Beginner spelling words

The Basic Spelling Vocabulary List

By: Steve Graham, Karen R. Harris, Connie Loynachan

This list was created to help teachers know which spelling words should be taught to kids in grades 1–5. The list contains 850 words that account for 80 percent of the words children use in their writing — the ones they need to be able to spell correctly.

This list was devised to help educators know which spelling words should be taught to children. The list contains 850 words that account for 80 percent of the words children use in their writing — the ones they need to be able to spell correctly.

Mastering this relatively small corpus of words yields a high rate of return. For example, the most common 1,000 words are used 13 times more frequently than the next most common 1,000 words. It also provides teachers flexibility in planning spelling instruction, providing an opportunity to give children the "basics" while supplementing with other spelling words germane to classroom activities.

Grade level for each word was determined based upon difficulty, pattern of occurrence in children's writing across grades, and grade placement on current vocabulary lists and spelling materials.

Words that children have difficulty spelling correctly are marked with an asterisk.

Grade 1
a all am* and* at ball be bed big book box boy* but came* can* car cat come* cow dad day* did do dog*	fat for fun* get* go good* got* had* hat he* hen here him* his* home* hot I* if in* into* is it* its* let	like* look man may me* mom my* no* not of oh old on* one* out* pan pet pig play* ran rat red ride run	sat see she sit six so stop sun ten the* this to* top toy two* up us was* we* will* yes you*

Grade 1

a
all
am*
and*
at
ball
be
bed
big
book
box
boy*
but
came*
can*
car
cat
come*
cow
dad
day*
did
do
dog*

fat
for
fun*
get*
go
good*
got*
had*
hat
he*
hen
here
him*
his*
home*
hot
I*
if
in*
into*
is
it*
its*
let

like*
look
man
may
me*
mom
my*
no*
not
of
oh
old
on*
one*
out*
pan
pet
pig
play*
ran
rat
red
ride
run

sat
see
she
sit
six
so
stop
sun
ten
the*
this
to*
top
toy
two*
up
us
was*
we*
will*
yes
you*

Grade 2
about* add after ago an* any apple are* as ask ate away baby* back bad bag base bat bee been* before* being best bike bill bird black blue boat both bring brother* brown bus buy* by cake call candy change child city clean club coat cold coming* corn could cry cup cut daddy* dear deep deer doing doll door down* dress drive drop dry duck each eat eating egg end fall far farm fast	father* feed feel feet fell* find fine* fire first* fish five fix flag floor fly food foot four fox from* full funny game gas gave girl give glad goat goes* going* gold gone grade* grass green grow hand happy hard has* have* hear* help here* hill hit hold hole hop hope* horse house* how* ice inch inside* job jump just* keep king know* lake land last late lay left leg light line little* live	lives long looking lost lot love mad made* make* many* meat men met mile milk mine miss moon more most mother* move much* must myself* nail name* need new* next nice* night nine north now* nut off* only open or* other our outside* over page park part pay pick plant playing pony post pull put rabbit rain read rest riding road rock room said* same sang saw* say school* sea seat seem seen send*	set seven sheep ship shoe show* sick side sing sky sleep small snow some* soon* spell start stay still store* story take talk tall teach tell than* thank that them* then* there* they* thing think* three time* today* told too* took train* tree truck try use very* walk want* warm wash way week well* went* were* wet what when* while* white who why wind wish with* woke wood work yellow yet your zoo

Grade 3
able above afraid afternoon* again* age air airplane almost alone along* already* also always* animal another* anything* around* art aunt* balloon* bark barn basket beach bear because* become began begin behind believe* below belt better birthday* body bones born bought* bread bright broke brought* busy cabin cage camp can't* care carry catch cattle cave children* class close* cloth coal color corner cotton cover dark desert didn't* dinner dishes does done don't* dragon draw dream drink early earth east eight	even ever every* everyone* everything* eyes face family* feeling felt few fight fishing flower flying follow forest forgot form found* fourth free Friday friend* front getting* given grandmother great grew ground guess* hair half having* head heard* he's* heat hello* high himself hour hundred hurry hurt* I'd* I'll* I'm* inches isn't it's* I've* kept kids kind kitten knew* knife lady large largest later learn leave let's* letter* life list living lovely loving* lunch mail making maybe* mean merry might*	mind money* month morning* mouse mouth Mr. * Mrs.* Ms. music near nearly never news noise nothing number o'clock* often oil once* orange order own pair paint paper party* pass past penny people* person picture place plan plane please* pocket point poor race reach reading ready real rich right* river rocket rode round rule running* salt says sending sent* seventh sew shall short shot should sight sister sitting sixth sled smoke soap someone* something* sometime* song sorry sound south space	spelling spent sport spring stairs stand state step stick stood stopped* stove street strong study such sugar summer* Sunday* supper table taken taking talking teacher* team teeth tenth that's* their these* thinking third those thought* throw tonight* trade trick trip trying turn twelve twenty uncle under upon* wagon wait walking wasn't watch water weather* we're* west wheat where* which wife wild win window winter without woman* won won't* wool word working world* would* write* wrong yard year yesterday you're*

Grade 4
across against answer* awhile* between board bottom breakfast broken build building built captain* carried caught* charge* chicken circus cities clothes* company couldn't* country discover doctor* doesn't dollar	during eighth* else enjoy enough everybody* example except excuse field* fifth finish following good-by* group happened* harden haven't* heavy held hospital* idea instead* known laugh middle minute	mountain ninth ocean office parent peanut pencil picnic police pretty* prize quite* radio raise really* reason remember* return Saturday* scare second since slowly stories student sudden suit	sure* swimming* though threw* tired together* tomorrow* toward tried* trouble truly* turtle until* village visit wear we'll whole* whose women wouldn't* writing* written wrote yell young

Grade 5
although America among arrive attention beautiful* countries course* cousin* decide	different* evening favorite finally* future happiest happiness important interest piece	planet present president principal* probably* problem receive* sentence several special	suddenly suppose* surely* surprise* they're* through usually

Grade 5

although
America
among
arrive
attention
beautiful*
countries
course*
cousin*
decide

different*
evening
favorite
finally*
future
happiest
happiness
important
interest
piece

planet
present
president
principal*
probably*
problem
receive*
sentence
several
special

suddenly
suppose*
surely*
surprise*
they're*
through
usually

Graham, S. , Harris, K.R. and Loynachan, C. (1993). The Basic Spelling Vocabulary List. Journal of Educational Research 86(6) 363-368.

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Kindergarten Spelling Words & Vocabulary Activities

View Our Lesson Demos!

Time4Learning is an online student-paced learning system popular as a kindergarten homeschool curriculum, as an after school tutorial and skill sharpening during the summer break.

This page is a summary of curriculum topics, foundational skills and resources related to kindergarten spelling including information about:

Kindergarten Spelling Curriculum
Foundational Spelling Skills
Kindergarten Spelling Words List
Kindergarten Spelling Resources
Additional Helpful Parent Tools & Resources

Kindergarten Spelling Curriculum Sequence

The spelling curriculum for kindergarten should cover kindergarten spelling words start with basic two letter words, or three letter consonant-vowel-consonant words, and become more complex.

For example, spelling words can be introduced that end with a silent e, changing the first vowel from short to long, for example, with a silent-e, HOP changes to HOPE. Also the double-e sound as in SEE, FEE and TREE and double-o as in BOOK are introduced.

Another starting point for kindergarten spelling lists for the start of the year are: DAD and MOM. Children then start to expand the list by working through “word families”. From DAD, students would then learn that changing the first letter of a word would change the meaning and sound like BAD, SAD, HAD, and MAD. Also, they will learn that changing the vowel will also change the word like DID and HID.

In kindergarten, spelling skills grow to cover blends, for example, T plus R make the TR sound, such as in TREE. F and R blend to make the FR sound in FROG.

These very young children learn through spelling activities including many creative methods that make the kindergarten spelling program fun for them. Remember, every child learns at a different rate, so what works for some students, may not be the correct approach for your child. Which is why so many parents enjoy Time4Learning’s self-paced, modularized lesson plans. You can skip lessons that teach concepts your child has already mastered and repeat those he or she has not. The choice is yours.

Foundational Spelling Skills

Spelling skills should develop as part of an overall language arts phonemic awareness, phonics, reading comprehension, vocabulary and reading fluency, grammar, reading and writing program. Children should (with help from their parents) develop their foundational spelling skills through an interest in words, regular writing, constant reading, a study of spelling rules, and playing of spelling games.

With help from their parents, children can develop and reinforce foundational spelling skills through the following activities:

Regular writing for a head start on spelling, punctuation, and other concepts
Constant reading or use of reading workbooks
Frequent study of spelling rules like the relationships between letters and sounds
Spelling bees for a fun way for your child to practice their spelling
Playing of spelling games, quizzes or word games to help develop their spelling skills
Structured computer spelling programs
Personalized tutoring and assistance to boost confidence
Setting daily blocks of time for spelling and reading activities
Instruction through guided spelling activities like word sorts or word boxes
Creating a rich language environment at home based on the quantity and quality of words spoken

Time4Learning teaches a comprehensive kindergarten spelling curriculum using fun activities to build a solid spelling foundation. Help your child excel in spelling by trying out one of our Time4Learning’s kindergarten demos.

Kindergarten Spelling Words List

What spelling words should your kindergartener know? Here is a list of 40+ words that are great for use in spelling games, tests, or practice for an upcoming spelling bee. To add more value, download our Kindergarten spelling list printable worksheet with + 50words!

bay
day
hay
may
pay
ray
say
way
fray
gray

well
book
cook
took
bold
cold
fold
hold
mold
sold

doll
game
toy
train
get
got
say
said
car
bus

Kindergarten Spelling Resources

If you’re interested in kindergarten spelling lists or vocabulary words, you might also be interested in:

Our lesson planning worksheet can help you estimate how many lessons to have your child do each day
Kindergarten curriculum overview with a summary of key kindergarten learning objectives
Detailed list of Kindergarten language arts lesson plans
Kindergarten Reading comprehension practice activities

Additional Parent Tools & Resources

Welcome to Homeschooling Guide – Are you new to homeschooling? This guide was written by seasoned homeschoolers to answer some of the difficult questions new families often struggle with.

Curriculum Lesson Plans – An overview of the number of lessons that are included for each grade and subject. All students have access to at least 2 (and in most cases 3) grade levels of curriculum for each subject, so they can move ahead or review at their own pace.

Lesson Planning Worksheet – Wondering how many lessons to have your child do each day? Estimate the number of activities per day using this easy to use, printable worksheet.

Top 100 in English language.

Vivchiti dial

[əkˈsept]

[ədˈmɪt]

admit

[ədˈvaɪz]

advise

Raditi

[əˈɡriː]

agree

please wait

[əˈlaʊ]

allow

[əˈmjuːz]

amuse

rose

[əˈnɔɪ]

annoy

dratuvati

[ˈænsər]

answer

[əˈpɒlədʒaɪz]

apologize

waking up

[əˈraɪv]

arrive

[ɑːsk]

ask

[əˈtrækt]

attract

[ˈbætl̩]

battle

fight

[bɪˈɡɪn]

begin

start

[bɪˈliːv]

believe

[blʌʃ]

blush

black

[ˈbɒrəʊ]

borrow

[break]

break

lamati

[brɪŋ]

bring

[bʌz]

buzz

[kɔ:l]

call

[kæn]

can

[ˈkænsl]

cancel

Skasuwati

[ˈkæri]

carry

[tʃeɪndʒ]

change

[kleɪm]

claim

vimagati

[kliːn]

clean

[kləʊz]

[kəˈlekt]

collect

[kəʊm]

comb

combo

[kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt]

communicate

[kəmˈpleɪn]

complain

[kʊk]

cook

[ˈkɑːpi]

copy

[kɒf]

cough

[dæns]

dance

[dɪˈsaɪd]

decide

[dɪˈskʌs]

discuss

[drɔː]

draw

Malyuvati

[draɪv]

drive

[ɪnˈdʒɔɪ]

enjoy

[ɪkˈspleɪn]

explain

[fɔ:l]

fall

[fɪl]

fill

fill in

[faɪnd]

find

[ˈfɪnɪʃ]

finish

[fɪt]

fit

[fɪks]

fix

[flaɪ]

fly

[ˈfɒləʊ]

[gɪv]

give

[ɡləu]

glow

[greɪt]

grate

Grate

[ɡrɪp]

grip

Schopiti

[ˈhændl̩]

handle

keruvati

[ˈhæpən]

happen

traipse

[hɪər]

hear

almost

[help]

help

[hɜːt]

hurt

[laɪk]

[ˈlɪsən]

listen

Rumors

[lɪv, laɪv]

live

[lʊk]

look

[luːz]

lose

spend

[muːv]

move

ruhati

[niːd]

need

[ˈəupən]

open

[ˈɔːgənaɪz]

organize

[peɪ]

pay

[pleɪ]

play

[ˈprɒmɪs]

promise

promises

[put]

put

[reɪn]

rain

rain (about rain)

[rɪˈplaɪ]

[sel]

sell

[ʃʌt]

shut

shut down

[saɪn]

sign

[sməʊk]

smoke

[spel]

spell

[stɒp]

stop

[ˈstʌdi]

study

[səkˈsiːd]

succeed

[səˈdʒest]

suggest

pronounce

[swɪm]

swim

[tɔːk]

talk

[ti:tʃ]

teach

[trænsˈleɪt]

translate

[ˈtrævəl]

travel

go up

[traɪ]

try

[tɜːnɒf]

turn off

[tɜːn ɒn]

turn on

[taɪp]

type

drukuvati

[juːz]

use

vicory

[weɪt]

wait

check

[weɪk ʌp]

wake up

[wɒnt]

want

[wɒtʃ]

watch

[weɪv]

wave

[wɜːk]

work

[ˈwʌri]

worry

turbulent

Ready typing

Top 100 phrasal words in English language

Ready typing

[bæk əˈweɪ]

back away

[bi: bæk]

be back

turn around

[biː ɒf]

be off

[bi:aut]

be out

Day

[biːˈoʊvər]

be over

end

[bi: ʌp tu:]

be up to

get up

[bləʊ aʊt]

blow out

split vshchent

[bləu ʌp]

blow up

[breɪk daʊn]

break down

[breɪkʌp]

break up [kɔːl bæk]

call back

[kɑːl ˈɑːf]

call off

[kɑ:m down]

calm down

[ˈkærɪ əˈround]

carry around

[ˈkæri ɒn]

carry on

[ˈkæri aʊt]

carry out

[ˈkærɪ ˈəuvə]

carry over

[tʃek ɪn]

check in

[kliːnʌp]

clean up

[kʌm əˈkrɒs]

come across

natrapiti

[kʌm əˈlɔŋ]

come along

[kʌmfrɔm]

come from

[kʌm ɪn]

come in

see

[kʌm ɔf]

come off

[kʌmɔn]

come on

come on!

[kʌm ˈəuvə]

come over

[̘.