ADVANCED ENGLISH HOMONYMS EXERCISE 2

✓ Useful for TOEFL ✓ Useful for Cambridge B2/C1

Did you know? Homonym precision separates C1 writers from C2 writers, and Band 7 from Band 8.

At advanced levels, homonym errors are particularly damaging because they suggest the writer doesn't fully control the words they're using, even common ones. Pairs like stationary/stationery, counsel/council, or phase/faze catch out even experienced writers.

TOEFL reading passages use academic homonyms with precision, and understanding them is essential for answering vocabulary-in-context questions correctly. IELTS Reading also tests whether you can distinguish between closely related words. This is Exercise 2 in a three-part series, each one covers a fresh set of pairs.

READY TO PRACTICE? LET’S GO!

Choose the correct homonym to complete each sentence.
Example: He lives by (by/buy) the river.

1. He lived on the top floor of a six- (storey/story) building.✓

2. All the (current/currant) ministers are from the same party.✓

3. The (ascent/assent) was very steep.✓

4. I don't believe his (story/storey).✓

5. Does your computer have a (cereal/serial) number?✓

6. He didn't expect that this would (affect/effect) his performance.✓

7. I didn't read the whole report; I just read the (summary/summery).✓

8. That was not the desired (effect/affect).✓

9. My brother eats (cereal/serial) in the morning.✓

10. John was praying at the (alter/altar).✓

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