As children embark on their educational journey, one crucial aspect of their reading development involves acquiring sight words. Sight words are common words that appear frequently in texts and are recognized instantly without decoding. These words lay the foundation for fluent reading and comprehension skills. However, parents often wonder how many sight words their child should know at different stages of their early education. In this blog post, we will explore the expected sight word milestones for preschool, grade 1, and grade 2, empowering parents and caregivers with knowledge to support their child’s literacy development.
Preschool Sight Word Milestones
Preschool is an exciting time when children begin to explore language and literacy. At this stage, children are usually introduced to basic sight words that form the building blocks of their reading abilities. While there is no strict rule on the number of sight words a child should know in preschool, a range of 30-40 sight words is a reasonable expectation.
Here are 35 standard sight words that are often taught in preschool:
- 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
- up
These simple words are often taught through engaging activities, good study habits, and repetition to foster familiarity and recognition.
Grade 1 Sight Word Milestones
Grade 1 is a critical year for reading development, as children move from decoding individual words to reading more fluently and comprehending longer texts. By the end of grade 1, children are typically expected to know approximately 100 sight words. These words include both simple, frequently encountered sight words like “said,” “where,” “are,” and “have,” as well as more complex sight words such as “because,” “could,” “before,” and “through.”
Here are 100 common sight words that are often taught in Grade 1:
- a
- about
- after
- all
- am
- an
- and
- are
- as
- at
- away
- be
- because
- been
- big
- black
- blue
- brown
- but
- by
- can
- come
- could
- did
- do
- down
- for
- from
- get
- go
- good
- green
- had
- has
- have
- he
- help
- her
- here
- him
- his
- how
- I
- in
- into
- is
- it
- its
- jump
- like
- little
- look
- make
- me
- my
- no
- not
- now
- of
- on
- one
- or
- our
- out
- play
- purple
- red
- said
- saw
- see
- she
- should
- so
- some
- that
- the
- their
- them
- then
- there
- they
- this
- to
- too
- two
- up
- us
- was
- we
- went
- what
- when
- where
- which
- who
- why
- will
- with
- yellow
- you
Grade 2 Sight Word Milestones
In grade 2, children continue to expand their sight word vocabulary and refine their reading skills. By the end of grade 2, it is generally expected that children will know around 300 sight words. These words encompass a wider range of vocabulary, including more challenging words like “different,” “sometimes,” “beginning,” “world,” and “picture.” At this stage, children are expected to read with greater fluency and accuracy, and their comprehension skills should improve as they encounter more complex texts.
Here are 300 common sight words that are often taught in Grade 2:
- a
- about
- above
- across
- after
- again
- air
- all
- along
- already
- also
- always
- among
- an
- and
- another
- any
- are
- around
- as
- ask
- at
- away
- back
- be
- because
- been
- before
- being
- below
- between
- big
- black
- blue
- both
- bring
- brown
- but
- buy
- by
- call
- came
- can
- come
- could
- day
- did
- do
- does
- down
- each
- even
- every
- far
- father
- feel
- few
- find
- first
- five
- for
- found
- four
- from
- full
- funny
- get
- give
- go
- good
- got
- great
- green
- had
- has
- have
- he
- help
- her
- here
- him
- his
- home
- how
- I
- if
- in
- into
- is
- it
- its
- jump
- just
- know
- large
- last
- laugh
- left
- let
- light
- like
- little
- live
- long
- look
- made
- make
- many
- may
- me
- more
- mother
- much
- must
- my
- new
- next
- no
- not
- now
- of
- off
- old
- on
- once
- one
- only
- or
- other
- our
- out
- over
- own
- part
- people
- picture
- place
- play
- put
- read
- red
- right
- run
- said
- same
- saw
- say
- school
- see
- she
- should
- show
- side
- small
- so
- some
- soon
- start
- still
- stop
- take
- tell
- than
- that
- the
- their
- them
- then
- there
- these
- they
- thing
- think
- this
- three
- through
- to
- together
- too
- try
- two
- under
- up
- us
- use
- very
- walk
- 188. want
- 189. was
- wash
- water
- way
- we
- well
- went
- were
- what
- when
- where
- which
- while
- white
- who
- why
- will
- with
- work
- world
- would
- write
- yellow
- yes
- you
- your
- after
- again
- along
- also
- always
- another
- any
- around
- because
- before
- behind
- below
- between
- both
- change
- could
- different
- during
- enough
- every
- family
- follow
- found
- friend
- front
- garden
- give
- gone
- house
- important
- knew
- let
- live
- maybe
- next
- only
- open
- own
- paper
- place
- round
- sister
- soon
- sound
- study
- table
- thought
- those
- today
- tomorrow
- under
- until
- use
- very
- walk
- want
- watch
- water
- way
- where
- which
- while
- who
- why
- will
- window
- with
- work
- write
- year
- yellow
- yes
- young
- your
- above
- across
- against
- almost
- among
- answer
- became
- become
- behind
- below
- beside
- between
Grade 3 Sight Word Milestones
In Grade 3, children are exposed to more complex texts and are expected to read with increased fluency and comprehension. While the exact number of sight words may vary depending on curriculum and school expectations, an average Grade 3 student should aim to recognize and comprehend around 300 to 400 sight words.
Here are 400 common sight words that are often taught in Grade 3:
- a
- able
- about
- above
- across
- act
- addition
- afraid
- after
- again
- against
- age
- ago
- agree
- air
- all
- almost
- alone
- along
- already
- also
- always
- among
- amount
- ancient
- anger
- animal
- another
- answer
- any
- anyone
- anything
- appear
- apple
- are
- area
- arm
- around
- arrive
- art
- as
- ask
- asleep
- at
- aunt
- autumn
- away
- baby
- back
- bad
- bag
- ball
- balloon
- banana
- band
- bank
- bar
- base
- baseball
- basic
- basket
- bath
- be
- bean
- bear
- beautiful
- beauty
- bed
- been
- before
- began
- begin
- behind
- being
- believe
- bell
- below
- beside
- best
- better
- between
- beyond
- bicycle
- big
- bird
- birthday
- black
- blanket
- block
- blue
- boat
- body
- book
- boot
- born
- both
- bottom
- bowl
- box
- boy
- branch
- bread
- break
- breakfast
- bridge
- bright
- bring
- broad
- brother
- brown
- brush
- build
- burn
- burst
- bus
- bush
- business
- busy
- but
- butter
- button
- buy
- by
- cake
- call
- can
- candle
- candy
- cap
- car
- card
- care
- careful
- carry
- case
- cat
- catch
- cause
- center
- certain
- chair
- chalk
- chance
- change
- chase
- cheap
- check
- cheese
- cherry
- chicken
- child
- children
- chocolate
- choose
- circle
- City
- class
- clean
- clear
- climb
- clock
- close
- clothes
- cloud
- coat
- cold
- color
- come
- comfortable
- company
- complete
- computer
- cone
- cool
- corner
- could
- count
- country
- course
- cousin
- cover
- cow
- crack
- create
- cross
- cry
- cup
- dad
- cut
- holiday
- dance
- danger
- dark
- day
- dead
- deal
- dear
- death
- decide
- deep
- degree
- depend
- desert
- design
- desk
- destroy
- detail
- develop
- diagram
- Diamond
- did
- die
- difference
- difficult
- dinner
- direct
- dirt
- dirty
- discover
- dish
- do
- doctor
- dog
- doll
- dollar
- done
- door
- double
- down
- draw
- dream
- dress
- drink
- drive
- drop
- dry
- duck
- during
- each
- ear
- early
- earn
- earth
- east
- easy
- eat
- edge
- egg
- eight
- either
- electric
- elephant
- eleven
- else
- end
- enemy
- enjoy
- enough
- enter
- equal
- escape
- even
- evening
- event
- ever
- every
- example
- except
- excuse
- exercise
- expect
- explain
- eye
- face
- fact
- fall
- family
- famous
- far
- farm
- fast
- father
- favorite
- fear
- feel
- feet
- fell
- fellow
- felt
- fence
- few
- field
- fight
- figure
- fill
- film
- final
- find
- fine
- finger
- finish
- fire
- firm
- first
- fish
- five
- flag
- flat
- floor
- flower
- fly
- fold
- food
- foot
- for
- force
- forget
- form
- forward
- four
- free
- fresh
- friend
- from
- front
- fruit
- full
- fun
- funny
- fur
- game
- garden
- gas
- gate
- gather
- gave
- general
- gentle
- get
- girl
- give
- glass
- go
- goat
- gold
- gone
- good
- goodbye
- goose
- got
- govern
- grade
- grain
- grass
- great
- green
- grey
- ground
- group
- grow
- guess
- guide
- gun
- had
- hair
- half
- hall
- hammer
- hand
- handle
- hang
- happen
- happy
- hard
- hat
- hate
- have
- he
- head
- health
- heart
- hear
- home
- heat
- heavy
- hello
- help
- hen
- her
- here
- hero
- high
- hill
- him
- himself
- his
- history
- hit
- hold
- hole
These sight words encompass a broader range of vocabulary, including words that are more specific to various subject areas, such as science, social studies, and literature.
Supporting Your Child’s Sight Word Development
While knowing the number of sight words expected at each grade level can be helpful, it’s important to remember that children learn at their own pace. Every child is unique, and some may learn through play more quickly or require additional time and practice. Here are some tips to support your child’s sight word development:
- Create a print-rich environment: Surround your child with words by labeling objects, using word cards, and displaying books at their eye level.
- Read together: Regularly read with your child, pointing out sight words in context and discussing their meanings. Encourage them to recognize and read sight words independently.
- Practice with games and activities: Engage your child in fun games, such as sight word bingo, memory matching, or word puzzles. Make learning sight words an enjoyable experience.
- Use educational technology and online resources: Utilize educational apps, websites, and interactive resources that offer sight word practice engagingly and interactively.
- Communicate with teachers: Stay in touch with your child’s teachers to understand their progress and seek guidance on how to support their sight word development at home.
Sight word acquisition is an essential part of early reading development. While the specific number of sight words may vary, encouraging regular reading, providing engaging activities, with innovative teaching methods, and fostering vocabulary growth will significantly contribute to your child’s sight word development.
Have any tips for helping your child learn sight words? We’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below or send us an email!