SPEAK with understanding
→ Read or Listen to the passage. Locate all of the meanings of the homonym or heteronym. Studying for a test: limit and time your responses to 30-60 seconds.

HOMONYM: FILE

“I saved my essay as a digital file so I wouldn’t lose it. Later that morning, my teacher handed me a paper file to keep my worksheets organized. At the dentist, I watched the assistant use a metal file to smooth the edges of a tooth before polishing it. After recess, my classmates stood in a single file line before entering the building, each of us waiting our turn quietly. That evening, my mom asked me to file the bills in a cabinet so she could find them easily later. By the end of the day, the same sound had followed me through school, the dentist, and even chores at home.”

How many meanings did you find?

List of the different ways that this word can be used.

SPEAK w/ P I E

(Pronunciation Intonation Expression)

  • Pronunciation
    File = /faɪl/ → sounds like mile

  • Intonation Practice
    “Save the file on your computer.”
    “Hand me the file folder.”
    “He used a metal file on the edge.”
    “They stood in a single file.”
    “She will file the reports tonight.”

  • Expression Tip
    Remember: The word will be stressed differently depending on how it is being used.

SEVERAL MEANINGS

  1. A digital document.

  2. A folder for papers.

  3. A tool for smoothing.

  4. A line of people.

  5. To store or organize.

IDIOMS/EXPRESSION

  • File away – to store for later.

  • File for divorce/bankruptcy – to make a legal request.

  • On file – recorded and kept.