This list provides a starting point for a basic understanding and fluency in the English language. The list of 850 words that was developed by Charles K. Ogden, and released in 1930 with the book: Basic English: A General Introduction with Rules and Grammar. For more information about this list you can visit Odgen's Basic English page. This list is an excellent starting point for building up a vocabulary which allows you to converse fluently in English.


While this list is helpful for a strong beginning, more advanced vocabulary building will help you quickly improve your English. These vocabulary books will further help you build your vocabulary, especially at advanced levels. Teachers can use this list as a starting point for developing essential vocabulary to their lessons. Teachers can also use this list along with other ideas on how to teach vocabulary on this site.

Basic Verbs, Prepositions, Articles, Pronouns, etc.

1. come 2. get 3. give 4. go 5. keep 6. let 7. make 8. put 9. seem 10. take	11. be 12. do 13. have 14. say 15. see 16. send 17. may 18. will 19. about 20. across	21. after 22. against 23. among 24. at 25. before 26. between 27. by 28. down 29. from 30. in	31. off 32. on 33. over 34. through 35. to 36. under 37. up 38. with 39. as 40. for	41. of 42. till 43. than 44. a 45. the 46. all 47. any 48. every 49. no 50. other
51. some 52. such 53. that 54. this 55. i 56. he 57. you 58. who 59. and 60. because	61. but 62. or 63. if 64. though 65. while 66. how 67. when 68. where 69. why 70. again	71. ever 72. far 73. forward 74. here 75. near 76. now 77. out 78. still 79. then 80. there	81. together 82. well 83. almost 84. enough 85. even 86. little 87. much 88. not 89. only 90. quite	91. so 92. very 93. tomorrow 94. yesterday 95. north 96. south 97. east 98. west 99. please 100. yes

Basics (verbs, articles, pronouns, prepositions, etc.)
General Nouns 1 - 200
General Nouns 201 - 400
Specific Nouns 1 - 200
Adjectives 1 - 150