The 500 Most Commonly Used Words in the English Language

 

Based on the combined results of British English, American English and Australian English surveys of contemporary sources in English: newspapers, magazines, books, TV, radio and real life conversations - the language as it is written and spoken today.
Rank Word Rank Word 1 the 126 name 2 of 127 very 3 to 128 through 4 and 129 just 5 a 130 form 6 in 131 much 7 is 132 great 8 it 133 think 9 you 134 say 10 that 135 help 11 he 136 low 12 was 137 line 13 for 138 before 14 on 139 turn 15 are 140 cause 16 with 141 same 17 as 142 mean 18 I 143 differ 19 his 144 move 20 they 145 right 21 be 146 boy 22 at 147 old 23 one 148 too 24 have 149 does 25 this 150 tell 26 from 151 sentence 27 or 152 set 28 had 153 three 29 by 154 want 30 hot 155 air 31 but 156 well 32 some 157 also 33 what 158 play 34 there 159 small 35 we 160 end 36 can 161 put 37 out 162 home 38 other 163 read 39 were 164 hand 40 all 165 port 41 your 166 large 42 when 167 spell 43 up 168 add 44 use 169 even 45 word 170 land 46 how 171 here 47 said 172 must 48 an 173 big 49 each 174 high 50 she 175 such 51 which 176 follow 52 do 177 act 53 their 178 why 54 time 179 ask 55 if 180 men 56 will 181 change 57 way 182 went 58 about 183 light 59 many 184 kind 60 then 185 off 61 them 186 need 62 would 187 house 63 write 188 picture 64 like 189 try 65 so 190 us 66 these 191 again 67 her 192 animal 68 long 193 point 69 make 194 mother 70 thing 195 world 71 see 196 near 72 him 197 build 73 two 198 self 74 has 199 earth 75 look 200 father 76 more 201 head 77 day 202 stand 78 could 203 own 79 go 204 page 80 come 205 should 81 did 206 country 82 my 207 found 83 sound 208 answer 84 no 209 school 85 most 210 grow 86 number 211 study 87 who 212 still 88 over 213 learn 89 know 214 plant 90 water 215 cover 91 than 216 food 92 call 217 sun 93 first 218 four 94 people 219 thought 95 may 220 let 96 down 221 keep 97 side 222 eye 98 been 223 never 99 now 224 last 100 find 225 door 101 any 226 between 102 new 227 city 103 work 228 tree 104 part 229 cross 105 take 230 since 106 get 231 hard 107 place 232 start 108 made 233 might 109 live 234 story 110 where 235 saw 111 after 236 far 112 back 237 sea 113 little 238 draw 114 only 239 left 115 round 240 late 116 man 241 run 117 year 242 don't 118 came 243 while 119 show 244 press 120 every 245 close 121 good 246 night 122 me 247 real 123 give 248 life 124 our 249 few 125 under 250 stop		Rank Word Rank Word 251 open 376 ten 252 seem 377 simple 253 together 378 several 254 next 379 vowel 255 white 380 toward 256 children 381 war 257 begin 382 lay 258 got 383 against 259 walk 384 pattern 260 example 385 slow 261 ease 386 center 262 paper 387 love 263 often 388 person 264 always 389 money 265 music 390 serve 266 those 391 appear 267 both 392 road 268 mark 393 map 269 book 394 science 270 letter 395 rule 271 until 396 govern 272 mile 397 pull 273 river 398 cold 274 car 399 notice 275 feet 400 voice 276 care 401 fall 277 second 402 power 278 group 403 town 279 carry 404 fine 280 took 405 certain 281 rain 406 fly 282 eat 407 unit 283 room 408 lead 284 friend 409 cry 285 began 410 dark 286 idea 411 machine 287 fish 412 note 288 mountain 413 wait 289 north 414 plan 290 once 415 figure 291 base 416 star 292 hear 417 box 293 horse 418 noun 294 cut 419 field 295 sure 420 rest 296 watch 421 correct 297 color 422 able 298 face 423 pound 299 wood 424 done 300 main 425 beauty 301 enough 426 drive 302 plain 427 stood 303 girl 428 contain 304 usual 429 front 305 young 430 teach 306 ready 431 week 307 above 432 final 308 ever 433 gave 309 red 434 green 310 list 435 oh 311 though 436 quick 312 feel 437 develop 313 talk 438 sleep 314 bird 439 warm 315 soon 440 free 316 body 441 minute 317 dog 442 strong 318 family 443 special 319 direct 444 mind 320 pose 445 behind 321 leave 446 clear 322 song 447 tail 323 measure 448 produce 324 state 449 fact 325 product 450 street 326 black 451 inch 327 short 452 lot 328 numeral 453 nothing 329 class 454 course 330 wind 455 stay 331 question 456 wheel 332 happen 457 full 333 complete 458 force 334 ship 459 blue 335 area 460 object 336 half 461 decide 337 rock 462 surface 338 order 463 deep 339 fire 464 moon 340 south 465 island 341 problem 466 foot 342 piece 467 yet 343 told 468 busy 344 knew 469 test 345 pass 470 record 346 farm 471 boat 347 top 472 common 348 whole 473 gold 349 king 474 possible 350 size 475 plane 351 heard 476 age 352 best 477 dry 353 hour 478 wonder 354 better 479 laugh 355 true . 480 thousand 356 during 481 ago 357 hundred 482 ran 358 am 483 check 359 remember 484 game 360 step 485 shape 361 early 486 yes 362 hold 487 hot 363 west 488 miss 364 ground 489 brought 365 interest 490 heat 366 reach 491 snow 367 fast 492 bed 368 five 493 bring 369 sing 494 sit 370 listen 495 perhaps 371 six 496 fill 372 table 497 east 373 travel 498 weight 374 less 499 language 375 morning 500 among