Common Sight Words For Little Readers

Recently, I realized that not all sight words are created equal. Some are indeed true "sight words," words that should be committed to memory without "sounding out," then blending the sounds together. Other words that are commonly thought of as sight words can actually be sounded out successfully without memorization or have such common spellings that your reader can easily figure them out. For example, "go" is commonly thought of as a sight word, even though phonetically, it is an easy word to sound out. The word "goes," however, is much more tricky. Phonetically, it confuses the reader, so it should be memorized.

Here is a list of common nonphonetic words (and words with less usual spelling patterns) that should be rote memorized. In general, these words have been arranged according to the degree of difficulty and the frequency of occurrence. These words are easier to learn if the student write them, saying aloud the names of the letters as he forms them. This provides simultaneous auditory, kinesthetic and visual reinforcement. Frequent review is necessary.


For my own information, I have starred the words below Annika has memorized.

ROTE MEMORY LIST
*Taken from Language Tool Kit by Paul D. Rome and Jean S. Osman


the *
one *
only
once
of *
off
to *
too *
two *
four
do
does
done
don't
goes
gone
was *
were
what *
where
there
they
their
are *
says
said *
you *
your *
want
have *
give
live
who
whom
whose
whole
been
both
always
could
would
should
any
many
sure
very
owe
own
some
come
such
much
rich
which
father
aunt
woman
women
buy
build
busy
half
pint
ninth
triple
among
false
move
prove
again
against
often
listen
put
push
pull
bull
bush
door
floor
friend
people *
pupil
enough
pretty
laugh
Wednesday
February
minute
hour
though
through
thorough
cloth
clothes
sew
iron
study
city
copy
busy
odd
egg
yolk
folk
bye
eye *
heart
stomach
toward
answer
soft
wind
beauty
great
steak
break
straight
touch
Arctic
ocean
island
view
lose
bear
pear
tear
wear
shoe
sugar
wore
worn
swore
honest
honor
usual
company
blood
floor
truth
doubt
debt
guess
guest
guy
guide
guard
calf
wolf
rough
tough
cough
height
journey
route
machine
sign
foreign