Which shirt is yours? I dressed up as a witch last year. Which and Witch

Effect and Affect Effect: means as a result. Affect: means to influence Examples: The effect of making a good choice is a good grade. Studying for exams can affect a student’s final grade. Effect and Affect

Loose: meaning not tight Lose: fail to win. Loose: meaning not tight Examples: Did you lose the game? My pants are way too loose. Lose and Loose

There, They’re, and There There: refers to place and direction. They’re: the contraction of they are. Their: is a possessive. Things that belong to them or that they have. Examples: I’m going there tonight. They wore their costumes. They’re a nice couple. There, They’re, and There

Too: means also or overly Two: is the number (2). Too: means also or overly To: everything else – according to the Webster’s Dictionary, “to” has about 20 usages. Examples: There are two people ahead of me. I am going to the movie tonight. I ate way too much for supper. Two, To, and Too

Break or Brake

Desert or Dessert

Yikes

Common Mistakes Lean/lien Lone/loan Threw/through Weather/whether Synch/sink Cereal/serial Aural/oral Stationary/stationery Sight/site/cite Very/vary Straight/strait Board/bored Few/phew Course/coarse Check/cheque Praise/prays While/wile Aloud/allowed Floe/flow Complement/compliment Cede/seed Vain/vane Morning/mourning Wain/wane Lessen/lesson Principle/principal Toad/toed/towed Vale/veil Reek/wreak

Final Assignment or Test You will have an 80 sentence test. You must choose the correct homophone, homograph, or homonym for each sentence. Score /20 You may choose to use all 80 words in a creative piece of your choosing. A comic, poem, story, homophone/homograph/homonym support group…the possibilities are endless. You just have to showcase that you understand the words. Score /20 OR

In the hours of waiting, we spoke of the before times, Tootsie and I In the hours of waiting, we spoke of the before times, Tootsie and I. Before our sweet plastic home was invaded with a zealous rip and replaced by a rough, scratchy orange bowl. Before we were tossed senselessly into a hodgepodge of other frightened candies, all taken from their homes as well. Before the chaos. Candy searching for fellow candy, calling names of their spouses and babies. Families split apart by hectic, panicked crowds of other sugary confections. The cries were deafening. Hopelessness settled in by the fall of night. Tootsie and I tried to flee, taking blind leaps of escape with every rock of our bowl as it sailed into hands of drooling monsters. Every attempt ended in disappointing failure as Tootsie lost her spirit. It wasn't until our elderly neighbor Baby Ruth was stolen from us by wicked hands that Tootsie truly lost the will to fight. I could only hold her, cradled in the bottom of the cold bowl, covering her fragile, unraveling wrapper from the awful screams of candies being taken away with every shake of our prison. The quaking became less frequent and nearly ceased by morning, but impending doom jeered in the dark. And almost on cue, the bowl rattled once more--fingers fumbling through us all until they wrapped around their prize, whisking her away with fervor. My lovely Tootsie had less than a fleeting chance, and yet, in the end, she didn't even scream.