If you have ever tried to pronounce "through," "though," "thought," and "tough" back to back and realized that none of them rhyme, you are not alone. The letter combination -ough is one of the biggest pronunciation traps in English, and it catches learners from every language background.
In English, the same four letters -ough can produce at least 7 distinct sounds. This article will walk you through each one with clear examples, IPA transcriptions, and practice cards so you can master them all.
Why Is -OUGH So Confusing?
English spelling was largely fixed during the 15th century, but pronunciation kept changing for hundreds of years afterward. The result is that many letter combinations, especially -ough, became disconnected from their sounds. Unlike languages with consistent spelling-to-sound rules, English preserved the old spellings while the spoken language evolved in different directions depending on the word, the dialect, and the era.
The key lesson: there is no single rule for -ough. You need to learn each group separately. The good news is that the words with -ough form a small, finite set, and once you memorize the 7 patterns, you will have conquered one of English's trickiest spelling challenges.
The 7 Pronunciations of -OUGH
1. -OUGH as /ʌf/ (rhymes with "stuff")
In this group, the -GH acts like the letter F, and the vowel is the short /ʌ/ sound (as in "cup" or "but"). These are among the most common -ough words.
Memory tip: Think "TOUGH = TUF." When -ough sounds like /ʌf/, the GH is doing the job of an F.
2. -OUGH as /oʊ/ (rhymes with "go")
Here, -ough sounds exactly like the long O in "go" or "no." The GH is completely silent, and the vowel is the diphthong /oʊ/.
Memory tip: "THOUGH" rhymes with "go," "no," and "so." The GH is invisible to your ears.
3. -OUGH as /uː/ (rhymes with "blue")
In this case, -ough sounds like "oo" in "food" or "moon." The GH is silent, and the vowel is the long /uː/.
Memory tip: "THROUGH = THROO." It rhymes with "too," "blue," and "shoe."
4. -OUGH as /ɔː/ (rhymes with "law")
Here the vowel is the open /ɔː/ sound (as in "law," "call," or "saw"). The GH is silent. Most words in this group end in -OUGHT with a final T.
Memory tip: Words ending in -OUGHT (with a final T) share the /ɔː/ vowel: bought, thought, sought, brought, ought. Think of "AW + T" to remember the sound.
5. -OUGH as /aʊ/ (rhymes with "cow")
This sound is a diphthong, like the "ow" in "cow" or "house." Note that in American English, "plough" is usually spelled "plow," but the pronunciation is identical.
Memory tip: "BOUGH rhymes with COW." Picture a cow standing under a tree branch.
6. -OUGH as /ɔːf/ (rhymes with "off")
Similar to group 1 (tough), the GH acts like an F here too. But instead of the /ʌ/ vowel, you get the /ɔː/ vowel before the F. In American English, this often sounds like /ɑːf/ due to the cot-caught merger, but many speakers maintain the /ɔːf/ distinction.
Memory tip: "COUGH = COFF." It literally sounds like the noise you make when you cough: "coff, coff."
7. -OUGH as /ə/ (the schwa, a neutral vowel)
In a few words, especially those ending in -ough without an extra consonant after it, the sound reduces to the schwa /ə/, the most neutral and relaxed vowel in English.
Memory tip: When -ough sits at the end of a word with no extra consonant, it fades into a soft, almost invisible sound: /oʊ/ or /ə/ depending on the dialect. In American English, these words typically end with the /oʊ/ sound.
Summary Comparison Table
| Pattern | IPA Sound | Rhymes With | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| tough group | /ʌf/ | stuff, bluff | tough, rough, enough |
| though group | /oʊ/ | go, no | though, dough, although |
| through group | /uː/ | blue, too | through |
| thought group | /ɔː/ | law, saw | thought, bought, brought, ought |
| bough group | /aʊ/ | cow, now | bough, plough, drought |
| cough group | /ɔːf/ | off | cough, trough |
| borough group | /oʊ/ or /ə/ | go (weakened) | borough, thorough |
The Famous -OUGH Sentence
There is a classic sentence that demonstrates how absurd this spelling pattern is:
In this single sentence, -ough is pronounced in 7 different ways. Try reading it aloud.
Exercise: Identify the Sound
Read these words and decide which sound the -ough makes before checking the answer:
- enough → /ʌf/ (like tough)
- although → /oʊ/ (like though)
- bought → /ɔːt/ (like thought)
- drought → /aʊ/ (like bough)
- thorough → /oʊ/ or /ə/ (like borough)
- through → /uː/ (like "oo")
- cough → /ɔːf/ (like "off")
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Pronouncing all the letters: Many learners try to sound out "o-u-g-h" as four separate sounds. In reality, -ough functions as a single unit that maps to one of 7 possible sounds.
- Using the same sound for every -ough word: Once you learn that "tough" is /tʌf/, it is tempting to apply /ʌf/ to every -ough word. But "though" is /ðoʊ/ and "through" is /θruː/, so each group must be memorized separately.
- Confusing "though" and "thought": These two words differ by just one letter (T), but their pronunciations are completely different: /ðoʊ/ versus /θɔːt/.
- Forgetting that "drought" has the /aʊ/ sound: Many learners pronounce "drought" like "drout" is not a sound they expect, but it rhymes perfectly with "out" and "shout."
- Treating -ough words as regular: There is no consistent rule to predict which sound an -ough word uses. The only reliable strategy is to learn each group of words together.
Tips for Mastering -OUGH
- Group words by sound, not by spelling: Instead of learning word by word, memorize the groups: the "tough group" (tough, rough, enough), the "thought group" (thought, bought, brought, sought, ought).
- Use rhyming associations: Connect each group to a simple rhyming word you already know. Tough rhymes with stuff. Though rhymes with go. Through rhymes with blue. Thought rhymes with caught.
- Practice the famous sentence: Repeat the ploughman sentence until every -ough rolls off your tongue naturally.
- Listen and repeat: Use the word practice cards above to hear and practice each word. Pay attention to how different the vowel sounds are between groups.
- Do not be afraid of mistakes: Even native speakers sometimes hesitate with unusual -ough words like "slough" (which has two accepted pronunciations, /sluː/ or /slaʊ/, depending on the meaning).
Wrap-Up
The -ough combination is probably the best example of why English spelling and pronunciation do not always get along. But the good news is that -ough words are a finite group. Once you memorize the 7 patterns with their examples, you will have conquered one of the hardest pronunciation challenges in English.
Want to learn more about silent letters in English? Check out our guide on silent GH.