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Dolch word list

In his book, Problems in Reading, Edward W. Dolch, Ph.D., devised a list of the 220 most frequently used words in the English language that are not nouns. This list was taken from a number of frequently used word lists in circulation during the 1940's. Even though this list is now over 60 years old, it is still widely used in the field of education. There are a couple of words not used as much today as in the 1940's, such as the word shall, but overall, this list has held up to the test of time. This list has also been described as a list of functional or service words (pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and verbs) which cannot be represented and learned by the use of pictures. For a list of the most commonly used nouns go HERE.

Dolch words are often called sight words because with most of these words children just memorize them by the look of the word rather than sounding the word out phonetically. Many of the words do not lend themselves to be sounded out phonetically. For example, the word does cannot be sounded out using common phonetic rules. The Dolch list is most effectively used in conjunction with a solid phonics based reading program.

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

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