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.