Back
to SAT Essay Main Page
Dangerous
Homonyms & Useful Vocabulary Words
Do's and Don'ts
Or how to express yourself better!
SAT ESSAY WRITING TRICK #11
Homonyms, remember, are words that sound the same but mean different things, such as:
'Brake' which is a 'restraint' (as in the
'brake pedal' that stops the car) and
'Break' which has many meanings, including 'to destroy' or 'to smash'.
'One', which means 'single' or individual' or the quantity '1' and
'Won', the past tense of the verb to 'win', which means to 'succeed'.
Listed below are some of the common homonyms and other words that sound so similar that often students become confused. As I stated earlier, homonyms are particularly dangerous for those of you who have learned your vocabulary chiefly through listening to others speak.
As we have gone along, I have pointed out some of these very confusing words. I will now list them so that it is convenient for you to refer to them as you practice your reading and writing skills:
DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF USING ONE HOMONYM INSTEAD OF ANOTHER!
In most instances this is a sure sign to a teacher that the individual has a very limited vocabulary and poor command of English.
Copyright: 2004 English 4 All, Inc.