English Words 251-500 (Frequency)
Short answer
This band (ranks 251-500) takes you past survival English into everyday life: verbs like meet, remember and change, people and family words, feelings, and the time and place words you need to tell a simple story.
On this page8 sections · tap to jump
Level: A2. This band moves from the bare essentials to the words that let you tell a story and talk about daily life: more verbs, people words, feelings, places and time words. It is pitched at A2 because many of these words need a little context to use well.
By the end of this page you can…
…recognise and use these high-frequency English words, say each one aloud with the audio, and test yourself with the practice and quiz below.
How this list was made
The ranking comes from the hermitdave FrequencyWords English list (the 2018 en_50k file, word lists CC BY-SA 4.0, built from OpenSubtitles). Each word keeps its real position in that list — the number in the Rank column is the raw list rank, never invented. Because the data is built from film and TV subtitles, the raw file also contains tokeniser fragments ('s, 't, 're, 'll, 'd and bare negatives such as don, didn, wasn), repeated title abbreviations (mr, dr.) and a little strong slang. Those entries are skipped here, but the words shown keep the rank the list gave them, so you may see small gaps in the numbers. The grouping into verbs, people, time, describing and function words is ours, to make the set easier to learn than a flat A–Z list.
The words
Verbs and actions
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 252 | try | make an attempt | try again |
| 254 | went | past of ‘go’ | I went out |
| 265 | trying | -ing of ‘try’ | I’m trying |
| 270 | saw | past of ‘see’ | I saw her |
| 278 | move | change position | move over |
| 280 | seen | past part. of ‘see’ | I’ve seen it |
| 281 | live | have your home; be alive | I live here |
| 282 | miss | fail to catch; feel the loss | I miss you |
| 287 | heard | past of ‘hear’ | I heard that |
| 291 | called | past of ‘call’ | she called |
| 292 | used | not new; past habit (‘used to’) | I used to swim |
| 294 | knew | past of ‘know’ | I knew it |
| 295 | hold | keep in your hand | hold this |
| 304 | took | past of ‘take’ | I took it |
| 309 | start | begin | start now |
| 310 | use | put into service | use this pen |
| 315 | guess | give an answer unsure | I guess so |
| 317 | matter | a subject; be important | it doesn’t matter |
| 318 | meet | come together | meet me here |
| 319 | bring | carry toward | bring a coat |
| 322 | run | move fast on foot | run home |
| 323 | wanna | spoken ‘want to’ | I wanna go |
| 329 | gone | past part. of ‘go’ | it’s gone |
| 332 | saying | -ing of ‘say’ | what are you saying? |
| 334 | play | have fun; perform | play a game |
| 335 | looks | ‘look’, he/she/it form | it looks nice |
| 341 | gotta | spoken ‘got to/have to’ | I gotta go |
| 343 | open | not shut | open the window |
| 345 | killed | past of ‘kill’ | the frost killed it |
| 346 | hope | wish for | I hope so |
| 351 | excuse | a reason; ‘excuse me’ | excuse me |
| 352 | turn | rotate; a go | turn left |
| 355 | wants | ‘want’, he/she/it form | she wants tea |
| 356 | says | ‘say’, he/she/it form | he says hi |
| 358 | die | stop living | the plant will die |
| 362 | worry | feel anxious | don’t worry |
| 365 | watch | look at; a clock | watch this |
| 368 | having | -ing of ‘have’ | having lunch |
| 372 | sit | rest on a seat | sit down |
| 373 | eat | take in food | eat well |
| 374 | thinking | -ing of ‘think’ | thinking about it |
| 377 | working | -ing of ‘work’ | I’m working |
| 388 | pay | give money for | pay the bill |
| 390 | forget | fail to remember | don’t forget |
| 393 | change | make different | change seats |
| 394 | gave | past of ‘give’ | she gave me this |
| 395 | happen | take place | it can happen |
| 398 | drink | take in liquid | drink water |
| 400 | knows | ‘know’, he/she/it form | she knows |
| 404 | shut | close | shut the door |
| 406 | hit | strike | hit the ball |
| 407 | taking | -ing of ‘take’ | taking a break |
| 410 | check | make sure | check the door |
| 415 | means | ‘mean’, he/she/it form; a method | it means yes |
| 418 | makes | ‘make’, he/she/it form | it makes sense |
| 419 | asked | past of ‘ask’ | I asked her |
| 422 | making | -ing of ‘make’ | making dinner |
| 425 | sleep | rest with eyes closed | sleep well |
| 431 | close | shut; near | close the door |
| 437 | comes | ‘come’, he/she/it form | she comes home |
| 439 | set | put in place; a group | set the table |
| 445 | waiting | -ing of ‘wait’ | I’m waiting |
| 446 | hurt | cause pain; be sore | my arm hurts |
| 447 | wish | want; hope | I wish you well |
| 449 | fight | struggle against | don’t fight |
| 453 | rest | relax; what is left | get some rest |
| 461 | stand | be on your feet | stand up |
| 462 | read | look at and understand words | read a book |
| 464 | cut | divide with a blade | cut the bread |
| 465 | started | past of ‘start’ | it started |
| 467 | supposed | expected (‘supposed to’) | supposed to be here |
| 470 | goes | ‘go’, he/she/it form | she goes home |
| 472 | speak | say words; talk | speak slowly |
| 481 | playing | -ing of ‘play’ | playing outside |
| 482 | gets | ‘get’, he/she/it form | it gets cold |
| 486 | break | split; a rest | take a break |
| 489 | walk | move on foot | walk home |
| 491 | trust | believe in | I trust you |
| 493 | met | past of ‘meet’ | we met once |
| 496 | brought | past of ‘bring’ | I brought lunch |
People, family and roles
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 251 | son | a male child | my son |
| 253 | woman | an adult female | a kind woman |
| 260 | friend | a person you like | a good friend |
| 262 | mom | informal ‘mother’ | my mom |
| 266 | boy | a male child | a young boy |
| 271 | family | parents and children | my family |
| 274 | baby | a very young child | a new baby |
| 300 | brother | a male sibling | my brother |
| 307 | men | plural of ‘man’ | two men |
| 313 | wife | a married woman | my wife |
| 340 | friends | plural of ‘friend’ | my friends |
| 350 | police | people who keep the law | call the police |
| 371 | doctor | a medical person | see a doctor |
| 379 | person | one human being | a kind person |
| 381 | kids | children (informal) | my kids |
| 392 | kid | a child (informal) | a small kid |
| 443 | daughter | a female child | my daughter |
| 451 | husband | a married man | my husband |
| 452 | girls | plural of ‘girl’ | two girls |
| 459 | children | plural of ‘child’ | three children |
| 466 | sister | a female sibling | my sister |
| 469 | child | a young person | one child |
| 473 | women | plural of ‘woman’ | three women |
| 479 | lady | a polite word for a woman | a kind lady |
Describing words
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 256 | dead | not alive | the phone’s dead |
| 257 | many | a large number | many people |
| 261 | best | the most good | the best day |
| 272 | real | true; not fake | a real problem |
| 289 | ready | prepared | I’m ready |
| 296 | happy | feeling joy | a happy child |
| 302 | pretty | attractive; quite | pretty good |
| 308 | whole | complete; entire | the whole day |
| 324 | hard | difficult; firm | work hard |
| 326 | alone | by yourself | leave me alone |
| 339 | few | a small number | a few days |
| 349 | lost | past of ‘lose’; not found | I’m lost |
| 357 | true | real; correct | it’s true |
| 370 | beautiful | very attractive | a beautiful song |
| 375 | young | not old | a young boy |
| 382 | late | after the right time | I’m late |
| 389 | crazy | mad; wild | a crazy idea |
| 397 | five | the number 5 | five days |
| 399 | far | a long way | how far? |
| 408 | easy | not difficult | an easy test |
| 414 | different | not the same | a different way |
| 424 | afraid | feeling fear | I’m afraid |
| 427 | dear | loved; letter opener | dear friend |
| 429 | four | the number 4 | four cats |
| 438 | important | of great value | an important day |
| 454 | married | joined as husband/wife | they got married |
| 478 | able | having the power (‘able to’) | able to help |
| 498 | welcome | glad to receive (‘you’re welcome’) | welcome home |
| 499 | high | far up; tall | a high wall |
Things and places
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 258 | mind | the thinking part; object to | never mind |
| 269 | job | paid work | a new job |
| 275 | room | a space in a building | my room |
| 290 | head | top of the body; to lead | my head hurts |
| 293 | idea | a thought/plan | a good idea |
| 297 | door | the way into a room | shut the door |
| 328 | school | a place to learn | at school |
| 331 | end | the final part | the end |
| 333 | phone | a device to call | my phone |
| 338 | problem | a difficulty | no problem |
| 347 | face | front of the head | wash your face |
| 353 | business | trade; a company | my business |
| 354 | case | a situation; a box | in that case |
| 359 | heart | organ that pumps blood | a kind heart |
| 366 | music | organised sound | play music |
| 367 | hand | end of the arm | give me a hand |
| 378 | water | the clear drink | a glass of water |
| 380 | part | a piece of a whole | part of it |
| 383 | stuff | things (informal) | my stuff |
| 386 | death | the end of life | a sad death |
| 403 | eyes | organs for seeing | blue eyes |
| 411 | hands | plural of ‘hand’ | wash your hands |
| 413 | deal | an agreement | a good deal |
| 416 | point | a sharp tip; a reason | good point |
| 423 | body | the whole of a person | a strong body |
| 426 | chance | a possibility | a second chance |
| 433 | party | a social event | a birthday party |
| 434 | fun | enjoyment | have fun |
| 436 | word | a unit of language | one word |
| 441 | story | a tale | a true story |
| 442 | number | a figure; a count | a phone number |
| 455 | fire | burning flames | make a fire |
| 456 | game | a playing activity | a fun game |
| 460 | side | a part/edge | this side |
| 476 | truth | what is true | tell the truth |
| 477 | blood | red body liquid | give blood |
| 483 | shot | past of ‘shoot’; an attempt | a good shot |
| 484 | reason | why something happens | a good reason |
| 485 | trouble | difficulty | in trouble |
| 487 | war | armed fighting | a long war |
| 488 | city | a large town | a big city |
| 490 | town | a small city | my town |
| 494 | office | a place of work | at the office |
| 495 | question | something you ask | a good question |
Time and sequence words
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 264 | morning | early part of day | good morning |
| 277 | already | before now | already done |
| 288 | once | one time; as soon as | once a week |
| 306 | yet | up to now; still | not yet |
| 312 | since | from a past point | since Monday |
| 314 | days | plural of ‘day’ | three days |
| 316 | tomorrow | the day after today | see you tomorrow |
| 320 | tonight | this night | stay in tonight |
| 342 | ago | in the past | a year ago |
| 348 | until | up to a time | wait until noon |
| 360 | soon | in a short time | see you soon |
| 363 | later | at a future time | see you later |
| 364 | year | 12 months | next year |
| 376 | second | after the first; a moment | wait a second |
| 387 | minute | 60 seconds | one minute |
| 409 | times | occasions; multiplied by | three times |
| 412 | minutes | plural of ‘minute’ | ten minutes |
| 448 | moment | a very short time | wait a moment |
| 450 | week | seven days | next week |
| 471 | hours | plural of ‘hour’ | two hours |
| 480 | anymore | any longer | not anymore |
Linking, question and function words
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 267 | together | with each other | work together |
| 268 | yourself | you, reflexive | help yourself |
| 273 | without | not having | without money |
| 279 | most | the greatest amount | most days |
| 283 | actually | in fact | actually, yes |
| 286 | both | the two together | both of us |
| 298 | such | of this kind; so | such fun |
| 301 | also | in addition | I also went |
| 303 | bit | a small amount (‘a bit’) | a bit cold |
| 311 | while | during the time that | wait a while |
| 321 | everyone | every person | everyone knows |
| 327 | myself | I, reflexive | I did it myself |
| 344 | anyone | any person | anyone home? |
| 361 | each | every one separately | each day |
| 369 | probably | most likely | probably yes |
| 384 | exactly | in every detail | exactly right |
| 385 | under | below | under the table |
| 391 | everybody | every person | everybody knows |
| 401 | its | belonging to it | the dog and its toy |
| 402 | whatever | anything; no matter what | whatever you like |
| 417 | inside | in the interior | come inside |
| 420 | somebody | an unnamed person | somebody called |
| 421 | mine | belonging to me | that is mine |
| 428 | quite | fairly; completely | quite good |
| 430 | anyway | in any case | thanks anyway |
| 435 | against | touching; opposed to | against the wall |
| 440 | shall | future/offer helper (BrE) | shall we go? |
| 444 | least | the smallest (‘at least’) | at least two |
| 457 | nobody | no person | nobody knows |
| 463 | though | however; in spite of | nice, though |
| 468 | between | in the middle of two | between us |
| 474 | behind | at the back of | behind you |
| 475 | almost | nearly | almost done |
| 497 | yours | belonging to you | this is yours |
Social and spoken words
| Rank | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 255 | hi | informal greeting | hi there |
| 284 | huh | a questioning sound (filler) | huh, really? |
| 325 | ah | a sound of feeling (filler) | ah, I see |
| 330 | um | a thinking sound (filler) | um, maybe |
| 500 | wow | shows amazement (filler) | wow, nice! |
Example sentences
Play each line and say it aloud. Every sentence uses words from this list.
- I met a friend in the city.Past verb 'met' with a place word.
- She went to work by car.'Went' is the past of 'go'.
- We saw a beautiful game.'Saw' is the past of 'see'.
- Please remember to call later.Two band words in a request.
- My son starts school tomorrow.Family, place and time words.
- I took the second door.'Took' is the past of 'take'.
- He gave me a good idea.'Gave' is the past of 'give'.
- Let us meet tonight.'Meet' with a time word.
- The whole family came together.'Whole' and 'together'.
- Drink some water and rest.Everyday health advice.
- I need to change my phone.'Change' plus an object.
- Try not to worry too much.'Try' and 'worry'.
- The doctor asked a question.'Asked' plus 'question'.
- We walked behind the office.Place words 'behind' and 'office'.
- She knew the truth already.'Knew' and 'truth'.
- Hold my hand and sit down.Two base verbs with body words.
- It almost started to rain.'Almost' plus a past verb.
- I hope you feel happy soon.'Hope', 'happy' and 'soon'.
Quick recap before you practise.
How to say it
English spelling hides its sounds, so copy the audio, not the letters.
- truth / together — the th is soft and voiceless in truth, soft and voiced in together.
- beautiful is three beats: BYOO-ti-ful, stress at the front.
- business has a silent i: say “BIZ-ness”, two syllables.
- tomorrow doubles the r sound and stresses the middle: tuh-MOR-oh.
Practice
Vocabulary practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
Hint: past of see
Show answer
saw — 'saw' is the past of 'see'.
Hint: day after today
Show answer
tomorrow — 'tomorrow' is the day after today.
5 Put the words in order.
Show answer
I met a friend — Subject + past verb + object: I met a friend.
6 Match each base verb to its past form.
- take
- give
- know
- bring
Show answer
- take → took
- give → gave
- know → knew
- bring → brought
Common irregular past tenses.
Quiz
Check yourself
Vocabulary quiz
12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
0/12 0 answered
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Show answer
take — 'took' is the past of 'take'.
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daughter — 'daughter' is a female child.
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gave — 'gave' is the past of 'give'.
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Show answer
time — 'tonight' = this night.
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Show answer
almost — 'almost' = nearly.
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Show answer
know — 'knew' is the past of 'know'.
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Show answer
office — 'office' is a place of work.
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Show answer
worry — 'worry' means to feel anxious.
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bring — 'brought' is the past of 'bring'.
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forget — 'forget' is the opposite of 'remember'.
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something very attractive — 'beautiful' = very attractive.
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met — 'met' is the irregular past of 'meet'.
Recap cheat-sheet
| Group | Examples | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Irregular pasts | went, saw, took, gave, knew, met | tell what happened |
| People / family | friend, son, daughter, husband, wife | say who is who |
| Feelings | happy, afraid, crazy, important | describe how you feel |
| Places / things | school, office, city, water, phone | set the scene |
| Time words | tonight, tomorrow, later, soon, almost | order a story |
Next
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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) You are here
- 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)
- 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