Writers Workshop: Writer Resources
Grammar Handbook: Homophones
Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings. As a result, these words are often
- Accept (to receive): "I accept your apology."
- Except (excluded from): "I like everyone except her."
- Capital (economic resources OR the city where lawmakers meet)
- Capitol (the building where lawmakers meet)
- Principal (head of a school): "The principal is your pal."
- Principle (a moral or fundamental truth): "That is against my principles."
- There (meaning "in that place"): "The book is over there."
- Their (possessive pronoun "belonging to them"): "Their book"
- They're (contraction for "they are"): "They're coming soon."
- Its (possessive pronoun): "The dog lost its bone."
- It's (contraction for "it is"): "It's a shame you can't come."