1. peak / peek – Watch your “a”s and “e”s! Not “sneak peak” or even “sneek peek”; “peak” – to reach the top or achieve greatness. “Peek” – to look at something.
2. pour / pore – As in the verb sense to “pour” or to “pore” over something; to “pour” is to drop something onto something else, whereas, to “pore” is to read through something carefully.
3. stationary / stationery – One letter makes a big difference. “Stationary” is a motionless state. Remember that “a” stays the same for this word. “Stationery,” however, is decorative paper used for writing personal correspondence.
4. compliment / complement – Again, one letter can throw you off. A “compliment” is a kind thing one says to another person. A “complement” is a pairing of two things that go well together.
5. passed / past – It must be the same sound and the same start to the words — “pas.” Their meanings can be similar, in the sense of moving beyond something. “Time has passed.” “I couldn’t get past the gatekeeper.”
Quotes
“Anyone else find it funny that Bernie Madoff’s last name is a homophone of ‘made-off’?” ~ David C. Holley, Write Like No One is Reading
“She felt…less. She felt tamped down. Dim. More faint. Feint. Feigned. Fain.” ~ Patrick Rothfuss, The Slow Regard of Sile
Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.
Michelle Troutman
Classy Writing
classywriting.com
