Sound Right

Silent GH when ⟨gh⟩ is not pronounced

⟨igh⟩ — I + silent GH → /aɪ/

Two ways to see this: You can think of ⟨igh⟩ as a silent ⟨gh⟩ after ⟨i⟩, or as an unusual spelling of /aɪ/ — see the FLY vowel page. Both are valid.

Common words

bright fight flight high knight light might night right sigh sight slight thigh tight

Derived forms (-en, -y, -ful, -ness)

almighty brighten delight delightful enlighten flighty frighten frightful highland highway insightful knighthood lighten lightheaded lightning mighty righteous rightful righto righty tighten unsightly

Light compounds

candlelight daylight flashlight headlight highlight lighthouse limelight moonlight skylight spotlight starlight sunlight twilight

Night compounds

fortnight goodnight midnight nightclub nightfall nighthawk nightingale nightlife nightmare nightstand nighttime overnight tonight

Sight compounds

eyesight foresight hindsight insight nearsighted oversight

Right, tight, and fight compounds

airtight birthright copyright downright forthright gunfight outright upright uptight

Archaic and literary

alight blight fright nigh plight wight

Proper nouns

albright brighton cartwright dwight enright fulbright playwright wainwright wright

⟨eigh⟩ — EI + silent GH → /eɪ/

Two ways to see this: You can think of ⟨eigh⟩ as a silent ⟨gh⟩ after ⟨ei⟩, or as an unusual spelling of /eɪ/ — see the DAY vowel page. Both are valid.

Common words

eight freight height neigh neighbor sleigh sleight weigh weight

Derived forms

eighteen eighteenth eighth eightfold eighties eightieth eighty heighten weightless weightlifting weighty

Compounds

airfreight counterweight deadweight featherweight heavyweight hundredweight lightweight middleweight neighborhood outweigh overweight paperweight underweight welterweight

Proper nouns

leigh leighton raleigh speight

⟨augh⟩ — AU + silent GH → /ɔ/

Two ways to see this: You can think of ⟨augh⟩ as a silent ⟨gh⟩ after ⟨au⟩, or as an unusual spelling of /ɔ/ — see the LAW vowel page. Both are valid.

Common words

caught daughter naughty taught

Derived and compound

distraught fraught granddaughter haughtily haughty stepdaughter

Slaughter family

manslaughter onslaught slaughter slaughterhouse

Less common

aught naught

Proper nouns

vaughan waugh

⟨ough⟩ — OU + silent GH (various vowels)

The vowel sound varies, but the GH is always silent.

Two ways to see this: You can think of ⟨ough⟩ as a silent ⟨gh⟩, or as an unusual spelling of the vowel it represents — see LAW vowel (bought, thought), NO vowel (though, dough), MOON vowel (through), or CLOUD vowel (plough, drought). Both framings are valid.

Common words

although borough bought brought dough doughnut drought fought furlough ought plough sought though thought thoughtful thorough thoroughfare through throughout wrought

Compounds and derived forms

breakthrough forethought overwrought rethought thoroughbred throughput throughway
aforethought methought

Archaic and dialect

bough doughboy doughty doughy haugh lough

Proper nouns

clough houghton marlborough scarborough triborough vought yarborough