ou

'ou' is one of the most common digraphs in English grammar. In this lesson, we will learn how it is pronounced.

Digraphs are a set of two letters that stand together and produce a new sound.

Digraph	ou
Name	ui (pronounced /ˈəʊ ˈjuː/)
Common Sound(s)	/aʊ/, /ʌ/, /uː/, /əʊ/, /ə/, /ɔ:/

The Digraph 'ou'

Sound 1: /aʊ/

'ou' always stands in the middle of words and it can sound /aʊ/:

house /haʊs/

cloud /klaʊd/

mountain /ˈmaʊn.tɪn/

fountain /ˈfaʊn.tən/

Sound 2: /ʌ/

'ou' in the middle of words also sounds /ʌ/:

touch /tʌtʃ/

tough /tʌf/

cousin /ˈkʌz.ən/

Sound 3: /uː/

'ou' standing in the middle of words or in the word 'you' can sound /uː/:

group /ɡruːp/

soup /suːp/

you /juː/

Sound 4: /əʊ/

'ou' standing in the middle of words can sound /əʊ/:

shoulder /ˈʃəʊldə(r)/

boulder /ˈbəʊldə(r)/

soul /səʊl/

Sound 5: /ə/

'ou' mainly in ous sounds /ə/:

enormous /ɪˈnɔː.məs/

famous /ˈfeɪ.məs/

glamorous /ˈɡlæm.ər.əs/

courageous /kəˈreɪ.dʒəs/

Sound 6: /ɔ:/

'ou' standing in the middle of words also sounds /ɔ:/ especially in the word 'tour' and its derived forms. Note that in British English it can sound/ʊə/.

contour /ˈkɒn.tɔː(r)/ or /ˈkɒntʊə(r)/

tour /tʊə(r)/, /tɔː(r)/

tourist /ˈtʊə.rɪst/, /ˈtɔː.rɪst/

Tip!

In the word 'cough', the letters 'ou' sound /ɒ/:

cough /kɒf/

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