English Is Hard | Through Tough Thorough Thought, Though
These five words cause a lot of confusion. And with good reason: They all include —ough but have distinct pronunciations.
- Though /ðoʊ/ has a similar pronunciation to dough and means “in spite of the fact that,” “in spite of the possibility that,” “however,” or “nevertheless.”
- Thought /θɔːt/ is a noun that means “an individual act or product of thinking,” “a developed intention or plan,” or “something (such as an opinion or belief) in the mind.” The –ought is pronounced like the –ought in fought.
- Tough /tʌf/ rhymes with rough, and means “difficult to accomplish,” “capable of enduring strain or hardship,” “very hard to influence,” or “characterized by severity or uncompromising determination.”
- Through /θruː/ can be a preposition, an adverb, or an adjective. It is the homophone of threw because they have identical pronunciations but different meanings.
- Thorough /ˈθɜːrəʊ/ means “carried through completion,” “marked by full detail,” or “complete in all respects.” The –rough in this word is misleading because it is pronounced like row.
It is no secret that the English language is complex and confusing. What makes it one of the most difficult languages to learn is that several rules and patterns are inconsistent. There are many examples that prove why English is challenging, but today we’ll focus on five words in particular and explain what they mean and how to pronounce them: though, thought, tough, through, and thorough.
Though /ðoʊ/
Though rhymes with the word dough. It can serve as a conjunction or an adverb.
When used as a conjunction (a word used to connect words or clauses within a sentence), it means “despite the fact that.”
As an adverb (a word or phrase that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, phrase, clause, or whole sentence) though means “however” or “nevertheless.”
Thought /θɔːt/
Thought is a noun (person, place, thing, or idea) that refers to “an idea or opinion produced by thinking.”
Thought can also mean “the process of thinking.” It is the past tense and participle of (to) think.
The –ought in thought is pronounced like the –ought in fought, or the –aught in taught.
Tough /tʌf/
Tough rhymes with fluff, stuff, and bluff. It’s an adjective (a word that modifies a noun or noun phrase) that has several definitions:
It can mean “strong enough to withstand adverse conditions” or “able to endure hardship or pain.”
Tough also means “difficult and requiring determination.”
When used to describe an area, tough means “notorious for violence and crime.”
Tough can also refer to “a strict and uncompromising approach.”
This word is also used informally as part of phrasal verbs like tough it out, meaning to “endure a period of hardship or difficulty.”
Through /θruː/
Through can play the role of a preposition, adverb, or adjective.
When used as a preposition (a word that shows the relationship between content words), through refers to “moving in one side and out of the other side (of an opening, channel, or location).
Similarly, as an adverb, it means “expressing movement into one side and out of the other side.”
As an adverb, this word can also mean “so as to continue in time toward the completion of a process or period.”
Through can also be an adjective synonymous with “finished.”
Through is also part of the compound word throughout, which means “in every part of a place or object.”
Thorough /ˈθɜːrəʊ/
Thorough is an adjective that means “carried through to completion,” marked by full detail,” or “having full mastery.”
Although these five words contain –ough in them, they all have distinct pronunciations and definitions. Don’t be frustrated if you find yourself struggling with how to pronounce these words or knowing when to use them. The best advice is to practice spelling and pronunciation, finding synonyms, and using them in your everyday vocabulary.
