Homophones How are they Viewed by the Preparatory Studies Center Lecturers at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Sultanate of Oman-Ibri

Abstract

Students normally find it difficult to distinguish between words and certain constructions that appear or sound similar but with different meanings. Moreover, they face specific challenges in using these words properly, which leads to major errors in comprehension and language use. This article promotes students' ability and capability of identifying the different meanings and uses of homophones, and their level of accuracy, and the difficulties they encounter in understanding words in context. To get a deep and comprehensive understanding of homophones, the researchers distributed a questionnaire to (20) male and female lecturers at the Preparatory Studies Center -University of Technology and Applied Sciences -Ibri- the Sultanate of Oman. The findings indicate that while students have a basic understanding of these homophones, they still struggle to interpret the exact meaning based on context, particularly with words that share similar pronunciation or identical spelling, but have different meanings. Common errors were most frequently related to homophones, suggesting that students' listening and writing skills influence their ability in distinguishing between these words accurately. This study recommends improving teaching methods that emphasize contextual understanding, improving listening and writing skills, and fostering a more supportive learning environment to help students better get word meanings. Discussion, explanation, and recommendations will be highlighted in detail throughout this article.