Introducing Homograph !

The English language is confusing. Even grammar police and word geeks are throwing their hands in the air in exasperation that learning it can be tough and demanding. Even wide-eyed proofreaders who have a knack for spotting errors like a grammar police have experienced the same thing.

Well, there's another group of words we have to know aside from knowing homonyms and homophones. We almost puke contrasting and differentiating the two ... and there is still the third one? Yesiree ... so don't complain now  ... just fasten your seatbelt and gnash your teeth.

A homograph is a word that has the same spelling as another word but has a different sound and a different meaning,

With homographs, our concentration is on the way it sounds and how we pronounce and enunciate it. 

Homographs are words with two meanings ... One meaning may be a noun and the other meaning is an adjective. Although they are written in the same way ... they are pronounced differently.

Some people call them heteronyms.

Example: 

1. present(in attendance) / present (to show or tell) /present (gift)

 Present as an adjective meaning in attendance is pronounced PREH-zint making the vowel a little longer. The stress is on the first syllable. Whereas present as a verb meaning to show or tell is pronounced as pree-ZEHNT with the accent or stress on the second syllable. Present as a noun meaning gift is pronounced in the same way as PREH-zint having the stress on the first syllable.

2. minute (a period of sixty seconds) /minute (extremely small 

Minute as a noun meaning sixty seconds is pronounced as minit. Minute as an adjective meaning incredibly small is pronounced as mai-NYUT the stress is on the second syllable.

3. wind (turn, spin, twist) wind (a gust of air)

Wind as verb meaning turn, twist, or turn pronounced with a long "i" sound like "wynd". And wind as noun meaning a gust of air is pronounced with a short "i" like "win-d".

4. project (show something) / project (a planned task)

Project as a verb meaning to show something (as in project a tougher image is pronounced PRUH-ject where the stress is in the second syllable. Project as a noun meaning a planned task or goal as in (a housing project) is pronounced pro-ject and the stress in the first syllable.

5. desert (sandy land) / desert (abandonment) /dessert (sweet dish

Desert as a noun meaning a sandy piece of land is pronounced as. Desert as a verb meaning abandonment is pronounced.