Inside The Language

Sfwisabel87, you’re welcome! Next heteronyms lesson nos. 6-10 is coming soon.

Thanks a lot! I enjoyed the great benefit of your lesson.

Staisy, congratulations on translating the heteronyms and Nijar who I greatly miss did a superb job on providing the information on the example list. I plan to continue explaining the remainder of the list.

Okotetevicky, thanks and welcome!

Amazing. Thank you Mr. Alston.

Mr.  Alston,  thanks for your interesting lesson !  I  have  improved my vocabulary here.

Of course, I  am  accustomed to use heteronyms in my native language, but in English it is not easy  for me at all !   Even short sentences  seem  complicated with them. It took me some time to translate all  of them and to try to get their meaning.  Nijars and yours explanations helped me a lot in it. It is a  very useful task.

Mr.  Alston,  I also prefer  when it  is correct spelling of words.

Sfwisabel87, both of your statements are correct. In English you can communicate a message in different ways with the same meaning.

We would say your examples are “six-on-one and half-a-dozen on the other!”

I got a question about this sentence in part 7:”Substituting an offensive or less desirable word for a non-offensive more desirable word. ” I think it should be:”Substituting a non-offensive more desirable word for an offensive or less desirable word.”  Am i right or wrong?

Correct Spelling of words Alston.

i myself prefer the correct spell of the  words ..Mr Alston I’ ve been studying your lessons ,i really enjoy and i find them so usefull,some of them are so imortant points that i as a learner had ignored them ,thanks to teach and remind me the points by your lessons..how many lessons have you  writeen in this site? I wana be sure not to lose even one by mistake.THANK YOU

Laura, welcome! Thank you for your suggestion of using abbreviations to prevent drowsiness during reading, under some circumstances it would be expedient. However, many of the readers are students and they must pass English tests for school. If abbreviations are promoted, it will limit increasing their vocabulary and learning the correct spelling.

Nevertheless, this is my opinion, let’s hear it from the readers and students.

Question:

Everyone, would you rather I write with abbreviations or the correct spelling of words?

Laura, thanks for your feedback.

okay… i think you should use the short sentences to explain what you would express the content, the long sentences would make ppl drowsiness in reading. this is only my suggestion, not really what i thought you’d say guys, but hey, hope that works out for you.

Hello Samineh,

In regards to why the second produce is not product is because it is specific to agriculture. Product is something that is produced by people, such as in manufacturing.

For example, if you went to a grocery store and asked the clerk where are the strawberries, they would say in the Produce section at some place in the store. They wouldn’t say in the product section because everything in the store is a product.

This is an excellent question and many will be helped by it.  Thanks for asking it!

Hello dear teacher

Mr Alston I have a question
in the sentence the farm was used to produce produce
why American don’t say product instead of the second produce? you mean usually you use produce instead of product? thank you in advance for helping me

Heteronyms Explanation – Part 1, No. 1-5

The explanation of the words in nos. 1-5 is below, please scroll down to June 13, 2014 for the full list.

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

“The bandage was wound” (rhymes with found) which means to wrap or coil a bandage or something similar. “Around the wound” (pronounced woond) is an injury.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

The first “produce” (pro-duce) means to make something such as in “production” and the second “produce” (pronounced proo-duce) means agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

The dump was so full that it had to “refuse” (pronounced re-fuse) meaning to reject or decline. The second “refuse” (pronounced ref-fuse) meaning something worthless such as garbage or trash.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

We must “polish” (pronounced pol-ish) which means to make something smooth and shiny. The second Polish refers to the country of Poland, in other words, the furniture was from Poland. Notice the “P” is capitalized indicating the second Polish is a noun which is a person, place or thing. 

5) He could “lead” if he would get the lead out.

He could “lead” (pronounced leed) which means to act as a leader.

The second “lead”(pronounced led) which is the lead material such as a lead sinker used on a fishing line.

I hope this explanation will give you some enlightenment on words that are spelled the same but have different pronounciations and meanings.

Inside the English language -

Going into the English language reveals many items that can be explored. When you find something that interests you, focus on that aspect and gather information to be combined with the other information that you’ve learned.

A good attitude and persistence will be beneficial in achieving fluency. Avoid discouragement and remember that everyone who speaks English started from zero.

“Heteronyms” are words that are spelled the same but are pronounced differently and have different meanings. 

The prefix “hetero” means “different” “homo” means “same.”

This type of classification is very important to learn to prevent confusion by words with the same spelling.

The key is the context and knowing the various meaning of the words.

This lesson is repeated to help newcomers not miss it. Please scroll down and read the comments on the previous lesson.

The “Inside the Language” forum focuses on “nuances” and “anomalies” in the English language. It is advisable to add this to your English learning.

Heteronyms – The list below contain words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and vastly different meanings. Please note the bolded words are the heteronyms and the sound is not the same.

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture..
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Nijar, I am humbled by your expression of gratitude.  Thanks!

My teacher, I’ll put this significant certificate up on the wall, furthermore look at while my go-come!! You, your way in teaching make me different(I really mean it), many thanks!!!

Nijar, Nijar, what am I to do with you???  You have gone above and beyond the call of duty as a student and you’re to be commended.  Your paraphrase of the sentences shows your understanding of the English language and should help all who read them.

Now a word to everyone who read this lesson.

I am aware of the various levels of readers and students who read these lessons.  Some are on the level of Nijar and others are almost there while some may be totally confused.  However, it would be beneficial to master this lesson or you will have significant gaps when you encounter certain words like these.  Be careful to direct your emotions and energy into learning English and beware not to focus on where you are but on your English goals.  This is part of the process to help you get there. :)

Back to Nijar’s question:

No. 5: He could lead if he would get the lead out.

Paraphrase: He could win (lead)(Pronounced: leed) if he would get the (weight or whatever is hindering him) out.

Note: The second “lead” is pronounced the same as rhymes with “red”

No. 9: In your paraphrase, “throw” should be “through.”

No. 18: Paraphrasing “shedding a tear” is very difficult because its in the singular tense.  You did a good job to paraphase as: “shed a cry” which I do not think is grammatically correct but technically it may be.  Maybe someone more qualified can render an answer.  Therefore, your paraphrase stands until then.

Finally, concerning your sentence:

It’s a rough world, so take the rough with the smooth! 

Paraphrase:

It’s a hard world, so take the good with the bad!

Conclusion:

Well, this was a good experience for me.

Concerning the homonym sentences, it was written by an unknown author.

Have fun learning English everyone!