Editing Tips #1

Hello there! Welcome to the first installment of my editing tips series!

Today we're going to be talking about homophones!

Homophones are each of two or more words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling, e.g., new and knew.

There are approximately 441 homophones on the English language - that are known at least. You can find more examples/information at Homophone.com.

Now, let's get started with the most commonly misused homophones writer's tend to interchange.

Now, yore is not as commonly misused as the other two, but, nonetheless, it's still a part of this homophone group and should also be talked about.

Yore

of long ago or former times (used in nostalgic or mock-nostalgic recollection).

Ex: "a great empire in days of yore"

•Not necessarily what you typically think of when you hear the word 'yore,' only because you assume the person is talking about the word 'your' or 'you're.' Anyway, moving on.

Your

has three different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. belonging to or associated with the person or people that the speaker is addressing.

Ex: "what is your name?"

2. belonging to or associated with any person in general.

Ex: "the sight is enough to break your heart"

• Informal

Used to denote someone or something that is familiar or typical of its kind.

Ex: "I'm just your average Joe"

3. used when addressing the holder of certain titles.

Ex: "Your Majesty"

You're

a contraction.

You are.

Ex: "you're an angel, Lisa!"

Now that we've talked about yore, your, and you're; let's move on to the next group.

Now, these are pretty self explanatory, but we're going to talk about them nonetheless.

Their

has two different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. belonging to or associated with the people or things previously mentioned or easily identified.

Ex: "her taunts had lost their power to touch him"

2. used in titles.

Ex: "a double portrait of Their Majesties"

There

has four different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. in, at, or to that place or position.

Ex: "we went on to Paris and stayed there eleven days"

2. used in attracting someone's attention or calling attention to someone or something.

Ex: "hello there!"

•Exclamation

1.used to focus attention on something and express satisfaction or annoyance at it.

Ex: "there, I told you she wouldn't mind!"

2. used to comfort someone.

Ex: "there, there, you must take all of this philosophically"

They're

a contraction.

They are.

Ex: "they're waiting for you"

Now that we've talked about their, there, and they're; let's move on to the next group.

Self explanatory once again, but we'll still go over it.

Read

past tense of "to read" pronounced like the color "red" and has three different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. look at and comprehend the meaning of (written or printed matter) by mentally interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed.

Ex: "it's the best novel I've ever read"

2. inspect and record the figure indicated on (a measuring instrument).

Ex: "I've just read the gas meter"

•(of a measuring instrument) indicate a specified measurement or figure.

Ex: "the thermometer read 0° C"

Ex: "the dial read 70 mph"

Red

Referring to the color and has fifteen (give or take a few) different meanings you could be referring to when using it:

1. of a color at the end of the spectrum next to orange and opposite violet, as of blood, fire, or rubies.

Ex: "her red lips"

Ex: "a red dress"

2. (of a person or their face or complexion) flushed or rosy, especially with embarrassment, anger, or a healthy glow.

Ex: "there were some red faces at headquarters"

Ex: "he was red in the face"

3. (of a person's eyes) bloodshot or having pink rims, especially with tiredness or crying.

Ex: "her eyes were red and swollen"

Ex: "his eyes were red"

4. (of hair or fur) of a reddish-brown or orange-brown color.

Ex: "her long, red hair"

Ex: "red hair"

5. of or denoting the suits hearts and diamonds in a deck of cards.

6. (of wine) made from dark grapes and colored by their skins.

7. denoting a red light or flag used as a signal to stop.

8. used to denote something forbidden, dangerous, or urgent.

Ex: "the force went on red alert"

9. (of a ski run) of the second highest level of difficulty, as indicated by colored markers.

•PHYSICS

1. denoting one of three colors of quark.

2. stained with blood, or involving bloodshed or violence.

Ex: "red battle stamps his foot and nations feel the shock"

10. red color or pigment.

Ex: "colors range from yellow to deep red"

11. red clothes or material.

Ex: "she could not wear red"

12. a red thing or person, in particular.

•a red wine.

•a red ball in billiards.

•a red light.

13. the situation of owing money to a bank or making a loss in a business operation.

Ex: "the company was $4 million in the red"

Ex: "his is still in the red"

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If you've made it this far, then I applaud you :clap:

I know it's a lot of information to take in all at once, and you don't necessarily have to listen to this either (though I suggest you do), but your readers will thank you and you'll thank yourself for being the very best you can be.

I hoped you learned something from this and continue to strive to be the amazing writers I know you guys are.

Let me know what other tips you'd like to see me do in the comments below! And please, don't hesitate to ask me any questions!

'Till next time! :wave: