Activity: Vocabulary Building Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Lower Advanced

Transcription

1 Activity: Vocabulary Building Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Lower Advanced

2 I n s t r u c t i o n s f o r Te a c h e r s This list is meant to be used as a vocabulary building tool for use in class and as a take home activity. It provides an excellent opportunity for students to self-assess their own basic vocabulary. U s e : Explain the list to students using the information page as a guide. Use percentages in explaining the numbers as fractions and ordinal numbers may not be familiar to all students. Have the students go down the list verifying that they know the meaning of each word immediately without having to think about it. If they have to think about the meaning (even for a second) have them mark that word for further practice. If they don t know a word instruct them to ask the meaning using the word number. Encourage other students to provide their fellow students with the answers. When multiple meanings are possible, some constructive discussion may ensue. Encourage answers but try to provide the most often used and simplest definition. Students will likely reference the equivalent word or phrase in their own language. A blank is provided next to each entry for this purpose. This list becomes the students own personal glossary for study outside of class. Depending on the level of your students you may choose to only cover words per lesson. Discourage working ahead by more advanced students as this weakens the usefulness of the activity. Students practice recognition of patterns, pronunciation, and saying large numbers in this exercise without even knowing it. Finally, this is an excellent filler activity if you find yourself with extra time in class. L i c e n s i n g : 2006 Center for Applied Linguistics & Language Education. As with all CALLE activities and references, this document is freely available for classroom use and reproduction so long as it is kept in its original format and the CALLE name and logo are not removed. Removal of CALLE name or logo will result in a violation of US and International copyright law and may be prosecuted as such.

3 I n f o r m a t i o n This list is the product of several years of linguistic research and surveys. It is meant to provide a reference of the most common words in the English language based on their frequency of use in written texts. M e t h o d o l o g y A team of scientists used computers to analyze every piece of widely circulated print literature in the English speaking world for a period of three years in the early 1990 s. This included major newspapers, magazines, and novels. The team recorded the words on each page and recorded how many times each word appeared. Their research resulted in this list which ranks the 1000 most common words in the English language by how often they are used. Note that today a few more words may appear in this list that were not so common in the early 1990 s such as internet, website, Iraq, etc. Also be aware that each word is counted independently so a noun may appear in both its singular and plural forms and a verb may appear in several forms throughout the list. Importance of these Words These words make up a standard basic vocabulary. They do not meet any specific need, but comfort with and practice of these words will make reading and learning more complex forms much easier. The first 25 words make up 33% of all written texts. The first 100 words make up a full 50%. And, the first 300 account for 65% of all words you are likely to encounter when reading. Knowing all 1000 of these words means that you can read 75% of most books and newspapers even before learning any specialised vocabulary.

4 1. t he 26. or 51. w i l l 76. n u m b e r 2. of 27. o n e 52. up 77. no 3. and 28. had 53. o t h e r 78. w a y 4. a 29. by 54. a b o u t 79. c o u l d 5. to 30. w o r d 55. o u t 80. p e o p l e 6. in 31. but 56. m a n y 81. m y 7. is 32. n o t 57. t h e n 82. than 8. y o u 33. w h a t 58. t h e m 83. f i r s t 9. t h a t 34. all 59. t h e s e 84. w a t e r 10. it 35. w e r e 60. s o 85. been 11. he 36. we 61. s o m e 86. c a l l 12. w a s 37. w h e n 62. h e r 87. w h o 13. f o r 38. y o u r 63. w o u l d 88. oil 14. on 39. c a n 64. m a k e 89. i t s 15. a r e 40. s a i d 65. l i k e 90. n o w 16. a s 41. t h e r e 66. h i m 91. f i n d 17. w i t h 42. u s e 67. i n t o 92. l o n g 18. h i s 43. an 68. t i m e 93. d o w n 19. t h e y 44. each 69. has 94. d a y 20. I 45. w h i c h 70. l o o k 95. d i d 21. at 46. s h e 71. t w o 96. g e t 22. be 47. do 72. m o r e 97. c o m e 23. t h i s 48. h o w 73. w r i t e 98. m a d e 24. h a v e 49. t h e i r 74. go 99. m a y 25. f r o m 50. if 75. s e e 100. p a r t

5 101. o v e r 126. s a y 151. s e t 176. try 102. n e w 127. g r e a t 152. put 177. k i n d 103. sound 128. w h e r e 153. end 178. hand 104. t a k e 129. help 154. d o e s 179. p i c t u r e 105. o n l y 130. t h r o u g h 155. a n o t h e r 180. a g a i n 106. l i t t l e 131. m u c h 156. w e l l 181. c h a n g e 107. w o r k 132. b e f o r e 157. l a r g e 182. o f f 108. k n o w 133. line 158. m u s t 183. p l a y 109. p l a c e 134. r i g h t 159. big 184. s p e l l 110. y e a r 135. t o o 160. e v e n 185. a i r 111. l i v e 136. m e a n 161. s u c h 186. a w a y 112. me 137. o l d 162. b e c a u s e 187. a n i m a l 113. b a c k 138. a n y 163. t u r n 188. h o u s e 114. g i v e 139. s a m e 164. h e r e 189. p o i n t 115. m o s t 140. t e l l 165. w h y 190. p a g e 116. v e r y 141. b o y 166. a s k 191. l e t t e r 117. a f t e r 142. f o l l o w 167. w e n t 192. m o t h e r 118. t h i n g 143. c a m e 168. m e n 193. a n s w e r 119. o u r 144. w a n t 169. r e a d 194. f o u n d 120. j u s t 145. s h o w 170. need 195. s t u d y 121. n a m e 146. a l s o 171. land 196. s t i l l 122. g o o d 147. a r o u n d 172. d i f f e r e n t 197. l e a r n 123. s e n t e n c e 148. f o r m 173. h o m e 198. S h o u l d 124. m a n 149. t h r e e 174. us 199. A m e r i c a 125. t h i n k 150. s m a l l 175. m o v e 200. w o r l d

6 201. h i g h 226. s a w 251. i m p o r t a n t 276. m i s s 202. e v e r y 227. l e f t 252. u n t i l 277. i d e a 203. near 228. d o n t 253. c h i l d r e n 278. e n o u g h 204. add 229. f e w 254. s i d e 279. e a t 205. f o o d 230. w h i l e 255. f e e t 280. f a c e 206. b e t w e e n 231. a l o n g 256. c a r 281. w a t c h 207. o w n 232. m i g h t 257. m i l e 282. f a r 208. b e l o w 233. c l o s e 258. n i g h t 283. I n d i a n 209. c o u n t r y 234. s o m e t h i n g 259. w a l k 284. r e a l l y 210. p l a n t 235. s e e m 260. w h i t e 285. a l m o s t 211. l a s t 236. n e x t 261. s e a 286. l e t 212. s c h o o l 237. h a r d 262. b e g a n 287. a b o v e 213. f a t h e r 238. o p e n 263. g r o w 288. g i r l 214. k e e p 239. e x a m p l e 264. t o o k 289. s o m e t i m e s 215. t r e e 240. b e g i n 265. r i v e r 290. m o u n t a i n 216. n e v e r 241. l i f e 266. f o u r 291. c u t 217. s t a r t 242. a l w a y s 267. c a r r y 292. y o u n g 218. c i t y 243. t h o s e 268. s t a t e 293. t a l k 219. e a r t h 244. b o t h 269. o n c e 294. soon 220. e y e 245. paper 270. b o o k 295. l i s t 221. l i g h t 246. t o g e t h e r 271. h e a r 296. song 222. t h o u g h t 247. g o t 272. s t o p 297. b e i n g 223. head 248. g r o u p 273. w i t h o u t 298. l e a v e 224. under 249. o f t e n 274. s e c o n d 299. f a m i l y 225. s t o r y 250. r u n 275. l a t e r 300. i t s

7 301. b o d y 326. o r d e r 351. l i s t e n 376. f a r m 302. m u s i c 327. r e d 352. w i n d 377. p u l l e d 303. c o l o r 328. d o o r 353. r o c k 378. d r a w 304. s t a n d 329. s u r e 354. s p a c e 379. v o i c e 305. sun 330. b e c o m e 355. c o v e r e d 380. seen 306. q u e s t i o n s 331. t o p 356. f a s t 381. c o l d 307. f i s h 332. s h i p 357. s e v e r a l 382. c r i e d 308. a r e a 333. a c r o s s 358. h o l d 383. p l a n 309. m a r k 334. t o d a y 359. h i m s e l f 384. n o t i c e 310. d o g 335. d u r i n g 360. t o w a r d 385. s o u t h 311. h o r s e 336. s h o r t 361. f i v e 386. s i n g 312. b i r d s 337. b e t t e r 362. s t e p 387. w a r 313. p r o b l e m 338. b e s t 363. m o r n i n g 388. g r o u n d 314. c o m p l e t e 339. h o w e v e r 364. p a s s e d 389. f a l l 315. r o o m 340. l o w 365. v o w e l 390. k i n g 316. k n e w 341. h o u r s 366. t r u e 391. t o w n 317. s i n c e 342. black 367. h u n d r e d 392. I l l 318. e v e r 343. p r o d u c t s 368. a g a i n s t 393. u n i t 319. p i e c e 344. happened 369. p a t t e r n 394. f i g u r e 320. t o l d 345. w h o l e 370. n u m e r a l 395. c e r t a i n 321. u s u a l l y 346. m e a s u r e 371. t a b l e 396. f i e l d 322. d i d n t 347. r e m e m b e r 372. n o r t h 397. t r a v e l 323. f r i e n d s 348. e a r l y 373. s l o w l y 398. w o o d 324. e a s y 349. w a v e s 374. m o n e y 399. f i r e 325. h e a r d 350. r e a c h e d 375. m a p 400. u p o n

8 401. d o n e 426. decided 451. plane 476. f i l l e d 402. E n g l i s h 427. c o n t a i n 452. s y s t e m 477. h e a t 403. r o a d 428. c o u r s e 453. behind 478. f u l l 404. h a l t 429. s u r f a c e 454. r a n 479. h o t 405. t e n 430. p r o d u c e 455. r o u n d 480. c h e c k 406. f l y 431. building 456. b o a t 481. o b j e c t 407. g a v e 432. o c e a n 457. g a m e 482. am 408. b o x 433. c l a s s 458. f o r c e 483. r u l e 409. f i n a l l y 434. n o t e 459. b r o u g h t 484. a m o n g 410. w a i t 435. n o t h i n g 460. u n d e r s t a n d 485. n o u n 411. c o r r e c t 436. r e s t 461. w a r m 486. p o w e r 412. oh 437. c a r e f u l l y 462. c o m m o n 487. c a n n o t 413. q u i c k l y 438. s c i e n t i s t s 463. b r i n g 488. a b l e 414. p e r s o n 439. i n s i d e 464. e x p l a i n 489. s i x 415. b e c a m e 440. w h e e l s 465. d r y 490. s i z e 416. s h o w n 441. s t a y 466. t h o u g h 491. d a r k 417. m i n u t e s 442. g r e e n 467. l a n g u a g e 492. b a l l 418. s t r o n g 443. k n o w n 468. s h a p e 493. m a t e r i a l 419. v e r b 444. i s l a n d 469. deep 494. s p e c i a l 420. s t a r s 445. w e e k 470. t h o u s a n d s 495. h e a v y 421. f r o n t 446. l e s s 471. y e s 496. f i n e 422. f e e l 447. m a c h i n e 472. c l e a r 497. p a i r 423. f a c t 448. b a s e 473. e q u a t i o n 498. c i r c l e 424. i n c h e s 449. a g o 474. y e t 499. i n c l u d e 425. s t r e e t 450. s t o o d 475. g o v e r n m e n t 500. b u i l t

9 501. c a n t 526. p i c k e d 551. l e g s 576. b e s i d e 502. m a t t e r 527. s i m p l e 552. s a t 577. g o n e 503. s q u a r e 528. c e l l s 553. m a i n 578. s k y 504. s y l l a b l e s 529. p a i n t 554. w i n t e r 579. g l a s s 505. p e r h a p s 530. m i n d 555. w i d e 580. m i l l i o n 506. b i l l 531. l o v e 556. w r i t t e n 581. w e s t 507. f e l t 532. c a u s e 557. l e n g t h 582. l a y 508. s u d d e n l y 533. r a i n 558. r e a s o n 583. w e a t h e r 509. t e s t 534. e x e r c i s e 559. k e p t 584. r o o t 510. d i r e c t i o n 535. e g g s 560. i n t e r e s t 585. i n s t r u m e n t s 511. c e n t e r 536. t r a i n 561. a r m s 586. m e e t 512. f a r m e r s 537. blue 562. b r o t h e r 587. t h i r d 513. r e a d y 538. w i s h 563. r a c e 588. m o n t h s 514. a n y t h i n g 539. d r o p 564. r e s e n t 589. p a r a g r a p h 515. d i v i d e d 540. d e v e l o p e d 565. b e a u t i f u l 590. r a i s e d 516. g e n e r a l 541. w i n d o w 566. s t o r e 591. r e p r e s e n t 517. e n e r g y 542. d i f f e r e n c e 567. j o b 592. s o f t 518. s u b j e c t 543. d i s t a n c e 568. e d g e 593. w h e t h e r 519. E u r o p e 544. h e a r t 569. p a s t 594. c l o t h e s 520. m o o n 545. s i t 570. s i g n 595. f l o w e r s 521. r e g i o n 546. s u m 571. r e c o r d 596. s h a l l 522. r e t u r n 547. s u m m e r 572. f i n i s h e d 597. t e a c h e r 523. b e l i e v e 548. w a l l 573. d i s c o v e r e d 598. h e l d 524. d a n c e 549. f o r e s t 574. w i l d 599. d e s c r i b e 525. m e m b e r s 550. p r o b a b l y 575. h a p p y 600. d r i v e

10 601. c r o s s 626. a l r e a d y 651. hair 676. r o l l e d 602. s p e a k 627. i n s t e a d 652. a g e 677. bear 603. appear 628. p h r a s e 653. a m o u n t 678. w o n d e r 604. m e t a l 629. s o i l 654. s c a l e 679. s m i l e d 605. son 630. bed 655. p o u n d s 680. a n g l e 606. e i t h e r 631. c o p y 656. a l t h o u g h 681. f r a c t i o n 607. i c e 632. f r e e 657. per 682. A f r i c a 608. s l e e p 633. h o p e 658. b r o k e n 683. k i l l e d 609. v i l l a g e 634. s p r i n g 659. m o m e n t 684. m e l o d y 610. f a c t o r s 635. c a s e 660. t i n y 685. b o t t o m 611. s l e e p 636. l a u g h e d 661. p o s s i b l e 686. t r i p 612. r e s u l t 637. n a t i o n 662. g o l d 687. h o l e 613. j u m p e d 638. q u i t e 663. m i l k 688. p o o r 614. snow 639. t y p e 664. q u i e t 689. l e t s 615. r i d e 640. t h e m s e l v e s 665. n a t u r a l 690. f i g h t 616. c a r e 641. t e m p e r a t u r e 666. l o t 691. s u r p r i s e 617. f l o o r 642. b r i g h t 667. s t o n e 692. F r e n c h 618. h i l l 643. lead 668. a c t 693. d i e d 619. pushed 644. e v e r y o n e 669. build 694. b e a t 620. b a b y 645. m e t h o d 670. m i d d l e 695. e x a c t l y 621. buy 646. s e c t i o n 671. s p e e d 696. r e m a i n 622. c e n t u r y 647. l a k e 672. c o u n t 697. d r e s s 623. o u t s i d e 648. c o n s o n a n t 673. c a t 698. i r o n 624. e v e r y t h i n g 649. w i t h i n 674. s o m e o n e 699. c o u l d n t 625. t a l l 650. d i c t i o n a r y 675. s a i l 700. f i n g e r s

11 701. r o w 726. p r e s i d e n t s 751. y o u r s e l f 776. c a u g h t 702. l e a s t 727. b r o w n 752. c o n t r o l 777. f e l l 703. c a t c h 728. t r o u b l e 753. p r a c t i c e 778. t e a m 704. c l i m b e d 729. c o o l 754. r e p o r t 779. G o d 705. w r o t e 730. c l o u d 755. s t r a i g h t 780. c a p t a i n 706. s h o u t e d 731. l o s t 756. r i s e 781. d i r e c t 707. c o n t i n u e d 732. s e n t 757. s t a t e m e n t 782. r i n g 708. i t s e l f 733. s y m b o l s 758. s t i c k 783. s e r v e 709. e l s e 734. w e a r 759. p a r t y 784. c h i l d 710. p l a i n s 735. bad 760. s e e d s 785. d e s e r t 711. g a s 736. s a v e 761. s u p p o s e 786. i n c r e a s e 712. E n g l a n d 737. e x p e r i m e n t 762. w o m a n 787. h i s t o r y 713. b u r n i n g 738. e n g i n e 763. c o a s t 788. c o s t 714. d e s i g n 739. a l o n e 764. b a n k 789. m a y b e 715. j o i n e d 740. d r a w i n g 765. p e r i o d 790. b u s i n e s s 716. f o o t 741. e a s t 766. w i r e 791. s e p a r a t e 717. l a w 742. p a y 767. c h o o s e 792. b r e a k 718. e a r s 743. s i g n a l 768. c l e a n 793. u n c l e 719. g r a s s 744. t o u c h 769. v i s i t 794. h u n t i n g 720. y o u r e 745. i n f o r m a t i o n 770. bit 795. f l o w 721. g r e w 746. e x p r e s s 771. w h o s e 796. l a d y 722. s k i n 747. m o u t h 772. r e c e i v e d 797. s t u d e n t s 723. v a l l e y 748. y a r d 773. g a r d e n 798. h u m a n 724. c e n t s 749. equal 774. p l e a s e 799. art 725. k e y 750. d e c i m a l 775. s t r a n g e 800. f e e l i n g

12 801. s u p p l y 826. g u e s s 851. t h i c k 876. m a j o r 802. c o r n e r 827. s i l e n t 852. b l o o d 877. o b s e r v e 803. e l e c t r i c 828. t r a d e 853. lie 878. tube 804. i n s e c t s 829. r a t h e r 854. s p o t 879. n e c e s s a r y 805. c r o p s 830. c o m p a r e 855. bell 880. w e i g h t 806. t o n e 831. c r o w d 856. f u n 881. m e a t 807. h i t 832. p o e m 857. l o u d 882. l i f t e d 808. s a n d 833. e n j o y 858. c o n s i d e r 883. p r o c e s s 809. d o c t o r 834. e l e m e n t s 859. s u g g e s t e d 884. a r m y 810. p r o v i d e 835. i n d i c a t e 860. t h i n 885. h a t 811. thus 836. e x c e p t 861. p o s i t i o n 886. p r o p e r t y 812. w o n t 837. e x p e c t 862. e n t e r e d 887. p a r t i c u l a r 813. c o o k 838. f l a t 863. f r u i t 888. s w i m 814. b o n e s 839. s e v e n 864. t i e d 889. t e r m s 815. t a i l 840. i n t e r e s t 865. r i c h 890. c u r r e n t 816. b o a r d 841. s e n s e 866. d o l l a r s 891. p a r k 817. m o d e r n 842. s t r i n g 867. s e n d 892. s e l l 818. c o m p o u n d 843. b l o w 868. s i g h t 893. s h o u l d e r 819. m i n e 844. f a m o u s 869. c h i e f 894. i n d u s t r y 820. w a s n t 845. v a l u e 870. J a p a n e s e 895. w a s h 821. f i t 846. w i n g s 871. s t r e a m 896. b l o c k 822. a d d i t i o n 847. m o v e m e n t 872. p l a n t s 897. s p r e a d 823. b e l o n g 848. p o l e 873. r h y t h m 898. c a t t l e 824. s a l e 849. e x c i t i n g 874. e i g h t 899. w i f e 825. s o l d i e r s 850. b r a n c h e s 875. s c i e n c e 900. s h a r p

13 901. c o m p a n y 926. s i s t e r 951. g u n 976. t o t a l 902. r a d i o 927. o x y g e n 952. s i m i l a r 977. deal 903. w e l l 928. p l u r a l 953. d e a t h 978. d e t e r m i n e 904. a c t i o n 929. v a r i o u s 954. s c o r e 979. e v e n i n g 905. c a p i t a l 930. a g r e e d 955. f o r w a r d 980. n o r 906. f a c t o r i e s 931. o p p o s i t e 956. s t r e t c h e d 981. r o p e 907. s e t t l e d 932. w r o n g 957. e x p e r i e n c e 982. c o t t o n 908. y e l l o w 933. c h a r t 958. r o s e 983. a p p l e 909. i s n t 934. p r e p a r e d 959. a l l o w 984. d e t a i l s 910. s o u t h e r n 935. p r e t t y 960. f e a r 985. e n t i r e 911. t r u c k 936. s o l u t i o n 961. w o r k e r s 986. c o r n 912. t r a i n 937. f r e s h 962. W a s h i n g t o n 987. s u b s t a n c e s 913. p r i n t e d 938. s h o p 963. G r e e k 988. s m e l l 914. w o u l d n t 939. s u f f i x 964. w o m e n 989. t o o l s 915. ahead 940. e s p e c i a l l y 965. b r o u g h t 990. c o n d i t i o n s 916. c h a n c e 941. s h o e s 966. led 991. c o w s 917. b o r n 942. a c t u a l l y 967. m a r c h 992. t r a c k 918. l e v e l 943. n o s e 968. n o r t h e r n 993. a r r i v e d 919. t r i a n g l e 944. a f r a i d 969. c r e a t e 994. l o c a t e d 920. m o l e c u l e s 945. dead 970. B r i t i s h 995. s i r 921. F r a n c e 946. s u g a r 971. d i f f i c u l t 996. s e a t 922. r e p e a t e d 947. a d j e c t i v e 972. m a t c h 997. d i v i s i o n 923. c o l u m n 948. f i g 973. w i n 998. e f f e c t 924. w e s t e r n 949. o f f i c e 974. d o e s n t 999. u n d e r l i n e 925. c h u r c h 950. h u g e 975. s t e e l v i e w

14 A n a l y s i s Certain things about the order of words on this list may surprise you but actually make sense. Keep in mind that this is based on a survey of written English and not of spoken. Thus we find words used to talk about people are things before those used to talk about ourselves. This is of course contrary to traditional ESOL courses which concentrate almost entirely on speaking about ourselves. American occurs early on, but considering 330 million of the million native speakers of English live in the US, that again should come as no surprise. Note however that Indian comes far before England and British reflecting the oft forgotten reality that India is the second largest English speaking population behind the US. Take note of the following series and their occurrences on the list as an aid in determining emphasis in teaching. Articles: the (1), a (4), an (43) Verb [be]: am (482), is (7), are (15), was (12), were (35), be (22), been (85), being (297) Verb [do]: do (47), does (154), did (95), done (401), doing Verb [have]: have (24), has (69), had (28), having Pronouns: I (20), you (8), he (11), she (46), it (10), we (36), they (19); me (112), him (66), her (62), us (174), them (58) Possessives : my (81), your (38), his (18), her (62), its (89), our (119), their (49) You ll also find the basic colors, numbers, prepositions, and conjunctions, words for time (day, week, year, etc.), and basic geographic terms like land, island, mountain, etc. Finally note that many words are repeated in plural form. S o u r c e : There are several variations of this list. This particular listing is taken From: The Reading Teachers Book of Lists, Third Edition; by Edward Bernard Fry, Ph.D, Jacqueline E. Kress, Ed.D & Dona Lee Fountoukidis, Ed.D.