Carat and carrot are, of course, homophones. And this means that phrases such as ’24-carrot gold’ are commonplace. It’s an amusing mistake, but not when someone else finds it in your writing.
Carat
- (or karat) a measure of the purity of gold
- a unit of weight of precious stones
Carrot
- tapering root vegetable (often orange in colour)
- the plant that produces carrots
- something offered as an incentive or a means of persuasion
My tip: carrots are root vegetables (and they will rot).
Sources:
Hannah McCall 
A most astute way to remember the difference.
Microsoft Word nags a writer to death about various obscure issues which offends it’s business style of narrative, but can it pick out a homophone? Hah!
(Although such errors do suit my anarchic and mischievous style….I really must fit in the ’24 carrot gold’ into one of my projects!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Oh, do let me know if you manage to sneak it in somewhere!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will! I’m thinking…. in one of my less than series volumes of the history of these Isles; a few lines to do with the debasement of the currency maybe?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds ideal!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hannah, good one, and what a coincidence! My Friday Follies post of last week (Part One) and the planned one for this Friday (Part Two) are on homophones. https://crossedeyesanddottedtees.wordpress.com/2017/06/16/friday-follies-93-making-grammar-great-again-one-hyphen-at-a-time/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those pesky homophones do get everywhere!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed they do!
LikeLike