Most Common Words 501 to 1000

The second half of our list of the 1,000 most common words: towards, already, important, breakfast, wonderful, kitchen, mountain. Readers in 3rd to 5th grade meet these in chapter books, and knowing them well makes reading smoother.

Print the checklist (PDF) Kids: take the quiz All sight word lists

Words 501 to 1000, most common first

The number shows each word's place on the full list of 1,000. 24 of these words are also on the Dolch lists.

About this list

At this level, the point isn't flashcards for every word. Most children read many of these already, and the rest can be worked out with phonics and syllable splitting. Use the list to spot gaps: read down a column together and note any word your child stumbles on.

This half has many longer words: especially, important, attention, education, impossible, conversation, information. They're good practice for breaking words into chunks and for suffixes like -tion.

It also has many words worth knowing the meaning of, not just reading: opinion, purpose, distance, difference, knowledge, respect. Talk about any word your child can read but can't explain.

Heart words in this list

These words have a part that doesn't follow the sounds your child knows yet. Sound out the rest and learn the tricky part by heart. See what are sight words? for the method.

WordThe tricky part
daughteraugh says aw
laughaugh says af
caughtaugh says aw
boughtough says aw
eighteigh says long a
eyesounds like the letter I
signg is silent
sugars says sh
doctoror says er
buildingui says short i
breakfastea says short e
heavyea says short e
loseo says oo; se says z

Words to sound out instead of memorizing: sun, hot, fun, sit, hill, ten, pick, chance, catch, lunch, kitchen, dinner, rabbit, mistake, birthday, yesterday, wonderful, important, inside, outside, quickly, suddenly.

Sentences to read

Each sentence uses words from this list. Read them together, then let your child try alone.

  1. We had breakfast in the kitchen.
  2. I bought eight eggs at the store.
  3. The doctor said I could go home.
  4. My daughter laughed at the funny story.
  5. It was important to listen.
  6. The building is very tall and heavy.
  7. Yesterday we walked to the river.
  8. Don't lose the key!
  9. She caught the ball with one hand.
  10. Put sugar in the cookie dough.

How to practice

  1. Find the gaps first. Read down the list together and circle any word your child doesn't read instantly. Those circled words are the practice list.
  2. Sound out first. Blend the sounds of regular words. For heart words, sound out the regular parts and point to the tricky part.
  3. Read in chunks. For long words, cover the word and reveal it one syllable at a time.
  4. Find the words in books. Before reading together, hunt for this week's words on a page.
  5. Write them. Spell each new word out loud while writing it. It sticks far faster than reading alone.

Quiz: most common words 501 to 1000

Read each sentence and tap the word that fits. The speaker button reads the sentence aloud, without giving away the answer.

  1. 1.We eat _____ in the morning.

    Show answer

    breakfast: We eat breakfast in the morning.

  2. 2.Please _____ the window.

    Show answer

    shut: Please shut the window.

  3. 3.The _____ is bright today.

    Show answer

    sun: The sun is bright today.

  4. 4.I _____ a ball at the store.

    Show answer

    bought: I bought a ball at the store.

  5. 5.The cat _____ the mouse.

    Show answer

    caught: The cat caught the mouse.

  6. 6.Put _____ in my tea, please.

    Show answer

    sugar: Put sugar in my tea, please.

  7. 7.A _____ helps sick people.

    Show answer

    doctor: A doctor helps sick people.

  8. 8.We _____ at the funny joke.

    Show answer

    laugh: We laugh at the funny joke.

  9. 9.I am _____ after the long walk.

    Show answer

    tired: I am tired after the long walk.

  10. 10.Count to _____.

    Show answer

    eight: Count to eight.

Printable checklist

Most Common Words 501 to 1000 printable checklist, page 1

The free PDF has 5 US Letter pages: a numbered checklist of all 500 words with a box to tick for each word your child knows, 100 words to a page. Read down a column together and circle any word that slows your child down.

Download the PDF Make custom flashcards

How this list was made

This is English1to5's own list. We ranked words by how often they appear in classic public-domain children's books and in everyday English (word frequencies from the open wordfreq project by Robyn Speer, CC BY-SA 4.0), then removed names, single letters and topics that don't suit a children's list. The list is shared under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 license, so teachers are welcome to reuse it with credit.

More word lists

← Fifth 100 Most Common Words

For lists grouped by grade, see the Dolch lists. All lists are on the sight words page.

Last reviewed: November 11, 2026

Questions parents ask

What are the most common words from 501 to 1,000?

Words 501 to 1000 on English1to5's list of the 1,000 most common words for young readers, starting with towards, lived, passed, health, already.

How was this list made?

We ranked words by how often they appear in classic children's books and in everyday English, then removed names and topics that don't suit kids. It's similar in spirit to the Fry Instant Words, but it's our own list.

Is this the same as the Fry list?

No. The Fry Instant Words are a separate, published list. Ours was made independently, so the order differs, but the most common words overlap a lot.

How many of these words are on the Dolch lists?

24 of these 500 words are also on the five Dolch grade lists.

How fast should my child learn these words?

About five new words a week works well for most children, with daily review. At this level, use the list to find gaps rather than drilling every word.