Homophoneophobia

It's my sickness...

Welcome, grammar students

and word nerds everywhere

today’s rant is on homophones ~

come, pull up a chair.

 

There is a different meaning

between words like wear and where;

don’t even get me started on

the trio: their/there/they’re

 

They are not interchangeable,

the words to, too and two

and you should always double check

using do, or due, or dew

 

Is it altar; maybe alter;

is the bread of rye or wry?

What do I shout to purchase stocks,

buy, or by, or bye?

 

An apostrophe in “it’s”

means “it  is”;  not possessive.

“Its” without shows ownership

(I know, I am obsessive!)

 

Your and you’re ~ another pair

with usage gone bizarre;

“your” means that you own it,

“you’re” is just “you  are”

 

If Mom gives you permission,

then you say you are allowed;

“aloud” means that you’re speaking ~

as in saying it out loud

 

There are so many homophones,

we could be (bee) here (hear) all night (knight).

Just promise you’ll be careful

when you sit down to write (right?)

 

 

Author's Note

The pet peeve ravings of a lunatic... nothing to see here... ;)

Reviews

[Norman 223]

To be able to combine this number of homophones into a cohesive poem that still rhymes, made your "lunatic ravings" a great mad romp. Loved it!

[Lina Grey]

Ah! Thank you so much for writing this! I cringe so many times at incorrect spelling and grammar usage in general, and have in so many cases had to stop and ask people what in the world they meant because they just don't make sense. Homophones are one of the worst problems, of course, because people nowadays tend to type like they talk and just assume that everyone will understand them. It's crazy!

[Rita L. Sev]

It is a never ending battle in y classroom to get the students to write academically, and not like they are texting. Thanks, Lina!

[richom]

I'm back. After raving about errors in the review I just posted, I noticed one of my own. In the last sentence, "posted" should, of course, be "posting." Mea culpa. Richard

[Rita L. Sev]

Noticed - ;) But, even after all our ranting - nobody is perfect!

[richom]

I, too, cringe at misspelled words and incorrect grammar. I have enough sense not to point them out in poems posted here, but (and I know this makes me both intolerant and snobbish) it does cause me to have a lower opinion of the writer.
Now that my rant is over, I very much enjoyed your poem. It is expertly rhymed and written. Another of your splendid poems, Rita.
Incidentally, I will be posted a poem ("Words are Weird") in a similar vein in about two weeks. I think you would enjoy it. Richard

[Rita L. Sev]

Thanks, Rich - I feel the same way; unless I know a writer well here (or know that he or she would truly appreciate the input) I say nothing about such errors. I'm sure that for both of it, this is a teacher's occupational hazard...

[Sharon Kim]

LOVE IT! So true! I especially like the stanzas on it's/its and your/ you're. Those are my pet peeves! A witty way to get your point across. This one's in my library!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Sharon! I think this is one I will have my students memorize this year... ;)

[Cassie]

hahahahha...A nice lesson indeed, we could bee(be)hear(here) all night(knight) very very creative

[Rita L. Sev]

:) Thanks, Cassie! Just felt like ranting in rhyme... ;)

[Anand Sehgal]

Awesome work. A teacher's note :) loved this brilliant piece :) Saved to my library .

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you Anand. I'm going to make my students memorize this! :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i think the bread is awry

oh no, i feel a rye smile coming on..

you know i appreciate this poem two much too describe in less than to words.

[Rita L. Sev]

*stifling a scream here*. Thanks, Jacob! :)

[KAOlmsted]

This is absolutely going into my favorites because you (ewe), my dear (deer), have just spelled out my entire reason for living, which (witch) as everyone knows (nose) is to edit the living s**t out of everything! xD

[Rita L. Sev]

:) Thank you! I spend my life fixing grammar and spelling, whether people ask me to or not... Glad I'm not alone!

[KAOlmsted]

My absolute pleasure...We should form a support group *laugh*