Why Is English Spelling So Weird?

Why does cough rhyme with off, but dough sounds like go? And why does rough rhyme with stuff, while through sounds completely different? If you’re confused, you’re definitely not alone.

This short and funny video highlights one of the biggest frustrations English learners face: inconsistent spelling and pronunciation. Luke challenges Daniel with three tricky word pairs—cough and dough, rough and through—to show just how unpredictable English can be.

The English language has borrowed words from many different languages over hundreds of years. That’s why the same letter combinations often have different sounds. There are rules—but also a lot of exceptions!

This video won’t fix English spelling, but it will help you laugh through the confusion. You’ll hear the correct pronunciation of each word and learn to expect the unexpected.

Watch, repeat, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The more you practice, the more familiar these weird patterns will become.

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