Homophones

Affect / Effect Affect indicates influence (action word) Example: The medicine did not affect her the way the doctor had hoped. Effect is used as a noun (i.e. the butterfly effect) Example: The new medicine had negative side effects.

Then / Than Than is used for comparisons Example: John is much taller than his brother. Then indicates the passage of time or when Example: We went to the park in the morning, and then we left to pick up lunch.

Here / Hear Here indicates location Example: Please come back here and put your shoes away! Hear indicates listening Example: Can you hear the birds' beautiful singing outside?

Are / Our Are is a “be verb” Example: We are staying at the hotel closest to the stadium. Example: They are my cousins. Our is an adjective or possessive pronoun Example: They will bring our keys to the hotel lobby.

Accept / Except Accept is a verb meaning to receive Example: The organization will accept donations through the first of the month. Except is a preposition meaning exclude Example:You may donate all items except car seats and cribs.

There / Their / They’re There is used in terms of place or direction Example: Please put that book over there. Their is a possessive pronoun. Example: The students put their coats in the closet. They're is the contraction for they are. Replace they’re with “they are” to see if the sentence makes sense. Example: They're going to have practice immediately after school today.

Your / You’re You're is a contraction for you are. Replace you’re with “you are” to see if the sentence makes sense. Example: You're going to absolutely love this new recipe. Your is a possessive pronoun. Example: Please bring your books to class with you tomorrow.

Lie / Lay Lie indicates the act of reclining Example: I am tired just watching the dog lie in the warm sunlight. Lay indicates the placement of something Example: Please lay the paper on the table.

To / Too / Two To can be a preposition describe a place. Example: We're going to the park. Too is an adverb that can mean excessively when it precedes an adjective or adverb. Example: I ate too much ice cream for dessert. Too is a synonym for also. Example: I ate too much ice cream for dessert, too. Two is a number. Example: Marcy ate two pieces of pie.

Sense / Since / Cents Sense is a verb meaning to feel or a noun meaning intelligence Example: You really need some common sense. Since is an adverb that is synonymous with “because” Example: Since you went to the store yesterday, we will not need to go again today. Cents is a form of currency Example: I have ten cents in my pocket.