The syllable "ough" can be truly maddening for those who are learning English.. "Oh," "ooh," "off," "ow," "uff," and "aw" are only some of the ways that it's pronounced. It's simply a matter of memorizing relevant words, so here are some you need to know: 

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The words "dough" and "though" both rhyme with "low." 

Even though it was stressful, it's delightful.

Caption 17, Abiventures: Happy New Year

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Pull our dough out and weigh it up.

Caption 36, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives Cookie Jar

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The word "through," however, rhymes with "you," and the word "cough" rhymes with "off." The word "bough" rhymes with "cow."

The color of the sky is gray, as I can see through the blinds.

Caption 23, 10,000 Maniacs: Like the Weather

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So, while in the US, I bought a totally normal bag of cough drops at the store.

Caption 36, Wanted Adventure: You Know You're IN THE USA WHEN...

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Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.

Caption 21, Christina Perri: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

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The words "rough," "tough," and "enough" all rhyme with "stuff." 

This way the characteristic rough cliff could form.

Caption 5, Evolution: On Land

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The roadrunner is a tough old bird.

Caption 44, America's National Parks: Saguaro

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Now for a pattern you can actually depend on: When a "t" is added to the end, the word will rhyme with "lot." 

I thought we were practicing.

Caption 60, Accents: One language, three accents

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A new breed of activists fought to protect Yosemite from development.

Caption 37, America's National Parks: Yosemite

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They're sought-after delicacies for sharks and humans alike.

Caption 2, Nature & Wildlife: Wild Sharks

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Further Learning
Alongside all of the lessons we publish, you'll find this one here, where you can also access caption playback directly! And you'll find many examples of these words in use on Yabla English.