Decoding exercises: "gh"

The letter combination "gh" has several different pronunciations. This article sets out some common words teachers can use to help their students become more aware of the differences.

As silent letters

 * with /eɪ/: eight - freight - neighbor - neighbour - straight - weigh - weight;
 * with /aɪ/: bright - delight - fight - flight - fright - height - high - light - might - night - right - sigh - sight - slight - tight;
 * with /uː/: through - throughout;
 * with /ɔː/: bought - caught - daughter - fought - nought - ought - sought - taught - thought;
 * with /əʊ/: although - dough - though;
 * with /aʊ/: drought;


 * Edinburgh /ˈdɪnbrə, ˈdɪnˌbɜːrə/

Finishing in /f/

 * with /ʌ/: enough - rough - tough
 * with /ɑː/: laugh (AmE with /æ/)
 * with /ɒ/: cough (AmE with /ɔː/)

As /g/

 * Ghana - ghastly - ghetto - ghost - ghoul - Pittsburgh - spaghetti - yoghurt (more often "yogurt")

Simplifications

 * /ˈdəʊnʌt/: donut - doughnut
 * /dræft, drɑːft/
 * flow of cool air: draught - draft
 * rough version: draft


 * /ˈhɪkʌp/: hiccough - preferred spelling is "hiccup"
 * /plaʊ/: plow - plough


 * Informal spellings in American English
 * /ðəʊ/: though (formal) - tho' (informal) - tho (informal)
 * /θruː/: through (formal) - thru (informal)

Compound words

 * /gh/: doghouse - foghorn - jughead
 * /ŋh/: longhorn

Homophones
See main article Homophone.


 * right - write;
 * weigh - way; weight - wait;
 * high - hi; sight - site;
 * BrE: caught - court; fought - fort; sought - sort;
 * AmE: eight - ate;
 * rough - ruff