TOEFL Top 1000 Words

The following vocabulary list covers the most commonly used that students will encounter when taking a standardized English test such as the TOEFL iBT or IELTS. The words are ranked based on the frequency they appear in a standard text.

You can download the resource files and print this list off for your students. It works well to have students complete 25 words per week as a homework activity looking up translations and practicing using the words in context to create simple sentences. The resources starts with a fully illustrated page of examples and slowly removes scaffolded support as students advance their way though the learning resource.

The design of this learning activity addresses the short coming of many rote learning study approaches that many students attempt when using things like a standard dictionary or dedicated TOEFL dictionary. This activity aims at getting students to learn words that will help them do well on their exams while avoiding the students trying to memorize word lists without understanding how to use the word properly in context. Secondly, as the words are order based on frequency and not alphabetically, students can learn words in groups starting with common words first and working their way up to more obscure words as they master the basics.

If your students are more advanced you may want to look at our High Proficiency Words List which has 500 high proficiency words that if used properly will help students score top marks on their exams.


Rank Word IPA中文Definition or Sample Usage
1the /ðiː/指已提及或已知的人或事物。
2of /ɒv/…的The crew of the aircraft have left.
3to /tʊ/To travel from place to place.
4and /ænd/Ham and eggs
5/ə/指某人或某事,第一次使用时。
6in /ɪn/在…里I live in a city inChina.
7is /ɪz/[表明属性] He isnice.
8it /ɪt/What is it?
9you /jʊ/How are you?
10that /ðæt/那(个)Not that one!
11he /hiː/He is handsome.
12was /wɒz/[表明状态] She wasa nice girl.
13for /fə/给/为 /供These flowers are for you.
14on /ɒn/在…上It’s on page 5.
15are /ə/[表明属性] They arevery nice.
16with /wɪð/和…一起I’ll be with you in a soon.
17as /æz/She got a job as a manager.
18/aɪ/I am studying.
19his /hɪz/他的 That is his book.
20they /ðeɪ/他们They won’t be there.
21be /biː/[表明属性] He’ll be a big boy by now.
22at /æt/They are at school.
23one /wʌn/Can I have one?
24have /hæv/Do you have a pen?
25this /ðɪs/这(个)I want this dress.
26from /frɒm/
27or /ɔː/
28had /hæd/
29by /baɪ/
30hot /hɒt/
31word /wɜːd/
32but /bʌt/
33what /wɒt/
34some /sʌm/
35we /wiː/
36can /kæn/
37out /aʊt/
38other /ˈʌðə/
39were /wɜː/
40all /ɔːl/
41there /ðeə/
42when /wen/
43up /ʌp/
44use /juːs/
45your /jə/
46how /haʊ/
47said /sed/
48an /ən/
49each /iːtʃ/
50she /ʃiː/
51which /wɪtʃ/
52do /duː/
53their /ðeə/
54time /taɪm/
55if /ɪf/
56will /wɪl/
57way /weɪ/
58about /əˈbaʊt/
59many /ˈmenɪ/
60then /ðen/
61them /ðəm/
62write /raɪt/
63would /wʊd/
64like /laɪk/
65so /səʊ/
66these /ðiːz/
67her /hɜː/
68long /lɒŋ/
69make /meɪk/
70thing /θɪŋ/
71see /siː/
72him /hɪm/
73two /tuː/
74has /hæz/
75look /lʊk/
76more /mɔː/
77day /deɪ/
78could /kʊd/
79go /ɡəʊ/
80come /kʌm/
81did /dɪd/
82number /ˈnʌmbə/
83sound /saʊnd/
84no /nəʊ/
85most /məʊst/
86people /ˈpiːpl/
87my /maɪ/
88over /ˈəʊvə/
89know /nəʊ/
90water /ˈwɔːtə/
91than /ðæn/
92call /kɔːl/
93first /fɜːst/
94who /huː/
95may /meɪ/
96down /daʊn/
97side /saɪd/
98been /biːn/
99now /naʊ/
100find /faɪnd/
101any /ˈenɪ/
102new /njuː/
103work /wɜːk/
104part /pɑːt/
105take /teɪk/
106get /ɡet/
107place /pleɪs/
108made /meɪd/
109live /lɪv/
110where /weə/
111after /ˈɑːftə/
112back /bæk/
113little /ˈlɪtl/
114only /ˈəʊnlɪ/
115round /raʊnd/
116man /mæn/
117year /jɪə/
118came /keɪm/
119show /ʃəʊ/
120every /ˈevrɪ/
121good /ɡʊd/
122me /miː/
123give /ɡɪv/
124our /ˈaʊə/
125under /ˈʌndə/
126name /neɪm/
127very /ˈverɪ/
128through /θruː/
129just /dʒʌst/
130form /fɔːm/
131sentence /ˈsentəns/
132great /ɡreɪt/
133think /θɪŋk/
134say /seɪ/
135help /help/
136low /ləʊ/
137line /laɪn/
138differ /ˈdɪfə/
139turn /tɜːn/
140cause /kɔːz/
141much /mʌtʃ/
142mean /miːn/
143before /bɪˈfɔː/
144move /muːv/
145right /raɪt/
146boy /bɔɪ/
147old /əʊld/
148too /tuː/
149same /seɪm/
150tell /tel/
151does /dʌz/
152set /set/
153three /θriː/
154want /wɒnt/
155air /eə/
156well /wel/
157also /ˈɔːlsəʊ/
158play /pleɪ/
159small /smɔːl/
160end /end/
161put /pʊt/
162home /həʊm/
163read /riːd/
164hand /hænd/
165port /pɔːt/
166large /lɑːdʒ/
167spell /spel/
168add /æd/
169even /ˈiːvən/
170land /lænd/
171here /hɪə/
172must /mʌst/
173big /bɪɡ/
174high /haɪ/
175such /sʌtʃ/
176follow /ˈfɒləʊ/
177act /ækt/
178why /waɪ/
179ask /ɑːsk/
180men /men/
181change /tʃeɪndʒ/
182went /went/
183light /laɪt/
184kind /kaɪnd/
185off /ɒf/
186need /niːd/
187house /haʊs/
188picture /ˈpɪktʃə/
189try /traɪ/
190us /ʌs/
191again /əˈɡen/
192animal /ˈænɪməl/
193point /pɔɪnt/
194mother /ˈmʌðə/
195world /wɜːld/
196near /nɪə/
197build /bɪld/
198self /self/
199earth /ɜːθ/
200father /ˈfɑːðə/
201head /hed/
202stand /stænd/
203own /əʊn/
204page /peɪdʒ/
205should /ʃʊd/
206country /ˈkʌntrɪ/
207found /faʊnd/
208answer /ˈɑːnsə/
209school /skuːl/
210grow /ɡrəʊ/
211study /ˈstʌdɪ/
212still /stɪl/
213learn /lɜːn/
214plant /plɑːnt/
215cover /ˈkʌvə/
216food /fuːd/
217sun /sʌn/
218four /fɔː/
219between /bɪˈtwiːn/
220state /steɪt/
221keep /kiːp/
222eye /aɪ/
223never /ˈnevə/
224last /lɑːst/
225let /let/
226thought /θɔːt/
227city /ˈsɪtɪ/
228tree /triː/
229cross /krɒs/
230farm /fɑːm/
231hard /hɑːd/
232start /stɑːt/
233might /maɪt/
234story /ˈstɔːrɪ/
235saw /sɔː/
236far /fɑː/
237sea /siː/
238draw /drɔː/
239left /left/
240late /leɪt/
241run /rʌn/
242don’t /dəʊnt/
243while /waɪl/
244press /pres/
245close /kləʊs/
246night /naɪt/
247real /rɪəl/
248life /laɪf/
249few /fjuː/
250north /nɔːθ/
251open 
252seem 
253together 
254next 
255white 
256children 
257begin 
258got 
259walk 
260example 
261ease 
262paper 
263group 
264always 
265music 
266those 
267both 
268mark 
269often 
270letter 
271until 
272mile 
273river 
274car 
275feet 
276care 
277second 
278book 
279carry 
280took 
281science 
282eat 
283room 
284friend 
285began 
286idea 
287fish 
288mountain 
289stop 
290once 
291base 
292hear 
293horse 
294cut 
295sure 
296watch
297color 
298face 
299wood 
300main 
301enough 
302plain 
303girl 
304usual 
305young 
306ready 
307above 
308ever 
309red 
310list 
311though 
312feel 
313talk 
314bird 
315soon 
316body 
317dog 
318family 
319direct 
320pose 
321leave 
322song 
323measure 
324door 
325product 
326black 
327short 
328numeral 
329class 
330wind 
331question 
332happen 
333complete 
334ship 
335area 
336half 
337rock 
338order 
339fire 
340south 
341problem 
342piece
343told 
344knew 
345pass 
346since 
347top 
348whole 
349king 
350space 
351heard 
352best 
353hour 
354better 
355true . 
356during 
357hundred 
358five 
359remember 
360step 
361early 
362hold 
363west 
364ground 
365interest 
366reach 
367fast 
368verb 
369sing 
370listen 
371six 
372table 
373travel 
374less 
375morning 
376ten 
377simple 
378several 
379vowel 
380toward 
381war 
382lay 
383against 
384pattern 
385slow 
386center 
387love 
388person
389money
390serve
391appear
392road
393map
394rain
395rule
396govern
397pull
398cold
399notice
400voice
401unit
402power
403town
404fine
405certain
406fly
407fall
408lead
409cry
410dark
411machine
412note
413wait
414plan
415figure
416star
417box
418noun
419field
420rest
421correct
422able
423proud
424done
425beauty
426drive
427stood
428contain
429front
430teach
431week
432final
433gave
434green
435oh
436quick
437develop
438ocean
439warm
440free
441minute
442strong
443special
444mind
445behind
446clear
447tail
448produce
449fact
450street
451inch
452multiply
453nothing
454course
455stay
456wheel
457full
458force
459blue
460object
461decide
462surface
463deep
464moon
465island
466foot
467system
468busy
469test
470record
471boat
472common
473gold
474possible
475plane
476stead
477dry
478wonder
479laugh
480thousand
481ago
482ran
483check
484game
485shape
486equate
487hot
488miss
489brought
490heat
491snow
492tire
493bring
494yes
495distant
496fill
497east
498paint
499language
500among
501grand 
502ball 
503yet 
504wave 
505drop 
506heart 
507am 
508present 
509heavy 
510dance 
511engine 
512position 
513arm 
514wide 
515sail 
516material 
517size 
518vary 
519settle 
520speak 
521weight 
522general 
523ice 
524matter 
525circle 
526pair 
527include 
528divide 
529syllable 
530felt 
531perhaps 
532pick 
533sudden 
534count 
535square 
536reason 
537length 
538represent 
539art 
540subject 
541region 
542energy 
543hunt 
544probable 
545bed 
546brother
547egg 
548ride 
549cell 
550believe 
551fraction 
552forest 
553sit 
554race 
555window 
556store 
557summer 
558train 
559sleep 
560prove 
561lone 
562leg 
563exercise 
564wall 
565catch 
566mount 
567wish 
568sky 
569board 
570joy 
571winter 
572sat 
573written 
574wild 
575together
576kept 
577glass 
578grass 
579cow 
580job 
581edge 
582sign 
583visit 
584past 
585soft 
586fun 
587bright 
588gas 
589weather 
590month 
591million 
592bear 
593finish 
594happy 
595hope 
596flower 
597clothe 
598strange 
599gone 
600jump 
601baby 
602eight 
603village 
604meet 
605root 
606buy 
607raise 
608solve 
609metal 
610whether 
611push 
612seven 
613paragraph
614third 
615shall 
616held 
617hair 
618describe 
619cook 
620floor 
621either 
622result 
623burn 
624hill 
625safe 
626cat 
627century 
628consider 
629type 
630law 
631bit 
632coast 
633copy 
634phrase 
635silent 
636tall 
637sand
638soil
639roll
640temperature
641finger
642industry
643value
644fight
645lie
646beat
647excite
648natural
649view
650sense
651ear
652else
653quite
654broke
655case
656middle
657kill
658son
659lake
660moment
661scale
662loud
663spring
664observe
665child
666straight
667consonant
668nation
669dictionary
670milk
671speed
672method
673organ
674pay
675age
676Section
677dress
678coud
679surprise
680quiet
681stone
682tiny
683climb
684cool
685design
686poor
687lot
688tip
689bottom
690key
691iron
692single
693stick
694flat
695twenty
696skin
697smile
698crease
699hole
700trade
701melody
702trip
703office
704receive
705row
706mouth
707exact
708symbol
709die
710least
711trouble
712shout
713except
714wrote
715seed
716tone
717join
718suggest
719clean
720break
721lady
722yard
723rise
724bad
725blow
726oil
727blood
728touch
729grew
730cent
731mix
732team
733wire
734cost
735lost
736brown
737wear
738garden
739equal
740sent
741choose
742fell
743fit
744flow
745fair
746bank
747collet
748save
749control
750decimal
751gentle 
752woman 
753captain 
754practice 
755separate 
756difficult 
757doctor 
758please 
759protect 
760noon 
761whose 
762locate 
763ring 
764character 
765insect 
766caught 
767period 
768indicate 
769radio 
770spoke 
771atom 
772human 
773history 
774effect 
775electric 
776expect 
777crop 
778modern 
779element 
780hit 
781student 
782corner 
783party 
784supply 
785bone 
786rail 
787imagine 
788provide 
789agree 
790thus 
791capital 
792won’t 
793chair 
794danger 
795fruit 
796rich
797thick 
798soldier 
799process 
800operate 
801guess 
802necessary 
803sharp 
804wing 
805create 
806neighbour 
807wash 
808bat 
809rather 
810crowd 
811corn 
812compare 
813poem 
814string 
815bell 
816depend 
817meat 
818rub 
819tube 
820famous 
921dollar 
822stream 
823fear 
284sight 
825thin 
826triangle 
827planet 
828hurry 
829chief 
930colony 
831clock 
832mine 
833tie 
834enter 
835major 
836fresh 
837search 
838send 
839yellow 
840gun 
841allow 
842print 
843dead 
844spot 
845desert 
846suit 
847current 
848lift 
840rose 
850continue 
851block 
852chart 
853hat 
854sell 
855success 
856company 
857subtract 
858event 
859particular 
860deal 
961swim 
862term 
863opposite 
864wife 
865shoe 
866shoulder 
867spread 
868arrange 
869camp 
870invent 
871cotton 
872born 
873determine 
874quart 
875nine 
876truck 
877noise 
878level 
879chance 
880gather 
881shop 
882stretch 
883throw 
884shine 
885property 
886column 
887molecule
888select
889wrong
890gray
891repeat
892require
893board
894prepare
895salt
896nose
897plural
898anger
899claim
900continent
951master
952track
953parent
954shore
955division
956sheet
957sad
958favor
959connect
960post
961spend
962chord
963fat
964glad
965original
966share
967station
968dad
969bread
970charge
971proper
972bar
973offer
974segment
975slave
976duck
977instant
978market
979degree
980populate
981chick
982dear
983enemy
984reply
985drink
986occur
987support
988speech
989nature
990range
991steam
992motion
993path
994liquid
995log
996meant
997quotient
998teeth
999shell
1000neck