Homophones: How to use them

Simply put, homophones are words that sound the same but are either spelt differently or have different meanings. Oftentimes, many homophones have completely dissimilar definitions which can cause confusion when read. This is why proofreading is so important because naturally, your brain fills in the blanks when writing, but sometimes you might have used the wrong word subconsciously. A proofreader can pick up on these mishaps and fix them or query them to make sure there is a full understanding of what is being put across to the reader.

The most common homophone mistake is Their/There/They’re:

1.   “Their” signifies the possession of something by more than one person (e.g. “Their car is red”).

2.   “There” is a direct reference to a location (e.g. “The beach is over there if you look close enough”).

3.   “They’re” is a contraction of “they are” (e.g. “They’re not joining us, I’m afraid”).

It is important that if you are a writer, especially a fiction author, you understand the difference between different homophone pairings so you can use them correctly. You should try to avoid being ambiguous in your writing because you want your plot to be as clear and easy to follow as possible and your copyeditor and/or proofreader can assist you in fixing any ambiguity.

If you’re working as a proofreader and struggle to differentiate homophones, always remember how vital context is when you are reading. If the homophone doesn’t work in a particular sentence, it might be worth looking into. But don’t worry if an author continuously uses the wrong word, they might be doing it on purpose!

Authors can use homophones as wordplay or puns, or to tell us something about a particular character, most of the time if a word is used incorrectly, it might be intentional (unless it has been missed in the proofing stage!). If you are unsure, your best bet is to raise a query with the author for clarification or check the style sheet if you have been provided with one.

For further information, it would be best to check out the relevant style guide pertaining to the clients you work with. If you are working with UK authors/publishers, then you should be using New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide and if you are working with US-based authors/publishers, you will need The Chicago Manual of Style.

Lauren Ternent | The Editorial Geordie