Identify the word which has a different sound (underlined in the last)

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
This question tests your knowledge of English phonology, specifically the various sounds represented by the letter combination "gh," which is known for its highly irregular pronunciation. In Option 3, the word is "high" ($hɪɡh$ /haɪ/). In this word, the "gh" is silent; it is not pronounced at all. Therefore, the sound of the underlined portion is the absence of sound, making it the unique pronunciation among the choices. In words where "gh" follows a long vowel sound (like in "high," "light," "daughter," etc.), it is traditionally silent, a remnant of older English pronunciation. Since the question asks to identify the word with a different sound, "high" is the correct choice because its "gh" is silent, unlike the other options.

The incorrect option is 1:
In the word "tough" (/tʌf/), the underlined "gh" is pronounced with an /f/ sound, the voiceless labio-dental fricative. This pronunciation is shared with several common English words like "enough" and "rough." It is a common, though irregular, pattern for "gh" to represent this sound, but it is not the silent sound of the correct option.

The incorrect option is 2:
In the word "laugh" (/lɑːf/), the underlined "gh" is also pronounced with the /f/ sound. This word belongs to the same pronunciation group as "tough" and "rough." Because the "gh" in "laugh" is pronounced as /f/, it shares the same sound as options 1 and 4, making it incorrect as the odd one out.

The incorrect option is 4:
In the word "rough" (/rʌf/), the underlined "gh" is pronounced with the /f/ sound, identical to the pronunciation in "tough" and "laugh." This consistency in the /f/ sound across options 1, 2, and 4 confirms that these three words form a pattern, while the silent "gh" in "high" (Option 3) distinguishes it as the word with the different sound.