First grade sight words: the Dolch list
The Dolch first grade list has 41 sight words, such as after, could, every, of, once and were. Hear every word, read the sentences, and play the listening game at the bottom.
First grade sight words list (41 words)
Tap a word to hear it.
Group 1 (after to fly)
Group 2 (from to just)
Group 3 (know to put)
Group 4 (round to when)
First grade sight words game: listen and find
Hear a word from the list and pick it from four look-alike words. Eight rounds, about two minutes.
Short answer
What are first grade sight words?
First grade sight words are usually the 41 words of the Dolch first grade list, including after, again, could, every, from, give, know, of, once, put, were and when. Many can be sounded out once a child knows digraphs and blends, such as them, then, think, thank, stop and just, while others such as of, once, could and were contain an irregular part that is learned by heart after the regular letters are decoded.
- The Dolch first grade list has 41 words, from after to when.
- Digraph words on the list include them, then, think, thank and when.
- Heart words include of, once, could, were, any, again, from, some, put and walk.
- Live has two pronunciations: a short i in we live here and a long i in a live show.
About first grade sight words
The first grade list is the third Dolch level. Its 41 words are the ones that let stories move through time and between people: after, again, then, when, once, over; her, him, his, them. By now most children have met short vowels, blends and digraphs in their phonics lessons, so a large part of this list can be read the normal way.
Regular words make up much of the list: an, as, ask, had, has, him, his, just, let, stop, them, then, think, thank and when need only short vowels, blends and digraphs. By and fly use y as long i, like my on the pre-k list. Take uses silent e; may uses ay; old follows the pattern where o says its name before ld, as in cold and hold. The heart words are the ones to plan for. Of is the oddest word on any Dolch list: o says /u/ and f says /v/. Once starts with a /w/ sound no letter shows. In could, the oul says the short oo sound of book. Were, from, some, any, again, give, put and walk each have one letter or pair that breaks the pattern, such as the silent l in walk or the o that says /u/ in from and some.
Children who decode a word successfully a few times usually start to recognise it on sight; the sounding out is what teaches the spelling (share1995). So even for heart words, avoid pure memorising. Say could, count three sounds (/k/ /oo/ /d/), write c, oul, d, and put a heart over oul. Then practise it with its relatives would and should, which share the same heart part. Grouping words that break the rule in the same way turns three words to remember into one.
First grade sight words in sentences
Practice sentences built from words on this list.
- Can you give him his hat?
- Thank you for the old book.
- Stop and walk over to them.
- I know how to open it.
- They were going to ask her.
- When could we fly a kite?
- Let me think of one more.
- Then put it on the round mat.
Common mix-ups with first grade sight words
Of and off
Of has one f that sounds like /v/; off has two and ends in /f/. Say the pair and let your child feel the difference: /v/ buzzes on the lip, /f/ does not. Off comes on the second grade list.
Then, them and when
These three differ by one letter. Cover the word except the first two letters, then reveal the last one: th-e-n, th-e-m, wh-e-n. All three are regular, so sounding each one out solves the mix-up.
Were and where
Were is a verb (we were late); where asks a question. Where has an h and rhymes with air. Read them in the same sentence so your child has to look closely: Where were you?
First grade sight words activities
Heart part families
Put words that share an irregular part together: could with would and should; some with come; give with live and have. Your child highlights the shared heart part in the same colour. Learning the odd part once covers every word in the family.
Change one letter
Use the regular words to make chains: then, them, him, his, has, had. Your child reads each new word aloud and says which letter changed. This keeps attention on every letter, not just the first one.
Sight word tic-tac-toe
Draw a grid and write a word in each square. To place an X or O, a player reads the word in that square aloud. Put the trickiest heart words, such as of and once, in the middle square so they come up every game.
Air and arm writing
Your child says a word, then writes it in the air with a straight arm, saying each letter. Then they write it on paper. Large movements plus saying the letters give one more route into memory.
First grade sight words: frequently asked questions
How many sight words should a first grader know?
Many schools expect first graders to read the pre-primer, primer and first grade Dolch lists, 133 words, by the end of the year. Individual schools and reading programmes set their own targets.
What are the hardest first grade sight words?
Usually of, once, could, were and any, because a key part of each word breaks the usual rule. Teaching that part as a heart word makes them easier.
Why does live have two pronunciations?
Live can be read with a short i (I live here) or a long i (a live band). Read it in sentences so your child learns to use the meaning to choose the sound.
Should first graders still sound out sight words?
Yes, especially new ones. Sounding a word out and linking its letters to sounds is how it becomes a sight word. Speed comes with practice once the spelling is stored.
Practise next
- Kindergarten sight wordsThe Dolch primer list is the second set of sight words, 52 words such as are, was, they, have and what. It is the list most often used for kindergarten. Hear every word, read the sentences and play the game at the bottom.
- Second grade sight wordsThe Dolch second grade list has 46 sight words, such as always, because, does, their, which and would. Hear every word, read the sentences and play the listening game at the bottom.
- Th wordsTh is the digraph where the tongue peeks out between the teeth. It has two sounds, the quiet one in thin and the buzzing one in this. Hear every word and try the game.
- Wh wordsWh starts many of the questions children ask all day: what, when, where, why and which. Hear every word, learn the few wh words that say /h/, and play the game.