dolch sight words list by grade and age

The Dolch sight words list has 220 common words that children are taught to recognize quickly, from pre-primer through third grade. The five lists move from early words such as "a" and "the" to harder words such as "because" and "would."

This guide is for parents, teachers, and caregivers helping children ages 3 to 10 build reading fluency. You can work through the lists in order, but your child's teacher or reading level is a better guide than age alone.

Who was Edward Dolch?

Edward William Dolch was a professor and reading researcher whose work focused on the words children commonly encounter in reading. His Dolch list contains 220 words that were selected for their frequent use in children's books and other early reading material.

These words are often called sight words because children are expected to recognize them quickly instead of sounding out every letter. Words such as "said," "where," and "could" can be awkward to decode with basic phonics alone, so quick recognition can help a child read a sentence more smoothly.

The list is old, but the basic idea is still useful: give children repeated practice with common words they see again and again. Use it as a teaching tool, not as a test of how well your child is reading.

Dolch sight words by grade

The five Dolch lists contain 220 words in total. Pre-primer has 40 words, primer has 52, first grade has 41, second grade has 46, and third grade has 41.

The age ranges below are rough classroom expectations, not rules. Children develop reading skills at different rates, so it is fine to spend longer on one list or begin a later list when a child is ready.

• Pre-primer, 40 words, usually taught around ages 4 to 5: a, and, away, big, blue, can, come, down, find, for, funny, go, help, here, I, in, is, it, jump, little, look, make, me, my, not, one, play, red, run, said, see, the, three, to, two, up, we, where, yellow, you
• Primer, 52 words, usually taught around ages 5 to 6: all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, did, do, eat, four, get, good, have, he, into, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, there, they, this, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes
• First grade, 41 words, usually taught around ages 6 to 7: after, again, an, any, as, ask, by, could, every, fly, from, give, giving, had, has, her, him, his, how, just, know, let, live, may, of, old, once, open, over, put, round, some, stop, take, thank, them, then, think, walk, were, when
• Second grade, 46 words, usually taught around ages 7 to 8: always, around, because, been, before, best, both, buy, call, cold, does, don't, fast, first, five, found, gave, goes, green, its, made, many, off, or, pull, read, right, sing, sit, sleep, tell, their, these, those, upon, us, use, very, wash, which, why, wish, work, would, write, your
• Third grade, 41 words, usually taught around ages 8 to 9: about, better, bring, carry, clean, cut, done, draw, drink, eight, fall, far, full, got, grow, hold, hot, hurt, if, keep, kind, laugh, light, long, much, myself, never, only, own, pick, seven, shall, show, six, small, start, ten, today, together, try, warm

How to use the lists with kids

Short practice usually works better than a long session. Pick five words your child is learning, read each one together, then ask the child to find those words in a book, write them, or use them in a sentence.

For a younger child, you might practice for 5 minutes at a time. An older child who is comfortable with reading may handle 10 minutes. Stop while the work still feels manageable, especially if guessing starts to replace looking carefully at the word.

Got a child who forgets a word the next day? That is normal. Bring it back instead of adding more words. You can also mix a few known words with one or two new ones so the practice does not feel like a wall of unfamiliar print.

For hands-on practice, Dolch [sight word flashcards](/dolch-sight-words/) can give you a simple way to review words one at a time. Pair the cards with kindergarten sight words worksheets when your child is ready to see the same words in short written activities.

Pre-primer and primer sight words

The pre-primer list is a good place to start for children who are beginning to recognize printed words. These 40 words include very familiar words such as "a," "I," "is," "the," and "you," along with action words such as "go," "look," and "play."

The primer list adds 52 words and introduces forms that children will meet often in simple books, including "are," "have," "she," "they," "this," and "what." A child does not need to master every pre-primer word perfectly before seeing primer words, but steady recognition of the earlier list makes practice easier.

If your child is working on kindergarten reading, use the first grade sight words worksheets only when they match what the child is ready to practice. The grade labels are useful for organizing materials, but they should not become a race.

First, second, and third grade lists

The first grade list has 41 words and includes words such as "could," "every," "from," "know," "their," and "when." These are words children often need to recognize quickly as sentences become longer and books become less predictable.

Second grade adds 46 words, including "always," "because," "before," "many," "right," "which," and "would." At this stage, you can ask children to read a word, spell it, and then use it in a sentence. That gives them a reason to pay attention to the word instead of simply memorizing its shape.

The third grade list has 41 words, including "about," "better," "carry," "enough" is not on the Dolch list, and "together." The exact list matters, so use the words above rather than adding words just because they appear in another sight word program.

For extra writing practice, lined paper printable can give children space to copy words and write short sentences. If handwriting is still developing, primary handwriting paper printable provides larger writing lines that can be easier for younger students.

How to print flashcards and worksheets

Start with the list your child is currently learning. Print the words, cut the cards apart if needed, and keep only a small group available at one time. Five to ten cards is plenty for a short review session.

For flashcards, show one word and give your child a few seconds to read it. If the word is missed, say it clearly, have the child repeat it, and put it back into the practice group. Avoid turning every mistake into a correction that stops the activity.

For worksheets, choose pages that give the child a chance to read, trace, write, or find the target words. You can also make your own practice by writing five words at the top of a sheet and asking the child to circle each word when it appears in a short passage.

Keep the full list nearby so you know which words belong to each Dolch level. Then print a smaller practice set for the week. That makes it much easier to see what your child knows and what still needs another look.

Questions parents ask

How many Dolch sight words are there?

There are 220 Dolch sight words in the five main lists, from pre-primer through third grade. The lists contain 40, 52, 41, 46, and 41 words respectively.

What grade are Dolch sight words?

Dolch words are organized into pre-primer, primer, first grade, second grade, and third grade lists. The age ranges are rough guides, so follow your child's reading instruction and readiness.

How should I teach Dolch sight words at home?

Practice a small group of words for about 5 to 10 minutes at a time. Mix reading with writing, word finding, and short sentences instead of relying on flashcards alone.