The 100 most commonly used words in English
Learn the 100 most commonly used words in English, each with a simple meaning and an example sentence. A free A1 word list for beginners.
In this lesson
The 100 most commonly used words in English are everyday words such as go, have, good, food and time. Learning them first helps you understand simple conversations, read short texts and make your own sentences. This lesson gives every word with a simple meaning and an example sentence, from age to yes.
Key point
Learn each word with its meaning and one example sentence. A word is much easier to remember in a sentence than on its own.
How should you use this word list?
The words are in alphabetical order and split into four groups. Each table shows the word, a simple meaning and a natural example sentence. Two words, name and order, appear twice because they can be a noun and a verb, so you can see both uses.
Many example sentences use the verb be. If you need help with it, read our lesson on how to use am, is and are. You can also look up any of these words in our English Word Bank.
Common English words from A to D
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| age | How old a person or thing is. | My brother is the same age as me. |
| and | A word that joins two words or ideas. | I like tea and biscuits. |
| beautiful | Very pleasant to look at. | The beach is beautiful at sunset. |
| because | For the reason that. | I stayed at home because I was ill. |
| believe | To think that something is true. | I believe you, so please don’t worry. |
| busy | Having a lot of things to do. | Mum is busy in the kitchen. |
| but | A word that introduces a different idea. | The bag is small but heavy. |
| car | A road vehicle with four wheels and an engine. | My uncle drives a blue car. |
| cause | To make something happen. | Heavy rain can cause floods. |
| chance | A possibility, or an opportunity to do something. | I had a chance to visit London last year. |
| change | To become different, or to make something different. | Please change your shirt before dinner. |
| children | Young people; the plural of child. | The children are playing in the park. |
| clear | Easy to understand, see or hear. | Her instructions were very clear. |
| close | To shut something. | Please close the window. |
| common | Happening often or found in many places. | Rice is a common food in Asia. |
| cook | To make food ready to eat by heating it. | My father cooks rice and curry every Sunday. |
| course | A set of lessons on a subject. | She is taking an English course online. |
| decide | To make a choice about something. | We decided to stay at home. |
| decision | A choice that you make. | Moving to a new city was a big decision. |
| degree | A university qualification, or a unit for measuring temperature. | He has a degree in science. |
| desire | A strong wish for something. | She has a strong desire to travel. |
| different | Not the same. | My sister and I have different hobbies. |
| do | To perform an action or a job. | I do my homework after school. |
| door | The part you open to go into or out of a room. | Can you open the door, please? |
| drink | To take liquid into your mouth and swallow it. | I drink two glasses of water every morning. |
Common English words from E to H
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| eat | To put food in your mouth and swallow it. | We eat dinner at seven o’clock. |
| education | Teaching and learning, especially at school or university. | Education is important for every child. |
| end | The last part of something. | The hero wins at the end of the film. |
| enough | As much or as many as you need. | We have enough chairs for everyone. |
| experience | Something that happens to you, or skill you get from doing something. | Travelling alone was a great experience. |
| feeling | An emotion, such as happiness or anger. | I have a good feeling about the exam. |
| food | Things that people and animals eat. | Sri Lankan food is often spicy. |
| free | Costing no money, or not busy. | The museum is free on Sundays. |
| friend | A person you know well and like. | Amal is my best friend. |
| garden | Land near a house where people grow flowers or vegetables. | We grow tomatoes in our garden. |
| gate | A door in a fence or an outside wall. | Please shut the gate when you leave. |
| get | To receive, buy or become. | I get a lot of emails every day. |
| give | To hand something to someone. | Can you give me that book, please? |
| go | To move or travel to a place. | I go to school by bus. |
| good | Of high quality, or pleasant. | This is a good book. |
| government | The group of people who control a country. | The government is building new roads. |
| handsome | Attractive, usually used about men. | Her husband is tall and handsome. |
| happy | Feeling pleased and cheerful. | The children are happy today. |
| have | To own or hold something. | I have two brothers. |
| help | To make it easier for someone to do something. | Can you help me with this bag? |
| here | In or to this place. | Come here and sit down. |
| house | A building where people live. | Their house has three bedrooms. |
| hungry | Wanting or needing food. | I am hungry, so let’s eat. |
Common mistake
The childrens are playing. → The children are playing.
Common English words from I to R
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| important | Having great value or effect. | Sleep is important for your health. |
| knowledge | Information and understanding that you have. | She has a good knowledge of history. |
| large | Big in size or amount. | They live in a large city. |
| laugh | To make a sound that shows you think something is funny. | We laughed at his funny story. |
| like | To enjoy something or think it is nice. | I like mangoes. |
| look | To turn your eyes towards something. | Look at the beautiful sky. |
| love | To like someone or something very much. | I love my family. |
| make | To produce or create something. | Let’s make a cake for her birthday. |
| mind | The part of a person that thinks and feels. | Reading keeps your mind active. |
| name (noun) | The word that someone or something is called. | What is your name? |
| name (verb) | To give someone or something a name. | They named their baby Sara. |
| need | To have to have something. | I need a new pair of shoes. |
| news | New information about recent events. | I watch the news every evening. |
| no | A word used to give a negative answer. | No, I don’t want any sugar. |
| now | At this moment. | I am busy now, so call me later. |
| order (noun) | A request for food, drinks or goods. | The waiter took our order. |
| order (verb) | To ask for food, drinks or goods. | Let’s order a pizza for dinner. |
| problem | Something difficult that needs a solution. | I have a problem with my phone. |
| property | Something a person owns, such as land or a building. | This property belongs to my grandfather. |
| purpose | The reason why you do something. | The purpose of this lesson is to build your vocabulary. |
| quality | How good or bad something is. | These shoes are of good quality. |
| question | A sentence or phrase that asks for information. | Can I ask you a question? |
| read | To look at words and understand them. | I read a story before bed. |
| reason | Why something happens or why you do something. | What is the reason for the delay? |
| relation | A member of your family, or a connection between things. | She is a relation of mine. |
Common mistake
The news are good today. → The news is good today.
Common English words from S to Y
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| say | To speak words. | Please say your name slowly. |
| see | To notice something with your eyes. | I can see the mountains from my window. |
| simple | Easy to understand or do. | This recipe is very simple. |
| small | Little in size or amount. | She has a small dog. |
| smile | To make a happy expression with your mouth. | The baby smiled at me. |
| society | People living together in a community or country. | Teachers play an important role in society. |
| special | Different from usual and better or more important. | Today is a special day for our family. |
| supermarket | A large shop that sells food and things for the home. | We buy our groceries at the supermarket. |
| talk | To speak with someone. | I talk to my grandmother every Sunday. |
| television | A machine with a screen that shows programmes. | We watched a film on television. |
| tell | To give information to someone by speaking. | Please tell me the answer. |
| that | Used for a person or thing that is not near you. | Who is that man over there? |
| there | In or to that place. | Put the box over there. |
| these | Used for people or things near you (plural). | These apples are sweet. |
| think | To have an idea or opinion. | I think it will rain today. |
| thirsty | Wanting or needing a drink. | I’m thirsty, so I need some water. |
| this | Used for a person or thing near you. | This bag is mine. |
| those | Used for people or things not near you (plural). | Those shoes are too expensive. |
| time | What we measure in minutes, hours, days and years. | What time is it? |
| tired | Needing rest or sleep. | I am tired after work. |
| true | Correct and based on facts. | Is it true that you are moving? |
| use | To do something with a tool or thing. | I use my phone to learn English. |
| watch | To look at something for some time. | We watch cricket on Saturdays. |
| water | The clear liquid in rivers, rain and the sea. | Drink plenty of water every day. |
| word | A unit of language with its own meaning. | Learn five new words every day. |
| work | To do a job, usually to earn money. | My mother works in a hospital. |
| yes | A word used to agree or to say something is true. | Yes, I would like some tea. |
Note
Frequency lists made from large collections of real texts also include small grammar words such as the, of and to. This list focuses on useful everyday words that beginners need for speaking and reading.
How can you learn these words faster?
Do not try to learn all 100 words in one day. Work with one group at a time, say the example sentences aloud and then write your own sentences about your life.
Tip
Learn five words a day. Read each example aloud, then change one word to make a new sentence, for example I drink two glasses of milk every morning. Review yesterday’s words before you start new ones.
To hear how each word sounds, look it up in the Cambridge English Dictionary, which has British and American audio. To see which words learners need at each level, explore the Oxford 3000 and 5000 word lists by CEFR level.
When you know these words, build your vocabulary with topic lists such as fruit names in English and animal names in English, then check your progress with Vocabulary test 01.
Summary
- These 100 common words cover people, places, food, actions and feelings.
- Learn each word with its meaning and an example sentence.
- Some words, such as name and order, can be a noun or a verb.
- Children is plural and news takes a singular verb.
- Learn a few words every day and review them often.
Frequently asked questions
Which English words should I learn first?
Start with everyday words for people, places, food, actions and feelings, like the words on this page. They appear in most simple conversations and texts, so you will use them every day.
Why do “name” and “order” appear twice?
Some English words can be a noun and a verb. Name is a noun in “What is your name?” and a verb in “They named their baby Sara”. Order works in the same way.
Is “news” singular or plural?
News is uncountable, so it takes a singular verb: “The news is good.” Do not say “a news”; say “a piece of news”.
Is “children” singular or plural?
Children is the plural of child. Say “one child, two children”, never “childrens”.
How many new words should I learn each day?
There is no fixed number, but five to ten words a day is realistic for most learners. Regular review is more useful than learning many words only once.
