100 High Frequency Words for Grade 2: A Teacher’s Guide
As educators, we know that building a strong foundation in reading is one of our most important responsibilities. High frequency words play a crucial role in this foundation, particularly for our second-grade students who are transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn.
What Are High Frequency Words?
High-frequency words (HFWs) are the most commonly used words in English texts. These words appear so frequently that they account for:
- 50% of all words in children’s books
- 65% of all written material (when including the top 300 HFWs)
HFWs can be categorized into two main types:
- Decodable words: Words that follow regular phonetic patterns (like “can,” “get,” and “will”)
- Irregular words: Words that don’t follow common phonetic patterns and must be memorized (like “the,” “was,” and “of”)
For second graders, instantly recognizing these words is critical for reading fluency and comprehension.
Are Sight Words and High Frequency Words same?
This is a common question among educators, and the answer is: not exactly, but they overlap significantly.
- Sight words are words that readers recognize instantly without needing to sound them out. They are “read on sight.”
- High frequency words are words that appear most often in written text.
Many HFWs become sight words through practice, especially those irregular words that don’t follow standard phonetic patterns. Essentially, all HFWs should eventually become sight words for fluent readers, but not all sight words are necessarily high frequency words.
The distinction is important for instructional purposes, as it helps us understand whether we’re focusing on frequency (words students need to know because they’ll see them often) or recognition method (words students need to recognize instantly).
100 High Frequency Words for Grade 2
By second grade, students should be familiar with many of the most common HFWs from kindergarten and first grade, and be ready to add more complex words to their repertoire. Here’s a comprehensive list of 100 high frequency words appropriate for second grade:
| People and Pronouns | Actions and Descriptions | More Complex Words | Advanced Second Grade Words |
| 1. about | 26. how | 51. other | 76. up |
| 2. after | 27. if | 52. our | 77. us |
| 3. again | 28. into | 53. out | 78. very |
| 4. all | 29. just | 54. over | 79. was |
| 5. an | 30. know | 55. said | 80. water |
| 6. any | 31. like | 56. saw | 81. way |
| 7. around | 32. little | 57. she | 82. we |
| 8. as | 33. long | 58. so | 83. well |
| 9. because | 34. made | 59. some | 84. were |
| 10. before | 35. many | 60. than | 85. what |
| 11. between | 36. more | 61. that | 86. when |
| 12. both | 37. much | 62. the | 87. where |
| 13. but | 38. must | 63. their | 88. which |
| 14. by | 39. new | 64. them | 89. who |
| 15. could | 40. no | 65. then | 90. will |
| 16. each | 41. not | 66. there | 91. with |
| 17. every | 42. now | 67. these | 92. would |
| 18. from | 43. of | 68. they | 93. your |
| 19. had | 44. off | 69. this | 94. been |
| 20. has | 45. old | 70. those | 95. called |
| 21. have | 46. on | 71. through | 96. find |
| 22. he | 47. once | 72. time | 97. first |
| 23. her | 48. one | 73. to | 98. give |
| 24. him | 49. only | 74. two | 99. work |
| 25. his | 50. or | 75. under | 100. write |
Download Full 100 High-Frequency Words List as PDF
FAQs About High-Frequency Words in Grade 2
What percent of words are high-frequency words?
Research suggests that just 100 high frequency words make up approximately 50% of the words in most English texts. The most common 300 words comprise about 65% of written material, while the top 1,000 words account for roughly 90% of words in most texts. This demonstrates why focusing on these words is so important for reading development.
How many HFWs should second graders know?
By the end of second grade, students should recognize 200-300 high frequency words automatically. This typically includes all words from the Dolch pre-primer through second-grade lists and the first 200-300 words from the Fry Instant Word List.
Should I teach HFWs in isolation or in context?
Both approaches have value. Initially introducing words in isolation helps students focus on the word’s features, while practicing words in context helps students understand how the words function in actual reading and writing
What’s the fastest way to teach HFWs?
- Group by similarity: Teach “there,” “where,” “here” together
- Word walls: Display 5 weekly words prominently
- Games: Try “HFW hopscotch” or “Word Detective” from Workybooks!
4. How often should we review?
- New words: Introduce 5-7 weekly
- Old words: Revisit monthly with quick quizzes
Check out Workybooks curriculum resources for Grade 2! Our comprehensive materials include interactive worksheets, games, and activities specifically designed to help your students master high frequency words while keeping them engaged and motivated.