English is a funny language. Learning it is not always fun. But like any language, it’s often good for a laugh. If you’re going to catch the humor, though, you need to understand why something is funny. Maybe it’s a word that has two different meanings. Or perhaps it’s a misuse of the grammar that adds to the humor. If you don’t get the joke, you won’t share in the laughter. And nobody likes to feel left out.

    A pun is one of the most common forms of humor in English. Also known as a “play on words,” a pun uses a word that has a double meaning. Sometimes it uses a word that sounds similar to another word. Many jokes and riddles are based on puns. For instance, a guy rushes into the doctor’s office and gasps, “Doctor! Doctor! I think I’m shrinking!” The doctor replies, “Don’t worry. You’ll just have to be a little patient.” Get it? The word patient can have two different meanings.