100 Basic English Key Words for ESL Students

This list provides a starting point for a basic understanding and fluency in the English language. The list of 850 words that was developed by Charles K. Ogden, and released in 1930 with the book: Basic English: A General Introduction with Rules and Grammar. For more information about this list, you can visit Odgens Basic English page. This list is an excellent starting point for building up a vocabulary which allows you to converse fluently in English. While this list is helpful for a strong beginning, more advanced vocabulary building will help you quickly improve your English. ​These vocabulary books will further help you build your vocabulary, especially at advanced levels. Teachers can use this list as a starting point for developing an essential vocabulary to their lessons. Teachers can also use this list along with other ideas on how to teach vocabulary on this site. Basic Verbs, Prepositions, Articles, Pronouns, etc. 1. come2. get3. give4. go5. keep6. let7. make8. put9. seem10. take 11. be12. do13. have14. say15. see16. send17. may18. will19. about20. across 21. after22. against23. among24. at25. before26. between27. by28. down29. from30. in 31. off32. on33. over34. through35. to36. under37. up38. with39. as40. for 41. of42. till43. than44. a45. the46. all47. any48. every49. no50. other 51. some52. such53. that54. this55. i56. he57. you58. who59. and60. because 61. but62. or63. if64. though65. while66. how67. when68. where69. why70. again 71. ever72. far73. forward74. here75. near76. now77. out78. still79. then80. there 81. together82. well83. almost84. enough85. even86. little87. much88. not89. only90. quite 91. so92. very93. tomorrow94. yesterday95. north96. south97. east98. west99. please100. yes