The English language is full of words whose sound is like that of other words but whose spelling is different. Listed below are some of the more common examples:
ACCEPT—to receive willingly: I will accept the gift.
EXCEPT—not including, other than: I will eat anything except meat loaf.
ADVICE—recommendation or an option: My sister always gives good advice.
ADVISE—to counsel, to recommend, to give advice: Let me advise you of your rights.
AFFECT—a verb meaning to influence: He affects me in a strange way.
EFFECT—a verb meaning to bring about or to cause to happen: Congress effected a change in the law. It is also used as a noun meaning the result of: The effect of exercise is fitness.
ALTER—to change somehow: Mr. Austin decided to alter his will.
ALTAR—a structure used in worship: The people knelt at the altar.
BIRTH—refers to being born: Brooke gave birth to a baby girl.
BERTH—a place to sit or sleep, as a berth in a ship: May I sleep in a lower berth?
BREATH—air taken into the lungs: I took a deep breath.
BREATHE—to exhale and inhale: Smog makes it hard to breathe.
CAPITAL—chief, leading or governing city: The capital of California is Sacramento. It also means wealth or resources: He needed more capital to start his company.
CAPITOL—a building that houses the state or national officials: Have you been to the Capitol in Washington D.C.?
CITE—to use as an example, to quote: Lynda loves to cite Shakespeare.
SITE—location: This is the site of our new house.
SIGHT—something seen or the process of seeing: She was a sight for sore eyes.
CONSCIENCE—that which causes one to recognize right and wrong: He was free of a guilty conscience.
CONSCIOUS—to be aware of, or to be awake: The boxer was knocked down, but he was still conscious.
COUNCIL—an assembly of lawmakers, or an advisory group: The student council met to discuss a new proposal.
COUNSEL—advice; to give advice: We should have followed his wise council.
DAIRY—a factory or farm that makes milk products: We bought our cheese at the dairy.
DIARY—a daily record of experiences and observations: Missy writes in her diary every night.
DESERT—a dry region: Cactus grow in the desert. It also means to abandon: She felt alone and deserted after her husband left.
DESSERT—a sweet at the end of a meal: My favorite dessert is ice cream.
DYING—ceasing to live: Mary’s dog is dying.
DYEING—the process of coloring fabric: She is dyeing the fabric blue.
EMIGRATE—to leave one country to settle in another: My grandparents emigrated from Sweden.
IMMIGRATE—to enter and settle in a country where you were not born. They then immigrated to Canada.
FORTH—forward in space or place, onward in time: "Arise, go forth, and conquer."
FOURTH—the ordinal equivalent of the number 4: Colleen is their fourth daughter.
HEAR—to receive sound: Did you hear what she said?
HERE—in a certain place: I live here.
ITS—the possessive form of "it," belonging to "it": The dog broke its leg.
IT’S—a short form of "it is": It’s a beautiful day.
KNOW—to comprehend or understand: Bill knows how to fix a car.
NO—the opposite of yes: No, I don’t want to go to the show.
LATER—refers to time: It’s later than you think.
LATTER—the second of two persons of things named: The latter is a teacher at a local high school.
LOOSE—not tight: My watchband is loose.
LOSE—to suffer a loss, or misplace: I hope I don’t lose the job.
NAVAL—pertaining to the navy: Skip is wearing a naval uniform.
NAVEL— "bellybutton": Your navel is in the middle of your stomach.
PEDAL—a lever to be pressed down by the foot: Sarah pressed the brake pedal and the car stopped.
PEDDLE—to sell, especially door to door: Ted’s job is to peddle life insurance.
PEER—to look at: She peered at me through the door. It also means one of the same rank of qualities: You are entitled to a jury of your peers.
PIER—a dock: We tied the boat to the pier.
PERSONAL—of, relating to, or affecting a person: It was done purely for personal financial gain.
PERSONNEL—the body of persons employed in any occupation, service or work: All of the personnel went out to lunch.
PRINCIPAL—chief, most important: Jill understood the principal idea. It also means a school official: Bob is the principal of the school.
PRINCIPLE—a belief, rule of conduct or thought: That was based around the main principle of the group.
THAN—used for comparisons: Oranges are sweeter than lemons.
THEN—refers to time: First make your bed; then we will go.
THERE—refers to a place: The book is over there.
THEIR—refers to third person plural possession: Their dinner is on the table.
THEY'RE—a short form of "they are": They're looking for the classroom.