Most common English words: 25 that carry everyday speech
A1–A225 words
A few hundred words make up more than half of everything written and spoken in English, and the very top of that list is dominated by short, flexible words that do many jobs at once. Knowing them precisely — not just recognising them — is what makes ordinary sentences easy.
Where you will use it: Beginner English, reading and everyday conversation.
Most Common English Words — The word list
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get | To obtain, receive or become.“I get the bus at eight.” |
| make | To create or cause something.“Don't make a decision today.” |
| take | To carry, remove or accept.“Take an umbrella with you.” |
| go | To move from one place to another.“We go there every summer.” |
| know | To have information or be familiar with.“I know what you mean.” |
| think | To have an opinion or use your mind.“I think it will rain.” |
| want | To wish for something.“She wants a quieter job.” |
| use | To employ something for a purpose.“Use this key for the back door.” |
| find | To discover or locate.“I can't find my phone.” |
| keep | To continue having or doing something.“Keep the receipt.” |
| leave | To go away, or to let something remain.“Leave the door open.” |
| mean | To have a particular sense or intention.“What does this word mean?” |
| come | To move towards a place or person.“Can you come here for a moment?” |
| give | To hand or provide something.“Give me a call tomorrow.” |
| look | To direct your eyes towards something.“Look at the first example.” |
| work | To do a job or function correctly.“I work near the station.” |
| need | To require something.“We need more time.” |
| feel | To experience an emotion or physical state.“I feel much better today.” |
| become | To begin to be something.“The sky became dark.” |
| put | To move something to a place.“Put your keys on the table.” |
| help | To make something easier for someone.“Could you help me with this bag?” |
| tell | To give information to someone.“Tell me what happened.” |
| ask | To request information or action.“I need to ask a question.” |
| try | To make an effort to do something.“Try this exercise again.” |
| call | To telephone or give a name to something.“I'll call you after work.” |
Useful learning tips
- Learn in small groupsTake five words at a time and review them before adding more.
- Say the examples aloudReading each sentence aloud connects spelling, sound and meaning.
- Write your own sentenceUse each word in a true sentence about your life or work.
How to study this list
Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.
Studying most common english words pairs well with our A1–A2 English Vocabulary, Small Talk Phrases and English irregular verbs list, or browse all free English word lists.
Related guides
Questions about this list
How can I practise Most Common English Words?
Start with five words and say each example aloud. Then recall the word from its meaning and review it over several days.
Where can I use Most Common English Words?
Beginner English, reading and everyday conversation.
How many words are in this list?
This list contains 25 English words with definitions and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete syllabus.
Turn this list into flashcards
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