an, and

An or an is an article, meaning it refers to any example of the same or a similar thing--not to a specific thing, as "the" does.
 "An" and "a" are the same word--with the same meaning and use-- "an" is used in front of a word beginning with a vowel (open-mouthed sound), since it is hard to hear or say "a" before this type of sound.
 "A" or "a" is used before a consonant ( closed-mouth  sound )--
I would like an apple.
Would you like a piece?
Can I have an orange?
Would you like a slice?

And or and  means in addition to, or plus--
I would like some apples and some oranges.
I am going to the store and to the bank.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I would like an apple and a slice of  orange."

Not to be confused with Ann or Anne, a woman's or girl's given name.

Note--you may come across "en" in your reading. This refers to the letter "n", sometimes used to specify the length of a typed or printed "dash" ( - ) .
An "m" dash --
An "n" dash -

of, off

Off, meaning "not on" or  "not in operation"--
This cake is not done. The oven was off.
There is no cake. The baker took the day off.
Turn off the light.
Turn off the highway when you see the bakery sign.
Off is also used to mean less, or the absence of--
They are offering ten percent off  everything in the store.

Of is a preposition--it links two words or phrases, and tells of their relationship to each other--
May I have a piece of cake?
This is the best of all the bakeries.
There are two more miles of highway before we get to town.
This bakery was voted the best of all.
Don't forget to make a note of its name.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The bakery is offering ten percent off every box of cakes".

Note--of and off may be used in a way that seems the same--
10% "off " means subtracting 10% from the total price--so if the price started out to be $100, and you subtracted 10%, meaning $10, the net price would be $90.
10% "of " means just that--10% of $100 is $10.
Suppose you were offered a rebate of 10%--if the original price was $100, the rebate would be $10, making the net price $90.


Not to be confused with often, meaning frequently, or--
oven, the cooking box or chamber usually located under the stove.

by, buy

Buy means to purchase or obtain with money--
I am going out to buy some pastry.
Let's go out and buy a pizza.

By or by is used to denote the maker or author of something--
This pastry was made by the baker.
By or by is also used to describe how something moves or works--
The baker's oven is powered by gas.
I got to the bakery by train.
By or by can also mean during the time of--
The baker works by night.


Now that you know that, you can say--
"I want to buy some pastry made by the baker downtown."

Note--"bye"  means an odd or extra something--
The bottom of the ninth may be a bye.
Note # 2--"by the bye" means by the way or incidentally--
By the bye, we won't have to work late tomorrow.
Note # 3--"by and by" means at some time in the future--
"In the sweet by and by we shall meet on that beautiful shore..."
Note # 4--"by-by" or "bye-bye" means so long or farewell--
Watch the baby wave by-by.

than, then

Than or than is used to indicate a choice, difference, relationship or alternative--
I would rather have cookies than cake.
Cookies are better than cake.
There are more cookies than I can eat.
These cookies are better than those cookies.
Do you like these cookies better than those?

Then or then means at a certain time, in a certain order, or under certain conditions--
First we went to the store, then we went to the bakery.
We'll eat our sandwiches, then our cookies.
 Let's eat lunch, then we can have cookies.

Now that you know that you can say--
" We had cookies like this last week. These cookies are better than the ones we had then."


      
     

know, no, knows, nose

No or no means the absence or lack of--
There are no more muffins.
No also means a negative response, such as a denial or refusal --
May I have some muffins? No.

Know or know ( rhymes with no ) means to understand, be aware of or acquainted with--
Do you know the muffin man?
Do you know how to make muffins?

Knows or knows ( rhymes with nose ) is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "know"--
He knows the muffin man.
The muffin man knows him.

Nose or nose is the thing on your face used for smelling--
My nose detects muffins baking.
He bumped his nose trying to peek in the door.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Do you know that there are no more muffins?"
"My nose will tell me when there are more muffins, before anyone else knows."
"Know what?"
" No, what?"

Note--the plural ( more than one ) form of "nose" is "noses"--
These puppies have cold noses. That means they're healthy.
Note # 2--"Noh" ( rhymes with no ) is a type of oriental drama--
They rented a video of a Noh drama for us to watch.
Note # 3--"Noah" ( pronounced no-uh ) is a man's given name--
The children liked the story of Noah and the ark.
Not to be confused with the phrase "know a"--
Do you know a place where we can have a picnic?

bought, brought

Bought or bought is the past tense (yesterday, or sometime ago ) of buy--
I went to the store and bought some cupcakes.
They bought a new TV, and invited us over to watch it.

Brought or brought is the past tense of bring--
I brought the cupcakes to my friend's house.
She brought her books home every day.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I bought some cupcakes and brought them to my friend's house."

Note--Not to be confused with bough ( rhymes with now ), meaning is a limb of a tree--
"When the bough breaks the cradle will fall..."

were, we're

Were or were ( pronounced wurr ) is the past tense (yesterday, or some time ago ) of "to be", used with we, you, or  they --
They were going out for tacos.
We were going out for tacos.
You were going out for tacos.
We were going out for tacos when it began to rain. 
We were hungry.
Were is also used with , he she or it when there is an "if" or condition in the sentence. --
If I were going out for tacos, I would buy a lot of them.

We're or we're ( pronounced weer ) is a short, informal form (contraction) of  "we are"--
We're going out for tacos.
We're hungry.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We're hungry, so we're eating the tacos we were saving for later."

Note--Not to be confused with "weir" ( rhymes with we're ), meaning a small dam or fence in a stream--
The water flowed  over the weir with a rushing sound.
Note # 2--"weird" ( pronounced weerd ) means odd, strange, or unusual.--
He likes to watch weird old movies.
Note # 3--"whirr" ( rhymes with were ) means  the sound something might make when spinning--
The whirr of the fan made it difficult to concentrate.

where, wear, ware, where's, wears

Where or where means in what place or location--
Where is the bakery?
Where are you going?

Where's or where's is a contraction (short, informal form ) of  "where is"--
Where's the bakery?
Where's the beef?

Wear or wear means to put on one's body as an article of clothing, piece of jewelry, cosmetic or toiletry-- 
The baker will wear a tall white hat.
She wants to wear it for a Halloween costume.

Wears or wears is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of  "wear"--
He wears a tall white hat. 
Who wears a tall white hat?
The baker wears a tall white hat.

Ware or ware is a type of things made or offered for sale. Wares or wares is the plural (more than one) of things made or offered for sale--
The baker's wares are delicious. He has pies and cakes.
"Said Simple Simon to the pie man let me taste your wares..."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Where is the baker who wears a tall white hat while selling his wares?"

Note--"beware" (one word) is connected to "wary", meaning careful or suspicious--
Beware of dog.
Note # 2--be aware ( two words) means to take notice or be informed of--
It's important to be aware of recent changes in the school dress code.
Note # 3--"ware" is used as part of an expression meaning  a particular type of "ware"--
The antique dealer had granite ware, spatter ware and other tin ware for sale.

here, hear, here's hears

Here or here means in this place--
I want them to deliver the pizza here.
It won't get here until 9 o'clock.

Here's is a short, informal form (contraction) of "here is"--
Here's your pizza.
Here's  the number for the pizza place.

Hear or hear means to take in sound and its meaning--
Did you hear the pizza guy ring the bell?
Did you hear something?

Hears or hears is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "hear"--
He always hears the pizza guy first.
He never hears the phone when it rings.

Now that you know that, you can say-
"I can't wait to hear the pizza guy get here."
"Here's the part where he hears the strange sounds in the attic."

Note-- "here! here!" means "there, there" or "tut, tut"--
Here, here, what's all this fuss?
Note # 2-- "hear ye! hear ye!" means pay attention--
Hear ye, hear ye" A proclamation from the mayor...

your, you're

Your means belonging to you--
Here is your ice cream.
Is this your coat?

Yours refers to the thing that belongs to you--
Is that ice cream yours?
This one is mine, and that one is yours.

You're is a short, informal form (contraction) of "you are"--
You're going to like this ice cream.
If you're going out, would you stop at the store?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"You're going to like your ice cream."

Not to be confused with "ewer", a jug or pot type of thing--
She admired the old ewer in the antique store.
Note--"yore" ( rhymes with your ) means past or long ago--
In days of yore knights fought in jousting tournaments. 

whose, who's

Whose or whose means belonging to whom  --
Whose burrito is this?
Whose car is that? They left the lights on.

Who's or who's is a short or informal form (contraction) of "who is"--
Who's eating the burritos?
Who's going to volunteer to work this weekend?

Now that you know that you can say--
"Who's eating whose burritos?"

Note--"who's your" is a contraction ( short, informal form ) of "who is your?"--
Who's your homeroom teacher?
Not to be confused with "hoosier" meaning a person from Indiana, or a description of Indiana--
They wanted to visit the hoosier state to watch college football.

there, their, they're, theirs, there's

There or there, means in that place; yonder--
Put my soda over there.
Don't leave that there.
There or there may also describe a state or condition--
There are no more sodas.
There is out house.

There's or there's is a contraction ( short, informal form ) of  "there is"--
There's no more soda.
There's the place I was talking about.

Their or their ( rhymes with there ) means belonging to them --
Where are their sodas?
Here are their sodas.

Theirs or theirs refer to the things belonging to them--
Don't touch those sodas. Those sodas are theirs.
Are these theirs or ours?

They're or they're ( rhymes with there ) is a contraction (short, informal form) for "they are"--
They're going out for a soda.
They're going home now.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They're going there for their sodas." 
 "There's soda in the fridge that's theirs."

to, two, 2, too

To or to means towards, or  in the direction of--
Let's go to the burger place.
This is the way to my house.
To also means with the object or goal of--
I want to get a hamburger.
Give that burger to me.
To may express reaction or relationship, proportion--
The burger stand is close to our house.
To may be used to express an action as the "object" of another action--usually called the infinitive--as in the verb forms "to be", "to have", "to hold ", and others--
I would like to have a hamburger.
It's hard to hold a burger with one hand.


Two or two ( rhymes with to ) means the number 2 --2 or two of something--
I'll have two hamburgers, please.
Did you say one or two?

Too or too ( rhymes with to )means an excess amount, more than enough, an unwanted extra something--
Don't put too much ketchup on my hamburger, please.
This is too expensive.

Now that you know that you can say--
" I'd like to have two hamburgers without too much ketchup, please."

Note-"tew"  ( rhymes with few ) means to work very hard--
Take it easy--you don't have to tew like a medieval peasant.
 Note # 2--a  "tutu"  ( pronounced too too ) is the fluffy net or tulle skirt a ballerina wears--
She wanted to take ballet lessons so that she could wear a tutu.

it's, its

Its or its means belonging to it--
See the dog. It is wagging its tail.
This is my book. Its cover is torn.

It's or it's is a contraction ( short, informal form ) of "it is"--
How's the weather? It's raining.
Don't eat that doughnut. It's mine.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"See the dog. It's wagging its tail."

Note--"it's" may occasionally be a contraction for "it has"--
"It's been a long, long, time..."