In this week's podcast, we're going to learn how to pronounce words that contain <ough>.
This spelling pattern has a few different pronunciations.
Becoming aware of the these pronunciations is an important step in making your pronunciation clear and understandable .
The focus of this week's podcast is:
Learning three of the main pronunciations of <ough>.
Practicing these sounds in some key words and phrases of English .
Listen and repeat the following words:
thought ... though ... tough
The spellings of these words are very similar . They all contain the letter combination <ough> but notice how the vowel sound
of each of these words is actually different.
Same spelling pattern, different vowel sound.
In most languages of the world, the way a word is spelled is usually the way it is pronuounced. There is a direct correspondence, a direct connection between spelling and pronunciation.
Unfortunately, this is not the case in English .
One spelling pattern can have a few different pronunciations . This is especially true of any word containing the letter <o>.
The same is true with the spelling pattern <ough>. There are four possible pronunciations and we should gradually begin to become
familiar with them and learn the key words which contain them.
Today, we'll learn three of the most common and important pronunciations of <ough> that you need to know.
Pronunciation of <ough> as /ɔ/
Let's begin with a pronunciation of <ough> we find in a good number of important ords of English : /ɔ/ as in "thought."
Let's begin by repeating just the vowel sound.
Exercise :Please listen and repeat:
/ɔ/ ... /ɔ/
This vowel was covered in podcast #22 and you can also find a full detailed lesson in my full accent reduction course
in mp3- Best Accent Training .
To review: In order to produce /ɔ/, your tongue moves back and the back portion of your tongue is somewhat raised.
Your lips are somewhat open, slighlty rounded but not forward. Your jaw is somewhat open.
Now let's practice pronouncing some important words containing /ɔ/ spelled <ough>
Exercise: Please listen and repeat the following words :
bought... thought.... brought ... fought ...cough
Now let's practice one of these words in a key phrase of English :
Exercise: Please listen and repeat the following phrase:
That's an interesting thought.
Another Important Pronunciation of <ou>
The next pronunciation of <ough> we're going to learn is /əf / as in the word "tough."
This pronunciation is different in two ways. First it contains a different vowel sound from the previous examples. It contains the vowel /ə /also known as "the schwa" sound in English.
/ə / is the neutral sound of English . Your tongue is centered, flat and relaxed. There is no muscular contraction.
Our lips are relaxed as well.
See my full English pronunciation course in mp3- Best Accent Training or podcast #13 for a detailed lesson on how to pronounce /ə /.
The second difference and more obvious is that <gh> is pronounced /f/.
Exercise: Please listen and repeat: /əf/
Here are some key words in which <ough> is pronounced /əf /. Just looking at these words, you would never guess that the pronunciaton is /əf /
but in fact it is .
enough ... tough ... rough...
Now let's practice one of these words in a key phrase of English:
Exercise: Please listen and repeat the following phrase:
My exam was really tough!
Another Pronunciation of <ou>
The last pronunciation of <ough> we're going to learn is is /oʊ/.
This vowel was covered in podcast #26.
First, let's practice saying the vowel sound:
Exercise: Please listen and repeat: /oʊ/
Here are some key words in which <ough> is pronounced /oʊ/. Again, just looking at these words, you would never guess
that the pronunciaton is /oʊ/
but in fact it is .
though... although .. .dough ...
In English "dough" is also slang for money. It's commonly used among friends in social settings, so we can practice using it and using "although" in a sentence.
Exercise: Please listen and repeat:
Although he doesn't have much "dough", he bought us some drinks.
Putting it All Together:
Finally let's practice all three pronunciations of <ough>in one sentence.
We're going to practice "'although', thought" and "tough."
Exercise: Please listen and repeat the following phrase:
Although I passed the exam, I thought it was tough.
It Takes Practice:
Learning the vowels of English and learning to speak English with a standard American accent is a gradual process.
But if you work at it regularly and practice as often as you can, you're going to improve!
The Right Training Tools for Better Pronunciation:
Accent reduction is primarily a physical activity . It's important to have the right training tools for better pronunciation.
That's why I recommend that you try my full English pronunciation course in mp3-Best Accent Training mp3s!
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