Ugh! Trivia Quiz

Answer: rough

Sandpaper has a rough surface that helps remove paint or smooth wood. The word can also describe stormy seas, difficult experiences or even the way someone treats another person. Interestingly, "rough" rhymes with "tough" but not with "through".

Answer: naughty

The word "naughty" is often used to describe children who misbehave, but it can also be used for mischievous pets. A puppy that steals shoes or a cat that knocks things off a table might be called naughty. The word was originally connected to having nothing or being poor.

Answer: ugh

"Ugh!" is a short expression people use when they find something unpleasant or disgusting. You might say it after smelling rotten food, stepping in something sticky or seeing a plate full of worms. It can also show frustration when something goes wrong.

Answer: drought

During a drought, rivers and lakes may shrink, crops can fail and animals may struggle to find water. Some plants, such as cacti, are especially good at surviving dry conditions because they can store water. Droughts can last for months or even years.

Answer: bough

A bough is usually one of the larger branches of a tree. Birds may build their nests on boughs, while squirrels use them as pathways through the treetops. The word appears in the traditional nursery rhyme "Rock-a-bye Baby": "When the bough breaks the cradle will fall."

Answer: trough

Farmers use troughs to provide food or water for animals such as horses, cows and pigs. They can be made from wood, metal, stone or plastic. The word "trough" is also used in geography to describe a low area between two higher areas, such as a valley or a dip in the ocean floor.

Answer: dough

Bread dough is made from flour, water, yeast and salt. The yeast produces tiny bubbles of gas that make the dough rise and become light and fluffy. Some types of dough, such as those used for biscuits or pasta, don't need yeast at all.

Answer: laugh

Laughter is something people all over the world share, even though it sounds different from person to person. Babies usually start laughing when they are only a few months old. And laughter can be contagious - hearing someone else laugh often makes us laugh too.

Answer: enough

The word "enough" can refer to almost anything, from food and money to time and sleep. Unlike many English words, it can appear both before a noun ("enough water") and after an adjective ("warm enough"). Its unusual spelling is another example of how tricky English pronunciation can be.

Answer: cough

Coughing is how your body gets rid of dirt and other things that shouldn't be in your airways. It helps to remove dust, mucus and other things that shouldn't be there. A single cough can push air out of your lungs very quickly.

Have you noticed that words containing the letters "ugh" can have very different pronunciations?
"Rough" and "enough" rhyme with "stuff".
"Laugh" rhymes with "staff".
"Cough" and "trough" rhyme with "off".
"Dough" rhymes with "go".
"Bough" rhymes with "cow".
"Drought" rhymes with "out".
"Naughty" rhymes with "haughty".
And "ugh" itself sounds like "ug"! Same three letters, so many different sounds!