1000 Instant Words
This
is a list of high frequency words most commonly used in the English
language. They appear in order of frequency (the most common words first).
Beginning readers, whose ability ranges from none to upper 5th grade
ability, need to master a high frequency vocabulary for healthy reading
abilities and comprehension.
Developing readers need to be able to read the first 300 words “instantly”
without a moment’s hesitation because these 300 words make up 65% of all
written material.

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Words 1-30 |
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the |
of |
and |
|
a |
to |
as |
|
with |
his |
they |
|
I |
in |
is |
|
you |
that |
it |
|
at |
be |
this |
|
have |
from |
he |
|
was |
for |
on |
|
are |
or |
one |
|
had |
by |
word |
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Words 31-60 |
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but |
not |
what |
|
all |
were |
she |
|
do |
how |
their |
|
if |
we |
when |
|
your |
can |
said |
|
will |
up |
other |
|
about |
out |
there |
|
use |
an |
each |
|
which |
many |
then |
|
them |
these |
so |

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Words 61-90 |
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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 |
now |
find |
|
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Words 91-120 |
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long |
down |
day |
|
did |
get |
come |
|
made |
may |
part |
|
over |
new |
sound |
|
take |
only |
little |
|
work |
know |
place |
|
year |
live |
me |
|
back |
give |
most |
|
very |
after |
thing |
|
our |
just |
name |

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Words 121-150 |
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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 |
|
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Words 151-180 |
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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 |

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Words 181-210 |
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off |
play |
spell |
|
air |
away |
animal |
|
house |
point |
page |
|
letter |
mother |
answer |
|
found |
study |
still |
|
learn |
should |
America |
|
world |
high |
every |
|
near |
add |
food |
|
between |
own |
below |
|
country |
plant |
last |
|
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Words 211-240 |
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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 |

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Words 241-270 |
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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 |
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Words 271-300 |
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stop |
without |
second |
|
late |
miss |
idea |
|
enough |
eat |
face |
|
watch |
far |
Indian |
|
real |
almost |
let |
|
above |
girl |
sometimes |
|
mountain |
cut |
young |
|
talk |
soon |
list |
|
song |
being |
leave |
|
family |
it’s |
afternoon |

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Words 301-330 |
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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 |
order |
red |
|
door |
sure |
become |
|
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Words 331-360 |
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top |
ship |
across |
|
today |
during |
short |
|
better |
best |
however |
|
low |
hours |
black |
|
products |
happened |
whole |
|
measure |
remember |
early |
|
waves |
reached |
listen |
|
wind |
rock |
space |
|
covered |
fast |
several |
|
hold |
himself |
toward |

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Words 361-390 |
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five |
step |
morning |
|
passed |
vowel |
true |
|
hundred |
against |
pattern |
|
numeral |
table |
north |
|
slowly |
money |
map |
|
farm |
pulled |
draw |
|
voice |
seen |
cold |
|
cried |
plan |
notice |
|
south |
sing |
war |
|
ground |
fall |
king |
|
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Words 391-420 |
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town |
I’ll |
unit |
|
figure |
certain |
field |
|
travel |
wood |
fire |
|
upon |
done |
English |
|
road |
half |
ten |
|
fly |
gave |
box |
|
finally |
wait |
correct |
|
oh |
quickly |
person |
|
became |
shown |
minutes |
|
strong |
verb |
stars |

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Words 421-450 |
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front |
feel |
fact |
|
inches |
street |
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 |
|
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Words 451-480 |
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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 |
filled |
heat |
|
full |
hot |
check |

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Words 481-510 |
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object |
am |
rule |
|
among |
noun |
power |
|
cannot |
able |
six |
|
size |
dark |
ball |
|
material |
special |
heavy |
|
fine |
pair |
circle |
|
include |
built |
can’t |
|
matter |
square |
syllables |
|
perhaps |
bill |
felt |
|
suddenly |
test |
direction |
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Words 511-540 |
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center |
farmers |
ready |
|
anything |
divided |
general |
|
energy |
subject |
Europe |
|
moon |
region |
return |
|
believe |
dance |
members |
|
picked |
simple |
cells |
|
paint |
mind |
love |
|
cause |
rain |
exercise |
|
eggs |
train |
blue |
|
wish |
drop |
developed |

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Words 541-570 |
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window |
difference |
distance |
|
heart |
sit |
sum |
|
summer |
wall |
forest |
|
probably |
legs |
sat |
|
main |
winter |
wide |
|
written |
length |
reason |
|
kept |
interest |
arms |
|
brother |
race |
present |
|
beautiful |
store |
job |
|
edge |
past |
sign |
|
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Words 571-600 |
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record |
finished |
discovered |
|
wild |
happy |
beside |
|
gone |
sky |
glass |
|
million |
west |
weather |
|
root |
instruments |
meet |
|
third |
months |
paragraph |
|
raised |
represent |
soft |
|
whether |
clothes |
flowers |
|
shall |
teacher |
held |
|
describe |
drive |
lay |

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Words 601-630 |
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cross |
speak |
solve |
|
appear |
metal |
son |
|
either |
ice |
sleep |
|
village |
factors |
result |
|
jumped |
snow |
ride |
|
care |
floor |
hill |
|
pushed |
baby |
buy |
|
century |
outside |
everything |
|
tall |
already |
instead |
|
phrase |
soil |
bed |
|
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Words 631-660 |
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copy |
free |
hope |
|
spring |
case |
laughed |
|
nation |
quite |
type |
|
themselves |
temperature |
bright |
|
lead |
everyone |
method |
|
section |
lake |
consonant |
|
within |
dictionary |
hair |
|
age |
amount |
scale |
|
pounds |
although |
per |
|
broken |
moment |
tiny |

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Words 661-690 |
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possible |
gold |
milk |
|
quiet |
natural |
lot |
|
stone |
act |
build |
|
middle |
speed |
count |
|
cat |
someone |
sail |
|
rolled |
bear |
wonder |
|
smiled |
angle |
fraction |
|
Africa |
killed |
melody |
|
bottom |
trip |
hole |
|
poor |
let’s |
fight |
|
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Words 691-720 |
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surprise |
French |
died |
|
beat |
exactly |
remain |
|
dress |
iron |
couldn’t |
|
fingers |
row |
least |
|
catch |
climbed |
wrote |
|
shouted |
continued |
itself |
|
else |
plains |
gas |
|
England |
burning |
design |
|
joined |
foot |
law |
|
ears |
grass |
you’re |

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Words 721-750 |
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grew |
skin |
valley |
|
cents |
key |
president |
|
brown |
trouble |
cool |
|
cloud |
lost |
sent |
|
symbols |
wear |
bad |
|
save |
experiment |
engine |
|
alone |
drawing |
east |
|
pay |
single |
touch |
|
information |
express |
mouth |
|
yard |
equal |
decimal |
|
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Words 751-780 |
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yourself |
control |
practice |
|
report |
straight |
rise |
|
statement |
stick |
party |
|
seeds |
suppose |
woman |
|
coast |
bank |
period |
|
wire |
choose |
clean |
|
visit |
bit |
whose |
|
received |
garden |
please |
|
strange |
caught |
fell |
|
team |
God |
captain |

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|
Words 781-810 |
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direct |
ring |
serve |
|
child |
desert |
increase |
|
history |
cost |
maybe |
|
business |
separate |
break |
|
uncle |
hunting |
flow |
|
lady |
students |
human |
|
art |
feeling |
supply |
|
corner |
electric |
insects |
|
crops |
tone |
hit |
|
sand |
doctor |
provide |
|
|
|
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Words 811-840 |
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thus |
won’t |
cook |
|
bones |
tail |
board |
|
modern |
compound |
mine |
|
Wasn’t |
fit |
addition |
|
belong |
safe |
soldiers |
|
guess |
silent |
trade |
|
rather |
compare |
crowd |
|
poem |
enjoy |
elements |
|
except |
expect |
flat |
|
seven |
interesting |
indicate |

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|
Words 841-870 |
|
|
sense |
string |
blow |
|
famous |
value |
wings |
|
movement |
pole |
exciting |
|
branches |
thick |
blood |
|
lie |
spot |
bell |
|
fun |
loud |
consider |
|
suggested |
thin |
position |
|
entered |
fruit |
tied |
|
rich |
dollars |
send |
|
sight |
chief |
Japanese |
|
|
|
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Words 871-900 |
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|
stream |
planets |
rhythm |
|
eight |
science |
major |
|
observe |
tube |
necessary |
|
weight |
meat |
lifted |
|
process |
army |
hat |
|
property |
particular |
swim |
|
terms |
current |
park |
|
sell |
shoulder |
industry |
|
wash |
block |
spread |
|
cattle |
wife |
sharp |

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Words 901-930 |
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|
company |
radio |
we’ll |
|
action |
capital |
factories |
|
settled |
yellow |
isn’t |
|
southern |
truck |
fair |
|
printed |
wouldn’t |
ahead |
|
chance |
born |
level |
|
triangle |
molecules |
France |
|
repeated |
column |
western |
|
church |
plural |
various |
|
agreed |
sister |
oxygen |
|
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|
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Words 931-960 |
|
|
opposite |
wrong |
chart |
|
prepared |
pretty |
solution |
|
fresh |
shop |
suffix |
|
especially |
shoes |
actually |
|
nose |
afraid |
dead |
|
sugar |
adjective |
fig |
|
office |
huge |
gun |
|
similar |
death |
score |
|
forward |
stretched |
experience |
|
rose |
allow |
fear |

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Words 961-1000 |
|
|
workers |
Washington |
Greek |
|
women |
bought |
led |
|
march |
northern |
create |
|
British |
difficult |
match |
|
win |
doesn’t |
steel |
|
total |
deal |
determine |
|
evening |
nor |
rope |
|
cotton |
apple |
details |
|
entire |
corn |
substances |
|
smell |
tools |
conditions |
|
cows |
track |
arrived |
|
located |
sir |
seat |
|
division |
effect |
underline |
|
view |
|
|