The words are listed in rank order.

Here is a list of the First 100 High Frequency Words a child needs to know for reading, writing, and

spelling fluency. If a child knows these 100 words, he/she knows about 50% of all words in any book.

Practice the words in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 with your child. If they recognize all of those words easily,

move on to the next group. We would like all second graders to know the first 100 words by the end

of October. If your child knows the first 100 words, practice the words in the second 100, and so on.

First Hundred

Group 1

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

Group 2

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

Group 3

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

Group 4

number

no

way

could

people

my

than

first

water

been

call

who

oil

now

find

long

down

day

did

get

come

made

may

part

over

Here is a list of the Second 100 High Frequency Words a child needs to know for reading, writing, and

spelling fluency. If a child can read all 200 words, he/she knows about 65% of all words in any book.

We would like all second graders to be able to read these words by the end of February.

Second Hundred

Group 5

new

sound

take

only

little

work

know

place

year

live

me

back

give

most

very

after

thing

our

just

name

good

sentence

man

think

say

Group 6

great

where

help

through

much

before

line

right

too

mean

old

any

same

tell

boy

following

came

want

show

also

around

form

three

small

set

Group 7

put

end

does

another

well

large

must

big

even

such

because

turn

here

why

ask

went

men

read

need

land

different

home

use

move

try

Group 8

kind

hand

picture

again

change

off

play

spell

air

away

animal

house

point

page

letter

mother

answer

found

study

still

learn

should

America

world

high

Here is a list of the Third 100 High Frequency Words a child needs to know for reading, writing, and

spelling fluency. If a child can read all 300 words, he/she knows about 75% of all words in any book.

We would like all second graders to be able to read all the words in this list by the end of the school

year.

Third Hundred

Group 9

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

Group 10

left

don’t

few

while

along

might

close

something

seem

next

hard

open

example

beginning

life

always

those

both

paper

together

got

group

often

run

important

Group 11

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

Group 12

idea

enough

eat

face

watch

far

Indian

real

almost

let

above

girl

sometimes

mountain

cut

young

talk

soon

list

song

begin

leave

family

it’s

afternoon

Fourth Hundred

Group 13

body

music

color

stand

sun

questions

fish

area

mark

dog

horse

birds

problem

complete

room

knew

since

ever

piece

told

usually

didn’t

friends

easy

heard

Group 14

order

red

door

sure

become

top

ship

across

today

during

short

better

best

however

low

hours

black

products

happened

whole

measure

remember

early

waves

reached

Group 15

listen

wind

rock

space

covered

fast

several

hold

himself

toward

five

step

morning

passed

vowel

true

hundred

against

pattern

numeral

table

north

slowly

money

map

Group 16

farm

pulled

draw

voice

seen

cold

cried

plan

notice

south

sing

war

ground

fall

king

town

I’ll

unit

figure

certain

field

travel

wood

fire

upon

Fifth Hundred

Group 17

done

English

road

half

ten

fly

gave

box

finally

wait

correct

oh

quickly

person

became

shown

minutes

strong

verb

stars

front

feel

fact

inches

street

Group 18

decided

contain

course

surface

produce

building

ocean

class

note

nothing

rest

carefully

scientists

inside

wheels

stay

green

known

island

week

less

machine

base

ago

stood

Group 19

plane

system

behind

ran

round

boat

game

force

brought

understand

warm

common

bring

explain

dry

though

language

shape

deep

thousands

yes

clear

equation

yet

government

Group 20

filled

heat

full

hot

check

object

am

rule

among

noun

power

cannot

able

six

size

dark

ball

material

special

heavy

fine

pair

circle

Include

built

Sixth Hundred

Group 21

can’t

matter

square

syllables

perhaps

bill

felt

suddenly

test

direction

center

farmers

ready

anything

divided

general

energy

subject

Europe

moon

region

return

believe

dance

members

Group 22

picked

simple

cells

paint

mind

love

cause

rain

exercise

eggs

train

blue

wish

drop

developed

window

difference

distance

heart

sit

sum

summer

wall

forest

probably

Group 23

legs

sat

main

winter

wide

written

length

reason

kept

interest

arms

brother

race

present

beautiful

store

job

edge

past

sign

record

finished

discovered

wild

happy

Group 24

beside

gone

sky

glass

million

west

lay

weather

root

instruments

meet

third

Months

paragraph

raised

represent

soft

whether

clothes

Flowers

shall

teacher

held

describe

drive