First Three Hundred Sight (Instant) Words
Sight or Instant words are the most frequently used words commonly used in the English language, and collectively the first 300 words constitute more than 65% of English texts and probably a greater percentage of conversational vocabulary. Therefore, a sensible shortcut is to learn these words by instant sight recognition, especially because many of them do not follow the familiar rules of orthographic or phonic structure in English and can therefore be learned only on the basis of automatic recognition. The sight words are the first words 1st Graders learn to read and spell, and form the foundation for the development of early literacy skills upon which more sophisticated skills depend. The fact that the first one hundred words make up almost all of the one and two letter words, and many three and four letter words in English, is not unrelated to the fact that basicness of word and word function is correlated with the length of the alphabetic string used to encode the word. Automatic recognition of the most frequent words in English saves cognitive resources for focus on less basic terms, and is a good strategy for second language learners in English as well. Children learning their first one hundred sight-words achieve a significant sense of accomplishment and thereby become ready to tackle the next one or two hundred words, rapidly expanding their literacy skills in just a few months time. Children in their first year of elementary school can profitably spend a little time each day and at least once each week practicing and testing with these words. By the time such children master these first three hundred words, they are well upon their way to mastering basic independent literacy and orthography in English reading and writing.
First Hundred Words
| Words 1-25 | Words 26-50 | Words 51-75 | Words 76-100 |
| the
of and a to in is you that it he was for on are as with his they I at be this have from |
or
one had by word but not what all were we when your can said there use an each which she do how their if |
will
up other about out many then them these so some her would make like him into time has look two more write go see |
number
no way could people my than first water been call who oil its now find long down day did get come made may part |
Second Hundred Words
| Words 101-125 | Words 126-150 | Words 151-175 | Words 176-200 |
| over
new sound take only little work know place year live me back give most very after thing out just name good sentence man think |
say
great where help through much before line right too mean old any same tell boy follow came want show also around form three small |
set
put end does another well large must big even such because turn here why ask went men read need land different home us move |
try
kind hand picture again change off play spell air away animal house point page letter mother answer found study still learn should America world |
Third Hundred Words
| Words 201-225 | Words 226-250 | Words 251-275 | Words 276-300 |
| high
every near add food between own below country plant last school father keep tree never start city earth eye light thought head under story |
saw
left don't few while along might close something seem next hard open example begin life always those both paper together got group often run |
important
until children side feet car mile night walk white sea began grow took river four carry state once book hear stop without second later |
miss
idea enough eat facet watch far Indian really almost let above girl sometimes mountain cut young talk soon list song being leave family it's |
Basic modifications that can expand this basic vocabulary is the addition of common suffixes: -s, sees, looks, writes; -ing as in looking, coming, writing; -ed as in maked, watered, numbered; -er as in maker, ser, writer; -ly as in partly, likely; -est as in longest. Additional practice making new words, word families and word-wall words, and to demonstrate how words change from one syntactic category to a new meaning by the addition of such a suffix, are ways of extending and elaborating at an early age a basic appreciation and skill in common English vocabulary.
Blanket Copyright, Hugh M. Lewis, © 2005. Use of this text governed by fair use policy--permission to make copies of this text is granted for purposes of research and non-profit instruction only.
Last Updated: 03/14/05