a

as

again

about

any

The Dolch words are the 220 most frequently found words in books that children read.  Students who learn these words have a good base for beginning reading.  Many of these words cannot be sounded out because they do not follow decoding rules, so they must be learned as sight words.

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One way of estimating a primary student’s reading level is by having the student identify the 220 Dolch Basic Sight Words. The number of words recognized is the basis for assigning his/her equivalent reading level.

The scale is as follows:

all

away

ate

after

better

am

be

over

always

both

an

black

but

around

bring

and

brown

cold

ask

carry

are

by

cut

because

clean

at

came

fast

been

could

big

did

first

before

done

blue

eat

five

best

don’t

call

fall

fly

buy

draw

can

find

four

does

drink

come

for

give

far

eight

do

get

goes

found

every

down

going

from

full

hurt

funny

have

got

gave

know

go

her

green

grow

light

good

him

had

hold

myself

he

his

has

how

never

help

if

hot

just

own

here

into

its

keep

pick

I

laugh

long

kind

right

in

let

made

much

seven

is

live

many

must

shall

it

may

new

now

show

jump

my

not

off

their

like

no

of

once

them

little

old

open

only

then

look

on

please

round

there

make

one

or

sleep

these

me

put

our

small

think

out

saw

pull

take

those

play

said

read

tell

together

pretty

she

start

thank

use

ran

sit

say

that

very

red

some

sing

they

want

ride

stop

six

this

warm

run

three

soon

too

wash

see

today

ten

try

went

so

two

upon

under

what

the

was

us

walk

when

to

will

who

well

where

up

work

why

were

which

we

yes

wish

white

would

you

yellow

your

with

write