sheer, shear

Sheer or sheer means somewhat transparent, as fabric--
I am looking for some sheer curtains for the front window.
That dress is sheer--you need a slip!
Sheer or sheer is also used to mean utter, or unmixed with anything--
This is sheer nonsense!
Sheer folly!
Sheer may also mean steep, as in nearly vertical--
When they got to the top of the ridge, they saw a sheer drop below them.

Shear or shear ( rhymes with sheer ) means to cut off with a sharp instrument, as sheep's wool--
When it gets warm we will shear the sheep.
The pilot was afraid that the crash would shear the wing off of the plane.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He watched them shear the sheep through the sheer window shade."

Note--"shears" means scissors, always with an "s" at the end, as a plural--
The shears are on the table.
Who has been using my shears?
"Shears" may also be the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "shear", the verb ( action word )--
He shears the sheep every spring.
Not to be confused with "sheers", which may refer to more than one sheer curtain--
I need some sheers for the front window.

aisle, isle, I'll

Aisle or aisle means a corridor or space between shelves in a store or seats in a theater or other building--
The usher says not to block the aisle.
The cereal is in the first aisle.

Isle or isle ( rhymes with aisle ) means an island. Isle may be part of an island's name, or an old-fashioned term for island--
They took a tour of the Isle of Wight.
He dreamed of a sunny isle with palm trees.

I'll  ( rhymes with aisle ) is a contraction ( short, informal form ) of "I will"--
I'll go to the store later.
I'll never get this done if I don't stop playing video games.
"I'll be home for Christmas..."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I'll walk down the aisle, and then we'll honeymoon on a romantic isle."

Note--"ill" ( rhymes with will ) means sick or not well--
She was too ill for school, so she stayed home.
"Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, where wealth accumulates and men decay."
Not to be confused with I'll,a contraction of "I will"--
I'll be right back.
I'll be ill if I eat any more ice cream.

click, clique

Click or click means the small noise made by a device such as a light switch, or a computer mouse--
If you click the right side of the mouse you will get a menu.
He froze when he heard the light switch click.

Clique or clique is a word we borrowed from the French. We pronounce it to rhyme with click; the French pronounce it "cleek". A clique is a small group of people who are friends or associates--a group that excludes anyone not a member--
In high school, he spent four years trying to be accepted into the most popular clique.
They belonged to the same clique for years, and rarely spoke to anyone else.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"With social media, chatting with the clique is only a click away."

feet, feat

Feet or feet is the plural ( more than one ) form of "foot"--the foot you walk on, the foot of a thing or device,or foot as a unit of measurement --
He seems to have two left feet today.
That old table has ball and claw feet.
We need a garden fence about 8 feet long.

Feat or feat ( rhymes with feet ) means an outstanding exploit or accomplishment, usually physical--
The rescue was lauded in the press as a feat of daring and courage.
The runner won a medal for his feat of endurance.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Throwing the anvil 10 feet was considered a great feat."

Note--the plural ( more than one ) of "feat" is "feats"--
He was awarded a trophy for his feats of strength.
Note# 2--"feet" is already plural ( more than one ), and would agree with a plural ( you, we, they ) form of a verb ( action word )--
His feet are too big.
"Feet" as a unit of measurement may be the subject ( actor ) in a sentence, and agree with a plural verb--
There are six feet of string left. ( the plural "are" refers to "six feet"--also plural )
Or "feet" as a unit of measurement may be the object ( acted upon ), and the verb would agree with the subject--
This string is six feet long. ( The subject of the sentence is "string"--singular )

seem, seam

Seem or seem means to appear to be, or to appear to be true--
Does it seem likely that you'll be promoted?
Does she seem arrogant to you?

Seam or seam ( rhymes with seem ) means the line made by two parts joined on one side, especially the line where two pieces of cloth are sewn together--
The shirt split along the shoulder seam.
The seam of your pants is coming apart.

 Now that you know that, you can say--
"Does this seam seem crooked to you?"

Note--"seamy" means sordid or squalid--
They stayed in a seamy hotel that had a rough-looking clientele.
Note # 2--"Seemly" describes proper or appropriate conduct--
It was not seemly to be so forward, said her great aunt.
"Unseemly" describes inappropriate or loose, loud public manners or conduct--
The congregation found the minister's behavior unseemly, and fired him.
Note # 3--"seamless" ( one word ) means all of a piece, or in one piece, without any seams, literally or figuratively--
He wants a seamless robe, cut from one large piece of cloth.
If we plan everything carefully, the transition should be seamless.
Not to be confused with "seem less" ( two words ), meaning to appear to be of a smaller quantity, literally or figuratively--
Does the amount in this glass seem less than the amount in the other?
Does she seem less depressed lately?

hall, haul

Hall or hall means the space or passageway between rooms or apartments, where the doors are--
We'll need a long narrow rug for the hall.
Tell the children not to play in the hall. It's bothering the neighbors.
Hall also means a large room for lectures, meeting or dining--
Everyone is already in the mess hall.
The hall was nearly empty on the last day of classes.

Haul or haul ( rhymes with hall ) means to pull from one place to another--
He used an eighteen-wheeler to haul the freight to California.
Everyone haul on the rope, so we can pull the boat to shore.
Haul may mean the goods that are being pulled, usually in the sense of illicit goods or winnings--
The burglars got quite a haul.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They used a rope to haul the piano into the hall."

Note--"hall" may still be a part of some addresses, used as part of the name of a large building--
The meeting will be in College Hall.
We had to go to City Hall to get the form.

ton, tun

Ton or ton means 2,000 pounds, or something that weighs 2,000 pounds--
Iron ore and coal are bought and sold by the ton.
This truck isn't big enough to carry a ton of goods.

Tub or tun ( rhymes with ton ) means a large vat or barrel--
You may see a tun of wine if you visit a vineyard.
A tun holds more than 200 gallons of wine.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"A tun of wine weighs more than a ton."

Note--not to be confused with a French word you may see in an English book--"ton" ( rhymes with tone, or close to it ). "Ton" means stylishness or doing things well, according to fashion--
She wanted to be a fashionable woman, with the real bon ton.