Spelling+and+Grammar




 *  Words that sound the same but different: **

I know antonym means opposite, synonym means similar. What's the term for words that sound alike, but are spelled differently and have entirely different meanings? Example: 'Breaks' and 'Brakes'???
 * 1. Your and you’re.** This is another mix up you often see, although I suspect it has more to do with carelessness than anything else. //Your// is possessive, as in, “I believe this is your goat.” //You’re// is a contraction of you are, as in, “You’re a space donkey.”
 * 2. Capitol and capital.** //Capitol// is the building where politicians debate things like bailouts and wars. //Capital// is a city. Capital can also be an adjective and mean “terrific” or “punishable by death,” but there’s no point in going into that right now.
 * 3. Its and it’s.** Some spelling checkers will flag this one. //Its// is possessive, as in, “The nightclub’s most stunning feature is //its// disco ball.” //It’s// is the contraction of it is, as in, “It’s hard to get my old Ford Woodie running on cold mornings.”
 * 4 Brake and break.** I don’t know how these two get mixed up, but I see it all the time. A //brake// stops your car. A //break// in your arm hurts like hell.
 * 5. Altogether and all together.** //Altogether// means entirely, as in “My girlfriend’s parents do not //altogether// approve of my boozing.” //All together// means that everyone or thing is in one place, as in, “We were //all together// at our nudist camp to celebrate the summer solstice.”
 * 6. Principal and principle.** A //principal// is the guy who the teacher sends you to see when you misbehave. //Principle// is a code of conduct, fact or law. “I have no principles so I stole a gun from the principal’s desk even though I understand the principles of right and wrong.”
 * 7. Their, there and they’re.** This is another mix up that probably has more to do with carelessness than dopiness. //Their// is possessive. //There// is a place. //They’re// is a contraction of they are. “Their clothes are loose.” “Over there they don’t wear underpants.” “They’re a bunch of loose women.”
 * 8. Desert and dessert.** If you leave your military post in Iraq to run off with a camel herder, there’s a good chance you //deserted// and rode off into the //desert//. If you decide to go to the mess hall and polish off something yummy after dinner, then it’s a //dessert//.
 * 9. Affect and effect**. //Affect// means to influence or alter. It’s always a verb. //Effect// can be a noun or a verb. As a noun, it means the result of an action. As a verb, it means to accomplish or cause.
 * 10. Rein, reign, rain**. All three of these can be verbs or nouns. As nouns: A //rein// is a leather strap you use to control a horse. //Reign// is the period during which kings and queens lord over their subjects. //Rain// is something you should have enough sense to get out of. As verbs: Rein means to control a horse. Reign means to be the boss of everyone. Rain means put a damper on a parade.

I always thought that homophones are words with different meanings that sound the same, but are spelt differently and homonyms are words with different meanings that sound different, but are spelt the same.

So a homophone would be - There was a mail from a male. And a homonym would be - The bandage was wound around the wound.