Homophones are words that sound exactly like one another, but differ in spelling and meaning. Here are a few of the most common homophone errors that we see in your work.
1. Allowed/Aloud
‘Allowed’ means to be given permission to do something:
Bella is allowed to play in the park on her own.
‘Aloud’ means ‘out loud’, usually in relation to speech:
Bella read the poem aloud.
2. All Together/ Altogether
‘All together’ is two words, which together mean ‘doing something in a group’:
Time for the chorus! All together now!
‘Altogether’ means ‘completely’:
When I got on stage, I forgot my lines altogether!
3. Rain/Reign/Rein
‘Rain’ refers to the weather, specifically water that falls from the sky:
In February, it rains a lot.
‘Reign’ refers to the rule of a monarch:
Queen Elizabeth II still reigns in the UK.
‘Reins’, meanwhile, are the leather straps used to guide a horse:
He pulled on the reins to bring the horse to a standstill.
4. Bored/Board
‘Bored’ means ‘disinterested’:
I was completely bored by the play.
A ‘board’, on the other hand, can be a number of things, including a piece of wood:
The windows were covered with wooden boards.
A group of administrators:
Sandra presented her ideas to the board.
Or even a place to write or display messages:
The bulletin board had a new notice about the five-a-side football team.
Find this useful?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
As a verb, ‘board’ can mean to cover with boards (e.g. ‘she boarded up the broken window) or to enter a vehicle (e.g. ‘he boarded the ship and set sail).
Read more about the differences between the words “board” and “bored” in this blog post!
5. Plain/Plane
‘Plain’ means ‘simple and unadorned’:
Kathy wore a plain white dress to her wedding.
As a noun, a ‘plain’ is a flat area of land:
The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.
‘Plane’ is another word with multiple meanings. It can refer to an aircraft:
The plane took seven hours to reach New Delhi.
A flat surface (but not an area of land):
The planes of a cube are all equal in area.
Or a tool used by carpenters (‘plane’ is also the verb for using a plane):
Joshua used the plane to smooth the table leg.
Read more about the differences between the words “plane” and “plain” in this blog post!
6. Scent/Sent
A ‘scent’ is a fragrance, usually something pleasant:
The roses had an enchanting scent.
‘Sent’ is the past tense of ‘send’, so we use it when something has been delivered:
The parcel was sent by special post.
7. Illicit/Elicit
We use ‘illicit’ to describe something that is forbidden or illegal:
He was involved in the illicit organ trade.
‘Elicit’ mean ‘to provoke’ or ‘draw out’:
A good interviewer elicits answers with careful questioning.
Homophones can be tricky sometimes, as they are not always picked up by automatic spellcheckers. If you are unsure about using these words correctly, why not have your document checked by a professional proofreader? Remember, we also offer free samples!