If the -GH sound makes you feel like giving up, you’re not alone! Many ESL students struggle with this strange combination of letters. But don’t panic! Here’s how to pronounce 20 common -GH words in English.
The Ghost Sound
You’ve seen it lurking in words like weigh and although. Or maybe through, cough, and laugh.
Ugh. Enough is enough! What is that sound?!
The truth is, the -GH doesn’t have just one sound in English-it has several sounds, depending on the word’s origin.
Sometimes it makes an ‘F’ sound. Sometimes it is silent.
The best way to learn is by memorizing -GH words individually. Then, you’ve gotta practice, practice, practice until you can say:
Even though it was tough, I still got through it!
Let’s get started!
Rough, Tough, Enough, Cough, & Laugh
-GH is pronounced as “F” in these words.
rough <RUFF>
Rough is the opposite of smooth or easy.
tough <TUFF>
Tough means strong or difficult.
enough <e-NUFF>
Enough means you don’t want or need any more.
Irregular Verbs with -GH
Did you know there are several irregular verbs in English that have the same past and past participle -GH sound? Each of these verbs in the past sounds like <AWT>.
Memorize these next six, and you’ll never have trouble with them again.
Taught, Thought, Fought, Caught, Brought & Bought
Eight, Weight, and Weigh
These words have a long A <AY> sound.
Weigh is the verb and weight is the noun. Eight is the number, of course!
Lifting weights eight times a night can help you lose weight.
weight <WAIT>
eight <ATE>
Sigh, High, Sight, Height, Night
These words have a long I <ai> sound.
When you finish pronouncing all these words, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Don’t worry. The end is in sight.
sigh <SYE>
sight <SITE>
Sight also rhymes with night and height, so if you know one, you know the others.
The light at night is quite a sight.
We sent the lanterns high in the sky.
We’re not finished, though. We still have a few more words to practice.
Through
This word sounds the same as ‘threw’. It rhymes with ‘too’.
Through <THROO>
Through is a preposition that indicates passing from one side to the other.
We drive through tunnels and we can see through glass. Get through is used for difficult situations we have to endure.
It was difficult to get through this lesson, but we did it!
Here’s a list of -GH words by sound. You can save it to help you study. Be sure to subscribe for more pronunciation practice.
Ok, now where were we? Yes! The -GH sound strikes again. Don’t let the next two words throw you off track.
Daughter and Laughter
My daughter’s laughter is my favorite sound.
These words don’t sound the same.
daughter <DAW-der>
laughter <LAFF-ter>
Though, Dough, and Van Gogh
These words rhyme with ‘GO’.
Though is super common in spoken English. It’s actually #4 on my top 10 list of difficult words to pronounce. It’s not as hard as it looks. It means “but”. It usually goes at the end of a sentence, though.
though <THO>
Although means the same, but it’s more formal, and usually goes at the beginning of a sentence.
Although it was difficult, we still finished on time.
dough <DOE>
Have you ever made pizza or bread? If so, you know about dough!
Dough rhymes with “throw”, and that’s what you do to make a perfect pizza, with good pronunciation.
Throw the dough!
Here’s one more -GH word that isn’t even a word…it’s a name. You’ve probably heard of…
Van Gogh!
The famous artist’s name is pronounced –Van GO– in English. Are you a fan of his work?
Great job, neighbor! You made the effort to learn how to pronounce -GH words and add them to your vocabulary.
Do you know any other -GH words that are difficult to pronounce? Let us know your favorite (or least favorite) -GH words below.
Oh, and before you go… Want to know the 10 words ESL students mispronounce the most (and how to fix them)?
Don’t miss our popular post: Top 10 Most Mispronounced English Words by ESL Students. It’s sure to give you a fluency boost.
Happy speaking!
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