500 Most Common Words in English

Do you want to know the 500 most common words in English, or are you looking to improve your overall knowledge of the English language? We’ve investigated surveys, newspapers, books, online magazines, TV, and radio to compile an essential list.

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Our essential list of the 500 most common words in English

This list contains, among many others, the most common English verbs and the most common nouns in English. We have put it in alphabetical order as it is easier to remember. Let’s get started!

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A-Z of English

A
a
about
act
actually
add
after
again
against
age
ago
air
all
also
always
am
among
an
and
animal
another
answer
appear
are
area
as
ask
at

back
ball
base
be
beauty
because
become
bed
been
before
began
begin
behind
best
better
better
between
big
bird
black
blue
boat
body
book
both
bottom
box
boy
bring
brought
build
built
busy
but
by

call
came
can
car
care
carefully
carry
centre
certain
change
check
child
children
city
class
clear
close
cold
colour
come
common
community
complete
contain
could
country
course
create
cried
cross
cry
cut

D

dark
day
decide
decided
deep
develop
did
didn’t
different
do
does
dog
don’t
door
down
draw
dream
drive
dry
during

each
early
earth
east
easy
eat
effort
enough
every
example
experience
explain
eye

face
fact

false
family
far
farm
fast
father
feel
feet
few
field
find
fire
first
fish
five
fly
follow
food
form
found
four
friend
from
front
full

game
gave
get
girl
give
go
gold
good
got
government
great
green
ground
group
grow
guy

had
half
hand
happen
happened
hard
has
have
he
hear
heat
heavy
help
her
here
high
his
hold
home
horse
hot
hour
house
hundred

I
idea
if
important
in
inch
include
into
is
island
it

just

keep
kind
king
knew
know
known

land
language
large
last
late
later
laugh
lead
learn
leave
left
less
less
let
letter
life
light
like
line
list
listen
little
live
long
look
love
low

machine
made
make
man
many
map
mark
may
mean
measure
men
might
mile
million
mind
minute
miss
money
month
moon
more
more
morning
most
mother
mountain
move
much
music
must
my

name
nation
near
need
never
new
next
night
no
north
note
notice
noun
now
number

object
of
off
office
often
oh
oil
old
on
once
one
only
open
or
order
other
our
out
over

page
pair
part
pass
passed
people
perhaps
person
picture
place
plan
plane
plant
play
point
power
probably
problem
product
provide
pull
put

question
quick
rain
ran
reach
read
ready
real
receive
record
red
relationship
remember
right
river
road
rock
room
round
rule
run

said
same
saw
say
school
science
sea
season
second
see
seem
self
sentence
serve
set
several
shape
she
ship
short
should
show
shown
side
simple
since
sing
sit
six
size
sleep

slow
small
snow
so
some
something
song
soon
sound
south
space
special
spell
spring
stand
star
start
stay
step
stood
stop
story
street
strong
study
such
summer
sun
system

table
take
talk
teach
tell
ten
test
than
that
the
their
them
then
there
these
they
thing
think
this
those
though
thought
thousand
three

through
time
to
together
told
too
took
top
toward
town
travel
tree
try

true
turn
two

under
understand
until
up
upon
us
use
usual
very
voice
vowel

wait
walk
want
war
warm
was
watch
water
wave
way
we
week
weight
were
west
what
wheel
where
which

white
who
why
will
wind
winter
with
without
woman
wonder
wood
word
words
work
world
would
write
wrong

year
yes
you
young

Why should I learn the 500 most common English words?

If you want to learn English and connect with other English speakers as quickly as possible, learning these words will help you to better understand the English language You will understand instructions, and everyday English topics, and be able to respond well to questions.

If you are joining us this Summer to skyrocket your learning even more, studying these words will build a strong foundation for you before you arrive!

What is the best way to learn the 500 most commonly used words in English?

Take one set of letter words at a time

We recommend learning one set of letter words at a time. You can print them off and cut them out or save them to your laptop or phone.

Some letter sets are very long, so they have been split in two. Some are very short, so they have been combined with other letters.

Why not start with all the words beginning with A? Or, start backwards from Z?

Try to remember the words in the way you learn best

Everyone has a different way to remember what they are learning. You could translate the words into your own language if it helps you, or draw an image to remind yourself what the word is and means. You could also make your own recordings on your phone.

Have a dictionary with you

We also recommend that you use an online or paperback dictionary when you’re studying.

Do this so that you can fully understand:

a) what the word means

b) how to pronounce it

c) how to use it

Have fun!

It can be hard to motivate yourself to learn English sometimes. Remind yourself why you want to learn English when you are feeling demotivated. And have fun with the words you learn!

Try to practise using your newly learned words with friends and family. Use the words in sentences and different situations when you can.

Studying the most important words in English is good but using them in real life is so much better!

Join our English summer school course!

If you’d like to help your child further their knowledge of the English Language, why not consider enrolling on one of our English Summer School courses? We provide focused English Language courses or an option to study an academic course with the aim of developing language skills through learning a subject.

Our English Language courses are developed to support students at every language level aged 6 – 17. We offer courses to help students from complete beginners, through to advanced learners.

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