Homonyms and Idioms

Homonyms and idioms can be confusing. The words “two”, “to”, and “too” sound the same, but they have different spellings, meanings, and uses. The word “two” refers to the number 2. The word “to” is used as a preposition, and the word “too” is used to replace the word also, and to mean “in excess of’. These words are called homonyms. Dictionaries may list homonyms for words that are frequently confused.

Idioms are phrases. They have specific meanings that are often different from the meanings of the individual words. For example, the idiom a chip off the old block” means that a child is similar to his or her parent. It has nothing to do with a piece of a wood block. Looking in the dictionary is the best way to discover their meaning.