• Current (happening now) – Adjective

• Current (a flow of water, air, or electricity) – Noun

Pronunciation

These words are homonyms, meaning they are spelled the same, sound the same, but have different meanings.

• Current (Adjective): Pronounced /ˈkɜrənt/ (KUHR-uhnt) — Happening now.

• Current (Noun): Pronounced /ˈkɜrənt/ (KUHR-uhnt) — A flow of water or electricity.

Listen to the audio. They sound the same.

What makes them different is your intonation, expression, and context, or the other words in the sentence.

Instruction

Read each sentence aloud and practice identifying the meaning of "current" in context.
Can you tell which “current” is being mentioned as you read each sentence?

Example Sentences

1. The current situation requires immediate action.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

2. The river’s current was too strong to swim against.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

3. She stayed updated on the current events in the news.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

4. Be careful of the strong current when you go boating.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

5. The current price of gas has increased significantly.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

6. The electric current caused the lightbulb to flicker.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

7. The team discussed the current issues facing the company.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

8. They were warned about the dangerous ocean current.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

9. This is the current schedule for next week’s events.
   a. Happening now
   b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

10. The scientist measured the strength of the electrical current.
    a. Happening now
    b. A flow of water, air, or electricity

Answers

1. a

2. b

3. a

4. b

5. a

6. b

7. a

8. b

9. a

10. b

Intonation

Instructions: Intonation is controlling the rise and fall of your voice. When we do this with words and phrases, we send the listener a specific message.

Current (happening now)

1. The current situation is very challenging. (Stress current to emphasize the urgency.)

2. She is staying informed about current events. (Highlight current to focus on being up-to-date.)

3. We need to address the current problems first. (Emphasize current to prioritize the issues.)

Current (a flow of water, air, or electricity)

1. The river’s current carried the boat downstream. (Stress current to focus on the flow.)

2. The electric current powered the entire building. (Highlight current to show its purpose.)

3. They were warned about the dangerous current near the shore. (Emphasize current to indicate the hazard.)

Expression

The following explains how stressing or emphasizing the bolded words alters the tone or focus of the sentence and offers some helpful tips. Practice stressing these words when speaking.

Current (happening now):

1. Current situation: Describes what is happening at the moment.

   • Tip: Highlight situation to focus on the issue.

   • Sentence: The current situation requires immediate attention.

2. Current news: Refers to up-to-date information.

   • Tip: Stress news to emphasize relevance.

   • Sentence: She checks the current news every morning.

3. Current schedule: Focuses on the most updated plan.

   • Tip: Highlight schedule to specify the topic.

   • Sentence: This is the current schedule for the week’s activities.

Current (a flow of water, air, or electricity):

1. Strong current: Refers to powerful water or air movement.

   • Tip: Highlight strong to emphasize the force.

   • Sentence: The swimmer struggled against the strong current in the river.

2. Electric current: Describes the flow of electricity.

   • Tip: Stress electric to clarify the type of current.

   • Sentence: The lightbulb flickered due to a weak electric current.

3. Dangerous current: Suggests a hazardous flow.

   • Tip: Highlight dangerous to show the risk.

   • Sentence: Boaters were warned about the dangerous current in the bay.

Things to Remember:

The word "current" is used in different contexts:

• Current (happening now): Often paired with phrases like "current situation," "current news," or "current schedule."

  • Example: The current news report focused on the economy.

• Current (a flow of water, air, or electricity): Commonly used with "strong current," "electric current," or "dangerous current."

  • Example: The electric current powered the city’s grid.