English Words 1001-1500 (Frequency)
Short answer
Ranks 1001-1500 move you from survival English to real fluency: verbs for decisions and actions, adjectives for strong opinions, and nouns for places, work and daily objects. Learn them in themed groups and use each in a sentence of your own.
On this page15 sections · tap to jump
- 01By the end of this page you can…
- 02How this core was chosen
- 03Action and decision verbs — set 1
- 04Action and decision verbs — set 2
- 05People, roles and groups
- 06Describing things — adjectives
- 07Places, home and everyday nouns
- 08Ideas, time and other useful words
- 09Example sentences
- 10Common mistakes
- 11Usage notes
- 12Practice
- 13How to say it
- 14Quiz
- 15Recap cheat-sheet
Level: B1. This is the third block of the English frequency list — the words ranked 1001 to 1500. Learners who know the first thousand words can already get by; this set is what moves you toward real fluency. It is full of verbs for choosing and acting, adjectives for strong opinions, and the nouns of work, places and everyday objects. Work through the themed groups and build a sentence with each new word.
By the end of this page you can…
…recognise and use a core set of the 1001-1500 most frequent English words, grouped by meaning, and explain reasons and opinions with them.
How this core was chosen
The ranking is from the hermitdave FrequencyWords English 50k list, which counts how often each word appears in a large set of film and TV subtitles. A lower rank number means a more common word.
Because the source is natural speech, the raw list also includes items that are not vocabulary to study — proper names (james, harry, paris), single letters and fragments (m, de, ’ii), and transcription labels for sounds (laughter, grunts, applause). We skip those and keep a representative core of about 140 real, high-value words from ranks 1001-1500, grouped by theme. Every word keeps its exact rank (in brackets); we never invent ranks, and skipped items are left out on purpose.
Action and decision verbs — set 1
| Word (rank) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cry (1005) | produce tears | Don’t cry — it will be fine. |
| accept (1011) | agree to take or receive | She accepted the job offer. |
| carry (1019) | hold and move something | Can you carry this bag? |
| teach (1020) | help someone learn | He teaches maths. |
| quit (1047) | stop doing something | I quit smoking last year. |
| push (1065) | press to move away | Push the door to open it. |
| grab (1079) | take quickly | Grab your coat, we’re late. |
| support (1083) | help; hold up | My family supports me. |
| reach (1087) | arrive at; stretch to get | I can’t reach the top shelf. |
| grow (1122) | get bigger; cultivate | Children grow fast. |
| escape (1136) | get away from | They escaped the fire. |
| choose (1150) | pick from options | Choose any seat you like. |
| decide (1152) | make a choice | We decided to stay home. |
| press (1155) | push with a finger | Press the green button. |
| bother (1156) | annoy; trouble to do | Don’t bother him now. |
| blame (1159) | say who caused a problem | Don’t blame me. |
Action and decision verbs — set 2
| Word (rank) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| notice (1188) | see or become aware of | I noticed a mistake. |
| begin (1193) | start | The film begins at eight. |
| destroy (1220) | damage completely | The storm destroyed the roof. |
| steal (1235) | take without permission | Someone stole my bike. |
| kick (1237) | hit with the foot | He kicked the ball hard. |
| cross (1239) | go from one side to the other | Cross the road here. |
| waste (1247) | use badly; throw away | Don’t waste water. |
| mention (1263) | say briefly | She mentioned your name. |
| build (1264) | make by putting parts together | They built a new school. |
| burn (1290) | damage with fire or heat | I burnt the toast. |
| treat (1293) | behave towards; give medical care | Treat others kindly. |
| raise (1322) | lift; increase; bring up | Raise your hand to answer. |
| consider (1367) | think about carefully | Please consider my idea. |
| cook (1391) | prepare food with heat | I’ll cook dinner tonight. |
| apologize (1419) | say sorry | He apologized for being late. |
| appreciate (1040) | be grateful for | I appreciate your help. |
People, roles and groups
| Word (rank) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| college (1002) | a place of higher study | My sister is at college. |
| boyfriend (1012) | a male romantic partner | Her boyfriend is a chef. |
| queen (1014) | a female ruler | The queen gave a speech. |
| teacher (1015) | someone who teaches | My teacher is patient. |
| professor (1028) | a senior university teacher | The professor wrote a book. |
| lawyer (1037) | a legal expert | Ask a lawyer for advice. |
| partner (1086) | a person you work or live with | She is my business partner. |
| victim (1097) | someone harmed | The victim called the police. |
| aunt (1125) | your parent’s sister | My aunt lives abroad. |
| patient (1126) | a person getting medical care | The patient is recovering. |
| director (1191) | someone who runs a company or film | The director made a decision. |
| guard (1192) | someone who protects | A guard stood at the door. |
| enemy (1201) | a person who opposes you | They are old enemies. |
| department (1209) | a part of an organisation | She works in the sales department. |
| hero (1219) | a brave or admired person | He is a local hero. |
| witness (1232) | someone who saw an event | A witness described the car. |
| client (1324) | a person who pays for a service | The lawyer met her client. |
| suspect (1327) | a person thought to be guilty | Police questioned the suspect. |
| manager (1477) | a person in charge | Speak to the manager. |
| crew (1500) | a team, especially on a ship or plane | The flight crew was helpful. |
Describing things — adjectives
| Word (rank) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| impossible (1008) | not able to happen | That’s impossible to do. |
| huge (1032) | very large | They have a huge house. |
| dirty (1105) | not clean | My shoes are dirty. |
| final (1132) | last | This is my final offer. |
| nervous (1148) | worried or anxious | I feel nervous before tests. |
| innocent (1196) | not guilty | The court found him innocent. |
| guilty (1210) | having done wrong | She felt guilty about it. |
| low (1227) | not high | Prices are low this week. |
| complete (1279) | whole; total | The set is now complete. |
| fresh (1284) | new; not old or stale | Buy some fresh bread. |
| empty (1299) | with nothing inside | The box is empty. |
| excited (1316) | very happy and eager | The kids are excited. |
| wild (1335) | not tame; natural | We saw wild horses. |
| ridiculous (1336) | very silly | That price is ridiculous. |
| warm (1328) | pleasantly hot | It’s warm today. |
| heavy (1332) | weighing a lot | This bag is heavy. |
| famous (1353) | known by many people | She is a famous writer. |
| awful (1359) | very bad | The weather was awful. |
| large (1360) | big | A large coffee, please. |
| common (1387) | happening often; shared | It’s a common mistake. |
| correct (1418) | right; true | That answer is correct. |
| powerful (1474) | having great power | A powerful engine. |
| natural (1489) | from nature; normal | It’s natural to be shy. |
| national (1481) | of a whole country | A national holiday. |
Places, home and everyday nouns
| Word (rank) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| apartment (1021) | a flat; rented rooms | They rent a small apartment. |
| store (1034) | a shop | The store opens at nine. |
| shop (1042) | a place that sells goods | I went to the shop. |
| village (1046) | a small settlement | She grew up in a village. |
| island (1056) | land surrounded by water | We sailed to the island. |
| glass (1057) | a cup for drinks; the material | A glass of water, please. |
| plane (1064) | an aircraft | The plane landed on time. |
| tree (1072) | a tall plant | Birds sat in the tree. |
| truck (1075) | a large vehicle for goods | A truck blocked the road. |
| computer (1099) | an electronic machine | My computer is slow. |
| bus (1103) | a large road vehicle for people | Take the number 9 bus. |
| shoes (1114) | things you wear on your feet | Put on your shoes. |
| river (1124) | a large flow of water | We swam in the river. |
| kitchen (1127) | the room for cooking | She’s in the kitchen. |
| moon (1138) | the body that orbits Earth | The moon is bright tonight. |
| address (1141) | where someone lives | Write your address here. |
| restaurant (1433) | a place to eat out | We booked a restaurant. |
| bottle (1330) | a container for liquid | A bottle of milk. |
| bird (1350) | a feathered animal | A bird sang outside. |
| flowers (1352) | the colourful part of plants | He bought her flowers. |
| beach (1378) | sand by the sea | We spent the day at the beach. |
| knife (1399) | a tool for cutting | Be careful with the knife. |
| cake (1494) | a sweet baked food | She baked a cake. |
| milk (1473) | a white drink | Add milk to your tea. |
Ideas, time and other useful words
| Word (rank) | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| involved (1004) | taking part in | She is involved in the project. |
| obviously (1009) | clearly; as expected | Obviously, I was wrong. |
| neither (1010) | not one and not the other | Neither answer is right. |
| besides (1013) | in addition; anyway | Besides, it’s too late. |
| doubt (1038) | a feeling of not being sure | I have no doubt. |
| continue (1039) | keep going | Please continue. |
| difference (1063) | the way things are not the same | What’s the difference? |
| hundred (1061) | the number 100 | A hundred people came. |
| thousand (1093) | the number 1000 | It cost a thousand pounds. |
| experience (1095) | knowledge from doing | She has years of experience. |
| immediately (1091) | at once | Call me immediately. |
| usually (1112) | most of the time | I usually walk to work. |
| price (1179) | the cost of something | The price is too high. |
| otherwise (1182) | if not; in other ways | Hurry, otherwise we’ll be late. |
| duty (1213) | something you must do | It’s my duty to help. |
| according (1223) | as stated by | According to the map, turn left. |
| admit (1229) | agree something is true | I admit I was wrong. |
| twice (1238) | two times | I called twice. |
| energy (1245) | power; the ability to be active | I have no energy today. |
| level (1300) | a height or standard | Water rose to a high level. |
| memory (1301) | the ability to remember | She has a great memory. |
| pressure (1283) | force; stress | He’s under a lot of pressure. |
| advice (1450) | an opinion on what to do | Can I give you some advice? |
| health (1449) | the state of the body | Exercise is good for your health. |
Example sentences
Press play on each line and say it out loud.
- We finally decided to accept the offer.decide (1152), accept (1011).
- Can you carry this heavy bag to the kitchen?carry (1019), heavy (1332), kitchen (1127).
- She teaches at a college near the river.teach (1020), college (1002), river (1124).
- I noticed the store was already closed.notice (1188), store (1034).
- Don't waste energy worrying about it.waste (1247), energy (1245).
- According to the manager, the price is final.according (1223), manager (1477), price (1179), final (1132).
- He apologized and admitted he was wrong.apologize (1419), admit (1229).
- The village has one small shop and a school.village (1046), shop (1042).
- I appreciate your advice — it was really helpful.appreciate (1040), advice (1450).
- It's impossible to cross the road here safely.impossible (1008), cross (1239).
- The children were excited to see the wild birds.excited (1316), wild (1335), bird (1350).
- She built a huge following with her videos.build (1264) → built, huge (1032).
- Press the button twice to start the computer.press (1155), twice (1238), computer (1099).
- Obviously, we should choose the cheaper plane ticket.obviously (1009), choose (1150), plane (1064).
- I usually drink a glass of milk before bed.usually (1112), glass (1057), milk (1473).
- Neither restaurant was open, so we cooked at home.neither (1010), restaurant (1433), cook (1391).
- He felt nervous but the result was correct.nervous (1148), correct (1418).
- The company raised prices immediately.raise (1322), immediately (1091).
- She has a lot of experience and great memory.experience (1095), memory (1301).
- Don't blame yourself — it's a common mistake.blame (1159), common (1387).
Quick recap before you practise.
Common mistakes
- ✗ I have decided for stay. → ✓ I have decided to stay. — decide takes the to-infinitive.
- ✗ I am agree, and I accept your advices. → ✓ I accept your advice. — advice is uncountable: no -s, no an advice. See Countable and Uncountable Nouns.
- ✗ She teached me. → ✓ She taught me. — teach → taught is irregular.
- ✗ It’s a huge difference between them. → ✓ There’s a huge difference between them. — use there is for existence. See There is / There are.
- ✗ I appreciate for your help. → ✓ I appreciate your help. — appreciate takes a direct object, no for.
- ✗ He is more nervous as me. → ✓ He is more nervous than me. — comparatives use than. See Comparative Adjectives.
Usage notes
- advice, information, experience (meaning knowledge) are uncountable: some advice, a piece of advice, never an advice or advices.
- raise vs rise: you raise something (you do it to an object: raise prices); things rise by themselves (prices rise).
- borrow vs lend (not on the list but nearby): you borrow from someone, you lend to someone.
- neither is singular in careful English: Neither answer is correct.
- Verbs such as decide, choose and continue usually take the to-infinitive: decide to go. See Gerund or Infinitive?.
Practice
Words 1001-1500 practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
Hint: no 'for' after it
Show answer
appreciate — Appreciate takes a direct object: I appreciate your help.
3 Match each word to its meaning.
- huge
- empty
- nervous
- famous
Show answer
- huge → very large
- empty → with nothing inside
- nervous → worried
- famous → known by many
These are common B1 adjectives for size, state and feeling.
4 Put the words in order.
Show answer
We decided to stay home — Decide takes the to-infinitive: We decided to stay home.
Hint: irregular past of steal
Show answer
stole — Steal is irregular: steal → stole.
How to say it
- college is KOL-ij, two syllables, with a soft g like in age.
- restaurant is usually said RES-tron or RES-ter-ont — the middle au is weak.
- knife has a silent k: say nyf, rhyming with life.
- nervous is NER-vuss, stress on the first part; the -ous ending is a weak uhss.
- appreciate is uh-PREE-shee-ayt, with a sh sound in the middle.
Quiz
Check yourself
Words 1001-1500 quiz
12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
0/12 0 answered
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to stop doing something — Quit means to stop doing something.
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taught — Teach is irregular: teach → taught.
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I decided to stay. — Decide takes the to-infinitive: decided to stay.
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uncountable: some advice, a piece of advice — Advice is uncountable; use some advice or a piece of advice.
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empty — Empty means containing nothing.
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heavy — Heavy means weighing a lot.
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The company raised prices. — You raise an object (raise prices); things rise by themselves (the sun rises).
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at once — Immediately means at once, straight away.
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more nervous than me — Longer adjectives use 'more … than': more nervous than me.
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saw an event — A witness is a person who saw something happen.
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Neither answer is right. — Neither takes a singular noun and verb: Neither answer is right.
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clearly / as expected — Obviously means clearly or as everyone can see.
Recap cheat-sheet
| Group | Sample words | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Verbs | decide, choose, accept, teach | Many take the to-infinitive (decide to go). |
| Irregular pasts | taught, stole, built, wrote | Learn base + past together. |
| Adjectives | huge, empty, nervous, famous | Longer ones use more … than. |
| Nouns | college, restaurant, river, advice | advice/experience are uncountable. |
| Useful | obviously, neither, otherwise | Linking and opinion words. |
Quick recap before the quiz.
Next
- Previous set: English Words 501-1000 (Frequency)
- Next set: English Words 1501-2000 (Frequency)
- Study tip: use these with How to Use Flashcards for English and Spaced Repetition Explained.
Your English course
All English vocabulary topics
Vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, practice and exam help, ordered by level. Pick a topic and go straight to it. New lessons go live every day, so topics marked Coming soon fill in over the next weeks.
Vocabulary
47 topics 47 ready now
A1 13 topics · 13 ready
- 01 100 Most Common English Words
- 02 English Words 101-250 (Frequency)
- 03 100 Essential English Verbs
- 04 Common English Adjectives
- 05 English Question Words & Phrases
- 06 English Time Expressions
- 07 English Food & Cooking Vocabulary
- 08 English Animals Vocabulary
- 09 English Clothing Vocabulary
- 10 English Weather Vocabulary
- 11 English Family & Relationships Vocabulary
- 12 English Colours Vocabulary
- 13 English Numbers, Dates & Money
A2 14 topics · 14 ready
- 14 English Words 251-500 (Frequency)
- 15 English Words 501-1000 (Frequency)
- 16 Everyday English Adverbs
- 17 English Body & Health Vocabulary
- 18 English House & Furniture Vocabulary
- 19 English Kitchen & Tableware Vocabulary
- 20 English Transport & Travel Vocabulary
- 21 English Places in Town Vocabulary
- 22 English Jobs & Professions Vocabulary
- 23 English Money & Shopping Vocabulary
- 24 English Emotions & Feelings Vocabulary
- 25 English Sports & Exercise Vocabulary
- 26 English Verbs of Motion
- 27 English Irregular Verbs Reference
B1 11 topics · 11 ready
- 28 English Words 1001-1500 (Frequency) You are here
- 29 English Words 1501-2000 (Frequency)
- 30 English Connectors & Linking Words
- 31 English Nature & Geography Vocabulary
- 32 English Technology & Internet Vocabulary
- 33 English Education & School Vocabulary
- 34 English Medical & Pharmacy Vocabulary
- 35 English Arts, Music & Film Vocabulary
- 36 100 Essential English Phrasal Verbs
- 37 Commonly Confused English Words
- 38 British vs American English