The Fry sight word list is the most comprehensive high-frequency word list in English education. Developed by Dr. Edward Fry in the 1950s and updated in 1980, the list ranks 1,000 words by how often they appear in written English — from the (the most common word in the language) all the way down to less frequent but still important words.
The first 25 Fry words account for approximately 33% of all words in most English texts. The first 100 words account for 50%. Knowing all 1,000 gives your child a foundation to read roughly 90% of the words in everyday reading material.
Fry Words vs. Dolch Words: Which List Should You Use?
Both lists target high-frequency words, but they serve different purposes:
| Fry Words | Dolch Words | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 1,000 words | 220 service words + 95 nouns |
| Organization | By frequency rank | By grade level |
| Updated | 1980 | 1948 |
| Best for | Comprehensive coverage | Grade-by-grade goals |
Our recommendation:
- Use Dolch for Pre-K through Grade 2 — the grade-level organization gives clear milestones.
- Use Fry when your child has mastered Dolch and needs more words, or if you prefer frequency-ranked instruction.
- Many words overlap between both lists.
Fry Words: Levels 1–10
Level 1 — First 100 Words
These are the most essential words. A child who can read these fluently reads approximately half of all English text.
the · of · and · a · to · in · is · you · that · it · he · was · for · on · are · as · with · his · they · I · at · be · this · have · from · or · one · had · by · word · but · not · what · all · were · we · when · your · can · said · there · use · an · each · which · she · do · how · their · if · will · up · other · about · out · many · then · them · these · so · some · her · would · make · like · him · into · time · has · look · two · more · write · go · see · number · no · way · could · people · my · than · first · water · been · call · who · oil · its · now · find · long · down · day · did · get · come · made · may · part
Master Level 1 before moving to Level 2. A child who knows all 100 Level 1 words and can decode CVC phonics patterns can read a surprising range of simple books. Depth beats breadth every time.
Level 2 — Words 101–200
over · new · sound · take · only · little · work · know · place · years · live · me · back · give · most · very · after · things · our · just · name · good · sentence · man · think · say · great · where · help · through · much · before · line · right · too · means · old · any · same · tell · boy · following · came · want · show · also · around · form · three · small · set · put · end · does · another · well · large · must · big · even · such · because · turned · here · why · asked · went · men · read · need · land · different · home · us · move · try · kind · hand · picture · again · change · off · play · spell · air · away · animal · house · point · page · letters · mother · answer · found · study · still · learn · should · America · world
Level 3 — Words 201–300
high · every · near · add · food · between · own · below · country · plant · last · school · father · keep · tree · never · start · city · earth · eyes · light · thought · head · under · story · saw · left · don’t · few · while · along · might · close · something · seem · next · hard · open · example · begin · life · always · those · both · paper · together · got · group · often · run · important · until · children · side · feet · car · mile · night · walk · white · sea · began · grow · took · river · four · carry · state · once · book · hear · stop · without · second · later · miss · idea · enough · eat · face · watch · far · Indian · real · almost · let · above · girl · sometimes · mountain · cut · young · talk · soon · list · song · being · leave · family
Level 4 — Words 301–400
body · music · color · stand · sun · questions · fish · area · mark · dog · horse · birds · problem · complete · room · knew · since · ever · piece · told · usually · didn’t · friends · easy · heard · order · red · door · sure · become · top · ship · across · today · during · short · better · best · however · low · hours · black · products · happened · whole · measure · remember · early · waves · reached · listen · wind · rock · space · covered · fast · several · hold · himself · toward · five · step · morning · passed · vowel · true · hundred · against · pattern · numeral · table · north · slowly · money · map · farm · pulled · draw · voice · power · town · fine · drive · was · led · buy · age · figure · warm
Level 5 — Words 401–500
done · English · road · half · ten · fly · gave · box · finally · wait · correct · oh · quickly · person · became · shown · minutes · strong · verb · stars · front · feel · fact · inches · street · decided · contain · course · surface · produce · building · ocean · class · note · nothing · rest · carefully · scientists · inside · wheels · stay · green · known · island · week · less · machine · base · ago · stood · plane · system · behind · ran · round · boat · game · force · brought · understand · warm · common · bring · explain · dry · though · language · shape · deep · thousands · yes · clear · equation · yet · government · filled · heat · full · hot · check · object · am · rule · among · noun · power · cannot · able · six · size · dark
Levels 6–10 (Words 501–1,000)
Levels 6–10 contain progressively less frequent but still useful words — paragraph, conclusion, environment, agriculture, legislature, and hundreds more. These are typically taught in Grades 3–6.
Want the Complete Levels 6–10 Word List?
Our printable Fry Word PDF covers all 1,000 words organized by level, with checkboxes to track mastery. Free, no email required.
Get the Free Resources →How to Teach Fry Sight Words
Step 1: Establish Your Baseline
Before starting, test which Level 1 words your child already knows. Show each word on a card — if they recognize it in under 2 seconds, it counts as known. Words that take longer are learning targets.
Step 2: Introduce 5 Words Per Week
Five words per week is the sweet spot for most children. Fewer than 3 and progress feels too slow; more than 7 and words from previous weeks start to drop.
The 5-day routine:
- Day 1: Introduce 5 new words. Say, spell, say again. Write each word 3 times.
- Days 2–4: Review the 5 new words + all previously learned words (timed: aim for under 1 sec each).
- Day 5: “Test day” — see how many known words can be read without hesitation. Celebrate the number.
Step 3: Use Multiple Modalities
Flashcard drills alone aren’t enough. Combine with:
- Writing in sentences: “Write a sentence using the word ‘because.’”
- Word hunts: Find the word in a book you’re reading together.
- Spelling aloud: Say it, spell it, say it (“because — b-e-c-a-u-s-e — because”).
- Tracing: Write each word in salt, sand, or with a finger on your arm.
- Games: Bingo, Go Fish, Memory — see our 15 phonics activities for full game instructions.
The goal is instant recognition — under 1 second, no sounding out. Words that take 2–3 seconds are not yet truly “known.” Keep reviewing those weekly until they reach automaticity.
Fry Words by Grade Level (Approximate)
| Grade | Target Fry Words | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Level 1 (words 1–100) | Focus on most common first |
| Grade 1 | Levels 1–2 (words 1–200) | Solidify Level 1, introduce Level 2 |
| Grade 2 | Levels 1–4 (words 1–400) | Add Levels 3–4 as reading increases |
| Grade 3 | Levels 1–6 (words 1–600) | Levels 5–6 via reading context |
| Grade 4–5 | Levels 7–10 | Increasingly content-specific |
Common Mistakes When Teaching Sight Words
Mistake 1: Teaching too many words at once. The temptation is to cover as much ground as possible. But 10 half-known words is worse than 5 truly automatic ones. Slow down to speed up.
Mistake 2: Skipping the physical experience. Writing words, tracing them, building them with tiles — these multi-sensory approaches create stronger memory traces than visual flashcards alone.
Mistake 3: Moving to Level 2 before Level 1 is solid. “Solid” means instant recognition for all 100 words, even out of order, even at the end of a long session when the child is tired.
Mistake 4: Neglecting phonics. Sight words are important, but they don’t replace phonics. A child who can only recognize memorized words will struggle when they encounter unfamiliar text. Teach phonics first; sight words in parallel.
Fry vs. Dolch: The Full Comparison
For most families, the Dolch list is the right starting point because it’s organized by grade level and covers pre-school through Grade 3 in a structured way. Once your child has mastered Dolch, the Fry list extends that foundation with hundreds of additional high-frequency words.
See our complete Dolch Sight Word List for the full Pre-K through Grade 3 word lists with teaching strategies.