Dolch Word List
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Listed below are 220 of the most common words in children's reading books, in alphabetical order. These words are often called "sight words" because some of them can't be sounded out and need to be learned by sight.
First (October) | a | and | away | big | blue | can | come | down | find | for | funny | go | help | here | I | in | is | it | jump | little | look | make | me | my | not | one | play | red | run | said | see | the | three | to | two | up | we | where | yellow | you | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| First (March) | all | am | are | at | ate | be | black | brown | but | came | did | do | eat | four | get | good | have | he | into | like | must | new | no | now | on | our | out | please | pretty | ran | ride | saw | say | she | so | soon | that | there | they | this | too | under | want | was | well | went | what | white | who | will | with | yes |
| First (End) | after | again | an | any | as | ask | by | could | every | fly | from | give | going | had | has | her | him | his | how | just | know | let | live | may | of | old | once | open | over | put | round | some | stop | take | thank | them | then | think | walk | where | when | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Second | always | around | because | been | before | best | both | buy | call | cold | does | don't | fast | first | five | found | gave | goes | green | its | made | many | off | or | pull | read | right | sing | sit | sleep | tell | their | these | those | upon | us | use | very | wash | which | why | wish | work | would | write | your | | | | | | |
| Third | about | better | bring | carry | clean | cut | done | draw | drink | eight | fall | far | full | got | grow | hold | hot | hurt | if | keep | kind | laugh | light | long | much | myself | never | only | own | pick | seven | shall | show | six | small | start | ten | today | together | try | warm | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Derived from Dolch, E.W. (1936). A Basic Sight Word Vocabulary. Elementary School Journal, 36, 456-460. |