Jam vs Jam

• Jam (fruit spread) – Noun

• Jam (to get stuck) – Verb

Pronunciation

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

• Jam (Noun): Pronounced /dʒæm/ (JAM) — A fruit spread.

• Jam (Verb): Pronounced /dʒæm/ (JAM) — To get stuck or squeezed tightly.

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 "jam" in context.
Can you tell which “jam” is being mentioned as you read each sentence?

Example Sentences

1. I spread strawberry jam on my toast.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

2. The printer is in a jam again.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

3. She used her grandmother’s recipe to make jam.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

4. There was a traffic jam on the highway.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

5. He spilled a jar of jam on the floor.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

6. The paper jam caused the copier to stop.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

7. My favorite flavor of jam is raspberry.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

8. Don’t jam the door shut too hard!
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

9. The kids enjoyed homemade jam at breakfast.
   a. Fruit spread
   b. To get stuck

10. The machine jammed and stopped working.
    a. Fruit spread
    b. To get stuck

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.

Jam (fruit spread)

1. I love strawberry jam on my toast. (Stress jam to focus on the food.)

2. Her homemade jam is delicious. (Emphasize homemade to show quality.)

3. Do you prefer grape or raspberry jam? (Highlight jam to focus on choice.)

Jam (to get stuck)

1. There’s a traffic jam on the main road. (Stress jam to show the problem.)

2. The copier is stuck because of a paper jam. (Emphasize jam to focus on the issue.)

3. Don’t jam the key in the lock! (Highlight jam to show the action.)

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. Create your own sentences with the following words and phrases.

Jam (fruit spread):

1. Strawberry jam: Refers to a specific type of food.

   • Tip: Highlight strawberry to indicate flavor.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

2. Homemade jam: Suggests quality and tradition.

   • Tip: Emphasize homemade to highlight the effort.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

3. Jar of jam: Refers to the container holding the spread.

   • Tip: Say jar slower to stress the quantity.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

Jam (to get stuck):

1. Traffic jam: Indicates a situation involving congestion.

   • Tip: Emphasize traffic to show the context.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

2. Paper jam: Refers to a mechanical issue.

   • Tip: Highlight paper to specify the problem.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

3. Jammed door: Describes something stuck or difficult to open.

   • Tip: Stress jammed to convey frustration.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

Things to Remember:

The word "jam" is used in different contexts:

• Jam (fruit spread): Works with food-related words like "strawberry," "raspberry," or "jar."

  • Example: I added jam to my toast this morning.

• Jam (to get stuck): Works with action verbs like "is," "was," "caused," or "fix."

  • Example: The copier was jammed with paper.