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Real Tourists' Real Questions, from Outside Magazine

Thoughts on The Universe, from various sources

Bad Headlines: Double Meanings From Around The World

Famous Last Words: real last words from history, from various sources

Tech Support Story: Microsoft Tech Support vs. Psychic Friends Network

Why English Is So Hard; homonyms and homophones to confuse everybody!

 

 

 

 


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Why English Is So Hard

Heteronyms, homographs, and homophones: words that are spelled alike but have different pronunciations or meanings

  • We must polish the Polish furniture.
  • He could lead if he would get the lead out.
  • The farm was used to produce produce.
  • The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
  • After dessert, the soldier decided to desert his post in the desert.
  • No time like the present to present the present.
  • A bass and a trout were painted on the head of the bass drum.
  • When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
  • I did not object to the object.
  • The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
  • The bandage was wound around the wound.
  • There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
  • They were too close to the door to close it.
  • The buck does funny things when the does are present.
  • They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
  • To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
  • The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
  • After a number of injections my jaw got number.
  • Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear.
  • I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
  • How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
  • I live next to the stadium where bands play live. (thanks M. Durham)
  • A minute is a minute part of a day. (Thanks M. Durham)
  • The clothes were too close to the closet door to close it. (Thanks M. McKay)
The homographs of "-ough" would confuse anybody:
  • A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed.