300 Dolch Sight Words (Examples & Exercises)

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Sight words: those essential building blocks that make up the foundation of early reading skills.

Dolch sight words, developed by educator Edward William Dolch, are some of the most commonly used words in children’s books and daily reading. These words often can’t be “sounded out” easily, making them crucial for young learners to memorize.

In this post, we’ll cover 300 Dolch sight words, complete with examples and exercises.

Pre-Kindergarten Sight Words

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A fox in a tree holding a scroll that says Dolch Sight Words
I made this image with AI — Dolch Sight Words

Let’s start with the basics for our youngest learners. These words are foundational for kids just beginning to read, helping them understand simple instructions and basic sentences.

Here are essential Dolch sight words for Pre-K:

  1. a
  2. and
  3. away
  4. big
  5. blue
  6. can
  7. come
  8. down
  9. find
  10. for
  11. funny
  12. go
  13. help
  14. here
  15. I
  16. in
  17. is
  18. it
  19. jump
  20. little
  21. look
  22. make
  23. me
  24. my
  25. not
  26. one
  27. play
  28. red
  29. run
  30. said
  31. see
  32. the
  33. three
  34. to
  35. two
  36. up
  37. we
  38. where
  39. yellow
  40. you

Example Exercise

Match the Word: Show students a picture or flashcard and ask them to pick the matching word from the list above.

Kindergarten Sight Words

Moving up a level, these words are suitable for kindergarteners who are building their vocabulary.

These sight words allow young readers to start forming simple sentences.

  1. all
  2. am
  3. are
  4. at
  5. ate
  6. be
  7. black
  8. brown
  9. but
  10. came
  11. did
  12. do
  13. eat
  14. four
  15. get
  16. good
  17. have
  18. he
  19. into
  20. like
  21. must
  22. new
  23. no
  24. now
  25. on
  26. our
  27. out
  28. please
  29. pretty
  30. ran
  31. ride
  32. saw
  33. say
  34. she
  35. so
  36. soon
  37. that
  38. there
  39. they
  40. this
  41. too
  42. under
  43. want
  44. was
  45. well
  46. went
  47. what
  48. white
  49. who
  50. will
  51. with
  52. yes

Example Exercise

Fill-in-the-Blank: Present simple sentences with missing words, and have students fill in the blanks using words from the list.

First Grade Sight Words

Now we’re getting into slightly more complex vocabulary for first graders. These Dolch words are essential for forming longer sentences and recognizing more advanced ideas.

  1. after
  2. again
  3. an
  4. any
  5. as
  6. ask
  7. by
  8. could
  9. every
  10. fly
  11. from
  12. give
  13. going
  14. had
  15. has
  16. her
  17. him
  18. his
  19. how
  20. just
  21. know
  22. let
  23. live
  24. may
  25. of
  26. old
  27. once
  28. open
  29. over
  30. put
  31. round
  32. some
  33. stop
  34. take
  35. thank
  36. them
  37. then
  38. think
  39. walk
  40. were
  41. when

Example Exercise

Word Hunt: Create a word search puzzle including these sight words. Encourage students to circle the words they find.

Second Grade Sight Words

For second graders, sight words help develop reading fluency and comprehension skills.

These words will challenge students while expanding their reading confidence.

  1. always
  2. around
  3. because
  4. been
  5. before
  6. best
  7. both
  8. buy
  9. call
  10. cold
  11. does
  12. don’t
  13. fast
  14. first
  15. five
  16. found
  17. gave
  18. goes
  19. green
  20. its
  21. made
  22. many
  23. off
  24. or
  25. pull
  26. read
  27. right
  28. sing
  29. sit
  30. sleep
  31. tell
  32. their
  33. these
  34. those
  35. upon
  36. us
  37. use
  38. very
  39. wash
  40. which
  41. why
  42. wish
  43. work
  44. would
  45. write
  46. your

Example Exercise

Flashcard Drill: Show a flashcard of each word and have students say the word aloud. This reinforces recognition and pronunciation.

Third Grade Sight Words

The third-grade sight word list introduces students to more complex and abstract vocabulary.

Mastering these Dolch sight words helps students build skills in comprehension and reading fluency.

  1. about
  2. better
  3. bring
  4. carry
  5. clean
  6. cut
  7. done
  8. draw
  9. drink
  10. eight
  11. fall
  12. far
  13. full
  14. got
  15. grow
  16. hold
  17. hot
  18. hurt
  19. if
  20. keep
  21. kind
  22. laugh
  23. light
  24. long
  25. much
  26. myself
  27. never
  28. nine
  29. only
  30. own
  31. pick
  32. seven
  33. shall
  34. show
  35. six
  36. small
  37. start
  38. ten
  39. today
  40. together
  41. try

Example Exercise

Sentence Challenge: Ask students to create sentences using one or more words from the list. This exercise promotes sentence structure and usage.

Fourth Grade Dolch Words

By fourth grade, students are expected to recognize a wider range of sight words that support more advanced reading and comprehension skills.

These words are crucial as they appear frequently in both educational and recreational reading materials.

  1. able
  2. across
  3. area
  4. become
  5. behind
  6. better
  7. brought
  8. build
  9. certain
  10. change
  11. close
  12. consider
  13. contain
  14. course
  15. develop
  16. different
  17. enough
  18. entire
  19. exactly
  20. explain
  21. follow
  22. form
  23. further
  24. government
  25. happen
  26. heavy
  27. however
  28. include
  29. known
  30. listen
  31. material
  32. measure
  33. middle
  34. natural
  35. necessary
  36. notice
  37. order
  38. passage
  39. prepare
  40. present

These Fourth Grade Dolch Words help learners expand vocabulary beyond basic sight words, enabling them to better understand content across various subjects.

Fifth Grade Dolch Sight Words

In fifth grade, students encounter a more advanced set of sight words that often appear in subject-specific texts and literature.

Mastery of these words enhances comprehension of more sophisticated materials.

  1. according
  2. activity
  3. agree
  4. argument
  5. attempt
  6. beautiful
  7. consider
  8. continue
  9. create
  10. determine
  11. discover
  12. effect
  13. encourage
  14. experience
  15. general
  16. important
  17. interest
  18. knowledge
  19. language
  20. major
  21. material
  22. movement
  23. nation
  24. object
  25. opinion
  26. particular
  27. provide
  28. purpose
  29. recognize
  30. research
  31. result
  32. separate
  33. specific
  34. suggest
  35. symbol
  36. system
  37. technology
  38. therefore
  39. understand
  40. value

Fifth Grade Dolch Words allow students to better interpret informational texts and follow more advanced reading material, solidifying their reading fluency and comprehension.

Advanced Dolch Sight Words

Finally, we come to advanced sight words.

These words are helpful for students who are ready to expand their vocabulary even further. This final list includes dolch words that build reading comprehension and fluency.

  1. across
  2. afraid
  3. agree
  4. along
  5. also
  6. apart
  7. begin
  8. believe
  9. below
  10. between
  11. build
  12. busy
  13. certain
  14. clear
  15. consider
  16. country
  17. decide
  18. different
  19. difficult
  20. direction
  21. during
  22. either
  23. enough
  24. example
  25. explain
  26. famous
  27. favorite
  28. finally
  29. follow
  30. forget
  31. forward
  32. gather
  33. general
  34. happen
  35. important
  36. improve
  37. instead
  38. interesting
  39. introduce
  40. language
  41. less
  42. letter
  43. might
  44. minute
  45. moment
  46. notice
  47. often
  48. once
  49. order
  50. perhaps
  51. phrase
  52. possible
  53. present
  54. problem
  55. question
  56. reach
  57. reason
  58. receive
  59. remember
  60. respect
  61. return
  62. sentence
  63. special
  64. suppose
  65. surface
  66. system
  67. teach
  68. though
  69. through
  70. together
  71. understand
  72. upon
  73. usually
  74. view
  75. voice
  76. visit
  77. weather
  78. whether
  79. whole
  80. wonder

Example Exercise

Story Time: Have students create a short story using at least 10 words from this advanced list. This activity encourages creative writing and deeper understanding.

Watch this Dolch sight word video:

YouTube Video by Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel — Dolch Sight Words

Dolch Word Sentence Examples (Simple, Intermediate, and Advanced)

Here’s a selection of 50 Dolch-word sentences, divided by difficulty level: Simple, Intermediate, and Advanced.

These sentences gradually increase in complexity to support learners at different stages.

Simple Dolch Word Sentences

These sentences are basic and focus on using just one or two Dolch words at a time, perfect for beginners.

  1. I see the cat.
  2. Go to the park.
  3. We like to play.
  4. Look at the sun.
  5. She is my friend.
  6. The dog can run.
  7. Can you jump?
  8. He has a toy.
  9. You are here.
  10. I want a snack.
  11. My dad is big.
  12. We will go.
  13. Come with me.
  14. They like red.
  15. This is fun.
  16. I am up.
  17. We can help.
  18. Run to me.
  19. Look at me.
  20. Find the ball.
  21. The sun is up.
  22. I like to run.
  23. He can read.
  24. Look at the dog.
  25. She is here.
  26. We play outside.
  27. My hat is red.
  28. Go to the door.
  29. I see a car.
  30. Can you help?
  31. He is funny.
  32. Find my book.
  33. Come to play.
  34. This is my pet.
  35. Jump up high!
  36. I like you.
  37. Run and play.
  38. The dog is big.
  39. This is fun.
  40. My friend is nice.

These simple sentences use one or two Dolch words in a clear, basic structure, making it easy for early readers to follow along and practice recognizing words.

Intermediate Dolch Word Sentences

In this category, sentences are slightly more complex and use a mix of Dolch words.

These are great for students ready to tackle short sentences that combine multiple sight words.

  1. She will come to my house.
  2. We go to school each day.
  3. I like to play with my friend.
  4. He wants to look at the book.
  5. They can jump very high.
  6. You are my good friend.
  7. The boy ran up the hill.
  8. I want to see the red car.
  9. My mom and dad love me.
  10. We went to find some toys.
  11. The cat is on the chair.
  12. She can sing a song.
  13. Look, a dog is here with us!
  14. I need to go home now.
  15. They will come with us.
  16. Can you make a cake?
  17. We have three books.
  18. He went out to play.
  19. The little bird is blue.
  20. She is funny and kind.
  21. My mom and dad like to sing.
  22. She has a red ball for us to play with.
  23. We look at the stars at night.
  24. He likes to read funny books.
  25. They go to the park each day.
  26. Can you make a cake for me?
  27. She said we will go home now.
  28. I need to find my blue toy.
  29. He will come to play with us today.
  30. I want to help my friend with her work.
  31. We went to see a big tree.
  32. Look at the bird in the sky.
  33. I will come with you to the store.
  34. They have a new toy to show us.
  35. My cat likes to sleep a lot.
  36. We play and sing every day.
  37. The boy is jumping very high.
  38. She saw a little dog in the yard.
  39. I like to go to the park with my friends.
  40. The girl has a red dress and blue shoes.

These intermediate sentences add more Dolch words to the mix, helping students build their vocabulary and confidence with slightly longer phrases.

Advanced Dolch Word Sentences

Advanced sentences use multiple Dolch words and introduce a bit more complexity.

These sentences challenge students to read, comprehend, and recognize several sight words in a single sentence.

  1. I always go out to play after school.
  2. My friend will come with me to the park.
  3. She is going to make a big red cake.
  4. We saw the little blue bird fly away.
  5. I found a pretty flower in the yard.
  6. Can you help me read this funny book?
  7. He will play with us after he eats lunch.
  8. The boy will jump up and down to play.
  9. My friend and I like to sing songs together.
  10. They went to find some toys for us to play.
  11. My friend and I went to the big park where we saw a funny dog.
  12. She always likes to bring her little red toy when we play outside.
  13. They went to the new store to find something special for their mom.
  14. He wanted to read a big book about animals that live in the sea.
  15. We have three dogs, and they like to jump and run around together.
  16. My dad will help us make a cake for our mom’s birthday tomorrow.
  17. She asked if I would come over to play with her and her brother.
  18. The boy saw a bird fly away, and he wanted to follow it.
  19. They always come to our house on weekends to play games with us.
  20. We need to go home soon because it is almost time for dinner.

These sentences help reinforce Dolch words in sentences that mimic real-life usage, promoting better reading comprehension and fluency.

Final Thoughts: Dolch Sight Words

Mastering Dolch sight words equips young readers with the tools they need for reading comprehension and fluency.

By breaking down these words into grade levels, we help learners take manageable steps toward recognizing and using each word with confidence. With practice, exercises, and some repetition, these sight words will become second nature.

Read This Next

Sources

Edward Dolch — The originator of sight words and many of the words in these lists.