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Why "thought" sounds different in British English
RP /θɔːt/ has a long vowel /ɔː/ made with firmly rounded lips. Because RP doesn't pronounce R before a consonant, "thought" rhymes with "short" and "caught" sounds the same as "court". The GH is silent.
Many Americans have merged this vowel with the one in "lot", saying /θɑːt/, "thaht", so "caught" and "cot" sound alike. Others keep a separate vowel, but it is usually more open and less rounded than in RP. The British vowel is higher and tighter, nearly "thoat" without the glide. Start the word with /θ/, tongue between your teeth, not an F or T.
How to say "thought" like a Brit, step by step
- Put your tongue tip lightly between your teeth and blow for th.
- Push your lips forward into a tight round shape and hold a long aw.
- Don't add an R or a glide: the vowel stays steady, as in "law".
- End with a clean t: THAWT. It rhymes with "sort".
Practise "thought" in a sentence
- I thought you were coming round on Friday.
- Have you given any thought to the job offer?
- That's really thoughtful of you, thank you.
Saying it once correctly is easy. Saying it right in the middle of a fast sentence is the hard part, which is why the sentences above matter more than the single word.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce thought in a British accent?
In Received Pronunciation, thought is pronounced /θɔːt/, roughly "THAWT". Use a long, tightly rounded "aw" as in "law": THAWT, rhyming with "short".
Is the American pronunciation of thought wrong?
No. /θɔːt/ or /θɑːt/ is standard in American English. Both are correct, they simply belong to different accents. If you are learning a British accent, aim for /θɔːt/.