Since the English language is very complex, it may take time for somebody from another country to learn…so, you might hear visitors chatting away in their native language everywhere you go, which is a sure way to keep others from listening in on their conversation...

However, English isn’t always easy for those of us born in the USA either.

One reason is the different dialects[1] throughout our country depending on where you’re living and of course the various colloquialisms[2] you’ll hear while traveling.

Another reason might be that you have forgotten all those English lessons…so let me refresh your memory.

I will begin with “words that sound alike but have different meanings” that’s the definition of a homonym…Here's some examples: 

base, bottom of anything; military station......bass, lowest male voice; (also a fish)

bare, reveal; uncover; naked......bear, a large 4-legged animal with coarse hair

beat, strike repeatedly; mix by stirring; police patrol area......beet, a red edible root

Ben, name for boys…been, the past tense of be......bin, enclosed space used for storing things

boar, a male swine; wild hog......bore, make a hole; monotonous tiresome person or thing

clause, group of words with subject & predicate[3]......claws, curved nails on animals paws

coarse, rough surface or texture of something......course, direction taken; educational program

dew, moisture deposited on cool surfaces at night......due, owed or payable as an obligation

fair, clear and sunny; impartial......fare, price of transportation; food; paying customer

for, a preposition[4] since; because…fore, front; forward......four, (4) a number

gait, manner of moving; pattern of stepping......gate, a movable barrier in a fence or wall

hail, call out to; precipitation of small snow or ice pellets......hale, free from disease; robust

hair, threadlike outgrowth from the skin or mass of such fibers on the head......hare, a rabbit

hear, perceive by ear; learn......here, an adverb[5]  now; at this point; this place

hoarse, (voice) sounding husky or harsh......horse, a 4-legged animal for riding & racing  

load, burden; cargo; quantity carried......lode, ore deposit; vein

mail, system used to send letters & packages......male, a man

Mary, a girl’s name…marry, join as husband or wife......merry, full of fun

pail, a bucket......pale, lose color; faded 

poor, needy…pore, minute opening......pour, cause to flow from package or container

pray, beg; entreat; implore......prey, animal seized as food

sail, move over water or in the air by wind action......sale, offering of goods at reduced prices

seam, line formed by the junction of any two edges......seem, appear to be; feel as if

soar, float aloft......sore, injured area; angry

tail, follow closely; a flexible appendage......tale, a brief story; a lie

their, a pronoun[6] possessive case of they......there, in that place

vain, conceited…vane, device that shows wind direction......vein, blood vessel to heart; marking in wood

vial, a small glass bottle or tube......vile, corrupt; offensive

weather, atmospheric conditions such as sunny, cloudy......whether, a conjunction[7] either

To be continued...