Dolch Sight Words List
All 315 Dolch sight words by level, from pre-primer to third grade plus nouns. Print a list, a reading checklist, or word cards, or download a free PDF.
The Dolch sight words are 220 “service words” plus a separate list of 95 nouns, compiled by Edward William Dolch and first published in 1936. The service words come in five levels: pre-primer (40), primer (52), first grade (41), second grade (46), and third grade (41). This page has every word, level by level, ready to print as a list, a reading checklist, or word cards.
Want trace-and-write practice? Copy the words, open the Sight Words Worksheet Generator, pick your own list, and paste. A sheet uses up to 15 words, so copy a short list or pick the words you need.
Open the generatorDolch Sight Words: All Lists
315 words
Word list: Edward W. Dolch (1936; Problems in Reading, 1948).
Pre-primer (40 words)
- 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)
- 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)
- after
- again
- an
- any
- as
- ask
- by
- could
- every
- fly
- from
- give
- going
- 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)
- 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)
- 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
Nouns (95 words)
- apple
- baby
- back
- ball
- bear
- bed
- bell
- bird
- birthday
- boat
- box
- boy
- bread
- brother
- cake
- car
- cat
- chair
- chicken
- children
- Christmas
- coat
- corn
- cow
- day
- dog
- doll
- door
- duck
- egg
- eye
- farm
- farmer
- father
- feet
- fire
- fish
- floor
- flower
- game
- garden
- girl
- goodbye
- grass
- ground
- hand
- head
- hill
- home
- horse
- house
- kitty
- leg
- letter
- man
- men
- milk
- money
- morning
- mother
- name
- nest
- night
- paper
- party
- picture
- pig
- rabbit
- rain
- ring
- robin
- Santa Claus
- school
- seed
- sheep
- shoe
- sister
- snow
- song
- squirrel
- stick
- street
- sun
- table
- thing
- time
- top
- toy
- tree
- watch
- water
- way
- wind
- window
- wood
How to use the dolch sight words list
- 1Pick a level (pre-primer, primer, first, second, or third grade, or the nouns), or keep All levels.
- 2Choose what to print: a word list, a reading checklist with three date columns, or cut-apart word cards.
- 3Print the page or download the PDF. For trace-and-write practice, copy the words into the Sight Words Worksheet Generator.
When this is useful
Checking which words a child knows
Print one level as a checklist, ask the child to read each word, and mark the ones read without sounding out.
Flash card practice
Print a level as word cards, cut them apart, and practice a few words at a time.
Word walls and reading folders
Print a level as a list for a reading folder, or cards for the word wall.
Planning the next words to teach
Use the checklist results to pick the next handful of words from the same level.
Home practice
Send one level home so families practice the same words as the class.
Examples to try
A pre-primer checklist
All 40 pre-primer words fit on one page as two tables, with three date boxes per word.
First grade word cards
The 41 first-grade words as cut-apart cards, twelve to a page, each labeled with its level.
All 220 service words, A–Z
Every service word in one alphabetical list, for a quick look-up or a full review.
Tips for better results
Work one level at a time
Dolch's levels go from the shortest, most common words (pre-primer) to longer ones (third grade).
Practice a few words at once
Pull five to ten unknown words from the checklist instead of drilling a whole level.
Read the words in sentences too
Many Dolch words (the, said, was) can't be pictured, so short phrases help them stick.
Reuse the checklist
Use its three date columns on three different days to see progress on the same words.
How the dolch sight words list works
Edward William Dolch published his list of 220 “service words” in a journal article in 1936, and again in his book Problems in Reading (1948), with a separate list of 95 nouns. The service words are grouped into five levels named pre-primer, primer, first grade, second grade, and third grade. The words here are the standard version that schools reproduce, checked word for word against two published copies, and they are not changed or reordered beyond A–Z within each level.
The grade names are Dolch's. Schools place the levels in different years; a common US placement is pre-primer in pre-K or early kindergarten, primer in kindergarten, then first, second, and third grade in those grades, with the nouns used from kindergarten to second grade. That placement is a convention, not part of Dolch's work.
Choose a level and a print format. The preview shows what prints, and the PDF is built on your device with the same layout: a word list in four columns, a two-table reading checklist, or word cards sized so even long words like together and Christmas fit.
Private by design
- No account and no sign-up. Just open it and start.
- Everything runs on your device, so the level and print settings you choose stays with you.
- Nothing you create is uploaded. No values, names, scores, or generated content are sent to our servers.
- We use Google Analytics only for basic, anonymous pageview counts. It never receives what you enter into the tool.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Dolch sight words?
They're a list of 220 common “service words” (like the, and, said, and because) plus 95 nouns, compiled by Edward William Dolch. The list was first published in 1936 and appeared in his book Problems in Reading in 1948. Teachers use it to practice words children should recognize on sight.
How many Dolch sight words are there?
315 in total: 220 service words in five levels (pre-primer 40, primer 52, first grade 41, second grade 46, third grade 41) and 95 nouns.
Which Dolch list goes with which grade?
The level names are Dolch's own. Schools vary, but a common US placement is pre-primer in pre-K or early kindergarten, primer in kindergarten, and the first, second, and third grade lists in those grades. The nouns are often used from kindergarten to second grade.
How is the Dolch list different from the Fry list?
Fry's Instant Words is a separate, much longer list of 1,000 words ordered by how often they appear in print. Dolch's list is shorter and grouped by level. This page covers Dolch only.
How do I use the reading checklist?
Ask the child to read each word aloud and tick the box when they read it correctly without sounding it out. The three columns let you check the same words on three different dates.
Why are Christmas and Santa Claus on the list?
They're part of Dolch's original 95 nouns, so they're kept to match the published list. Skip any word that doesn't suit your class; the other levels don't depend on it.
Are these the same words as the Sight Words Worksheet Generator's presets?
No. The generator's built-in sets are Classeem's own selections, not Dolch. To practice Dolch words there, copy a level from this page and paste it as your own word list.
Is it free, and is anything uploaded?
It's free with no account. The lists and the PDF are built in your browser, and nothing you choose is sent anywhere.
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