Sight words are words that should be easily recognized by sight because either: 1) they are not decodable, so they must be memorized; or 2) they appear so often in reading that students should not have to stop to decode them.  The latter is of particular importance because If students can easily recognize the most common words in a language, they will have fewer words to decode.  Overall, memorizing sight word vocabulary helps improve fluency. 

There are several different sight word vocabulary lists that could be taught.  The following list* was generated by averaging the frequency of words found on a few different popular high frequency word lists, including Dolch's list, Frye's list, and Paul Nation's list.  Some high frequency words that are decodable were removed. 

List 1
 
the
to
a
and
in
you
that
of
it
not
for
I
is
an
List 2
 
on
with
he
at
are
be
this
but
have
we
as
they
will
her
List 3
 
one
do
was
were
all
am
from
his
my
there
about
out
me
so
List 4
 
would
she
very
your
some
go
when
don’t
said
good
by
look
too
little
List 5
 
where
then
every
what
no
or
know
their
see
which
any
like
people
into
List 6
 
down
many
year
has
around
saw
how
been
could
them
come
put
than
now
List 7
 
who
much
think
only
two
its
our
here
over
also
walk
back
other
after
List 8
 
boy
use
three
before
new
work
first
may
way
again
ever
never
seven
want
List 9
 
because
eight
these
today
give
more
such
through
pretty
four
away
brown
yellow
round
List 10
 
goes
great
says
move
does
mother
build
father
should
answer
learn
eye
thought
together
 
List 11
 
both
carry
friend
once
sure
color
enough
always
young
though
talk
List 12
 
door
heard
early
toward
love
money
done
beauty
nothing
busy
laugh
List 13
 
weight
brother
gone
buy
floor
view
lose
guess
shoe
woman
women
  

(*This list is published in the Decoding Strategies for Literacy Development manual produced by HEC Reading Horizons and is used with permission.)