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1000 Most Common Words in English in Alphabetical Order - Page 1

Here are the 1000 most common words in English placed in alphabetical order. Click on the links at the end of the page that lead to other pages that are included in this list of the 1000 most common words in English for ESL EFL English learners and teachers.

While this list is helpful for a strong beginning, more advanced vocabulary building will help you quickly improve your English. These vocabulary books will further help you build your vocabulary, especially at advanced levels.

Rank Word Reference Rank Word Reference
5 a Definite and Indefinite Articles 981 chick The little chick was so cute!
422 able Adjective or Adverb? 829 chief Adjective or Adverb?
58 about Preposition Help 665 child The three year old child could walk and talk very well.
307 above Preposition Help 256 children Can the children come over a birthday party?
177 act 741 choose
168 add 962 chord The C Major chord finished the piece.
917 afraid Adjective or Adverb? 525 circle He drew a circle around the best ideas.
111 after Preposition Help 227 city The city can be a dangerous place, but it offers so much to do.
191 again 899 claim He made a claim on the money.
383 against Preposition Help 329 class We're having a class on phrasal verbs next week.
675 age It's the age of technology. 719 clean Adjective or Adverb?
481 ago 446 clear Adjective or Adverb?
789 agree 683 climb
155 air The air isn't very clean in the city. 831 clock Look at the clock on the wall! I have to get out of here!
40 all 245 close
841 allow 597 clothe
157 also 678 cloud Doesn't that cloud look like a woman?
264 always 632 coast The west coast is beautiful.
507 am 931 coat Get your coat on and let's get going.
500 among Preposition Help 398 cold It's very cold outside.
48 an Definite and Indefinite Articles 747 collect
4 and 930 colony The French colony was a paradise.
898 anger You need to control your anger better. 297 color My favorite color is blue.
192 animal The animal was ferocious. 886 column The column in the middle is the most important in the chart.
208 answer The answer is correct. 80 come
101 any 472 common Adjective or Adverb?
391 appear 856 company The company went bankrupt last year.
927 apple An apple a day keeps the doctor away! 812 compare
15 are 333 complete Adjective or Adverb?
335 area I like the Seattle area. 940 condition My first condition is that you study hard.
513 arm He hurt his arm playing baseball. 959 connect
868 arrange 628 consider
950 arrive 667 consonant V is a difficult consonant to pronounce.
539 art Art is one of the greatest things in life. 428 contain
17 as 900 continent Australia is the only country that is also a continent.
179 ask 850 continue
22 at Preposition Help 749 control The situation is under control.
771 atom Scientists used to believe that the atom was the smallest measurable unit. 619 cook
601 baby We had a baby last year. 684 cool Adjective or Adverb?
112 back My back hurts! 633 copy I'll make you a copy of the report.
724 bad Adjective or Adverb? 811 corn I enjoy eating corn.
502 ball Bounce that ball! 782 corner The house is on the corner.
934 band I joined a band when I was sixteen years old. 421 correct Adjective or Adverb?
746 bank I need to go to the bank to get some money. 734 cost
972 bar Let's grab a beer at the bar. 871 cotton My shirt is made of cotton.
291 base The base of operations is in Vienna. 78 could
944 basic Adjective or Adverb? 534 count
808 bat Hi picked up the bat and went to hit. 206 country This is a huge country.
21 be 454 course The English course was very difficult.
592 bear I saw a bear on the trail yesterday. 215 cover Can you add another cover to the bed.
646 beat 579 cow Our cow produces 2 gallons of mild each day.
425 beauty 698 crease There is no crease in my trousers.
545 bed I went to bed late last night. 805 create
98 been 777 crop The corn crop was very good this past year.
143 before Preposition Help 229 cross
285 began 810 crowd There was a huge crowd at the concert.
257 begin 409 cry
445 behind Preposition Help 847 current
550 believe 294 cut
815 bell He rang the bell to begin class. 968 dad My dad went to school in Oregon.
352 best 510 dance
354 better 794 danger There is danger in everything.
219 between Preposition Help 410 dark
173 big Adjective or Adverb? 77 day Each day is a new day.
314 bird He saw the bird fly away. 843 dead Adjective or Adverb?
631 bit 860 deal He made a great deal on his new house.
326 black 982 dear Adjective or Adverb?
851 block The house is one block away. 903 death Death is a part of life.
727 blood You've got blood on your face. Did you cut yourself? 461 decide
725 blow 750 decimal Calculate the decimal as well.
459 blue 463 deep Adjective or Adverb?
569 board He wrote the answer on the board. 979 degree
471 boat I got on the boat and rowed away. 816 depend
316 body It's important to keep your body in shape. 618 describe
785 bone The bone was showing after the accident. 845 desert I went out ot the desert last weekend.
278 book I bought a new book last weekend. 685 design He submitted a new design for the home.
872 born 873 determine
267 both 437 develop
689 bottom The water was so clear I could see the bottom of the lake. 669 dictionary Look up the word in the dictionary.
928 bought 81 did
417 box He opened the box. 709 die
146 boy The boy ran home after school. 138 differ
912 branch The branch on the tree had snow on it. 756 difficult Adjective or Adverb?
969 bread I eat bread every day. 319 direct Adjective or Adverb?
720 break 921 discuss
587 bright Adjective or Adverb? 495 distant Adjective or Adverb?
493 bring 528 divide
893 broad Adjective or Adverb? 955 division There was a major division between the partners.
654 broke 52 do
546 brother My brother lives in Seattle. 757 doctor You can see the doctor now.
489 brought 151 does
736 brown 317 dog My daughter really wants a dog.
197 build 921 dollar One dollar isn't worth much anymore.
623 burn 242 don't
468 busy Adjective or Adverb? 424 done
32 but 324 door Can you open the door?
606 buy 948 double
29 by Preposition Help 96 down Preposition Help
92 call 238 draw
118 came 938 dream I had a strange dream last night.
869 camp Did you go to camp last summer? 677 dress She bought a new dress yesterday.
36 can 985 drink
791 capital Venture capital is hard to come by. 426 drive
753 captain The captain ordered the ship return. 505 drop
274 car I'd like to buy a new car. 477 dry
933 card I sent the card to my aunt. 976 duck Have you ever eaten duck?
276 care 356 during
279 carry 49 each
655 case The case was put back two weeks. 651 ear You need a good ear to play music well.
626 cat My cat's name is Judy. 361 early
565 catch 199 earth The Earth is round.
766 caught 261 ease
140 cause 497 east
549 cell Each cell is important. 282 eat
730 cent It costs one cent. 581 edge The edge of the knife is very sharp.
386 center 774 effect
627 century Last century was extremely violent. 547 egg I'd like an egg for breakfast.
405 certain Adjective or Adverb? 602 eight
793 chair The chair is made of wood. 621 either
879 chance Did that happen by chance? 775 electric Adjective or Adverb?
181 change 779 element One element you need to consider is bandwidth.
764 character He has quite a kind character. 652 else
970 charge 160 end The end is near.
852 chart The chart showed the growth of the company. 983 enemy Do you have an enemy?
483 check 542 energy The world needs more and more energy.
Top English Nouns - Numbers 1 - 50 including example sentences of each noun
Top English Nouns - Numbers 51 - 100 including example sentences of each noun
Top English Nouns - Numbers 101 - 150 including example sentences of each noun
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - Numbers 1 - 250
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - Numbers 250 - 500
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - Numbers 501 - 750
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - Numbers 751 - 1000
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - In Alphabetical Order Page 1
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - In Alphabetical Order Page 2
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - In Alphabetical Order Page 3
Vocabulary Workshop: Top 1000 English Words - In Alphabetical Order Page 4

Many thanks to Jerry Jones for providing this list of the top 1000 most commonly used (American English) words!

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