300 Most Frequently Used Words

The following 300 words make up 65 percent of all written material. The words are listed in their order of frequency.

1. the

23. this

 45. which

 67. into

2. of

24. have

46. she

68. time

3. and

25. from

47. do

69. has

4. a

26. or

48. how

70. look

5. to

27. one

49. their

71. two

6. in

28. had

50. if

72. more

7. is

29. by

51. will

73. write

8. you

30. words

52. up

74. go

9. that

31. but

53. other

75. see

10. it

32. not

54. about

76. number

11. he

33. what

55. out

 77. no

12. was

 34. all

56. many

78. way

13. for

35. were

57. then

79. could

14. on

36. we

58. them

80. people

15. are

37. when

59. these

81. my

16. as

38. your

60. so

 82. than

17. with

39. can

61. some

83. first

18. his

40. said

62. her

84. water

19. they

 41. there

63. would

85. been

20. I

42. use

64. make

86. called

21. at

43. an

65. like

87. who

22. be

44. each

66. him

88. oil

89. its

112. me

135. too

158. must

90. now

113. back

136. same

159. big

91. find

114. give

137. old

160. even

92. long

115. most

138. any

161. such

93. down

116. very

139. same

162. because

94. day

117. after

140. tell

163. turned

95. did

118. things

141. boy

164. here

96. get

119. our

142. following

165. why

97. come

120. just

143. came

166. asked

98. made

121. name

144. want

167. went

99. may

122. good

145. show

168. men

100. part

123. sentence

146. also

169. read

101. over

124. man

147. around

170. need

102. new

125. think

148. form

171. land

103. sound

126. say

149. three

172. different

104. take

127. great

150. small

173. home

105. only

128. where

151. set

174. us

106. little

129. help

152. put

175. move

107. work

130. through

153. end

176. try

108. know

131. much

154. does

177. kind

109. place

132. before

155. another

178. hand

110. years

133. line

156. well

179. picture

111. live

134. right

157. large

180. again

181. change

204. add

227. left

250. run

182. off

205. food

228. don't

251. important

183. play

206. between

229. few

252. until

184. spell

207. own

230. while

253. children

185. air

208. below

231. along

254. side

186. away

209. country

232. might

255. feet

187. animals

210. plants

233. close

256. car

188. house

211. last

234. something

257. miles

189. point

212. school

235. seemed

258. night

190. page

213. father

236. next

259. walked

191. letters

214. keep

237. hard

260. white

192. mother

215. trees

238. open

261. sea

193. answer

216. never

239. example

262. began

194. found

217. started

240. beginning

263. grow

195. study

218. city

241. life

264. took

196. still

219. earth

242. always

265. river

197. learn

220. eyes

243. those

266. four

198. should

221. light

244. both

267. carry

199. American

222. thought

245. paper

268. state

200. world

223. head

246. together

269. once

201. high

224. under

247. got

270. book

202. every

225. story

248. group

271. hear

203. near

226. saw

249. often

272. stop

273. without

280. face

287. above

294. soon

274. second

281. watch

288. girl

295. list

275. later

282. far

289. sometimes

296. song

276. miss

283. Indians

290. mountains

297. being

277. idea

284. really

291. cut

298. leave

278. enough

285. almost

292. young

299. family

279. eat

286. let

293. talk

300. it's

 

Taken from Elizabeth Sakiey and Edward Fry, 3000 Instant Words, rev. ed., Jamestown Publishers, 1984.