Teach ALL O-U-G-H Words in 7 Easy Steps

Lesson Word long O short O EW UFF OU OFF

First though x
Most common thought x
through x
Second although x
Review & add
thorough x
Third bought x
Related & Rhyming brought x
Fourth rough x
Related & Rhyming tough x
enough x
Fifth ought x
Related & Rhyming fought x
sought x
Sixth cough x
Unrelated bough x
dough x
Seventh plough plow
Uncommon trough low spot
drought dry spell
wrought part. made

slough n. mud v. cast off

Syllable Savvy Spelling provides the sure-fire method of spelling almost any word. Almost? While most words
are broken into syllables of only two to four letters - these o-u-g-h words remain a challenge. Have no fear! These
thorough lessons will make your spellers champions. Lessons should be taught in this order with AT LEAST one
day in between. (Younger students may require several weeks in between with daily review.)

First Lesson
though, thought, through
The first OUGH lesson will simply compare these three words - which happen to be the most commonly en-
countered. And, of course, they are all pronounced very different.
Materials needed: the small flashcards with “ough” and “t” and “th” and “thr” on them.
Rationale: Yes, your students will eventually have to spell t-h-o-u-g-h-t without any prompts. But we will start
our explanation by making it simple: the four letters o-u-g-h are combined into one flashcard. We’ll break those
letters apart later.

Directions:
Put the three flashcards at the top of their workspace.
1. THOUGH is the most commonly used OUGH word. It has six letters, but only two sounds.
What is the first sound? (They should bring down the TH card.)
What is the second sound? (They should bring down the OUGH card.)
Verbally congratulate the student on their correct spelling. (Come on, they couldn’t possibly get that
wrong, right?)
2. THOUGHT is another common OUGH word. It has three sounds.
First sound: TH
Second sound: OUGH
Final sound: T
3. THROUGH has only two sounds - even though it is a whopping seven letters long.
First sound: THR
Second sound: OUGH

• The student makes the three words with the flashcards as you dictate the words randomly.
• The student spells the three words at your dictation. They may have the flashcards in their sight to help re-
member the order of the letters O-U-G-H for the first lesson.
• Use the expression “think through” and “thought through” with your students intentionally.
• Ask them to list the three most common words (though, thought, through.) They will begin the next lesson
by reciting these three words.
Second Lesson
although, thorough
1. Ask them to recite the three most common words. Remembering the phrase “thought through” will make
this task easier.
2. Have them encode the words with the flashcards in front of them again. Add the two new flashcards.
3. Show the word “although.” If you can read, write, and spell “though,” you can do the same for “although.”
4. Add “thorough” to your list. It is an adjective that means “complete.” Note that OR is pronounced “er.”
5. Now they should be able to recite from memory five OUGH words (four of which start with TH)

Compare THOUGH and ALTHOUGH

Okay, so I know you are dying to know the difference between these two related words:
• though - can be a subordinating conjunction OR an adverb
• although - is always a subordinating conjunction
Well, that clears that up perfectly! The chart below may help you decide if this would be an appropriate lesson for
your students.
 Subordinating Adverb
Conjunction

Connects 2 phrases in contrast to each Modifies a verb

other
THOUGH “though” or “although” or “but” or “in “though” or “however”
spite of” can be used interchangeably

Though I went to the park, I was too I will go though.

tired to play.
ALTHOUGH “though” or “although” or “but” or “in
spite of” can be used interchangeably
Always a conjunction
Although I went to the park, I was too
tired to play.

DO YOU NEED TO TEACH THE

INFORMATION ABOVE?

Is your student a

College
3rd Grader? College Grammar In Between?
Major?

NO YES Probably
Not
 Third Lesson
bought, brought
Let’s add bought and brought to our list of OUGH words.
1. Note that they rhyme with thought.
2. Have them make the words with the flashcards. Add the B and BR flashcards to their workspace.
Past tense:
• Think - thought
• Buy - bought
• Bring - brought
3. Recite the three pairs of OUGH words (though/although and thought/through and bought/brought)

Fourth Lesson
rough, tough, enough
1. Can they recite the six OUGH words in the three pairs?
2. Let’s add three more that rhyme: rough, tough, enough. Just for fun: what sentence can you come up with
which includes all three words?
3. Time to really cement the spelling of these words down, even when we don’t have the handy OUGH card
in front of us. Recite this phrase in your head, “Oh, you, GH.” (Use a vocal inflection as if you were talking to
someone named GH who had exasperated you a bit.)
4. So just why are we irritated with GH? Because it causes us such spelling headaches. Likely your student is
familiar with the much more common IGH words (light, sight, fight, etc.) Well the OUGH are a little tougher
because they don’t all rhyme. Plus there are a few other naughty words that have to be taught before students
have caught all the fastballs GH has thrown at us.
5. Want to know why GH is a letter combination thrown at us? Didn’t think you did, but I’ll tell you anyway. It
comes from the German influence. I’m not even going to try to figure out how these words were pronounced
originally, but you can bet they have changed over the course of about eight centuries.
6. This lesson is getting rough, and tough enough. Make sure your student can spell all NINE words.
7. And, of course, see how clever they are at reciting the nine words in four sections (rough, tough, and enough
didn’t even have the decency to come in a pair.)

Fifth Lesson
ought, fought, sought
Repeat after me:
One ought not to have fought but to have sought understanding.

Yikes, that’s archaic! Nonetheless, I’m sure you agree that one ought to know how to read and write sought and
fought.
1. Repeat that annoying line above.
2. No more OUGH flashcards for you. You are now expected to be able to spell the words without that little aid.
(But, for poorer spellers, continue to use it until these words are mastered.)
3. Let’s time it. How long will it take you to name the 12 most common OUGH words.
 Sixth Lesson
cough, bough, dough

So just what do these three words have in common? I mean, they don’t rhyme or anything!

Good news! We are just about at the end of the usual words that the average person might encounter in every-
day life. That is, if you need to run to the bank to pick up some dough, then to pharmacy to get cough drops,
then to the hardward store to get a saw to cut of the bough of an old tree. You’ll be thankful for this lesson
while writing your shopping list, you see.

Check out the pronunciation table (chart on first page) of the different OUGH words.

Seventh Lesson
plough, trough, drought, wrought, slough

Here you go: the final words. This group consists of those annoying, uncommon words you can make it to high
school or beyond without knowing. (Watch out for those standardized tests though. They love these words!)
1. Plough - an older version of the farmer’s plow. Same pronunciation. You’ll see the older spelling in literature
books.
2. Trough - (rhymes with off) A low point, low ditch, or bottom of a box to feed livestock
3. Drought - (rhymes with pout) - Lack of water
4. Wrought - (rhymes with not) - this is the past passive participle of work (work, worked, wrought). {Compare
to write, wrote, written.} Confined largely to poetry and older works.
5. Slough - two different definitions with their own pronunciation
• To get rid off or cast off (rhymes with fluff)
• Swampy area, mud (rhymes with new)

What the drought has wrought

is that we slough the slough in
the trough with a plough.
 ough
Lesson

t th thr
Lesson

al thor
Lesson

Lesson

3 b br

r en
Lesson

4
 OUGH Cheat Sheet OUGH Cheat Sheet Answer Key

most common (3) most common (though, thought, through)

rhyme with “throw” (2) rhyme with “throw” (although, thorough)

bring it on (2) bring it on (bought, brought)

bad times (3) bad times (rough, tough, enough)

conflict (3) conflict (ought, sought, fought)

unrelated (3) unrelated (cough, bough, dough)

advanced words (5) advanced words (plough, trough, drought, wrought, slough)

What the drought has

wrought is that we
slough the slough in the
trough with a plough.