Pour and pore sound the same, but they mean very different things.
Pour is used when liquid flows or when someone causes it to flow. You might pour water into a glass, pour syrup on pancakes, or watch rain pour from the sky.
Pore, in this comparison, is the verb that means to study or read something very carefully. It often appears with over. If someone pores over notes, reports, or maps, they are examining them closely.
- Please pour the coffee before it gets cold.
- The students pored over their notes before the exam.
A useful memory tip is this: pour is for liquids, while pore is for close attention. If the sentence is about drinks, rain, or anything flowing, choose pour. If it is about careful reading or study, choose pore.
Even though they sound alike, the context usually makes the right choice clear. Think about the action in the sentence: flowing liquid or focused study.