GH Patterns · Simple Present Tense · Real Travel Conversations
Why does "gh" make so many different sounds? Let's learn them all!
In English, the letters GH can be: completely silent, sound like the letter F, or (rarely) sound like G. There is no simple rule — you must memorize the words!
When GH comes after a vowel, it is usually silent. You do NOT say "gh".
Sometimes GH sounds like the letter F. This happens especially at the END of words. Bite your lower lip lightly and blow air — that's the /f/ sound!
Very rarely, GH sounds like a regular G. This usually happens at the beginning of a word.
| GH Pattern | Sound | Examples | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| GH = Silent | No sound! | light, night, right, bought, daughter | After vowels — skip GH |
| GH = /f/ | like F in "five" | laugh, enough, rough, tough, cough | End of words — say /f/ |
| GH = /g/ | like G in "go" | ghost, ghastly | Start of words — say /g/ |
Click the correct box for each word:
Word bank: light · enough · thought · right · cough
1. Turn _ at the traffic lights.
2. I have a bad _. I need medicine.
3. Is 100 dollars _ for the hotel?
4. I _ the restaurant was near here.
5. Please switch on the _ — it's dark!
Read these sentences out loud. Focus on the GH words!
Answer these questions OUT LOUD. Use GH words!
Learn when to add S to verbs — and when NOT to!
In Simple Present, add -S to the verb ONLY when the subject is He / She / It.
| Pronoun | Person | Arabic | work → | eat → | live → |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🙋 I | 1st singular | أنا | work | eat | live |
| 👫 We | 1st plural | نحن / احنا | work | eat | live |
| 👉 You | 2nd | أنت / أنتم | work | eat | live |
| 👨 He | 3rd singular | هو | works | eats | lives |
| 👩 She | 3rd singular | هي | works | eats | lives |
| 🍎 It | 3rd singular | هو/هي (للأشياء) | works | — | — |
| 👥 They | 3rd plural | هم | work | eat | live |
⚠️ Remember: Only HE / SHE / IT get an S!
هو / هي / الأشياء فقط بتاخد S — مش بقية الضمائر
| Rule | Example | He/She/It form |
|---|---|---|
| Most verbs → add -s | work, eat, drink | works, eats, drinks |
| Ends in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z → add -es | watch, wash, fix | watches, washes, fixes |
| Ends in consonant + -y → change to -ies | study, carry | studies, carries |
| Special: have → has | I have | He has |
| Special: go → goes | I go | She goes |
| Special: do → does | I do | It does |
I fly to London every year.
She flies to London every year.
هي بتطير لندن كل سنة
We stay at a hotel.
He stays at a hotel.
هو بيقيم في فندق
They ask for directions.
She asks for directions.
هي بتسأل عن الاتجاهات
You buy souvenirs.
He buys souvenirs.
هو بيشتري تذكارات
Find the mistake and write the correct sentence.
Unscramble the words to make correct sentences.
Answer these questions with complete sentences. Use Simple Present!
Useful phrases for every travel situation · A1–A2 Level
🎭 Dialogue: Asking for Directions
🎭 Dialogue: At the Restaurant
🎭 Dialogue: At the Airport
🎭 Dialogue: Hotel Check-In
🎭 Dialogue: Taking a Taxi
🎭 Dialogue: Shopping
🎭 Dialogue: Emergency Situation
Word bank: included · reservation · halal · gate · passport
You are traveling alone. Practice all your English skills!
Work with a partner. One person is the traveler, one is the local (hotel staff, taxi driver, waiter, etc.). Use the phrases from this lesson at every stop!
Check your answers here — good luck!
Exercise 1 (Match):
cough → GH = /f/ | night → Silent | ghost → GH = /g/ | enough → GH = /f/ | daughter → Silent
Exercise 2 (Pronunciation):
1. /laɪt/ ✓ | 2. /læf/ ✓ | 3. /θɔːt/ ✓ | 4. /ɪˈnʌf/ ✓
Exercise 3 (Fill in):
1. right | 2. cough | 3. enough | 4. thought | 5. light
Exercise 1 (Choose verb):
1. works | 2. eat | 3. travels | 4. have | 5. goes | 6. need
Exercise 2 (Correct mistakes):
1. He works in a restaurant. | 2. She has a passport. | 3. They watch TV. | 4. It costs 50 dollars. | 5. We go to the mosque.
Exercise 3 (Unscramble):
1. She works at the hotel. | 2. We always eat halal food. | 3. The plane departs at 6 AM. | 4. He speaks Arabic and English. | 5. I study English every day.
Exercise 2 (Fill in blanks):
1. reservation | 2. included | 3. gate | 4. halal | 5. passport
🎉 Congratulations!
You completed the Travel English lesson!
Keep practicing every day. Dreams come true! ✨
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