When words sound the same but mean something completely different choosing the right one in a sentence can be a frustrating experience
There or their? Blew or blue? It’s a tough ask to decipher when writing a word for the first time! Homophones, Homographs and Homonyms are an added layer of complexity to learning a language that often bamboozle children when getting to grips with growing their vocabulary. So what are they and what are the best ways to navigate them?
What Is A Homophone, Homograph & Homonym?
A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another but has a different meaning and spelling. A homograph is when words are spelled the same, but sound differently and have a different meaning. A homonym is when two words sound the same, are spelled the same but have a different meaning.
Common Examples
Homophones
There, Their and They’re
Flower and Flour
Tee and Tea
Homographs
Bass (fish) and Bass (sound)
Fine (quality) and Fine (expense)
Row (line) and Row (argument)
Homonym
Rose (flower) and rose (past tense of rise)
Bark (dog) and Bark (Tree)
Spring (the season) and Spring (a metal coil)
So What’s The Problem?
Picking the correct version in a sentence can be a tough call! When using homophones or homonyms in speech it is relatively easy to understand which version of the word is being used due to the context of the conversation. For example if somebody is referring to how their garden blossoms in Spring they are more likely referencing the plant “flower” than the white stuff we bake a cake with. The difficulty arises for children when they have to rely on phonetics and previous conversations to build sentences without having had exposure to the variety of spellings and subsequent meanings in written form. What makes sense spoken does not translate so easily to paper.
How To Teach Homophones, Homographs & Homonyms
The bad news is there are no shortcuts! Exposure to a breadth of types is the best way to equip your child with the intricacies of the English language and help them choose the right spelling and version in the appropriate context. Below are a few tricks to make this as easy, and fun, as possible:-
- Keep a list over time: As your child expands their vocabulary and experience more examples, encourage them to keep a list of all their findings for later reference. Rather than frustration, they will embrace the “game’ of decoding homophones, homographs and homonyms and will grow in confidence as they begin to choose the right one.
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- Quizzes & Crosswords: There are an abundance of online resources that can help your child get to grips with their complexities and use in writing. Set aside 15 minutes a day to test their knowledge
- Make it a game: Create comprehension games that let them fill in the blanks. By providing all potential spellings with a sentence example, this helps your child understand their use in a particular context and builds up their exposure to more varieties.
