How to Pronounce OUGH in English: 7 Ways
English is not a phonetic language, so you cannot always look at a word and know how to say it. The letters OUGH are the classic example: they appear in many common words but do not always sound the same.
In fact, OUGH can be pronounced in seven different ways. This guide gives you all seven with example words and a simple “sounds like” for each, plus three exercises so you can test yourself.
Why OUGH is so tricky
The seven pronunciations of OUGH are not random mistakes, they are the result of centuries of sound changes in English while the spelling stayed the same. That is why one spelling can hide seven sounds, and why even native speakers sometimes hesitate.
The practical answer is to learn the sound of each OUGH word as you meet it. The table below groups the words so the patterns are easier to remember.
The seven ways to pronounce OUGH
Each row shows the sound, some common example words and a familiar word it sounds like. The example words are the ones worth memorising first.
| Sound | Example words | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| /ɔː/ (+ t) | bought, brought, thought, fought, sought, ought | port (the gh is silent) |
| /ɒf/ | cough, trough | off |
| /ʌf/ | rough, tough, enough | puff |
| /əʊ/ | dough, though, although | go (the gh is silent) |
| /uː/ | through | too |
| /ə/ | borough, thorough | a weak “uh” (schwa) |
| /aʊ/ | bough, plough, slough | cow / flower |
Pronunciation is the one skill you cannot learn silently. You need to say the words and get feedback. Book a free trial lesson and practice tricky words like these with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.
How to learn these
There is no real shortcut: because these pronunciations come from the history of English, the best approach is to learn the sound of each word as part of the word itself.
Two habits help a lot. When you learn a new word that contains ough, learn its pronunciation at the same time, and use an online dictionary with audio so you always hear the correct sound before you say it.
Practice exercises on OUGH pronunciation
Try these three exercises to check the OUGH sounds.
Exercise 1. Read each sentence and choose the pronunciation of the OUGH word.
Exercise 2. More sentences: choose the pronunciation of the OUGH word.
Exercise 3. Complete each sentence with the correct OUGH word.
Quick self-check
Choose the answer, then reveal the solutions.
1. How is the ough in thought pronounced?
2. Which word rhymes with “cow”: through or plough?
3. Do tough and dough have the same ough sound?
Show answers
1. Like “port”, /ɔːt/ (the gh is silent). 2. plough /aʊ/. 3. No: tough sounds like “puff” /ʌf/, dough sounds like “go” /əʊ/.
How did that feel? Recognising the sounds in an exercise is one thing. Saying through, thought and enough correctly in conversation is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will listen and fix the words that trip you up.
Frequently asked questions
How many ways can you pronounce OUGH?
Why does English spell so many sounds with OUGH?
What is the most common OUGH sound?
How do you pronounce “through”?
Is there a rule for OUGH, or do I just memorise it?
Key takeaways
- OUGH can be pronounced seven different ways, and the spelling never tells you which.
- The most common is the “port” sound (bought, thought), where the gh is silent.
- through sounds like “too”; rough and tough sound like “puff”; dough and though sound like “go”.
- In borough and thorough the ough is a very weak “uh” sound.
- There is no shortcut: learn each word’s sound as you meet it and check it in an audio dictionary.
Keep learning
- Long and short A and I sounds
- The TH sound
- How to pronounce -ed endings
- More English pronunciation guides
- Meet our English teachers
Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.