What are sight words?
Sight words are the very common words that readers learn to recognise instantly, without sounding them out. Some, like "the", "said" and "was", don't follow regular phonics rules, and all of them appear so often that knowing them by sight frees a young reader to focus on meaning.
The two best-known lists come from US educators: Edward Dolch, who published his list in 1936, and Edward Fry, whose "instant words" date from the 1950s. Bingo is a natural fit: the caller reads a word aloud, and children have to find it on their card. Every word in every list on this page has a child-friendly meaning below.
Did you know?
Edward Dolch published his sight word list in 1936, based on words found in children's books of the time.
The Dolch list has 220 "service words" plus a separate list of 95 common nouns.
According to Edward Fry, the first 100 words on his list make up about half of everything we read.
"The" is the most common word in written English.
Many sight words, such as "said", "of" and "was", are not spelled the way they sound, which is why children practise recognising them on sight.
Every word, with a child-friendly meaning 233
Meanings are written for young readers, with a short example where a word is hard to define on its own.
Dolch pre-primer 40 words
- a
- One; any single thing. "A cat sat down."
- and
- Joins words or ideas together. "Jam and toast."
- away
- To or at a distance from here. "The bird flew away."
- big
- Large in size.
- blue
- The colour of a clear sky.
- can
- Able to do something. "I can hop." Also a metal tin.
- come
- To move towards here.
- down
- Towards a lower place.
- find
- To discover something you were looking for.
- for
- Meant to be given to or used by. "This is for you."
- funny
- Making you laugh.
- go
- To move from one place to another.
- help
- To make things easier for someone.
- here
- In or at this place.
- I
- The word you use for yourself.
- in
- Inside something.
- is
- A form of "be". "The sun is hot."
- it
- The thing we are talking about.
- jump
- To push off the ground with your legs into the air.
- little
- Small in size or amount.
- look
- To use your eyes to see something.
- make
- To build or create something.
- me
- The word for yourself after words like "to" or "with". "Play with me."
- my
- Belonging to me.
- not
- Makes a sentence mean the opposite. "It is not cold."
- one
- The number 1.
- play
- To have fun with games or toys.
- red
- The colour of strawberries.
- run
- To move quickly on your feet.
- said
- Spoke. "She said hello."
- see
- To notice with your eyes.
- the
- Points to a particular thing. "The dog barked." It is the most common word in English.
- three
- The number 3.
- to
- Towards a place or person. "Go to school."
- two
- The number 2.
- up
- Towards a higher place.
- we
- You and me, or me and other people.
- where
- Asks about a place. "Where is my hat?"
- yellow
- The colour of a lemon.
- you
- The person someone is talking to.
Dolch primer 52 words
- all
- Every one; the whole amount.
- am
- A form of "be" used with I. "I am six."
- are
- A form of "be". "We are friends."
- at
- Shows where or when. "At home." "At noon."
- ate
- Had eaten food. "I ate an apple."
- be
- To exist, or to have a quality. "Be kind."
- black
- The darkest colour, like the night sky.
- brown
- The colour of chocolate or tree bark.
- but
- Joins two ideas that are different. "Small but strong."
- came
- Moved towards here in the past.
- did
- Carried out an action in the past.
- do
- To carry out an action.
- eat
- To put food in your mouth, chew and swallow.
- four
- The number 4.
- get
- To receive or fetch something.
- good
- Nice, kind, or of high quality.
- have
- To own or hold something.
- he
- A boy or man already talked about.
- into
- Moving to the inside of something.
- like
- To enjoy something. Also means "similar to".
- must
- Has to. "You must wash your hands."
- new
- Just made, bought or started; not old.
- no
- The opposite of yes.
- now
- At this moment.
- on
- Resting on top of something.
- our
- Belonging to us.
- out
- Away from the inside.
- please
- A polite word used when asking for something.
- pretty
- Nice to look at.
- ran
- Moved quickly on your feet in the past.
- ride
- To sit on and travel, like on a bike or horse.
- saw
- Looked at in the past. Also a cutting tool.
- say
- To speak words.
- she
- A girl or woman already talked about.
- so
- Very. "It is so hot." Also means "that is why".
- soon
- In a short time from now.
- that
- Points to something further away. "That tree."
- there
- In or at that place.
- they
- Those people or things.
- this
- Points to something close by. "This book."
- too
- Also. Or more than enough. "Too hot."
- under
- Below something.
- want
- To wish to have or do something.
- was
- A form of "be" in the past. "It was sunny."
- well
- In a good way. Also a deep hole for water.
- went
- Moved to a place in the past.
- what
- Asks about a thing. "What is that?"
- white
- The colour of fresh snow.
- who
- Asks about a person. "Who is there?"
- will
- Shows something is going to happen. "I will try."
- with
- Together alongside. "Come with me."
- yes
- A word that means you agree.
Dolch grade 1 41 words
- after
- Later than something else.
- again
- One more time.
- an
- One; used instead of "a" before a vowel sound. "An egg."
- any
- One or some, no matter which.
- as
- In the same way. "As fast as a cheetah."
- ask
- To say a question to someone.
- by
- Next to. Or done by someone. "A book by her."
- could
- Was able to. Or might.
- every
- Each one of a group.
- fly
- To move through the air. Also a small insect.
- from
- Shows where something started.
- give
- To hand something to someone.
- going
- Moving to a place right now, or soon.
- had
- Owned or held in the past.
- has
- Owns or holds. "She has a dog."
- her
- Belonging to a girl or woman, or the girl or woman herself.
- him
- A boy or man already talked about. "Give it to him."
- his
- Belonging to a boy or man.
- how
- Asks in what way. "How do you do it?"
- just
- Only. Or a moment ago. "I just woke up."
- know
- To have something in your mind; to be sure of it.
- let
- To allow.
- live
- To be alive. Or to have your home somewhere.
- may
- Might. Or asking politely. "May I go?"
- of
- Belonging to or part of. "A cup of tea."
- old
- Having lived or existed a long time.
- once
- One time. Or at some time in the past.
- open
- Not shut.
- over
- Above something. Or finished.
- put
- To place something somewhere.
- round
- Shaped like a circle or ball.
- some
- A few, or an amount of.
- stop
- To end moving or doing something.
- take
- To pick something up and keep or carry it.
- thank
- To tell someone you are grateful.
- them
- Those people or things. "I saw them."
- then
- Next, or at that time.
- think
- To use your mind.
- walk
- To move on foot at a normal speed.
- were
- A form of "be" in the past. "We were late."
- when
- Asks about a time. "When is lunch?"
Dolch grade 2 46 words
- always
- Every time; forever.
- around
- On every side of. Or here and there.
- because
- Gives the reason. "I smiled because I was happy."
- been
- A form of "be". "I have been there."
- before
- Earlier than something else.
- best
- Better than all the others.
- both
- The two together.
- buy
- To pay money for something.
- call
- To shout to someone, or to phone them.
- cold
- Having a low temperature; not warm.
- does
- A form of "do". "She does her homework."
- don't
- Short for "do not".
- fast
- Quick.
- first
- Before all the others; number one in order.
- five
- The number 5.
- found
- Discovered something that was lost or hidden.
- gave
- Handed something to someone in the past.
- goes
- A form of "go". "He goes to school."
- green
- The colour of grass.
- its
- Belonging to it. "The dog wagged its tail."
- made
- Built or created in the past.
- many
- A large number of.
- off
- Away from, or not switched on.
- or
- Gives a choice. "Red or blue?"
- pull
- To move something towards you.
- read
- To look at written words and understand them.
- right
- Correct. Also the opposite of left.
- sing
- To make music with your voice.
- sit
- To rest on your bottom on a seat.
- sleep
- To rest with your eyes closed, as you do at night.
- tell
- To share information with someone.
- their
- Belonging to them.
- these
- Points to several things close by.
- those
- Points to several things further away.
- upon
- On. "Once upon a time."
- us
- You and me, or me and others. "Wait for us."
- use
- To do something with a thing for a purpose.
- very
- Really; a lot. "Very big."
- wash
- To clean with water.
- which
- Asks for a choice between things. "Which one?"
- why
- Asks for a reason. "Why is the sky blue?"
- wish
- To hope for something.
- work
- A job or task that takes effort.
- would
- Shows what might happen. "I would like that."
- write
- To put words on paper or a screen.
- your
- Belonging to you.
Dolch grade 3 41 words
- about
- On the subject of. Or nearly. "About ten."
- better
- More good than something else.
- bring
- To carry something here.
- carry
- To hold something while you move.
- clean
- Not dirty.
- cut
- To divide with scissors or a knife.
- done
- Finished.
- draw
- To make a picture with a pencil or crayon.
- drink
- To swallow a liquid.
- eight
- The number 8.
- fall
- To drop down. Also the season of autumn.
- far
- A long way away.
- full
- Holding as much as possible.
- got
- Received or fetched in the past.
- grow
- To get bigger.
- hold
- To keep something in your hands.
- hot
- Having a high temperature.
- hurt
- To cause pain, or to feel pain.
- if
- On the condition that. "If it rains, we stay in."
- keep
- To have something and not give it away.
- kind
- Gentle and caring. Also a type. "What kind of dog?"
- laugh
- The sound you make when something is funny.
- light
- Brightness that lets us see. Also not heavy.
- long
- Having a great length or lasting a great time.
- much
- A large amount.
- myself
- Me and no one else.
- never
- Not ever.
- only
- Just one, and no others.
- own
- Belonging to yourself.
- pick
- To choose. Or to pull fruit or flowers from a plant.
- seven
- The number 7.
- shall
- Will. "Shall we go?"
- show
- To let someone see something.
- six
- The number 6.
- small
- Little in size.
- start
- To begin.
- ten
- The number 10.
- today
- This day.
- together
- With each other.
- try
- To make an effort.
- warm
- A little hot, in a pleasant way.
Fry words 1–50 2 words
- each
- Every single one, counted one at a time.
- words
- Groups of letters that have a meaning.
Fry words 51–100 11 words
- day
- The time from one morning to the next, or when it is light.
- more
- A larger amount.
- number
- A word or sign that tells how many, like 7.
- oil
- A thick, slippery liquid used for cooking or in machines.
- other
- A different one. "The other shoe."
- part
- A piece of something bigger.
- people
- Men, women and children.
- than
- Used to compare. "Bigger than a mouse."
- time
- What clocks measure; hours, minutes and seconds.
- water
- The clear liquid in rain, rivers and the sea.
- way
- A path or road. Or how to do something.
Why bingo works for sight words
Sight words are learned by seeing them again and again until they are recognized instantly. Bingo builds that repetition into a game: children scan their whole card every time a word is called, so they read each word many times in a round without it feeling like a drill. Because every card is different, no one can copy a neighbour.
Pick a list from the menu. The Dolch lists run from pre-primer to grade 3, and Fry 1–100 comes in two halves. Or paste this week's words from your phonics program. The list on the card is exactly what you choose, nothing more.
Classroom routines
- Teacher-led: show a calling card, say the word, and have children repeat it before marking it.
- Silent bingo: show the card without saying the word, which is good practice once words are familiar.
- Small-group centre: a child acts as caller using the calling cards; the caller sheet is the answer check.
- Take-home: send a card and the calling cards home for family practice.
Matching cards to readers
Start with 3×3 cards and the pre-primer list for beginning readers, then move to 5×5 as lists grow. Pre-primer has 40 words, which is enough for unique 5×5 cards. Shorter custom lists work best on 3×3 grids. Calling cards print eight to a row, ready to cut, laminate and reuse. The Dolch and Fry lists are long-standing public teaching lists; using them here does not imply any endorsement.
Questions people ask
What are sight words?
High-frequency words that readers learn to recognise instantly, without sounding out. Many have irregular spellings, like "said" and "come".
What is the difference between Dolch and Fry words?
Dolch (1936) is 220 service words grouped from pre-primer to grade 3, plus 95 nouns. Fry (1950s, updated 1980) ranks 1,000 words by how often they appear. The two lists overlap a lot.
Which list should I use for kindergarten?
Most classes start with Dolch pre-primer and primer, or Fry 1–50. Use a 3×3 card for beginning readers.
How do I play sight word bingo?
Read a word aloud (or show a calling card). Children find and mark it on their card. The first to complete a line reads their words back to check.
What is in the Medium and Hard PDFs?
Medium has 24 cards using Dolch grade 1 words with a free centre; Hard uses Dolch grade 2 words with no free square. Both include a caller checklist.