The 2,000-word list for Age 3
A caregiver reference for conversation, pictures, play and reading. A child aged 3 is not expected to know or learn all 2,000 words. The bands describe this collection’s language; the advanced band is for optional adult-led reading. Read the age guidance.
Beginner 1–427 · Intermediate 428–1290 · Advanced 1291–2000 · How to use the list
Move through this 24-age collection: All 2,000-word lists by age (1–24) · Previous: Age 2 · Next: Age 4 · How to use this bank. These are reference choices, not age-based word quotas.
Beginner: words 1–427
| Sequence and theme | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0001–0020 · Exploring places and land | foothill, hillside, hilltop, ridgeline, ridge, ravine, gorge, canyon, plateau, lowland, upland, highland, valley, dell, glade, clearing, heath, moor, prairie, grassland |
| 0021–0040 · Exploring places and land | scrubland, bushland, wetland, marsh, bog, fen, swamp, rainforest, plantation, farmland, homestead, outskirts, countryside, wilderness, frontier, boundary, mainland, riverbank, riverbed, streambed |
| 0041–0060 · Exploring places and land | waterway, tributary, cascade, rapids, lakefront, lakeside, seafront, waterfront, wharf, esplanade, bridleway, towpath, trailhead, viewpoint, lookout, summit, peak, slope, incline, descent |
| 0061–0063 · Exploring places and land | ascent, overhang, ledge |
| 0064–0083 · Building and making things | framework, scaffold, foundation, pillar, column, beam, rafter, strut, bracket, support, entrance, exit, doorway, terrace, awning, flue, gutter, drainpipe, downpipe, roofline |
| 0084–0100 · Building and making things | rooftop, gable, dome, barnyard, workshop, studio, warehouse, boathouse, watermill, enclosure, compound, partition, divider, panel, lattice, grating, trapdoor |
| 0101–0120 · Movement in a story | tramp, shuffle, shamble, falter, lurch, teeter, crouch, kneel, squat, lunge, vault, ascend, descend, pirouette, whirl, revolve, rotate, pivot, swerve, veer |
| 0121–0140 · Movement in a story | explore, venture, investigate, inspect, observe, peer, glance, glimpse, gaze, stare, squint, scan, notice, discover, uncover, reveal, conceal, hideaway, excavate, scrape |
| 0141–0152 · Movement in a story | shovel, strew, ooze, seep, gush, splatter, slosh, slop, swash, hover, flutter, flit |
| 0153–0172 · Describing texture and shape | grainy, stony, pebbly, gravelly, craggy, jagged, rugged, knobbly, crumpled, creased, wrinkled, crinkly, rumpled, ruffled, frilly, pleated, ribbed, ridged, grooved, notched |
| 0173–0192 · Describing texture and shape | bristly, wiry, hairy, satiny, downy, fleecy, foamy, frothy, bubbly, spongy, rubbery, bouncy, pliable, flexible, rigid, brittle, powdery, chalky, waxy, greasy |
| 0193–0212 · Describing texture and shape | oily, sticky, tacky, gummy, syrupy, runny, watery, milky, buttery, doughy, crisp, crusty, pulpy, mushy, squishy, squashy, sodden, parched, arid, hollow |
| 0213–0219 · Describing texture and shape | solid, pointed, triangular, rectangular, domed, arched, twisted |
| 0220–0239 · Feelings and social choices | thrilled, overjoyed, gleeful, hopeful, fascinated, absorbed, engrossed, wary, unsure, uncertain, doubtful, puzzled, baffled, astonished, shocked, relieved, reassured, comforted, contented, restful |
| 0240–0259 · Feelings and social choices | supportive, reliable, dependable, trustworthy, appreciative, adventurous, determined, persistent, resilient, resourceful, wise, prudent, careless, impulsive, irritable, grouchy, sulky, moody, gloomy, glum |
| 0260–0274 · Feelings and social choices | discouraged, disheartened, ashamed, regretful, apologetic, jealous, envious, possessive, selfish, greedy, boastful, arrogant, stubborn, obstinate, defiant |
| 0275–0294 · Talking and telling stories | narrate, recount, retell, relate, clarify, introduce, announce, declare, proclaim, report, inform, notify, advise, suggest, recommend, propose, enquire, question, interview, discuss |
| 0295–0314 · Talking and telling stories | debate, converse, prattle, whisper, shriek, holler, bellow, exclaim, protest, object, argue, disagree, dispute, contradict, convince, reassure, console, praise, compliment, excuse |
| 0315–0334 · Talking and telling stories | welcome, farewell, pledge, vow, guarantee, assure, admit, confess, deny, create, compose, improvise, rehearse, perform, recite, singalong, storytelling, listener, audience, conversation |
| 0335–0346 · Talking and telling stories | discussion, explanation, description, announcement, message, greeting, apology, permission, agreement, disagreement, compromise, negotiation |
| 0347–0366 · Colour light and sound | ruby, magenta, amber, ochre, mustard, saffron, ivory, tawny, russet, chocolate, emerald, jade, azure, cobalt, amethyst, slate, pearly, luminous, radiant, dazzling |
| 0367–0386 · Colour light and sound | transparent, opaque, shadowy, dusky, dim, murky, misty, hazy, smoky, clouded, mottled, speckled, spotted, dotted, striped, streaked, splashed, marbled, chequered, plaid |
| 0387–0401 · Colour light and sound | dappled, patchy, multicoloured, colourless, tuneful, melodious, harmonious, rhythmic, shrill, piercing, deafening, thunderous, muffled, muted, hushed |
| 0402–0403 · People, position and everyday descriptions | alone, aloud |
| 0404–0407 · Stories characters and narrative choices | task, clue, hint, tale |
| 0408–0408 · Thinking planning and learning | choice |
| 0409–0410 · People, position and everyday descriptions | among, ajar |
| 0411–0411 · Qualities actions and relationships | safety |
| 0412–0412 · Describing manner extent and change | nearby |
| 0413–0414 · Actions for solving practical problems | drag, raise |
| 0415–0417 · Food preparation growing and origins | fresh, stale, ripe |
| 0418–0419 · Language reading and expression | letter, word |
| 0420–0427 · Character description and useful connections | baggy, chilly, barefoot, clumsy, crowded, forever, forgetful, blank |
Intermediate: words 428–1290
| Sequence and theme | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0428–0428 · Making and describing familiar things | homemade |
| 0429–0448 · Plants in gardens and habitats | ovary, stigma, limb, prickle, wood, timber, heartwood, hardwood, softwood, pod, rind, pith, flesh, humus, dispersal, maturity, dormancy, deciduous, annual, perennial |
| 0449–0457 · Plants in gardens and habitats | biennial, woody, aquatic, tropical, temperate, native, invasive, wildflower, weed |
| 0458–0477 · Flowers trees and edible plants | cornflower, carnation, pelargonium, petunia, viola, snapdragon, lupin, orchid, frangipani, jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis, gardenia, aster, zinnia, cosmos, liverwort, aspen, longan, loganberry |
| 0478–0480 · Flowers trees and edible plants | bilberry, rhubarb, celeriac |
| 0481–0486 · Animals beyond the farm | stoat, polecat, coati, kinkajou, skunk, civet |
| 0487–0487 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | bookworm |
| 0488–0488 · Animals beyond the farm | binturong |
| 0489–0489 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | attire |
| 0490–0496 · Animals beyond the farm | caracal, serval, margay, okapi, ibex, chamois, muntjac |
| 0497–0497 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | booth |
| 0498–0505 · Animals beyond the farm | kudu, guanaco, vicuna, dromedary, muskrat, coypu, pika, agouti |
| 0506–0506 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | hobbyhorse |
| 0507–0514 · Animals beyond the farm | springhare, jerboa, gopher, woodchuck, bilby, numbat, quoll, tarsier |
| 0515–0528 · Birds reptiles and small creatures | petrel, shearwater, fulmar, shag, booby, guillemot, razorbill, skua, bittern, avocet, godwit, snipe, woodcock, bee-eater |
| 0529–0529 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | borrower |
| 0530–0531 · Birds reptiles and small creatures | barbet, pipit |
| 0532–0533 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | hobbyist, autograph |
| 0534–0535 · Birds reptiles and small creatures | waxbill, shrike |
| 0536–0536 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | boss |
| 0537–0542 · Birds reptiles and small creatures | hobby, ptarmigan, guineafowl, rhea, anole, axolotl |
| 0543–0543 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | hobgoblin |
| 0544–0545 · Sea life and insects | hydra, limpet |
| 0546–0546 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | bottlebrush |
| 0547–0552 · Sea life and insects | whelk, periwinkle, abalone, cowrie, crustacean, krill |
| 0553–0557 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | holidaymaker, homebody, disappear, frighten, grumble |
| 0558–0577 · Sea life and insects | tetra, koi, catfish, loach, pike, char, grayling, sprat, bonito, pollock, hake, whiting, bass, bream, mullet, grouper, snapper, wrasse, parrotfish, butterflyfish |
| 0578–0594 · Sea life and insects | triggerfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, stonefish, pipefish, manta, shark, sawfish, baleen, blowhole, dorsal, aphid, cicada, leafhopper, katydid, scarab, hornet |
| 0595–0614 · Animal life and adaptation | juvenile, mammal, reptile, amphibian, insect, arachnid, vertebrate, invertebrate, arthropod, mollusc, organism, species, population, colony, herd, swarm, flock, brood, rookery, sett |
| 0615–0619 · Animal life and adaptation | warren, camouflage, mimicry, migration, hibernation |
| 0620–0620 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | frolic |
| 0621–0622 · Animal life and adaptation | nocturnal, diurnal |
| 0623–0623 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | aim |
| 0624–0636 · Animal life and adaptation | predator, prey, hunter, scavenger, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, grazer, browser, forager, pollinator, parasite, host |
| 0637–0637 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | complain |
| 0638–0657 · Animal life and adaptation | ecosystem, biodiversity, conservation, refuge, sanctuary, reserve, extinction, endangered, vulnerable, protected, domesticated, feral, tame, wild, venomous, poisonous, harmless, defensive, territorial, solitary |
| 0658–0666 · Animal life and adaptation | communal, social, cooperative, competitive, mating, breeding, incubation, metamorphosis, moult |
| 0667–0686 · Water weather and seasonal changes | evaporation, condensation, vapour, humidity, moisture, dewdrop, hoarfrost, rime, hailstone, snowdrift, flurry, snowfall, rainstorm, cloudburst, deluge, haze, smog, overcast, thundercloud, thunderhead |
| 0687–0706 · Water weather and seasonal changes | thunderstorm, thunderbolt, cyclone, hurricane, typhoon, tornado, whirlwind, waterspout, squall, draught, updraft, downdraft, crosswind, headwind, tailwind, monsoon, drought, flood, runoff, watershed |
| 0707–0726 · Water weather and seasonal changes | catchment, groundwater, seepage, eddy, whirlpool, vortex, tidal, ebb, flow, tsunami, wavelet, streamlet, rivulet, channel, canal, reservoir, dam, weir, sluice, spillway |
| 0727–0739 · Water weather and seasonal changes | drainage, irrigation, geyser, glacier, iceberg, icecap, icefield, crevasse, meltwater, thaw, seasonal, equinox, solstice |
| 0740–0759 · Art materials and handcrafts | gouache, tempera, varnish, lacquer, enamel, glaze, hue, tone, contrast, texture, perspective, foreground, background, contour, tracing, printmaking, engraving, woodcut, linocut, lithograph |
| 0760–0779 · Art materials and handcrafts | monoprint, carving, modelling, ceramic, kiln, calligrapher, photographer, animator, printmaker, engraver, embroiderer, knitter, crocheter, seamstress, dressmaker, milliner, leatherworker, silversmith, goldsmith, glassblower |
| 0780–0788 · Art materials and handcrafts | basketmaker, joiner, needlepoint, cross-stitch, batik, tie-dye, decoupage, filigree, fretwork |
| 0789–0808 · Music dance and performance | accent, pitch, note, chord, octave, unison, quintet, composer, musician, singer, vocalist, soloist, accompanist, pianist, violinist, cellist, flautist, clarinettist, trumpeter, trombonist |
| 0809–0828 · Music dance and performance | percussionist, drummer, harpist, guitarist, bassist, organist, keyboardist, saxophonist, oboist, bassoonist, accordionist, bagpiper, harp, lyre, lute, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, zither, dulcimer |
| 0829–0833 · Music dance and performance | sitar, koto, shamisen, organ, harpsichord |
| 0834–0834 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | discard |
| 0835–0844 · Music dance and performance | synthesiser, concertina, melodica, piccolo, ocarina, oboe, bassoon, cornet, bugle, tuba |
| 0845–0847 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | fumble, blame, dislike |
| 0848–0858 · Music dance and performance | guiro, glockenspiel, marimba, vibraphone, timpani, bongo, conga, djembe, tabla, bodhran, snare |
| 0859–0859 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | contain |
| 0860–0863 · Music dance and performance | choreography, choreographer, ballerina, ventriloquist |
| 0864–0883 · Tools machines and materials | pulley, lever, cog, sprocket, crank, cam, hopper, chute, turbine, flywheel, spindle, shaft, bearing, coupling, derrick, conveyor, turntable, pump, compressor, generator |
| 0884–0887 · Tools machines and materials | alternator, cell, circuit, fuse |
| 0888–0892 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | disobey, excite, awaken, bother, disturb |
| 0893–0896 · Tools machines and materials | connector, adaptor, transformer, inverter |
| 0897–0898 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | donate, drowsy |
| 0899–0916 · Tools machines and materials | sensor, timer, gauge, dial, meter, alarm, siren, lens, prism, magnifier, microscope, telescope, binoculars, periscope, kaleidoscope, barometer, thermometer, stopwatch |
| 0917–0917 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | frisky |
| 0918–0937 · Tools machines and materials | pendulum, magnet, aluminium, brass, steel, tin, zinc, nickel, chromium, titanium, platinum, gold, lead, carbon, silicon, sulphur, limestone, sandstone, granite, basalt |
| 0938–0938 · Tools machines and materials | quartz |
| 0939–0958 · Work and community life | drafter, planner, mason, machinist, fabricator, shipwright, boatbuilder, stonemason, miner, prospector, driller, geologist, arborist, lumberjack, groundskeeper, horticulturist, botanist, cultivator, apiarist, rancher |
| 0959–0978 · Work and community life | stockman, stablehand, zoologist, entomologist, ornithologist, naturalist, conservationist, housekeeper, chambermaid, porter, administrator, bookkeeper, accountant, teller, treasurer, auditor, historian, archaeologist, anthropologist, sociologist |
| 0979–0998 · Work and community life | psychologist, counsellor, physiotherapist, optometrist, audiologist, physician, paediatrician, constable, inspector, marshal, bailiff, magistrate, judge, lawyer, barrister, solicitor, notary, mediator, translator, interpreter |
| 0999–1003 · Work and community life | journalist, reporter, editor, proofreader, publisher |
| 1004–1023 · Everyday objects and the wider world | abacus, backache, cadet, daredevil, eggcup, fanfare, gargoyle, hairstyle, abode, backboard, calamity, dartboard, eggnog, feast, garment, handclap, accessory, backlog, camper, deadline |
| 1024–1043 · Everyday objects and the wider world | embassy, feat, gentleman, handful, accident, backside, candyfloss, deckchair, emblem, fireguard, gesture, handhold, acre, backwater, caper, deckhand, enchantment, firelight, globetrotter, handicraft |
| 1044–1063 · Everyday objects and the wider world | adage, backyard, carpool, decoy, expanse, firewood, gossip, handiwork, adobe, bait, castaway, deed, eyelid, flagpole, gown, handkerchief, advertisement, bale, catapult, defeat |
| 1064–1083 · Everyday objects and the wider world | eyesight, flair, greyhound, handout, aerosol, balloonist, catastrophe, deli, eyewitness, flatmate, gusto, handset, aftercare, ballpark, catchphrase, denial, flaw, handshake, afterglow, bandana |
| 1084–1103 · Everyday objects and the wider world | centrepiece, dent, fleck, handspring, afterimage, bandit, cheerleader, deposit, foe, handyman, aftershock, banknote, chieftain, deputy, foothold, hardback, aftertaste, barbershop, childhood, desert |
| 1104–1123 · Everyday objects and the wider world | footstep, hardship, afterthought, bargain, cinder, din, forecaster, hassle, agate, barracuda, clearance, discontent, forecourt, haste, agency, barrel, cliffside, ditch, forefront, hatbox |
| 1124–1143 · Everyday objects and the wider world | airbag, batch, codename, ditty, foresight, hatchway, airbed, beachcomber, coincidence, dockyard, founder, hatter, airboat, beagle, comeback, donation, freedom, haven, airbrush, beanstalk |
| 1144–1163 · Everyday objects and the wider world | commotion, doorkeeper, funfair, hawker, aircraft, beast, complaint, drumbeat, furrow, hayfield, aircrew, beauty, comrade, drumroll, hayloft, airfare, bedpost, contest, duke, hayride |
| 1164–1183 · Everyday objects and the wider world | airflow, beeline, convoy, duchess, haystack, airlift, beet, corkscrew, hazard, airline, beggar, cornerstone, headache, airmail, behaviour, counterpart, headcount, airshow, bellows, craftsman |
| 1184–1203 · Everyday objects and the wider world | headdress, airspace, bellyache, creature, headgear, airspeed, benefactor, crepe, headline, airtime, billboard, crowbar, headroom, alloy, birthplace, cruise, headscarf, allspice, blackboard, crutch |
| 1204–1223 · Everyday objects and the wider world | headset, almanac, blackout, cubbyhole, headteacher, altar, blessing, culprit, headway, ambassador, blindfold, customer, healer, ammonite, blinker, healthcare, amoeba, blob, heartache, amulet |
| 1224–1243 · Everyday objects and the wider world | blockage, heartbreak, anaconda, blowtorch, hearthrug, anklet, boarder, heartland, antidote, bodyguard, heir, antique, boiler, heirloom, armband, bond, helpline, armful, bonfire, hemline |
| 1244–1256 · Everyday objects and the wider world | armour, bookbinder, hermit, arrowhead, bookend, hideout, artwork, booklet, hieroglyph, asset, bookshop, hillock, assortment |
| 1257–1261 · Stories characters and narrative choices | adventure, errand, riddle, surprise, imagination |
| 1262–1264 · Thinking planning and learning | memory, dictionary, handbook |
| 1265–1266 · Earth rocks and outer space | spaceship, spacewalk |
| 1267–1268 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | breakable, afloat |
| 1269–1270 · Travel navigation and transport details | airport, runway |
| 1271–1272 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | fussy, affectionate |
| 1273–1279 · Describing manner extent and change | sudden, brisk, steady, recent, future, overdue, punctual |
| 1280–1280 · Food preparation growing and origins | recipe |
| 1281–1281 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | breezy |
| 1282–1282 · Food preparation growing and origins | vitamin |
| 1283–1285 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | bulky, agile, helpless |
| 1286–1286 · Food preparation growing and origins | appetite |
| 1287–1287 · Useful story actions and everyday descriptions | ahead |
| 1288–1289 · Language reading and expression | alphabet, handwriting |
| 1290–1290 · Character description and useful connections | handmade |
Advanced — adult-led reading extension: words 1291–2000
| Sequence and theme | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 1291–1291 · Exploring places and land | hinterland |
| 1292–1294 · Building and making things | joist, lintel, buttress |
| 1295–1295 · Movement in a story | undulate |
| 1296–1301 · Describing texture and shape | corrugated, serrated, fibrous, cylindrical, conical, spherical |
| 1302–1302 · Feelings and social choices | remorseful |
| 1303–1311 · Colour light and sound | vermilion, cerise, umber, aquamarine, iridescent, fluorescent, translucent, resonant, sonorous |
| 1312–1317 · Plants in gardens and habitats | pistil, ovule, anther, rhizome, corm, herbaceous |
| 1318–1321 · Animal life and adaptation | genus, symbiosis, gestation, proboscis |
| 1322–1324 · Water weather and seasonal changes | precipitation, aquifer, moraine |
| 1325–1325 · Music dance and performance | syncopation |
| 1326–1331 · Tools machines and materials | fulcrum, gyroscope, sextant, anemometer, hygrometer, electromagnet |
| 1332–1351 · Stories characters and narrative choices | quest, voyage, expedition, odyssey, escapade, mission, undertaking, obstacle, hindrance, setback, predicament, dilemma, mystery, evidence, discovery, revelation, suspense, tension, expectation, fascination |
| 1352–1371 · Stories characters and narrative choices | inspiration, fantasy, fiction, nonfiction, fable, folktale, fairytale, legend, myth, parable, anecdote, memoir, biography, autobiography, chronicle, journal, entry, record, account, plot |
| 1372–1387 · Stories characters and narrative choices | subplot, storyline, setting, episode, chapter, prologue, epilogue, preface, introduction, opening, beginning, conclusion, ending, resolution, climax, flashback |
| 1388–1407 · Thinking planning and learning | attention, concentration, focus, perception, recognition, recollection, remembrance, knowledge, understanding, comprehension, insight, intuition, reasoning, logic, judgement, decision, option, alternative, possibility, probability |
| 1408–1427 · Thinking planning and learning | certainty, assumption, inference, deduction, prediction, forecast, approximation, calculation, computation, measurement, assessment, evaluation, comparison, distinction, difference, similarity, resemblance, analogy, association, relationship |
| 1428–1445 · Thinking planning and learning | correlation, sequence, order, organisation, classification, category, selection, collection, compilation, inventory, catalogue, directory, index, glossary, thesaurus, encyclopaedia, atlas, manual |
| 1446–1465 · Qualities actions and relationships | accuracy, precision, exactness, caution, security, convenience, efficiency, effectiveness, usefulness, purpose, function, benefit, advantage, disadvantage, strength, weakness, ability, skill, talent, aptitude |
| 1466–1478 · Qualities actions and relationships | potential, capacity, capability, competence, expertise, experience, wisdom, dedication, commitment, diligence, responsibility, accountability, reliability |
| 1479–1498 · Earth rocks and outer space | continent, continental, oceanic, polar, equatorial, hemisphere, meridian, tropic, altitude, elevation, depth, distance, circumference, diameter, radius, curvature, orbit, orbital, rotation, revolution |
| 1499–1518 · Earth rocks and outer space | axis, tilt, gravity, gravitation, gravitational, weightlessness, mass, density, volume, pressure, atmosphere, atmospheric, stratosphere, troposphere, ionosphere, ozone, aurora, celestial, astronomical, astronomy |
| 1519–1538 · Earth rocks and outer space | astronomer, astrophysics, cosmonaut, spaceflight, spaceport, launchpad, booster, module, probe, observatory, planetarium, galaxy, universe, nebula, supernova, asteroid, meteorite, meteoroid, crater, eclipse |
| 1539–1541 · Earth rocks and outer space | lunar, solar, planetary |
| 1542–1561 · Civic places and shared spaces | ward, cityscape, skyline, landmark, monument, memorial, statue, obelisk, pedestal, plinth, rotunda, pavilion, bandstand, amphitheatre, stadium, arena, colosseum, grandstand, bleachers, exhibition |
| 1562–1581 · Civic places and shared spaces | exhibit, display, showcase, conservatoire, academy, university, college, campus, faculty, department, laboratory, vivarium, terrarium, herbarium, arboretum, botanical, zoological, safari, monastery, convent |
| 1582–1590 · Civic places and shared spaces | abbey, cathedral, basilica, chapel, mosque, shrine, pagoda, synagogue, gurdwara |
| 1591–1610 · Travel navigation and transport details | cartography, cartographer, mapmaker, mapmaking, orientation, heading, direction, viaduct, aqueduct, hangar, airfield, aerodrome, taxiway, airstrip, helipad, heliport, fuselage, airframe, wingspan, aileron |
| 1611–1624 · Travel navigation and transport details | tailplane, undercarriage, nosewheel, odometer, steering, chassis, bodywork, headlamp, fender, hubcap, silencer, injector, transmission, differential |
| 1625–1644 · Describing manner extent and change | gradual, abrupt, rapid, leisurely, unhurried, deliberate, measured, consistent, constant, continuous, continual, intermittent, occasional, frequent, periodic, cyclical, temporary, permanent, fleeting, momentary |
| 1645–1664 · Describing manner extent and change | brief, lengthy, prolonged, enduring, lasting, eternal, ancient, historic, historical, prehistoric, modern, contemporary, forthcoming, upcoming, imminent, delayed, timely, premature, belated, previous |
| 1665–1684 · Describing manner extent and change | subsequent, consecutive, successive, simultaneous, sequential, chronological, initial, preliminary, introductory, intermediate, advanced, final, ultimate, penultimate, principal, primary, secondary, minor, major, central |
| 1685–1691 · Describing manner extent and change | peripheral, adjacent, neighbouring, distant, faraway, inland, coastal |
| 1692–1711 · Actions for solving practical problems | disassemble, reconstruct, rebuild, refurbish, remodel, redesign, redecorate, furnish, equip, supply, provide, distribute, transport, convey, haul, tow, propel, elevate, heave, pry |
| 1712–1728 · Actions for solving practical problems | prise, divide, merge, bind, unbind, unknot, interweave, interlace, entwine, entangle, disentangle, untangle, unravel, unfurl, refold, compress, readjust |
| 1729–1748 · Food preparation growing and origins | cuisine, cookery, culinary, nutrition, nourishment, nutrient, protein, carbohydrate, glucose, lactose, fat, butterfat, cholesterol, calorie, energy, digestion, digestive, absorption, metabolism, edible |
| 1749–1752 · Food preparation growing and origins | inedible, nutritious, wholesome, nourishing |
| 1753–1772 · Language reading and expression | alphabetical, lettering, typeface, typography, font, serif, calligraphy, cursive, manuscript, typescript, printing, publication, edition, anthology, compendium, digest, extract, excerpt, paragraph, sentence |
| 1773–1792 · Language reading and expression | clause, syllable, phoneme, grapheme, vowel, consonant, diphthong, digraph, cluster, pronunciation, articulation, intonation, stress, emphasis, expression, fluency, eloquence, diction, vocabulary, lexicon |
| 1793–1812 · Language reading and expression | synonym, antonym, homonym, homophone, homograph, acronym, abbreviation, contraction, prefix, suffix, base, derivative, derivation, inflection, tense, past, singular, plural, noun, pronoun |
| 1813–1815 · Language reading and expression | adjective, adverb, verb |
| 1816–1835 · Actions that help a story move | abandon, backtrack, cajole, dabble, earn, fend, gain, haggle, abound, banter, capsize, dawdle, ease, fidget, gambol, handpick, abseil, bash, cater, deceive |
| 1836–1855 · Actions that help a story move | edit, flabbergast, gape, harden, accommodate, bask, cavort, deflect, educate, flatter, garble, hasten, accumulate, beautify, cease, defy, elude, flee, gleam, heed |
| 1856–1875 · Actions that help a story move | accuse, beckon, churn, derail, embarrass, flinch, glimmer, hesitate, accustom, behave, clank, deserve, emerge, flop, glint, highlight, activate, belong, cleanse, devote |
| 1876–1895 · Actions that help a story move | enclose, flounce, gloat, hinder, adjoin, beware, clench, devour, endear, flout, glow, hoodwink, adopt, bewilder, clink, dine, enfold, fluster, gobble, huff |
| 1896–1912 · Actions that help a story move | adore, bicker, clomp, ding, engross, forage, grapple, hurl, advertise, bid, coax, disallow, entice, fret, grimace, hustle, affect |
| 1913–1932 · Character description and useful connections | ablaze, badly, careworn, dainty, earnest, faultless, ghostly, habitable, able, childlike, deaf, earthbound, ferocious, giddy, halfway, aboard, bald, dear, effortless, festive |
| 1933–1952 · Character description and useful connections | gorgeous, handheld, abroad, clammy, decent, elderly, fiery, grim, absent, barely, deft, elusive, firsthand, gross, handsome, absolute, beneficial, contrary, dishonest, endearing |
| 1953–1972 · Character description and useful connections | flawless, gruff, handwritten, absurd, beyond, crabby, displeased, eventful, flowery, gullible, handy, accidental, bittersweet, crafty, downcast, everywhere, fond, hardworking, acrobatic, blameless |
| 1973–1992 · Character description and useful connections | downhearted, exuberant, hardy, active, bland, curt, downhill, harsh, actual, downtown, forlorn, hasty, adamant, bleak, drab, fragrant, haywire, adept, bleary, dreadful |
| 1993–2000 · Character description and useful connections | frantic, hazardous, adjustable, blissful, dreary, fretful, headfirst, adrift |
Using this bank
Describing, comparing and explaining an expanding world.
The complete 2,000-word list appears above. Continue with age guidance, a simple method, real examples, common problems or the series and audit.
A word can do more than name an object. It can help a child compare two things, tell someone what happened, imagine a different ending or ask a more precise question. This volume gives adults a broad set of possible words for those conversations.
The list adds new entries to the earlier volumes, so its beginner band means a starting route within this particular collection. It is not a claim that every three-year-old begins with the same vocabulary. Some entries will already be familiar; others will belong only in an adult’s description of a book or an outing.
Choose a question or scene before choosing a large set of words. A puddle after rain, a structure made from blocks or a character who needs help gives language a purpose. The adult can then select the few words that make the idea clearer.
What Age 3 means here
CDC’s three-year communication guidance includes back-and-forth exchanges, questions about people and events, describing pictured actions and being understood by others much of the time. ASHA’s three-to-four-year guidance also discusses comparison, location words and storytelling. Neither source validates this editorial 2,000-word allocation as a developmental scale. Source: CDC, milestones by 3 years. Related guidance: ASHA.
The age label organises the accompanying caregiver guidance. The allocation of 2,000 words and the beginner, intermediate and advanced bands are eduKate editorial choices, not a validated assessment or a research-derived annual word target. Use the part that fits the child’s present interests and communication.
| Band | Purpose | How an adult can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | A starting route within this collection | Choose a visible object, action or familiar situation; older volumes remain available. |
| Intermediate | More detail and a wider range of situations | Add a useful description, relationship or more specific name when it belongs to the moment. |
| Advanced | Optional adult-led reading extension | Explain an unfamiliar word through a relevant story or experience. Skip it when it has no useful context. |
Back to the word list · Using this bank
Keep one idea; explore a few connections
1. Start with an observation
Describe something you can both see: a surface, a movement, a picture or a small change. Concrete details give the conversation a shared reference.
2. Choose a distinction
Ask what is different, what stays the same or what an object is used for. You can answer your own question if the child is still taking in the scene.
3. Add a useful word
Supply a word that makes that distinction clearer. Explain it in the present context instead of beginning with a long dictionary definition.
4. Return in another scene
Use the same meaning in a different story or activity when it fits. A new context can show whether the word is becoming more useful.
ASHA encourages responsive everyday conversation, shared stories and language that builds on a child’s communication. The activities here are original examples for trying that approach; they are not a prescribed intervention. Read ASHA’s guidance for this age range.
Back to the word list · Using this bank
Examples you can use in ordinary life
The examples freely reuse familiar words from earlier volumes. Only the numbered word-bank entries follow the series’ non-repetition rule.
| Situation | Language focus | An adult might say | What makes it useful |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two leaves | Describe a visible difference | “This edge is smooth. That edge has little points.” | Compare something concrete before introducing a specialist name. |
| A block structure | Explain a change | “The base is narrow. What happens if we make it wider?” | Let the observation come from the actual construction; do not promise that one change always fixes it. |
| A story character | Connect a feeling to a reason | “She looks relieved because her friend has returned.” | Make the reason visible in the story rather than asking the child to memorise a feeling word. |
| A small collection | Organise by a feature | “These belong together because they have the same texture.” | Accept another sensible grouping and ask what the child noticed. |
| An outdoor scene | Use a more precise description | “The path curves around the garden.” | Point to the shape of the route while you describe it. |
Build meaning before asking for a definition
An adult can explain “fragile” through a story about something that breaks easily. The word then has a situation, a consequence and a reason to be used carefully. A child does not need to give an adult-quality definition before the conversation can be worthwhile.
Comparison also needs a boundary. Two objects may have the same colour but different shapes. They may do a similar job without being the same object. State the feature you are comparing so that words such as same, different, similar and opposite do not float without a reference.
Stories offer another kind of connection: actions have consequences, and characters act for reasons. You can name an action, point out the result and wonder about the next step. Keep room for the child’s interpretation; a picture can invite more than one sensible account.
Back to the word list · Using this bank
A gentle five-occasion plan
These are five possible occasions, not five compulsory days. Repeat, change or stop an activity according to the child’s interest. There is no completion deadline and no daily word quota.
| Occasion | What to try |
|---|---|
| Notice | Choose one object or scene and describe a detail. Keep the interaction short enough to remain shared. |
| Compare | Find a second example. Say which feature you are comparing, and accept a different observation from the child. |
| Connect | Talk about an action and what happened afterwards. Use the real event rather than a memorised sentence. |
| Tell | Retell a small part of a book or the day. Offer support if the child wants it. |
| Revisit | Bring one useful word into a new example. Keep older words in the conversation too. |
Reading and languages at home
Choose stories you can enjoy together. Pause where the child is interested, explain a word in that scene and allow familiar books to return. A shared reading conversation does not need to cover every possible word in a book. Source: ASHA’s communication guidance.
Use the languages your family is comfortable using. ASHA encourages opportunities to hear and use those languages. An English-only bank cannot describe everything a multilingual child understands or communicates. Source: ASHA.
When something is not working
| What you notice | A useful adjustment |
|---|---|
| The child can name many things but struggles to explain | Model a short relationship: what something does, where it belongs or why it matters in that scene. A longer list of labels may not address the immediate difficulty. |
| The child gives a different answer | Ask what they noticed before correcting. Their answer may use another sensible feature or interpretation. |
| A word seems too abstract | Use a concrete example, a story event or a simpler paraphrase. Leave the word for later if it still has no useful place. |
| The conversation becomes a test | Return to commenting, wondering and taking turns. Shared meaning is more useful than a string of rapid-fire questions. |
If you are concerned about your child’s communication, or they lose skills they previously used, speak with their healthcare professional. A word bank cannot assess development; CDC’s milestone materials also do not replace validated developmental screening. Read CDC’s guidance.
Back to the word list · Using this bank
Frequently asked questions
Are these the most frequent 2,000 words used by three-year-olds?
No. “Top” describes an editorial selection for this reference project. The collection is not a frequency ranking or a research-derived age norm.
Do all the advanced entries need to be taught?
No. They are optional adult-led extensions for relevant stories and interests. Many can be left unused.
Can I use a simpler word first?
Yes. A familiar explanation often gives a new word its meaning. There is no advantage in making the explanation harder than the idea.
Why are ordinary words found in the earlier volumes?
Each numbered entry has one place in this series so the collection grows without repeating its lists. Everyday speech still uses all the earlier vocabulary.
The sequence and word audit
Age 3: 2,000 distinct listed entries. This volume occupies series positions 4,001–6,000. The published collection currently contains Ages 1–24, with 48,000 distinct listed entries across twenty-four banks.
The audit checks the numbered list entries, rather than every word in the article. Case, spacing, hyphens, apostrophes, accents and recorded spelling variants are normalised to catch duplicates. Established single words and conventional hyphenated headwords count as entries. Different meanings of the same spelling do not receive extra entries. Some useful derived forms are separate entries; the total is not a count of unrelated word families.
“Top” means an editorial selection for this reference project. It does not mean the most frequent words in a measured language corpus or the best 2,000 words for every reader. Sequence numbers locate entries in the collection; they are not importance scores or developmental measures.
Keep repeating useful words in real life. The non-repeating lists offer additional choices. They do not recommend withholding familiar language or learning 2,000 new words at each birthday.
Age 1: 2,000-word bank · Age 2: 2,000-word bank · Age 3: 2,000-word bank · Age 4: 2,000-word bank · Age 5: 2,000-word bank · Age 6: 2,000-word bank · Age 7: 2,000-word bank · Age 8: 2,000-word bank · Age 9: 2,000-word bank · Age 10: 2,000-word bank · Age 11: 2,000-word bank · Age 12: 2,000-word bank · Age 13: 2,000-word bank · Age 14: 2,000-word bank · Age 15: 2,000-word bank · Age 16: 2,000-word bank · Age 17: 2,000-word bank · Age 18: 2,000-word bank · Age 19: 2,000-word bank · Age 20: 2,000-word bank · Age 21: 2,000-word bank · Age 22: 2,000-word bank · Age 23: 2,000-word bank · Age 24: 2,000-word bank
| Published volume | Series positions |
|---|---|
| Age 1 | 1–2,000 |
| Age 2 | 2,001–4,000 |
| Age 3 | 4,001–6,000 |
| Age 4 | 6,001–8,000 |
| Age 5 | 8,001–10,000 |
| Age 6 | 10,001–12,000 |
| Age 7 | 12,001–14,000 |
| Age 8 | 14,001–16,000 |
| Age 9 | 16,001–18,000 |
| Age 10 | 18,001–20,000 |
| Age 11 | 20,001–22,000 |
| Age 12 | 22,001–24,000 |
| Age 13 | 24,001–26,000 |
| Age 14 | 26,001–28,000 |
| Age 15 | 28,001–30,000 |
| Age 16 | 30,001–32,000 |
| Age 17 | 32,001–34,000 |
| Age 18 | 34,001–36,000 |
| Age 19 | 36,001–38,000 |
| Age 20 | 38,001–40,000 |
| Age 21 | 40,001–42,000 |
| Age 22 | 42,001–44,000 |
| Age 23 | 44,001–46,000 |
| Age 24 | 46,001–48,000 |
Entry counts and cross-age allocation checked on 3 November 2026 (Asia/Singapore). The selection is an original editorial resource. The sources below support the attributed communication, observation and reading guidance; they do not endorse or validate this particular word bank.
A useful next step
Choose one scene your child can see. Describe one detail, listen to what they notice and add a word only when it makes the shared idea clearer.
Sources and editorial note
Developmental context was checked on 2 November 2026. The vocabulary selections, thematic sequence, examples and activities are original edu|Kate Singapore editorial work. The sources below support the developmental and communication guidance; they do not supply or endorse the 2,000-word lists.
CDC — Milestones by 3 Years
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association — communication milestones
Published by edu|Kate Singapore. Return to the complete word list.
Vocabulary Growth Guide for Age 3: Why, What and How
A child can know the name of a toy and still need help explaining why it is missing, how they feel about it or what happened before it disappeared. Vocabulary growth includes those connections. Useful words help turn separate details into an account another person can understand.
Begin with a small event or story, select words that clarify it, and revisit the same meaning in a new situation. This guide adds the why and the learning process beneath the reference bank. It does not turn 2,000 editorially allocated words into a developmental expectation.
Why words matter · What growth means · The research · A worked example · Choosing practice · Noticing progress
Why vocabulary helps a child share a bigger world
The listener does not always see what the child saw. A child returning from an outing may need language for a place, an action, a sequence and a reaction. The aim is not a polished performance. It is making an experience available to somebody who was not there.
This also explains why a small, precise word can matter more than an impressive list. “Puzzled” tells us that someone cannot make sense of something. “Relieved” can describe the feeling when a worry is resolved. “Clue” points to information that may help with a question. These entries can do useful work in a shared story without becoming compulsory age-three vocabulary.
Stories and conversation provide a setting for exploring those meanings. The preschool words and talking-games guide gives complementary starting activities. Here, the focus is understanding why an activity may help and what the adult should notice.
What depth of meaning looks like
Take “puzzled”. Copying the word is one action. Recognising that a character is puzzled is another. Explaining “He doesn’t know where the key goes” expresses the meaning without necessarily using the target word. Do not overlook that explanation simply because it is not the answer you expected.
A useful adult demonstration includes an example and a near miss. Someone who cannot work out how a toy fits together may be puzzled. Someone quietly enjoying the toy is not necessarily puzzled. Keep the distinction friendly and concrete; the child does not need to learn an abstract definition of emotion.
A word also has neighbours. Puzzled is related to unsure, but it does not mean exactly the same as frightened or angry. You can explain one distinction when a story calls for it. There is no need to cover a complete synonym ladder in one sitting.
Why a favourite story is not “just repetition”
Horst, Parsons and Bryan’s experiment with three-year-olds compared repeated readings of the same stories with different stories containing the same target-word exposures. Children hearing repeated stories showed better learning of the new labels. The study supports the value of a familiar context; it does not prescribe a universal number of readings for every word or child.
A practical interpretation is to let the story become familiar enough that the adult can draw attention to a useful detail without explaining everything else again. That interpretation guides the example below. The study did not test this bank, and learning a novel label in an experiment is not the same as mastering every meaning of a real word.
The communication guidance for three to four years provides a separate developmental reference. Use it for context, not as evidence that a particular bank entry must be taught at a particular birthday.
A worked example: the missing scarf
Create a short, safe pretend story. A toy bear is getting ready to go out, but its scarf is missing. The adult says, “Bear is puzzled. He doesn’t know where it is.” The situation supplies the meaning. A short homemade story is enough; no purchased resource is necessary.
Let the child contribute. They may suggest a place, point to a picture or move the bear. Respond to that idea instead of interrupting to request the word “puzzled”. The story’s purpose is communication, not a vocabulary recital.
Make a clue relevant. A corner of the scarf is visible behind a large cushion. “That little bit is a clue. It might help us find the scarf.” Do not make every clue decisive: if a clue only suggests a place, explain that it is something to investigate, not proof.
Name the change. After the scarf is found, the adult can say, “Bear is relieved. The worry is over.” On a later reading, pause naturally and invite the child to tell part of the story. A gesture or an explanation in familiar words is a valid contribution.
Try a different scene later. A character cannot find a favourite book, then discovers it on another shelf. Ask whether the earlier feeling word fits. Changing the object while keeping the relationship gives you a useful opportunity to discuss meaning, without demanding a formal answer.
How to choose words that belong together
Choose a purpose rather than a large theme label. “Animals” can contain thousands of possible words. “Help someone understand why the animal needs shelter” gives a narrower purpose. The adult might select a place, an action and a description, keeping familiar words around them.
A word such as “support”, found in this bank, can be explored through a safe model built with large blocks. “This piece supports the bridge” makes the relationship visible. Later, explain a different meaning only when it arises. Supporting a friend is related language, but it does not mean physically holding the friend up in every situation.
That is the difference between collecting words and growing understanding. The child needs connections, but the adult should not pretend all uses are identical. Concrete examples, contrasts and short explanations are teaching choices—not proof that an entire word has now been mastered.
Use the Age 2 bank freely for familiar actions and everyday objects. A new word often becomes understandable because the rest of the sentence is already familiar. There is no learning benefit in avoiding an earlier word merely to obey the collection’s publishing rule.
How to tell practice from pressure
A helpful prompt gives the child something to think about: “Why was Bear puzzled?” A pressured exchange demands the adult’s exact wording repeatedly. When an answer is difficult, model an explanation, offer a choice or return to the story. Do not turn every interesting moment into a test.
Notice different kinds of change. The child may begin explaining an event in a clearer order, choosing a more accurate description or using an earlier word in a new setting. Write down the actual example. These observations are more useful than estimating intelligence from the number of advanced entries recognised.
When a child forgets a word, check whether they remember the idea. A gesture or a familiar explanation may show partial understanding. When the idea is unclear too, return to the experience and supply a simpler explanation. More copying is not automatically the right repair.
What to keep, what to leave and when to seek help
Keep family languages and enjoyable conversations in the picture. The multilingual guidance encourages opportunities to use those languages. Leave specialist entries for a relevant adult-led conversation; they are options, not hidden requirements.
Persistent concerns about communication or loss of skills should be discussed with a healthcare or speech-language professional. CDC’s three-year guidance explains the role of developmental monitoring. The word bank and the story activity cannot diagnose a difficulty.
As explaining reasons becomes useful, continue to the Age 4 vocabulary growth route. The next step is a clearer explanation, not a larger quota: what happened, why it might have happened, and which words help another person understand it.
Research-informed guide added on 3 November 2026 by edu|Kate Singapore. The practical examples are original editorial suggestions, not a validated intervention. Return to the 2,000-word list · Return to this growth guide.