Homonyms from Bark to Batt

by Lisa Binion

How many of the following homonyms are you familiar with?

Bark and barque
Bark is the out covering of a tree.
The bark of a tree is usually brown.
A barque is a sailing ship that has three or more masts, the foremast is rigged square and the aftermast is rigged fore- and aft-.
He sailed on a barque for ten years.

Baron and barren
A baron is a person of minor royalty.
Charles used the title of baron to impress women.
A woman who is barren is unable to have children.
Sarah mourned the fact that she was barren.

Barry, berry, and bury
Barry is a man’s name.
Barry asked Cheynelle to marry him.
A berry is a fruit.
The children went into the woods to pick berries.
When you bury something, you cover it up, usually underground.
Arty will bury the stash of diamonds underneath the tree.

Basal and basil
Basal means basic, fundamental, or forming a basis.
Basal cell carcinoma attacked the young girl.
Basil is an herb.
Basil is one of the herbs that make up Italian seasoning.

Base and bass
Base has several definitions, one of which is the foundation or support of something.
The base of the building was made of concrete.
A bass is a musical instrument. It is also a type of fish.
My son learned to play the bass for the praise and worship team at our church.
Cave Run Lake is full of bass.

Based and baste
Based is a verb. It means the groundwork upon which something is built upon.
The church is based upon the teachings of Jesus Christ.
When you baste meat, you swab it with liquid during cooking.
She planned to baste the turkey.

Bases, basses, and basis
Baseball players are known to steal bases.
Joey and his teammates were known for stealing bases.
Basses are several stringed musical instruments.
The rock band needed to find at least two basses.
Basis is anything upon which something is based.
The basis for the Constitution is the Bible.

Bask and basque
To bask is to warm oneself pleasantly.
Try not to fall asleep while you bask in the sunlight.
A basque is a close-fitting bodice, probably worn to make one appear slimmer than one is in reality.
Darlene looked in horror at the uncomfortable basque that she was required to wear for the play.

Bat and batt
A bat is a flying rodent that happens to be blind.
A bat once flew into my house through a hole in the attic.
A batt is a sheet of matted cotton, wool, or synthetic fibers.
The young couple purchased batt insulation for the builders to put in their new home.

Homonyms from Brewed to Byre

by Lisa Binion

With how many of the following homonyms are you familiar? Please realize that each word may have many more definitions than the one that I mention. It would take up far too much space to try and acquaint you with every definition for each word.

brewed and brood
Brewed is commonly used to refer to the preparation of beer; it means fermented.
Todd checked on the taste of the beer that had brewed for four weeks.
A brood is the young of an animal or human family.
Mrs. Jenkins took her brood of twelve children to a restaurant once every six months.

brews and bruise
If you have more than one beer, you have two or more brews.
Johnny, because he still needed to be able to drive, had only two brews.
A bruise is a discolored part on one’s skin due to an injury from a fall or blow.
A bruise was the only injury Jenny received from her car wreck.

bridal and bridle
Bridal refers to one or more brides or something that pertains to brides.
The new bridal boutique on the corner quickly gained customers.
A bridle is part of the headgear that is used to control the movements of a horse.
Jason received a beautiful new bridle for his horse for his birthday.

broach and brooch
Someone will broach, or bring up, a subject when he mentions it for the very first time.
No one seemed to be willing to broach the subject of their financial situation.
A brooch is an ornament with a pin on the back so it can be inserted through the cloth of a shirt.
Her grandmother’s brooch was definitely an antique, dating all the way back to the family of the first president.

brows and browse
Brows are the edges of steep places, such as hills or cliffs.
Daniel traveled to several brows that day in an attempt to find the perfect one off of which to take off in his glider.
Browse is a verb that means to look through or skim over casually.
If not in a hurry, Sheila would browse through the selection of movies for hours before choosing which one to rent.

bundt and bunt
A bundt cake has a hole in the middle and scalloped sides.
The thief dropped the stolen ring in the batter of the bundt cake; he planned on retrieving it later.
Bunt is to push something with the head or horns.
My Irish wolfhound, Shane, would bunt those he thought were intruders out of the yard.

burgher and burger
A burgher is a citizen or inhabitant of a town.
During medieval times, a burgher was a merchant or tradesman of a city.
A burger is a meat sandwich.
The spoiled dog refused everything until he was offered a burger, complete with all of the toppings.

bus and buss
A bus is a large motor vehicle designed to carry lots of people.
The youth group rented a bus to transport every member of their group to the Third Day concert.
A buss is a kiss.
The buss shared by the bride and groom lasted so long that their guests threw the rice on them inside the church.

bussed and bust
Bussed means kissed.
The young couple bussed for the first time in the back seat of an old Chevrolet convertible on a hot summer evening.
A bust is a sculpture of just the head and shoulders.
The antique bust of George Washington was kept behind glass in the museum.

but and butt
But is a conjunction. One of its meanings is ‘except .
Everyone in the group, but Julie, was excited about their trip to Mammoth Cave.
A butt is the end part of something, such as a cigarette, that is not used.
She found a cigarette butt on top of each of the cracks in the sidewalk.

buy, by, and bye
Buy means to purchase.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were hoping to buy their first home.
By is a preposition. One of its meanings is ‘within the period of’.
By day, she was a mild-mannered beautician; by night, she was a crime fighter.
Bye means farewell.
She gritted her teeth as she said bye to the rude and obnoxious salesman.

buyer and byre
A buyer is a purchaser.
The buyer for the valuable painting by Da Vinci was a wealthy merchant from Venice.
A byre is a barn for cows, a stall.
Tom turned the building he used for storage into a byre for the ten cows he had purchased.

Homonyms from Bloc to Born

by Lisa Binion

How many of the following homonyms are you familiar with? In this article, you will learn about homonyms from bloc to born.

Bloc and block
A bloc is a group of legislators that band together to vote on a common interest. It is usually made up of those from both political parties.
The farm bloc received a lot of money from local farmers.
A block is a square shaped object.
A block of wood is needed for the building project.

Boar, Boer, boor, and bore
A boar is a wild pig.
The young men took a trip to hunt boar.
A Boer is a meat goat of South African descent.
The deep red color of the young female Boer goat made every buyer at the auction long to own her.
A boor is a rude or unmannerly individual.
People of the small community tended to stay away from the boor.
If you bore people, they tend to lose interest and fall asleep.
Marlene didn’t attend the lecture because she knew that it would bore her.

Board and bored
A board is a piece of wood that has been sawed thin.
The stack of boards were to be used to build a closet.
When one is bored, one has no interest in what is happening.
Sandy was bored to tears by the lecture she was required to attend.

Boarder and border
A boarder is a lodger who pays rent.
One of Shelley’s boarders gave her the creeps.
A border is the part or edge of a surface or area that forms its outer boundary.
The border of the property ran right along the edge of the woods.

Bode and bowed
Bode is a verb that means to be an omen of.
The economic status of the country bodes of hard times ahead.
Bowed means curved.
The boards have were bowed from prolonged exposure to heat and sunlight.

Bold and bowled
Bold means brave.
It takes a bold young man to approach Leah’s father and ask permission to take her on a date.
Bowled, when used as a verb phrase with the word over, means to surprise greatly.
Jack and Frieda were bowled over when their daughter walked through the door and announced that her boyfriend was no longer her boyfriend, he was now her husband.

Bolder and boulder
When one is bolder, one is braver.
Could Joseph prove he was bolder than his brothers?
A boulder is a huge rock.
Car after car crashed into the boulder that just appeared in the middle of the highway.

Bole, boll, and bowl
A bole is the stem or trunk of a tree.
The bole of the tree was so thick it would take days to cut it down.
Boll is the rounded seed vessel or pod of a plant.
The cotton bolls were infested with bugs.
A bowl is a rounded dish.
All of the bowls in the kitchen were dirty.

Boos and booze
Boos are cries of disapproval from an audience.
Her long awaited performance brought only boos from the disappointed fans.
Booze is whiskey or other alcoholic beverage.
The trooper found the wrecked car full of stolen booze.

Born, borne, and bourn
Born means to be brought forth by birth.
Her children have all been born at the local hospital.
Borne is the past participle of bear.
Surely Christ hath borne our griefs.
A bourn is a small stream or boundary.
The bourn behind the cottage is where she found her lost ring.

Books - The Printing Press

It was in 1450 that the world of printing changed forever.  Johannes Gutenberg took ideas that the Chinese had been using for several hundred years and developed a machine that could mass produce books, pamphlets, and notices at an unheard of rate.  It came at a perfect time as unrest was spreading throughout Europe.

Martin Luther’s German translation of the Christian Bible was printed using the press.  This made the Bible available for the first time in history to all mankind and even in their own native tongue. 

The printing press would be the exploding turn in the history of books that would change the world forever.  For the first time, a book could be printed in hours and days instead of decades.  A book could be printed more than once in a few days instead of one copy in a lifetime.

Political propaganda could be quickly spread throughout a land in such a way that politics became more open and public.  Religious works were mass produced including sermons and commentary.  Books of poetry became more numerous.

The printing press shaped the world we live in today.  Without it, history would be so different.  How far would religious thought have spread?  How much influence would governments have had over the people?  How fast would minds be inspired to create the light bulb, automobile, or new surgical techniques?

Through the wonder of the printing press, ideas, romance, imagination, religion, and even freedom was discovered.  The mass printing of Uncle Tom's Cabin many people were influenced during the American Civil War in regard to slavery.  Aristotle’s works went beyond dusty libraries and were available for the common man to work.  The written word has drastically influenced history.

Books have come from clay tablets that available only to the government or the rich to easy to carry paperbacks that fit in a pocket that everyone can have.  Ideas flow from country to country.  Discoveries are revealed and expounded on through the various books that can be found in coffee shops, libraries, and even our book shelves.

Defining a Verb

 by Lisa Binion

What exactly is a verb?  Simply put, a verb is a word that expresses action (to jump),  occurrence (to take place), or existence by using a form of the verb 'be' (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been).  A sentence is not complete unless it has both a subject and a verb, so it is important to be able to recognize them.  There are many different kinds of verbs.  For right now, we are going to learn about action verbs, linking verbs, state of being verbs, and helping verbs.

Action Verbs

 Action verbs are easy to recognize because they show action, even if the action takes place in the mind.  Mental action verbs include words such as think, contemplate, and worry.  Physical action verbs include words such as jump, talk, run, and drive.  

The bear chased after its prey.

The bear is in action, chasing after its food.

The ghost floated through the cemetery.

A ghost cannot float through some place while remaining still, it must be moving. 

Richard thought about how to write the story.

Thinking takes place completely in the mind, therefore it shows mental action.

Maynard worried about his new job.

Once again, worry takes place completely in the mind, therefore it shows mental action.

State of Being Verbs

 State of being verbs link the subject of the sentence to information about it.  There are eight of these verbs.  The eight state of being verbs are:  is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been.  Now for some examples of the state of being verb in action.

Amanda is calm.

In the above sentence, is links Amanda to information about her.  We learn that she is calm.  That is her state of being.

Sheila was very angry.

In the above sentence, was links Sheila to information about her.  We learn that she was angry.  That is her state of being.

Linking Verbs

 State of being verbs are often confused with linking verbs.  That is because they are sometimes used as linking verbs.  Linking verbs do just what their name implies – they link the subject to information that renames or describes it. 

Verbs that are sometimes used as linking verbs are:  feel, taste, look, smell, appear, grow, remain, stay, turn, seem, sound, become, prove.  The eight state of being verbs also sometimes function as linking verbs.  Now for some examples of linking verbs in action.

The roaring lion looked hungry.

In the above sentence, looked links the subject 'lion' to a descriptive word, 'hungry'.  We learn that the lion is hungry.

The kitten grew tired.

in the above sentence, grew links the subject 'kitten' to a word that describes it, 'tired'.  We learn that the kitten is tired.

Since most words that function as linking verbs can also function as some other type of verb, how do you know for sure when it is functioning as a linking verb?  There is one very simple thing you can do.  Try substituting 'is' or 'are' for the verb.  If the sentence still makes sense, the verb is most likely being used as a linking verb.

Helping Verbs

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, enable you to change the main verb to show past, present, or future tense without changing the main verb.  There are twenty-three helping  verbs and you simply put one of them in front of the main verb.  These wonderful verbs are:  can, could, would, should, do , does, did, has, have, had, may, might, must, shall, and will.  The eight state of being verbs (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been) also function as helping verbs.

Below are some examples of how helping verbs are used.

Precious jumps over the couch. - The verb is in the present tense in this sentence.

Precious will jump over the couch. - Placing the helping verb 'will' in front of jump puts the verb in the future tense.

Precious had jumped over the couch. - Now the verb is in the past tense.

Homonyms from Bait to Bear

by Lisa Binion

Our journey into the world of homonyms continues, as we explore words from bail through bear that are spelled differently, yet sound alike.

Bait and bate
Bait can be used as either a noun or a verb. As a noun, it is a lure used in hunting or fishing. As a verb it means to attract, tempt, or captivate.
Worms are commonly used as bait in fishing.
Bate, a verb, means to lessen or restrain.
The toddler's tirade will bate if she manages to get her own way.

Baize, bays, and beys
Baize is a soft, green, felt-like fabric used for the tops of billiard tables.
Charlena bought a special cleaner to care for the baize on her new pool table.
Bays are bodies of water, larger than coves but smaller than gulfs.
The treasure was rumored to be hidden in one of the bays off of the coast of New England.
Beys are one or more officials in the Turkish government.
The President visited Istanbul to meet with several beys.

Bald, balled, and bawled
If you are bald, you have no hair.
Our new neighbor, Mr. Jones, is bald.
Balled is to form something into a ball.
The children balled up the snow to form a snowman.
Bawled is to have cried vigorously.
Mrs. Dawkins bawled upon learning that her only child had been kidnapped.

Ball and bawl are also homonyms.
A ball is a round object, hollow or filled, that is used in various games such as kickball, baseball, basketball, etc.
Marvin whacked the tennis ball right off of the court.
To bawl is to cry lustily.
Sandy, a very spoiled child, would always bawl when she didn’t get her way.

Band and banned
A band is a group.
The band of weary travellers searched for a place to sleep.
When something is banned, it is forbidden.
The dictatorship banned newspapers from publishing news of the riots.

Bard and barred
A bard is a poet.
William Shakespeare is a famout English bard.
When something is barred, it is enclosed or trapped by poles.
The prisoner stared out the barred window of his cell.

Bare and bear
When something is bare, it is naked.
Dorothy, proud of how shapely her bare legs were, always wore shorts.
A bear is a large, carnivorous mammal or a rude, bad-mannered person.
Shelia spotted a huge brown bear searching for fish in the lake outside her cabin.

Homonyms from Away to Baling

by Lisa Binion

Homonyms are everywhere. How many of these can you incorporate into what you are writing?

Away and aweigh
Away has several meanings. Sometimes it is an adjective, sometimes an adverb. One of the more common meanings is used to tell distance.
The store is six miles away from her house.
Aweigh, a nautical term, means no longer hooked to the bottom.
”Anchors aweigh!” the captain’s voice boomed throughout the ship.

Awed and odd
To be awed is to be in a state of amazement and wonder.
I am awed by the grace of God.
Odd means different, unusual, out of the ordinary.
Linda’s odd way of dressing made her an outcast among the students.

Awful and offal
Awful means horrible, terrible, or dreadful.
The awful state of affairs in the nation led to unrest among its citizens.
Offal is the parts of a butchered animal considered to be inedible by humans. It also means garbage. There are two pronunciations for this word, one of which makes it a homonym for awful.
Mary’s job was to dispose of the offal.

Aye, eye, and I
Aye means yes.
”Aye,” responded Charlie, “Fred does seem to be in a foul mood today.”
An eye is the organ we see with.
His single eye scanned the room in search of the villain.
I means oneself.
I am a writer.

Bail and bale
Bail is money paid to assure that a person released from custody will return to court at the appointed time.
Thomas’s parents could not pay the required bail to keep him from going to prison.
A bale is a bundle of hay secured together by cords.
We bought a bale of hay for the goats to eat on throughout the winter.

Bailed and baled
These are the past tense of the verb forms of bail and bale.
Thomas’s uncle bailed him out of jail.
On Saturday, Farmer Joe baled the hay.

Bailee, bailey, and bailie
The bailee is the person who receives bail money paid.
Thomas’s uncle paid the bailee.
A bailey is a defensive wall surrounding an outer court of a castle.
The soldiers attacked the bailey.
A bailie is a magistrate.
Kenneth ran for bailie.

Bailer, bailor, and baler
A bailer is one who bails water.
Joseph felt that his job as bailer was menial.
A bailor is the person that gives money or goods to a bailee.
The bailor for Thomas was his uncle.
A baler is one who bales hay.
Ian’s first job was as a baler on his grandfather’s farm.

Bailing and baling
Bailing is to dip water out of a boat or other flooded area.
Bailing out the basement is not my idea of New Year’s Eve fun.
Baling is compressing hay into a bale.
Ian is baling the hay.

Book Covers

Book covers are great for protecting books and for personalizing them. They can be bought or handmade. They are ideal for paperback or hardcover books.

Sometimes our coffee splashes as we set it down. It might splash right onto the cover of our book. The panic and the frustration sets in. Most books have unique and descriptive covers. Some can be made out of leather. Others have beautiful pictures. Avid readers like to protect their books.

Just like the actual cover of the book, book covers can be unique. When school starts, you can find book covers that are stretchable to cover textbooks. These tend to bend the corners and not preferred by teachers. What the students general do is make book covers out of paper grocery bags or packing paper.  Students enjoy decorating these covers and really personalizing them. Stickers, markers, and even pictures can find their way onto textbooks.

What about other books? What kind of book covers grace a mystery book or a novel? These tend to be cloth ones that can also be functional and fun.

There are not a thousand different sizes in books. Typically most books fall within certain measurements. That is why you can own just a couple of cloth book covers that can meet all your reading needs.

To sew a book cover all you need is fabric, Velcro, and a book to measure it for. There are several patterns that are available. Each book cover can be custom made for all your books. Choose a fabric pattern that reflects you and the type of books you read. Add a handle to it for easy transportation. It can be customized with a bookmark to mark your place.

You can also crochet a book cover. If you know how to crochet and have some yarn, you can make a creative book cover. Colors for men or women can be used. Even add a charm to customize it.

There are also book covers that you can purchase. There are many different kinds: leather, vinyl, and stretchable.

Make your own or buy them. Book covers are great to keep your books clean and easy to transport. See what book covers can make you smile or make a child happy. They make the books even more personal.

Book Etiquette

Most people do not know proper book etiquette.  Yes, there is a proper way to handle a book.  By treating a book just right, you are ensuring that the book lasts and give enjoyment to you and to others for years to come.  Wouldn’t it be great to hand down a collection of Beatrix Potter stories to your children’s children and see it still in good condition to last a few more generations?

There are books in existence today that are hundreds of years old because someone took real good care of them.  So, how can you treat your book well and give it long life?  Follow these suggestions:

Clean Hands – Always open a book and handle it with clean hands.  You would be amazed at what all ends up on your hands throughout the day and transfers to the things you touch.  It could be food, makeup, or even dirt.  If you do not have clean hands, you transfer that grease and grime to the pages of the beloved book.  Before long, the book will look older than it is and even some words could become illegible.

No Food or Drink – When you eat and drink while reading, you are more than likely going to share some of the food with your book.  You might think that children are the only ones who do that.  Yes, children will always share with the book their lunch or snack.  So, for them that is a great idea not to eat and read at the same time.  But adults are guilty of it, too.  We don’t mean to do it, but in our habit of eating while deeply engrossed in our books we tend to share.  It is very easy to be eating that chocolate chip muffin and drinking the latte while reading a classic.  Just as the door mysteriously opens for the heroine, our chocolate fingers turn the page.  Oops!  It is hard for adults to not read and eat at the same time as we do it on our lunch breaks.  Try to keep a napkin handy and be very conscience in not sharing your food.

Books are not Coasters – Too many times people use their books as coasters.  This damages the cover of the book and makes it less attractive.  It can even totally warp the pretty cover.  Use a real coaster and keep the book clean.

Keep on the Shelf – It is important that when a book is not being read that it stays on the shelf.  This keeps the book protected from spills, children, and other potential damage.  The bookshelf is the books home where it should remain safe and sound.

Use Bookmarks – It is so easy to just bend the corner of a page to mark where you last read.  This is damaging to the book as over time that part of the page weakens and eventually tears off.  Keep your pages safe by always using a bookmark.  You do not have to purchase a fancy bookmark.  A scrap of paper will do.  But you can have fun making your own bookmarks.

Kind to the Spine – You are in the middle of reading your latest book.  The phone rings.  What do you do?  Lay the book down completely open to the page you were reading.  Yes, it is easy to pick it up and begin reading again, but you are now putting undue stress on the spine of your book.  This weakens the spine which later can lead to the book falling apart.  Always use a bookmark and close your book completely.

Limit Accessibility to Children/Pets – Yes, we want our children to enjoy books, but there are times when we need to limit how easy it is to get a book.  It is sickening to open up a book that you love and find where little Jane or John decided that the book was boring without pictures and decided to help you.  Until children are taught proper book etiquette, it might be wise to keep books out of the reach of children.  Even their own books can become victim of the “crayon monster”.  In addition to children, keep books out of the reach of pets.  Dogs love to chew and nothing is too good for them.  Protect your books.

If you follow these tips and take good care of your books, they will last for years.  This does not take into account the quality of the pages or the binding.  There are some books poorly put together and have the pages falling out as soon as they are opening.  But if you have good quality books, you can enjoy them for decades.  Enjoy your books and pass them on to others.

Books - Pre-Printing Press

Too often we take for granted the advancements that have occurred during the years.  Cell phones have come a long way as they were very heavy and large when they first came out.  Cars are more advanced and streamlined than the first ones Henry Ford mass produced.  Everything evolves and improves as technology improves.  Books are no exception.

The first books were not paperback or with fancy covers.  They were not easily transportable.  They were not easily written.  They were incredibly hard to make and, therefore, not able to be mass produced.  Books have really changed over the years.

The first books were nothing you could imagine.  As paper does not come directly from nature, it had not been invented yet.  Mankind had to use what resources they had.  Nature provided them with mud and clay. 

Mud and clay can be baked and hardened which makes great lasting “books”.  As the flat mud tablet is still wet, the author took a stick, a reed, or any other object that could be used to make marks on the tablets.  Then the tablet hardened with the words legible.  Because of this method of writing, archeologists have found a wealth of information from centuries ago that has revealed much about ancient civilizations.

Now, this method of writing was not used to write novels and could not easily be transported.  These tablets weighed a lot.  Most people in ancient cultures used these tablets in economic ways as they documented how much grain or other product was stored and used.  This was vital for most governments.  It was also used to document the exploits of kings and emperors.  As battles were won and nations conquered, tablets were written up to describe the feats.

Stone tablets were also used, but this required the ability to legibly carve the writing into the stone.  Ancient civilizations used each of these methods which have lasted the years to come to us.

From stone and clay, mankind discovered at various times that other products could be used to create early book versions.  In China toward the end of the BC era, man discovered that from the bark of trees that had been broken down and mixed with water.  Once it was mixed well, it was laid out to dry.  The true beginnings of our current paper had been discovered.

In Egypt, paper was created out of papyrus reeds.  From these two paper methods, early forms of books arose.  Stories of heroes, religious laws, letters to others far away began to take shape.  Many of these early forms of books were compiled as wall hangings, scrolls, or just in single sheets stacked together.  Leather was used as well as copper to create scrolls pieced together to create entire books.  Many of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious pieces were written and preserved on such books.

As paper developed, it was inevitable that so would books.  With the ability to create such functioning paper which was easier to transport than clay or stone tablets and with the ability to let creativity loose, books began to grow.  Though books became more numerous, they were still not as common or readily available as they are today.  Typically only the rich could possess such wondrous art works that books had become.  To produce these books took years and sometimes lifetimes as you can see from the pictures below.

One page could take a long time to create.  But all this changed with one single invention – the printing press.

Being Cautious About What You Read

Walking into a library, a reader might feel like they have entered paradise. Rows and rows of books are just waiting for hands to open them up and soak in all the adventures that the covers contain. You can find books on science fiction, animals, traveling, history, science, mysteries, and many other topics. You and your child will find such enjoyment in the land of books, and you can find more than you bargained for.

It can happen. Your child is excited about all the books and they grab one off the shelf. Then the shock and embarrassment set in when the child asks you what something means. Grabbing the book and putting it back, you usher them quickly into the children’s section. You need to be cautious in what your child reads.

Even the children’s section should have you on guard. Will there be books that should be placed in rated sections? No, but there are some topics that families choose not to have their child exposed to.

How do you feel about your child reading about magic? There are many books on magic that have become popular lately. They will be sitting on the bestsellers table and everywhere else. If your goal is to avoid books that involve magic, you need to be careful what your child picks up.

Religion can be a topic that many families like to be selective about. It does not matter whether it is religion in general or a particular one. Many parents want to make sure that their child is receiving the instruction that they deem correct.

How can you be cautious about what your child reads and not become the “book cop”? Be aware of what the latest trends are. What are the books that all the children are talking about? If it is about vampires and that topic is on your “No” list, then you need to be aware of the book, the title, and any other books that are a part of the series. Being cautious means that you need to be informed.

Be aware of what is available to your children and that it meets your standards. Do not set fear in your child for picking up a book that might be inappropriate. You want them to enjoy reading. Explain to them how you feel about certain books. Let them know that it is not the book that is bad, but what the book says. Never make a child afraid of books. If you have any other questions about what children are reading, talk to the librarian. She will be glad to help.

Be an Example

Trying to get your child to read can be difficult.  Giving them interesting topics can help, but one of the biggest steps you can take to get your child motivated to read is to be an example yourself.

How often do you read?  Jobs do interfere as well as other things in an adult’s life.  If your child does not see you ever reading, what is motivating them?  Absolutely nothing.

When a child sees their parent reading and enjoying it, they want to know what is so exciting between those pages.  They begin to search out books and begin to devour them the way their parent does.  Parents have amazing influences over their child and their habits.

What can you do to improve your own reading to be such a good example?  Here are a few ideas to help you get reading back into your busy schedule.

Order Magazines/Newspapers – How often do you have magazines arriving in the mail?  Do you buy them often?  Get some various magazines coming in and keep them around the house.  As you drink your morning coffee, read a magazine or scan a newspaper.  Place magazines in the living room, the bathroom, next to your bed, in the car, or keep one in your purse or briefcase. 

Book Locations – You are running here and running there.  When you do have time to read, there is not a book to be found.  Be deliberate.  Keep books placed in strategic locations so that you can pick up one and read at any time.  Keep one in your purse so when you are stuck at the doctor’s office you can spend a few minutes (or hours) reading as you wait.  Keep one in your car, at your desk, or by your favorite chair. 

Relax with a Book – Got a few minutes to sit and breathe?  Relax by sitting in the swing and reading a book.  Try a quiet moment next to the crackling fire.  You can even read a book while listening to your favorite music.  Be deliberate in reading while you are relaxing.

Shop at a Bookstore – As you are going about your errands and even shopping, include a bookstore.  Take the time to browse the aisles and pick up a new book or two.

Spend a Saturday at the Library – Don’t always spend Saturday watching television.  Go to the library and relax reading a new mystery novel.

When your child sees you enjoying a book and always with something to read, they will also want to read.  Children learn by example.  Get back into reading and show them that it is a wonderful world of adventure and relaxation. 

Homonyms from Ante to Auricle

by Lisa Binion

Homonyms are a source of confusion for many writers. They also endlessly confuse school children and those who don’t know the English language very well. Other languages also have homonyms, so English isn’t the only language made confusing by them.

Ante and auntie
Ante is a term familiar to anyone who plays poker or places bets of any kind. It is a monetary bet on the outcome of a game.
Gerard greedily eyed the large ante and seriously considered how much he should add to it.
An auntie is the sister of either your mother or your father.
My auntie took me to the zoo.

Arc and ark
An arc is part of a circle.
Joanna’s geometry homework was to find the measurement of the arc.
An ark is a huge boat.
God instructed Noah to build an ark.

Ascent and assent
An ascent is a climb.
The steep ascent made the mountain nearly impossible to climb.
An assent is an agreement.
Much to the speaker’s surprise, every hand in the auditorium raised in assent.

Ate and eight
Alright, so this is probably one that you are familiar with. Anyway, ate is the past tense of eat.
Melinda ate a chopped sirloin sandwich.
Eight is the number 8 written in the form of a word.
Eight snowballs hit Jessica in the back as she ran across the playground.

Auger and augur
An auger is a tool used for boring.
Joe used an auger to bore through the earth and find water.
An augur is a prophet or soothsayer.
The augur was visited constantly by those wanting to know their future.

Aught and ought
Aught means anything.
For aught I know, the trip will be worth the effort.
Ought means should.
Mary ought to study for her test.

Aural and oral
Aural is an adjective that describes something to do with the sense of hearing.
The aural capabilities of canines are far greater than the aural capabilities of humans.
Oral means spoken with the mouth.
Monica is scheduled to give an oral presentation on how to properly brush your teeth.

Auricle and oracle
The auricle is the outer part of your ear.
Jasmine’s auricle was heavily decorated with earrings of various shapes and sizes.
An oracle is a prophet or seer.
The visiting oracle told Melody things that no one should have known, things she had kept a secret between herself and God.

Several of these homonyms surprised me; I had been pronouncing them the wrong way. Maybe I need to check the pronunciation of words, as well as their meaning, more often.

Homonyms from Ail to Ant

by Lisa Binion

Homonyms are words that are frequently confused by people. They sound exactly alike but are spelled differently. One has to learn what each spelling means. When confronted with a word that has more than one spelling, confusion can set in. If you aren’t sure of the meaning, grab a dictionary before deciding which one to use. As you can see from the following homonyms, using the wrong one can change the entire meaning of a sentence, perhaps even your story.

Ail and ale
To ail is to feel poorly or cause someone uneasiness.
Jessica tried not to ail over the dire situation.
Ale is a malt beverage that is darker, heavier, and bitterer than beer.
Joe ordered an ale from the bartender.

Air, are, e’er, ere, err, heir
Air is what we breathe.
The air smells wonderfully fresh after a rain storm.
Are, pronounced just like the air we breathe, is a surface measure equal to 100 square meters. That one surprised me; I thought sure the pronunciation was a mistake, but I discovered differently.
An are is equal to 119.6 square yards.
E’er is the contraction for ever and is usually used in poetry.
And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave
Ere means before.
Ere you left the room, the computer crashed.
Err means to make a mistake.
Marilyn's belief that to err is human was tested when she battled her wits against a human who seemingly never made a mistake.
An heir is someone who inherits property after a person’s death.
Mr. Simpson named Barbara as his heir.

Aisle, I’ll, and isle
An aisle is a long walkway, such as a bride would walk down. It is also a walkway between or along sections of seats in a theater or church.
The veil of Mitzi’s bridal gown was surrounded by rose petals as she walked down the aisle.
I’ll is the contraction for I will.
I’ll see you in the morning.
An isle is an island.
As the sun set, the sailors saw an isle in the distance.

All and awl
All means everything, nothing is left out.
All of the furniture in the room is to be moved into the hallway.
An awl is a sharp, pointed instrument used for poking holes in items such as leather and wood.
Michael, who loved to make belts, received a new awl for his birthday.

Allowed and aloud
Allowed is when one has been given permission to do something.
Megan was allowed to go to the party.
Aloud is to speak with a voice that can be heard or to speak loudly.
Emily was 5-years-old before she spoke aloud.

Altar and alter
An altar is a place of worship.
Lucinda approached the altar to pray.
When you alter something, you change it in some way.
The dress was perfect, but it needed to be altered.

An and Ann
An is the Sumerian god of heaven. It is also an indefinite article which appears before used before words with an initial vowel sound.
She has an apple in her lunch box.
Ann is a woman’s name.
Ann is the name of one of my closest friends.

Ant and aunt
An ant is an insect.
Ants were crawling all over the food that had been left on the counter overnight.
An aunt is a relative, the sister of your mother or father.
My Aunt Sissy is a lot of fun to be around.

For those of you who enjoy word games, below is a link to Good Knight, Suite Prints, a story written by Mary Ellen Slate that contains 140 pairs of homonyms. Games Magazine, who put the article on the internet for me, said that you are free to print out your own copy of the story. That way you can work on it away from your computer.

Good Knight, Suite Prints can be found at http://www.gamesmagazine-online.com/gameslinks/GoodKnight.html.