Homophones and Often-Confused Words
- a lot = an amount (We baked a lot of cookies.)
- allot = to hand out a portion (I will allot you two cookies.)
- whole = the entire object or amount (He didn’t want a whole cookie, just half.)
- hole = an empty space (Why are there holes in my cookie where chocolate chips should be?)
- where = a place (Where did you hide the cookies?)
- wear = to put on, like clothing (Why are youwearing a cookie like a hat?)
- were = past tense of “are” (I thought you were baking cookies.)
- we’re = contraction of “we are” (We’re baking cookies.)
- your = possessive pronoun relating to “you” (Your cookies are burning.)
- you’re = contraction of “you are” (You’re burning the cookies!)
- to = in the direction of; so as to cause – preposition (I am going to bake cookies.)
- too = in addition; very (I made peanut butter cookies too.)
- two = number (I want two cookies.)
- their = possessive, relating to they/them (They are their cookies right away.)
- there = a place (The cookie jar is over there.)
- they’re = contraction of “they are” (They’re eating cookies.)
- its = possessive relating to “it” (The dog ate its cookie.)
- it’s = contraction of “it is” (It’s fun to bake cookies.)
- all ready = everyone ready (We were all ready to bake cookies.)
- already = previously; in the past (We already baked cookies.)
- all together = everyone in the same place (We were all together in the kitchen baking cookies.)
- altogether = entirely, very (The cookies were altogether good.)
- all right = in good order or condition; an expression similar to “enough,” or “OK;” NOT alright (Those cookies you made were all right.)
- affect = to influence – VERB (Too many cookies can affect your appetite.)
- effect = result or consequence – NOUN (The effect of too many cookies is an upset stomach.)
- between – use when considering two things (I had to choose between a peanut butter cookie and a chocolate chip cookie.)
- among - use when considering more than two things (The big cookies were spread among the small cookies.)
- except = to leave out (I like all cookies except burnt ones.)
- accept = to get or receive (I’ll gladly accept these cookies.)
- quiet = silent; still (Crunchy cookies are not quiet.)
- quite = to a great extent; very (These cookies are quite good.)
- defiantly = in a manner showing lack of respect or refusal to follow rules (Olivia defiantly ate another cookie, even though her mom had just told her she could not have any more.)
- definitely = certainly, surely, without doubt (These are definitely the best cookies I ever ate.)
- hear = receive sound through the ears (I can hear a cookies crunch. )
- here = this place (Put that cookie here in front of me.)
- than = a conjunction for comparisons (Cookies are better than Brussel sprouts)
- then = a conjunction indicating time order (I ate a cookie then I drank some milk.)
- threw = hurled (I threw a cookie at my sister.)
- through = in one side and out the other (The cookies rolled off the table and through the door.)
- weather = atmospheric conditions (this is good cookie-baking weather.)
- whether = indicates an alternative (I don’t know whether I should have a peanut butter cookie or a chocolate chip cookie.)
- who’s = contraction for who is or who has (Who’s been stealing my cookies?)
- whose = possessive pronoun (Whose cookies are these?)