The first 100 English words
These 100 words account for 55.3% of every word occurrence in 11,230 published books. Learn this band and most of an English page is already familiar; what is left is the vocabulary the story itself is about.
The ranking is our own measurement of 210,375,850 word occurrences across 155,168 chapters. Click the speaker to hear a word. Open a word to read it inside real chapters.
The list
| Rank | Word | Sound | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | the | /ðə/ | determiner | used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind |
| 2 | and | /ənd/ | conjunction | used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together |
| 3 | of | /ʌv/ | preposition | belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something |
| 4 | to | /tuː/ | particle | used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive |
| 5 | a | /ə/ | determiner | used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one |
| 6 | in | /ɪn/ | preposition | inside something, or within a place, period, or state |
| 7 | I | /aɪ/ | pronoun | the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb |
| 8 | he | /hiː/ | pronoun | a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject |
| 9 | that | /ðæt/ | conjunction | used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt |
| 10 | was | /wɑːz/ | auxiliary verb | the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun |
| 11 | it | /ɪt/ | pronoun | a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned |
| 12 | his | /hɪz/ | determiner | belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned |
| 13 | you | /juː/ | pronoun | the person or people being spoken to |
| 14 | her | /hɜːr/ | determiner | belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned |
| 15 | with | /wɪð/ | preposition | in the company of; together with |
| 16 | had | /hæd/ | auxiliary verb | the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect |
| 17 | for | /fɔːr/ | preposition | intended to be given to, or used by, somebody |
| 18 | as | /æz/ | conjunction | at the same time that; because; in the way that |
| 19 | she | /ʃiː/ | pronoun | a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject |
| 20 | not | /nɑːt/ | adverb | used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative |
| 21 | is | /ɪz/ | auxiliary verb | the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun |
| 22 | but | /bʌt/ | conjunction | used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before |
| 23 | at | /æt/ | preposition | in or near a particular place or position |
| 24 | on | /ɑːn/ | preposition | touching and supported by a surface |
| 25 | him | /hɪm/ | pronoun | the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition |
| 26 | be | /biː/ | auxiliary verb | used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses |
| 27 | my | /maɪ/ | determiner | belonging to the person speaking |
| 28 | have | /hæv/ | auxiliary verb | used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses |
| 29 | me | /miː/ | pronoun | the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition |
| 30 | this | /ðɪs/ | determiner | used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned |
| 31 | by | /baɪ/ | preposition | showing who or what does the action |
| 32 | all | /ɔːl/ | adjective | (quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amoun… |
| 33 | they | /ðeɪ/ | pronoun | the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject |
| 34 | said | /sed/ | adjective | being the one previously mentioned or spoken of |
| 35 | from | /frʌm/ | preposition | showing where something starts, or who sent it |
| 36 | which | /wɪtʃ/ | pronoun | used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned |
| 37 | so | /soʊ/ | conjunction | for that reason; with the result that |
| 38 | were | /wɜːr/ | auxiliary verb | the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun |
| 39 | one | /wʌn/ | pronoun | used to mean any person in general, including the speaker |
| 40 | no | /noʊ/ | determiner | not any; not one |
| 41 | there | /ðer/ | adverb | in or at that place or location |
| 42 | would | /wʊd/ | modal verb | used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past |
| 43 | we | /wiː/ | pronoun | the speaker together with one or more other people |
| 44 | if | /ɪf/ | conjunction | on condition that; in the event that |
| 45 | when | /wen/ | conjunction | at the time that |
| 46 | what | /wʌt/ | pronoun | used to ask for information about something |
| 47 | an | /æn/ | determiner | the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound |
| 48 | or | /ɔːr/ | conjunction | used to join alternatives or possibilities |
| 49 | who | /huː/ | pronoun | which person or people |
| 50 | are | /ɑːr/ | auxiliary verb | the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun |
| 51 | them | /ðem/ | pronoun | the people or things already mentioned, as the object |
| 52 | will | /wɪl/ | modal verb | used to talk about the future, or about willingness |
| 53 | been | /bɪn/ | auxiliary verb | the past participle of “be” |
| 54 | their | /ðer/ | determiner | belonging to the people or things already mentioned |
| 55 | out | /aʊt/ | adjective | not allowed to continue to bat or run |
| 56 | then | /ðen/ | adverb | subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors) |
| 57 | up | /ʌp/ | adjective | being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former posit… |
| 58 | your | /jɔːr/ | determiner | belonging to the person or people being spoken to |
| 59 | do | /duː/ | auxiliary verb | used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis |
| 60 | could | /kʊd/ | modal verb | the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests |
| 61 | now | /naʊ/ | adverb | in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events |
| 62 | more | /mɔːr/ | adjective | (comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or am… |
| 63 | man | /mæn/ | noun | an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman) |
| 64 | into | /ˈɪntuː/ | preposition | moving to the inside of something |
| 65 | little | /ˈlɪtəl/ | adjective | limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent |
| 66 | like | /laɪk/ | verb | prefer or wish to do something |
| 67 | very | /ˈveri/ | adjective | precisely as stated |
| 68 | some | /sʌm/ | adjective | (quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecifi… |
| 69 | did | /dɪd/ | auxiliary verb | the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives |
| 70 | about | /əˈbaʊt/ | preposition | on the subject of; concerning |
| 71 | time | /taɪm/ | noun | an instance or single occasion for some event |
| 72 | upon | /əˈpɑːn/ | preposition | a formal word for “on” |
| 73 | know | /noʊ/ | verb | be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge o… |
| 74 | than | /ðæn/ | conjunction | used to introduce the second part of a comparison |
| 75 | see | /siː/ | verb | perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight |
| 76 | has | /hæz/ | auxiliary verb | the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun |
| 77 | only | /ˈoʊnli/ | adverb | and nothing more |
| 78 | well | /wel/ | adverb | (often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a hig… |
| 79 | Mr | /ˈmɪstər/ | noun | a form of address for a man |
| 80 | before | /bɪˈfɔːr/ | preposition | earlier than; in front of |
| 81 | any | /ˈeni/ | adjective | one or some or every or all without specification |
| 82 | down | /daʊn/ | adjective | being or moving lower in position or less in some value |
| 83 | our | /ˈaʊər/ | determiner | belonging to the speaker and others |
| 84 | come | /kʌm/ | verb | move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody |
| 85 | over | /ˈoʊvər/ | preposition | above and across; more than |
| 86 | never | /ˈnevər/ | adverb | not ever; at no time in the past or future |
| 87 | after | /ˈæftər/ | preposition | later than; following |
| 88 | can | /kæn/ | modal verb | to be able to, or to be allowed to |
| 89 | other | /ˈʌðər/ | adjective | not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied |
| 90 | old | /oʊld/ | adjective | (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a spec… |
| 91 | good | /ɡʊd/ | adjective | having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified |
| 92 | should | /ʃʊd/ | modal verb | used to say what is right, expected, or advisable |
| 93 | made | /meɪd/ | adjective | produced by a manufacturing process |
| 94 | go | /ɡoʊ/ | verb | change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically |
| 95 | must | /mʌst/ | modal verb | used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true |
| 96 | two | /tuː/ | noun | the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number |
| 97 | such | /sʌtʃ/ | determiner | of the kind already mentioned |
| 98 | us | /ʌs/ | pronoun | the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition |
| 99 | much | /mʌtʃ/ | adverb | to a great degree or extent |
| 100 | came | /keɪm/ | verb | inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach… |