Learn about the difference between the homophones: so, sow, sew and sough

Definitions

so

So is an adverb that is used to emphasize the degree or extent of something. It can also be used as a conjunction to introduce a result or a consequence.

Example

I am so tired after running for an hour.

Example

He studied hard, so he passed the exam.

sow

Sow is a verb that means to plant seeds in the ground.

Example

He sowed the seeds in the garden.

Example

The farmer sows his fields every spring.

sew

Sew is a verb that means to join or attach something by making stitches with a needle and thread.

Example

She sewed the buttons back on her shirt.

Example

I need to sew a patch onto my backpack.

sough

Sough is a verb that means to make a soft, murmuring sound, like the wind blowing through trees.

Example

The sough of the wind in the trees was soothing.

Example

The leaves soughed in the breeze.

Tips To Remember the Differences

Here are a few tips to easily distinguish the difference between these words while keeping in mind the description we've provided:

- To remember the difference between these words, you could associate so with emphasis or consequence. For example, 'I am so tired' emphasizes how tired you are. 'He studied hard, so he passed the exam' shows the consequence of his hard work. - Sow and sew are both related to planting and stitching respectively. - You could remember that sow is related to gardening, and sew is related to clothing. - Sough sounds like 'soft', which can help you remember that it refers to a soft, murmuring sound.