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Grammar Guide

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Homophones | What They Are and Common Mix Ups to Avoid

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Mixed up homophones are some of the most common mistakes I come across as an editor. Some writers, and non-writers who find themselves writing for work or school, don’t have a firm grasp on homophones and aren’t aware of the differences between a homophone and a homonym or that there’s a third option—a homograph. Let’s go over them.

What They Are

Homophones

Homophones are words that are pronounced the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings.

Berry/Bury

Add a berry or two to the top of the cheesecake to make it look nice.

Bury the time capsule in the town square.

Not/Knot

I am not happy right now.

Can you help me undo this knot?

Muscle/Mussel

Start lifting weights if you want to build more muscle.

I don’t like seafood, so I’ve never eaten a mussel.

Him/Hymn

I’m so happy to see him.

They sang a hymn in church today.

Morning/Mourning

The birdsong filled the morning air.

For Victorian widows, the mourning period lasted two full years.

Homographs

Homographs are words that are spelled the same but are different in pronunciation and meaning. 

Lead/Lead

Lead the way!

Paint with lead in it was banned for residential use in 1978.

(Don’t mix this up with led which is the past tense of lead, meaning He led the way.)

Bow/Bow

Tie a bow on the present, please.

Men who meet the royal family are expected to bow; women curtsy.

Minute/Minute

Give me a minute to tie my shoelaces.

The difference between the lab samples was minute.

Wind/Wind

Wind the clock.

The wind whistled through the eaves.

Homonyms

There is more than one definition for homonyms. 

One definition is that homonyms are words that are spelled the same and pronounced the same but have different meanings. 

Lie/Lie

I need to lie down. 

I told a little white lie, so what?

According to some sources, including Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries, the word “homonym” is defined as an overarching category that includes homophones and homographs, meaning the words can either be pronounced the same way with different meanings and spellings or be spelled the same with different meanings and pronunciations, but don’t have to be the same in both spelling and pronunciation. 

In all honesty, it is not terribly important that you remember the definitions for homophones/homographs/homonyms. What’s important is that you watch for the homophones in your own writing. Because they are spelled differently and carry different meanings, homophones present the most opportunity for writers to make mistakes. Make sure you know which ones you’re using in your writing. 

Here are ten commonly mixed up homophones that you need to watch for:

Affect/Effect

Affect is used as a verb and effect is used as a noun. To remember that, remember A for Action and Alteration and E is for End Result.

The snow affects their ability to drive.

Bad roads were only one of the snow’s effects.

Accept/Except

Accept means to willingly receive or take something

Except means excluding or other than

He accepted the criticism with grace.

I have that shirt in every color except yellow.

Brake/Break

Brake is a device used to stop something. 

Break is verb that means has a lot of meanings: to separate into two or more pieces, make inoperable, violate (as in breaking the law), or stop or bring to a halt, etc. 

I need new brakes in my car.

I need a break from work. 

Don’t break the fine china!

He got arrested for breaking the law.

Compliment/Complement

Compliment means “an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration”

Complement means “something that fills up, completes, or makes better or perfect” OR  “the full quantity, number, or assortment needed or included”

That nice woman just complimented my necklace.

The necklace really complements the dress.

For/Four

For is used to indicate purpose

Four refers to the number 4

The sugar is for the frosting.

I need four more cupcakes for the class.

I work for four more hours, then I can go out.

Here/Hear

Here means in or at this place

Hear is to listen, to perceive or become aware of by ear

I can’t hear anything in my headphones.

Kick the soccer ball over here.

Than/Then

Than is the second part of a comparison

Then is used to indicate time and means “at that time” or “soon after” or “next in order of time”

Her outfit is better than mine.

I have to blow dry my hair, then I’ll start my makeup. 

Our/Hour

Our means “of or relating to us or ourselves or ourself especially as possessors or possessor, agents or agent, or objects or object of an action” 

Hour is a measure of time equal to 60 minutes. 

That’s our car over there.

The movie is two hours long.

There/Their/They’re

Ah! Perhaps the most mixed up homophones of all—the dreaded their/they’re/there confusion. 

Their is a pronoun like his/hers.

Have you been to their house? 

They’re is the contraction of they are.

They’re standing right here.

There has many uses, but is most often used as an adverb meaning “in or at that place” or as a pronoun to introduce a clause.

Pronoun: There’s a cat on the couch.

Adverb: Move the cat over there.

Your/You’re

Your indicates possession. 

Where are your shoes?

You’re is a contraction of you are

You’re so pretty!

Being aware of what homophones most commonly trip writers (and everybody) up will help you avoid them in your own work. Watch closely for these words and remember, mistakes happen. Every writer needs a second pair of eyes on their work to make sure it’s free of errors, and a professional editor is the best way to ensure the quality of your work. 

Theirs no excuse for these types of mistakes to remain in you’re writing, weather your a grammar whiz or knot. 

(See what I did there? Isn’t it awful and distracting?)

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Comma Splices | What They Are & How to Fix Them

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Grammar is a tricky thing. For every rule you understand perfectly, there’s a handful that remain as confusing and elusive as ever. Though being a stickler for grammar rules shouldn’t be an author’s first priority while writing, it never hurts to have a firm grasp on the rules, even if it’s just so you can break them.

Let’s tackle a common grammar mistake that writers might not even realize they’re making—comma splices. 

What are they? 

Comma splices occur when two independent clauses are improperly connected by commas alone; they’re run-on sentences with a comma. (Reminder: run-on sentences occur when two independent clauses aren’t properly connected. They are not sentences that feel too long.)

Comma splice examples: 

The sunset was starting, I left my camera in the car.

The ice cream is melting, I need a napkin.

I love my new dress, I’ve never owned something so fancy.

How to Identify Them

When trying to identify a comma splice, look at the phrases that come before and after the comma. Can they each stand on their own as complete sentences? If so, they’re independent clauses and the sentence is a comma splice.

Take one of the sentences above for example. “The sunset was starting” can stand on its own, as can “I left my camera in the car.” It’s a comma splice.

How to Fix Them

There are three common ways to fix a comma splice.

1. Separate the clauses into two sentences    

The sunset was starting. I left my camera in the car.

The ice cream is melting. I need a napkin. 

I love my new dress. I’ve never owned something so fancy.

2. Replace the comma with a semicolon 

The sunset was starting; I left my camera in the car.

The ice cream is melting; I need a napkin. 

I love my new dress; I’ve never owned something so fancy.

3. Add a conjunction (if it makes sense)

The sunset was starting, but I left my camera in the car.

The ice cream is melting, and I need a napkin. 

A conjunction doesn’t fit so well for the dress sentence, so it’s best fixed by a period or semi-colon. 

What Not to Do 

Make sure you don’t try to fix a comma splice by using a comma followed by a conjunctive adverb.

Conjunctive adverbs include: however, similarly, nevertheless, moreover, therefore, certainly, hence, by contrast, furthermore, in other words, in addition.

Adding one of these words or phrases still results in a comma splice. However, you can add one to help fix a comma splice if you’re using a period or semicolon before the second independent clause. (Notice how these two sentences are an example of this?)

Break the Rules

Some grammar rules were made to be broken. While comma splices should be avoided in formal, professional writing, there’s room for them within fiction where writing is allowed to be more casual, conversational, and where individual style and impact is prioritized. Comma splices can remain when they are used intentionally to enhance style, narrative, and rhythm.

Comma splices are commonly used in fiction when authors want to create a sense of urgency or to convey a sense of speed within a character’s racing thoughts or speech. They create a sense of natural rhythm and flow that is found in real-life speech, whereas a period or semi-colon would create a full stop. Full stops often interrupt the flow of a sentence and its emotion, injecting a stiffness that wouldn’t be found in real-life speech and might be at odds with the author’s intention for the scene. 

Comma splices can be used outside of dialogue/thought as well. When they enhance the style and narrative rhythm you’re aiming for, leave them. Perhaps the most famous example of a comma splice in fiction is the first line from Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

When they serve a purpose within your writing, comma splices are perfectly acceptable within fiction. Prioritize style and flow over grammar rules when appropriate. 

Remember: break whatever rules you want when it comes to your writing. It’s your voice and your story. A good editor knows when rules are broken for a reason and when making corrections according to those grammar rules only stifles an author’s style and voice. 

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Book a call with me   Send me a message  Email me: madison@cadmuseditorial.com  My prices