Thought Vs. Taught: Which is Correct? An Effective Guide

One tricky English word to spell is – THOUGHT. Following the word’s pronunciation, one would spell it as thouth or taught. While the former is a non-existent word, the latter has a different meaning. How do you spell thought? In this article, you’ll learn how to spell the word correctly. With the examples highlighted, you’ll be able to practice how to use the word correctly in sentences!

Thought Vs. Taught

The word thought refers to the product of a mental activity; what one thinks. It is a notion or idea conceived by the act of thinking. It can also mean the process of thinking, carrying out a mental activity or the act of meditation, recollection, or contemplation. For example, what are your thoughts on this project?

A thought is a mental or emotional state or condition, an idea about something, or the act of pondering. A person’s thought is the process of the individual’s reasoning and thinking through ideas and observations. Thought is the past tense of of the verb ‘think.’

On the other hand, the word ‘taught’ means to impart or be imparted with the knowledge. What a student learns is more or less what they have been taught. The word ‘taught’ is the past participle or past tense of the verb ‘teach.’ For instance, have you been taught this topic?

How do you Spell thought?

The word ‘thought‘ can be traced to several origins. Some of its origins are: from Middle English thought, ithoȝt; from Old English þōht, ġeþōht (which means the process of thinking) and from Proto-Germanic *þanhtaz, *gaþanhtą (which means “thought”).

The accurate spelling of the word in English is T-H-O-U-G-H-T. It is a seven-lettered, monosyllabic word with five consonants and two vowels. The phonemic pronunciation of the word is [θˈɔːt].

What Part of Speech is Thought?

The word ‘thought’ is a noun and verb. Functioning as a verb, it is the past tense or past participle of the verb ‘think.’

As a noun, it is the term given to the process of deliberation, reflection, or meditation on a subject or concept. The word describes the ideas or opinions conceived during the process of thinking.

Examples

• I thought about what you said, and it makes a lot of sense.
• Can you please give our discussion some thought? I’ll wait for a feedback.
• I thought you asked John to meet us here?
• You thought I wouldn’t find out that you stole from me?
• Sarah doesn’t give any thought to her looks.
• Let’s have your thoughts about the project.
• I have thought about this issue thoroughly, and I think we should hire a planner for the event.
• Do you want to share some thoughts about what we should do now?
• Oh! It never crossed my thoughts.

To Wrap Up

When you’re referring to the act of deliberation, reflection, or meditation, the appropriate word is THOUGHT and not TAUGHT. The word ‘thought’ is the past tense of the verb ‘think,’ while taught is the past tense of teach.

How do you spell thought? The word is spelled T-H-O-U-G-H-T. You will use the word correctly in sentences if you learn and remember how to spell it! The examples highlighted in this article will help you understand the word’s proper usage.