Vocabulary
Vocabulary by Grade
A hundred words a grade, kindergarten to twelfth, and a story a grade to find them in.
- Mastered by
- Children learn about 3,000 words a year through school, most of them from reading and being read to
- Practice items
- 1474
- Sections
- 26
What this skill is
Vocabulary is the best single predictor of reading comprehension, and the gap between children opens early and widens. Tier two words are the useful middle: not everyday words a child already has ("dog", "run"), and not subject words a textbook will define ("photosynthesis"), but the words that carry meaning across subjects - "observe", "gradual", "reluctant". A child can show they own a word three ways: define it, explain it in their own words, or use it in a sentence that only makes sense if they know it. Any of the three counts.
What to expect
A child usually recognises a word long before they can define it, and can use it in a sentence before they can explain it. "Reluctant means... like when you do not want to" is a fair answer at first. Watch for a child who gives the definition of a word that sounds similar, or who can only give one narrow use - both mean the word is half-learned and needs more contexts.
Try this at home
When to refer
Put it into practice
Tap any item below to open it full screen, one at a time, so a child can answer without reading the answer first.
These activities are a starting point, not the practice itself. A structured task is a good way to introduce a form and to find out whether a child has it yet. What actually moves it into everyday speech is using it in the real world and in ordinary play — which means the four things below matter more than finishing the list.
Recast
Say their sentence back correctly, without asking them to repeat it. Child: “he goed.” You: “he went! Where did he go?”
Expand
Add one or two words to what they said and hand it back. Child: “big truck.” You: “a big red truck!”
Simplify what you ask
Cut a long instruction into single steps and say them in the order they happen, rather than repeating the long one louder.
Follow their lead
Use whatever they are already playing with. A form practised on something they chose is the one that shows up again tomorrow.
Kindergarten: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
First grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Second grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Third grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Fourth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Fifth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Sixth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Seventh grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Eighth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Ninth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Tenth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Eleventh grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Twelfth grade: Word List100 wordsOpen ↓Close ↑
Say the word. The child defines it, explains it, or uses it in a sentence - any one of the three. The answer is a definition to compare against, and the choices are for a child who reads. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Kindergarten story: The Muddy Pond
14 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
On a chilly autumn morning, Mia and her dog went down to the pond. Dew sparkled on the grass. A herd of ducks paddled along the shore. Mia made a decision: she would be patient and quiet, so the ducks would not disappear. But her dog was not patient. He galloped straight into the muddy water! The ducks burst up into the air. Mia was proud of her dog for swimming, but he was a mess. At home, Dad had to scrub him in the tub with soapy water.
First grade story: The Lost Kitten
12 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Ben was drowsy on the couch when he heard a whimper outside. He went to investigate. Under the porch was a timid kitten, drenched from the rain and shaking. Ben was nervous, but he spoke softly so he would not startle it. He brought a bundle of towels and a dish of milk. The kitten nibbled a little, then crept out. Ben was delighted. Mom said they could keep it if nobody claimed it, and Ben promised to feed it daily.
Second grade story: The Telescope
14 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Leo was curious about the stars, so Grandpa set up his old telescope in the evening, when the sky went dark. "Let us observe Jupiter," Grandpa said. Leo gazed through it and gasped. He could see tiny moons! Grandpa explained that gravity keeps the moons going round and round in a cycle. Leo made a prediction: the moons would be in a different place tomorrow. He was right. He wrote it all down in his data notebook, and his teacher put it on the classroom banner with the label "Our Scholar."
Third grade story: The Turtle Crossing
12 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Every spring the turtles in our town make a slow journey from the pond to the sandy field to lay eggs. The road is in the way, and cars are a predator they cannot outrun. Our class did a survey and found that most residents did not know. So we made signs with a turtle symbol and persuaded the mayor to put up a signal light. Some people said it was ridiculous. But the outcome was a triumph: this year, not one turtle was hurt. Ms. Ruiz said we had used a good method: find the problem, then find a solution.
Fourth grade story: The Frozen Orchard
13 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
A severe frost was coming, and Grandma's orchard was full of fragile blossoms. "If they freeze, there will be no apples this year," she said. We were frantic. Then Dad had an idea. He said heat rises, so if we lit small fires between the rows, the warm air would ascend and protect the blossoms. We worked until dusk, and then all night, weary but eager. At dawn the evidence was obvious: the blossoms were fine. Grandma said it was an extraordinary thing to accomplish, and that fall the harvest was plentiful.
Fifth grade story: The Summit
13 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Maya's class had trained for a decade, it felt like, but it was really only two months. Now they stood at the base of the mountain in the frigid dawn. "The altitude will make you tired," Ms. Okafor said. "Go cautiously." Halfway up, Jonah wanted to cease and go back. Maya was his companion and would not leave him. "You are more reliable than you think," she told him. Their strategy was simple: ten steps, then rest. When they reached the summit, the view was immense and the jubilation was loud enough to start an avalanche, Jonah joked. It was a significant day.
Sixth grade story: The Sanctuary
12 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
The wetland behind the school was going to be paved into a parking lot. Our class was reluctant to let that happen. We found out it was a habitat for a heron that is nearly extinct in our state. We collaborated on a report: the diversity of species, the chronological record of floods the marsh had soaked up, the hazardous runoff it filtered. At the meeting, Priya was concise and resolute. The vote to make it a sanctuary was unanimous. It was, Ms. Lee said, an ingenious piece of work.
Seventh grade story: The Debut
14 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Sam's band had its debut at the spring fair, and he was distraught about it for a week. The drummer was capricious, the singer was never punctual, and the equipment was rudimentary. "You can compromise, or you can dawdle and miss it," his sister said. So Sam took the initiative: he allocated one job to each person and emphasized the two songs they could play well. The crowd was exuberant. Nobody perceived the flaw in the second chorus. Afterwards a teacher said the band was formidable, which Sam pondered all the way home.
Eighth grade story: The Novice
14 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Amara was a novice at chess, and her first tournament was imminent. Her coach was meticulous: every evening they replayed games until the openings were no longer an enigma. "It is feasible to win," he said, "if you stay serene." Her first opponent was an avid player with an intricate, audacious style. Amara found it tedious to defend for an hour, but she was resilient. When his go after went awry, she discerned the opening and won. The result validated every long evening.
Ninth grade story: The Debate
14 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
Nadia had been ambivalent about joining the debate team, but a dearth of members made her mandatory. Her first motion was hypothetical - a city with no cars - and her opponent was a cynic with a cursory grasp of the facts. Nadia stayed impartial in tone and let the evidence do the work. When he tried to distort her point, she asked him to verify it. He faltered. The judges called her rationale credible and her closing pertinent. Her elation on the bus home was, she admitted, not impartial at all.
Tenth grade story: The Coalition
14 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
The plan to close the neighborhood library seemed imminent, and the response was tumult. A coalition formed: retirees, parents, a few recalcitrant teenagers who never admitted they used it. The board's reasoning was tenuous and its numbers, on inspection, quantitative fiction. Marcus was assiduous with the records and found the disparity between the stated cost and the real one. The board tried to expedite the vote; the coalition circumvented that with a petition. In retrospect, the fortuitous part was a lax clerk who forgot to file the closure notice, which precluded it entirely.
Eleventh grade story: The Editor
12 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
The school paper's new adviser was didactic and the old staff were incorrigible, so the first meeting was an altercation. Lena, the editor, kept her composure. She surmised that both sides wanted the same thing and proposed a conciliatory rule: every claim gets substantiated before print. The adviser called it exemplary; the staff called it grueling. By spring the paper had won an accolade, and the adviser, cognizant of who had done the work, made an unobtrusive exit from the front page.
Twelfth grade story: The Commencement
16 itemsRead the story once. Then tap each word and have the child say what it means - the choices are there for a child who reads, and the story stays on screen. Tap any item to open it full screen.
The commencement speaker was a venerable judge whose camaraderie with the graduates was, at first, surreptitious: she had sat in the back of their debate finals for four years. Her speech avoided hackneyed advice. She told an anecdote about her own precocious, impetuous first year and the extenuating circumstances that vindicated her later. "Prosperity is transient," she said. "Integrity is not." It was restrained, prudent and, the students agreed with some jubilation, not superfluous.