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English Pronunciation Tip of the Day

Tip 57

Category: Spelling-to-sound
Author: JAM

<ou>

The pronunciation of the sequence <ou> is troublesome. We have already dealt with one aspect of this - the sequence <ough> - in Tip 47. Here are some regularities amid the apparent chaos of other aspects of the pronunciation of the sequence:

1. When <ou> is followed by <nd>, it is nearly always pronounced /aU/, as in astound bound compound found flounder ground hound wound (= past tense of wind). The one exception is /u:/ in wound (= an injury)
2. When <ou> is followed by <p>, the pronunciation is nearly always /u:/, as in coupon group soup troupe. The exceptions are /V/ in couple and its derivatives.
3. When <ou> is followed by <l>, it is nearly always /@U/, as in boulder mould poultry shoulder soul. Exceptions to this are /aU/ in foul, /U/ with silent l in could should would, and /u:/ in ghoul, some names, and recent borrowings from other languages, mainly French: boulevard coulis roulette.