The 2,000-word list for Age 7
A reference for adults choosing language for conversation and shared reading. A child aged 7 is not expected to know or learn all 2,000 words. Advanced entries are optional adult-led reading extensions. Age guidance.
Beginner 1–492 · Intermediate 493–1440 · Advanced 1441–2000 · How to use the bank · Vocabulary growth: why, what and how
Words run alphabetically within each band. Use the letter links or your browser’s Find in Page to locate a word. Every entry is visible below.
Move through this 24-age collection: All 2,000-word lists by age (1–24) · Previous: Age 6 · Next: Age 8 · How to use this bank. These are reference choices, not age-based word quotas.
Beginner: words 1–492
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · Y · Z
| Sequence and initial | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0001–0015 · A | ace, aching, ago, aha, ahem, amazing, amusing, apt, aside, assign, assistant, attack, attract, awesome, awkward |
| 0016–0035 · B | babe, babyish, babysit, backer, backing, backlash, backstory, badmouth, bakehouse, ballgame, ban, bare, baseless, basically, basis, battle, bearable, before, bemused, beneath |
| 0036–0055 · B | bent, best, bet, bide, billion, blemish, bliss, blonde, blooper, blotch, blowout, bodily, bookish, bookplate, boon, boring, botch, bothersome, bottomless, boxy |
| 0056–0063 · B | brainy, brand, brash, brawl, brawn, brawny, breakage, breakdown |
| 0064–0083 · C | calling, camerawork, casebook, cask, cast, casual, cautionary, cavernous, celebrated, celebrity, cellmate, certain, chafe, chaff, changeable, changeling, changeover, chaos, chap, charming |
| 0084–0103 · C | chasm, cheat, cheerless, cheery, cheesy, chic, chide, childish, childproof, chiller, chilling, chimera, chit, clobber, clockwork, clod, clunky, combat, commoner, confuse |
| 0104–0110 · C | conman, cornered, countess, cramp, crossly, cushy, cutback |
| 0111–0130 · D | dabbler, dagger, damsel, dancing, dandy, dapple, darkroom, dashing, datebook, dated, daylong, daze, dearest, debris, debut, deceitful, decency, decor, dedicate, deem |
| 0131–0150 · D | define, deluxe, demanding, desperate, despise, despite, detain, devilish, devoted, dicey, differ, diminish, dingy, dinky, disorder, dodgy, doer, doglike, dopey, downfall |
| 0151–0157 · D | downtime, drawl, droopy, dud, dumpy, dutiful, dwindling |
| 0158–0171 · E | earner, earthly, easily, edgy, eek, ego, either, eligible, elite, emoticon, emotional, empire, enable, encounter |
| 0172–0188 · F | faceless, facepalm, faddish, faker, fandom, fateful, fellow, fetching, fibber, fiddler, fiend, fireside, fistful, flank, flicker, fluent, flyaway |
| 0189–0208 · G | gabby, gaggle, gala, gangly, gaping, geek, gifted, gimmicky, girlhood, gist, giver, gizmo, gladden, glaring, glisten, glitch, gloom, glory, gnome, gory |
| 0209–0210 · G | gosh, gossipy |
| 0211–0230 · H | hairdo, hairpin, halting, handbill, handover, handwork, hangdog, hangout, hanker, haunting, havoc, headlong, heady, hectic, heroism, heyday, hightail, hoarse, hokey, hometown |
| 0231–0238 · H | hoopla, horrible, horrid, horrify, horror, hostage, hothead, humbug |
| 0239–0258 · I | icebound, idler, iffy, ignore, illusion, imagery, imitator, impart, impure, inaction, indebted, indie, inferior, informed, inky, inmate, insider, instant, instinct, insult |
| 0259–0265 · I | intermix, intruder, inviting, involved, irk, issue, itself |
| 0266–0282 · J | jackpot, jail, jailbird, jalopy, jamboree, jarring, jaunty, jewel, jingly, jitters, jittery, jokester, jokey, jotter, joyless, joyride, jury |
| 0283–0302 · K | kaput, karaoke, keeper, keeping, kerchief, keynote, kickback, kickball, kickoff, kidnap, killjoy, kimono, kinfolk, kingdom, kingly, kingship, kith, klutz, klutzy, kooky |
| 0303–0322 · L | laden, ladyship, landlady, landlord, lapdog, lass, latchkey, latter, learned, lecture, lecturer, legal, legwork, lender, letdown, letup, lifespan, lightly, liken, liking |
| 0323–0328 · L | limber, lineup, linguist, lippy, literary, literate |
| 0329–0348 · M | madcap, madden, mage, mangle, mankind, manner, marked, marriage, marry, marshy, mate, matey, meanie, meantime, measly, meddle, meddler, media, meet-up, meme |
| 0349–0357 · M | merrily, messily, minder, mingle, misfit, misspell, mix-up, motherly, muse |
| 0358–0377 · N | nab, nameless, namesake, natter, nervy, newfound, newsboy, newscast, newsreel, newsroom, newsy, nifty, niggle, niggling, ninja, nippy, nitpick, nitwit, nope, notion |
| 0378–0379 · N | nuisance, nutshell |
| 0380–0399 · O | oddball, offender, offering, offhand, offstage, ogress, oldie, oncoming, onward, oodles, oomph, oops, opener, opponent, optimist, ought, oust, outburst, outcry, outfox |
| 0400–0417 · O | outgrow, outguess, outlive, outlying, outmatch, outpace, outplay, outrank, outright, outshine, outsider, outsmart, outwit, overact, overbold, overdo, overreact, overrule |
| 0418–0432 · P | pageboy, papery, partake, pep, perk, pest, pigheaded, plain-spoken, plodder, poised, poser, pouting, prowler, punchline, putter |
| 0433–0433 · Q | quiver |
| 0434–0442 · R | rags, rambling, readily, redden, regret, remark, reunion, ringleader, ruckus |
| 0443–0462 · S | sagely, saintly, salute, scamp, scarper, scrappy, scrawny, scuffle, showman, shyly, silken, sin, sir, slink, slyly, snippy, sorrowful, sourly, spotty, squabble |
| 0463–0466 · S | sternly, stubbornly, stunned, swiftly |
| 0467–0473 · T | tactless, telling, tenderly, tiff, timidly, touchy, twaddle |
| 0474–0479 · U | underfoot, unfairness, unfriendly, unkindly, untold, utmost |
| 0480–0482 · V | vainly, vexed, vocal |
| 0483–0489 · W | warily, wits, woeful, wondrous, wordless, wreck, writhe |
| 0490–0491 · Y | yearning, youthful |
| 0492–0492 · Z | zinger |
Intermediate: words 493–1440
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · Y · Z
| Sequence and initial | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0493–0512 · A | abandoned, abashed, abate, abbreviate, abiding, abridge, absentee, academic, accolade, accost, accusation, acquaint, acquit, acrid, acrostic, acting, addressee, admirable, admonish, adolescent |
| 0513–0532 · A | adoration, adroit, adversary, adversity, advert, advertiser, advice, advisable, adviser, advisory, advocate, affecting, affinity, affront, afterword, agenda, agent, aggravate, aggression, aggressive |
| 0533–0552 · A | aggressor, aggrieved, alarming, albeit, alienate, alleged, alliance, allied, allusion, alphabetic, altogether, amateurish, ambient, amendment, amicable, amity, ampersand, anagram, analogue, anecdotal |
| 0553–0572 · A | animated, anime, anonymity, anonymous, answerable, anticlimax, antihero, antisocial, apathy, apostrophe, appalling, apparently, appealing, appearance, append, apportion, appraisal, apprehend, apprise, arabesque |
| 0573–0592 · A | arbiter, archaic, archrival, arduous, aristocrat, armada, armistice, army, arpeggio, arrears, arrogance, arsenal, artificial, aspirant, assent, assertive, assignment, assimilate, assurance, asterisk |
| 0593–0612 · A | athletic, atone, atonement, attainment, attendance, attest, attorney, attune, atypical, audacity, aural, austere, authorial, authorise, authority, autocrat, autocue, automaton, auxiliary, avail |
| 0613–0614 · A | avenge, axiom |
| 0615–0634 · B | backdate, backhanded, backslide, baleful, banishment, bankroll, bankrupt, banshee, baptism, barbarian, barbaric, barbarous, barefaced, baronial, barrage, barren, barricade, bated, battalion, beastly |
| 0635–0654 · B | bedeck, bedevil, bedfellow, bedlam, begrudge, begrudging, beguile, beguiling, behest, beholder, bemoan, benevolent, benign, berate, berserk, beseech, beset, besiege, besmirch, bespoke |
| 0655–0674 · B | bestow, bestseller, betrayal, betterment, bewitching, bigot, bigotry, bilingual, billowy, binding, biographer, biopic, birthright, bizarre, blackmail, blarney, blatant, blather, blight, blindside |
| 0675–0694 · B | blistering, blithe, blockade, bloodline, blotter, blowhard, blubber, blundering, blurb, blustery, boarding, bogeyman, bogus, bohemian, bombast, bombastic, bonanza, bonding, boogie, boor |
| 0695–0714 · B | boorish, borderland, borderline, boycott, bracing, braggart, brainchild, brainpower, brainwash, brainwave, bravado, brazen, breadline, breakneck, brevity, bribe, bribery, brigand, broach, broadsheet |
| 0715–0729 · B | broadside, broadsword, broker, brokerage, brooding, browbeat, brusque, brutality, brute, brutish, buccaneer, buffoon, burgeoning, bursary, buster |
| 0730–0749 · C | caboodle, cacophony, cadge, cagey, calibre, callous, callow, candour, cannery, cannon, cannonball, canny, canvass, capacious, caprice, captive, captivity, captor, careen, caress |
| 0750–0769 · C | carillon, carryall, cartel, catacomb, catchword, caterwaul, cavalry, caveat, ceasefire, cede, censor, censorship, censure, centaur, centenary, centurion, ceremonial, chapbook, chaperone, chaplain |
| 0770–0789 · C | charioteer, charisma, charismatic, chasten, chastise, chateau, chauffeur, cheapskate, cherub, cherubic, chivalry, chronicler, cipher, clambering, clamour, clarity, clique, clout, cobbled, cocky |
| 0790–0809 · C | coincide, collaborator, collapse, colonist, comedienne, commentary, commentator, commonplace, compelling, compensation, complexity, complicate, concede, conceit, conceited, conceive, conception, concur, condone, conformity |
| 0810–0829 · C | confront, conquer, conscious, contender, contrive, convene, conversational, conviction, counterclaim, courtier, courtly, covert, covet, crisis, culminate, curate, curfew, custody, cutthroat, cynic |
| 0830–0849 · D | dally, daresay, daunt, daunting, deadlock, deadpan, debacle, debatable, debater, debtor, deceit, deception, deceptive, decree, decry, defame, defeatist, defective, defendant, deficient |
| 0850–0869 · D | defraud, defunct, deign, deity, dejection, delicacy, delude, demean, demeanour, demigod, demise, demote, denounce, depiction, deplore, deploy, deprive, deride, derision, deserter |
| 0870–0889 · D | desertion, deserving, designate, desperado, detached, detention, deter, deterrent, detest, dethrone, detract, devastate, deviate, devious, devoid, devotee, devotion, dexterous, diadem, dialect |
| 0890–0909 · D | diarist, dictate, dictator, dignified, dignify, dignitary, diligent, diplomacy, diplomat, disarming, disciple, discord, discreet, disdain, disparage, disparity, dispel, disquiet, dissent, disservice |
| 0910–0920 · D | distraction, distraught, divulge, doleful, dour, downtrodden, dramatic, drastic, drudgery, dubious, dutifully |
| 0921–0940 · E | eccentric, ecstasy, educator, effusive, egotism, egotist, elation, elegance, elegy, elicit, eliminate, ellipsis, embitter, emblazon, embody, embroil, emergence, emigrant, empathise, emphatic |
| 0941–0960 · E | emulate, enact, enclave, encompass, encroach, encumber, endow, endowment, engender, enigma, enigmatic, enlighten, enlist, enmity, enrapture, enshrine, enshroud, enslave, ensnare, ensue |
| 0961–0963 · E | enviable, envoy, exile |
| 0964–0983 · F | facet, faithful, fakery, falsify, fantasia, fanzine, farcical, fatality, fathom, faun, fawning, feint, feminine, feminism, feminist, ferocity, festoon, fetter, fiasco, fiendish |
| 0984–0998 · F | figment, filch, finality, finicky, flagship, flattery, flaunt, flimflam, flippant, foolhardy, foreboding, foregone, foremost, forfeit, futile |
| 0999–1017 · G | gallantry, gauntlet, gavel, gawky, genius, gibber, gilded, gingerly, glamorous, glorify, gluttony, goad, gobbledygook, gospel, govern, grievance, grotesque, guerrilla, guild |
| 1018–1037 · H | habitual, haggard, hallmark, hallow, hammy, hapless, harass, hark, harrowing, haughty, hawkish, hearken, hearsay, heckle, heckler, heedful, heedless, heiress, helmsman, henchman |
| 1038–1057 · H | heritage, heroic, hiatus, hideous, highborn, highness, hilarity, hindsight, hitherto, hobnob, hogwash, homage, homeland, honorary, honourable, hoodlum, hooligan, hostile, hostility, hubbub |
| 1058–1062 · H | humane, humdrum, humility, humourless, hysterical |
| 1063–1082 · I | iconic, idealise, idiomatic, idol, idyllic, ignorance, imperil, impetus, impose, imposing, impostor, incense, incur, induce, indulge, inept, infamous, inferno, inflict, ingrate |
| 1083–1095 · I | inhuman, inhumane, innate, insignia, intent, interim, intimate, intrigue, invoke, irate, irksome, irony, irritate |
| 1096–1104 · J | jaded, jargon, jeer, jeopardy, jest, jinx, joyous, juncture, juror |
| 1105–1113 · K | keystone, kindred, kitsch, knavery, knavish, knighthood, knockabout, knowing, kudos |
| 1114–1133 · L | lackey, laggard, lament, lapse, laurels, lavish, lawless, lawsuit, lax, layabout, leaden, leery, leeway, legion, levitate, liable, liaise, liberal, liberate, lifeless |
| 1134–1143 · L | lifework, lithe, livid, loath, loathe, lobbyist, lore, lout, loutish, lurid |
| 1144–1163 · M | magnate, maiden, majesty, malady, malarkey, malice, malicious, maltreat, manga, mannerly, mantra, maraud, marauder, mariner, masterly, mastery, maternal, matron, maw, mayhem |
| 1164–1183 · M | meagre, mediate, melee, menacing, menial, merciless, mesmerising, mettle, misadventure, miscreant, misgiving, misjudgement, misrepresentation, mistrust, moderation, modesty, monologue, monotony, morose, motley |
| 1184–1187 · M | mournful, multilingual, mundane, musings |
| 1188–1205 · N | naive, nativity, nautical, naysayer, negate, nicety, nobility, nobleman, nocturne, nomad, nominee, noteworthy, novelise, novelty, novice, nuance, nullify, nunnery |
| 1206–1225 · O | oaf, oafish, oath, obligation, oblige, oblivion, oblivious, obscure, obsolete, obstruct, occupant, oddment, ode, omen, ominous, omission, onlooker, opine, opinion, oppress |
| 1226–1242 · O | oppression, oracle, ordeal, outcast, outclass, outlandish, outmoded, outpost, outrage, outspoken, outstretched, outstrip, outworn, overawe, overbearing, overconfident, overt |
| 1243–1262 · P | pageantry, palatial, palaver, pallor, pandemonium, paralysed, parchment, pardon, parody, parry, patron, pauper, peevish, penniless, pensive, perceptive, persuasive, pert, pessimism, pessimist |
| 1263–1282 · P | pettiness, petulant, picturesque, pilfer, piteous, plight, plucky, political, pompous, pontoon, poorhouse, portly, portrayal, preamble, precarious, preconception, preen, preoccupation, pretence, pretender |
| 1283–1290 · P | prevalent, princely, prodigy, prominence, prose, proverb, pulpit, pursuit |
| 1291–1293 · Q | quarrelsome, quip, quirky |
| 1294–1313 · R | ramification, rampant, raucous, raze, rebuff, reign, relentless, reluctance, remnant, remorse, renounce, renown, reprimand, resigned, resolute, revel, ridicule, righteous, ritzy, rogue |
| 1314–1319 · R | roguish, romanticise, rotund, ruse, rustic, ruthless |
| 1320–1339 · S | sarcasm, savage, saviour, scandal, scandalous, scathing, scoff, scorn, seafaring, sedate, sentiment, sentimental, sequel, shambolic, shamefaced, shenanigans, shoddy, sidelong, simper, slapdash |
| 1340–1359 · S | slovenly, snappish, sneer, snide, snobbery, snooty, snub, sober, sombre, soulless, spartan, speculation, spiteful, sprightly, squander, stately, staunch, stodgy, straggler, strife |
| 1360–1367 · S | strive, stupendous, subdue, subdued, subtlety, sultry, suspenseful, swagger |
| 1368–1387 · T | taint, tantalise, taunt, throng, thwart, titanic, toil, tomfoolery, torment, tout, tradition, trait, traitor, trancelike, treacherous, tribute, trite, trivialise, truant, turmoil |
| 1388–1389 · T | tyranny, tyrant |
| 1390–1409 · U | unabashed, unassuming, uncharitable, unconventional, uncouth, undaunted, underdog, understate, understatement, undisputed, unearthly, unfazed, unflappable, unflinching, unfounded, ungainly, ungracious, unmask, unnerve, unparalleled |
| 1410–1416 · U | unpretentious, unreserved, unsung, unwitting, upbraid, uproar, upstage |
| 1417–1428 · V | vagabond, valour, verdict, vested, vigil, vigour, villainous, virtuous, vitality, vivacious, volley, vulgar |
| 1429–1438 · W | warlord, wayfarer, wayward, wheedle, whimsy, wilful, withering, witness, wrathful, wreak |
| 1439–1439 · Y | yen |
| 1440–1440 · Z | zestful |
Advanced — optional adult-led reading: words 1441–2000
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · V · W · X · Z
| Sequence and initial | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 1441–1460 · A | abbess, abbot, abdicate, abdication, abject, abolish, abolition, abominable, absolve, abstain, abstracted, absurdity, abysmal, abyss, accomplice, accordance, accredit, acerbic, acquiesce, acquittal |
| 1461–1480 · A | acrimony, actuality, acumen, adjourn, adjudicate, administer, admissible, admonition, adulation, adverse, advocacy, aesthetics, affliction, affluence, aftermath, ageism, agitation, alacrity, alienation, allegation |
| 1481–1500 · A | almighty, alms, almshouse, altruism, altruistic, ambivalent, animosity, antagonise, antithesis, apathetic, archetype, ascertain, ascribe, assail, astute, atrocious, auspicious, autocracy, autonomous, autonomy |
| 1501–1520 · B | backbench, backbiting, balderdash, ballyhoo, banal, banality, banditry, bankruptcy, barbarity, baroque, beleaguer, belfry, bellicose, bellwether, benediction, beneficent, benighted, bequeath, bequest, bereavement |
| 1521–1540 · B | bereft, besotted, bestiary, betrothal, betrothed, biddable, bipartisan, blazon, bloc, boatswain, bode, bonhomie, bravura, brigadier, bristling, brouhaha, bucolic, bumptious, bureaucrat, burgeon |
| 1541–1541 · B | burlesque |
| 1542–1561 · C | cabal, cachet, cad, calamitous, canard, canonical, capitulate, capitulation, capricious, carnage, carouse, caste, castigate, cataclysm, cataclysmic, catharsis, cathartic, caucus, caustic, cavalcade |
| 1562–1581 · C | cavalier, cenotaph, centrality, cerebral, certifiable, certitude, chagrin, chancellor, charlatan, chattel, chauvinism, chauvinist, chauvinistic, chicanery, chivalrous, circuitous, circumlocution, circumspect, circumstantial, circumvent |
| 1582–1601 · C | claimant, clairvoyance, clandestine, clarion, clemency, cloister, coalesce, coalition, coercion, coercive, cogent, cognisance, cognisant, cohesion, colloquial, collusion, commemoration, commendable, commendation, commensurate |
| 1602–1621 · C | commiserate, commissary, commission, commodore, communicative, communiqué, complacent, complaisant, complicity, concession, concord, condescend, condescension, condolence, confabulation, conflagration, congenial, conjectural, connoisseur, conservatism |
| 1622–1625 · C | conservative, conspiracy, construe, consummate |
| 1626–1645 · D | dais, dalliance, deacon, dearth, debonair, decadence, decadent, declaration, decorous, decorum, decrepit, deducible, defamation, defamatory, defection, deference, deferential, deliberation, delineate, delirious |
| 1646–1665 · D | delusion, demagogue, demarcate, demur, demure, denigrate, denizen, deplorable, derelict, derisive, desolate, despotic, despotism, destitute, desultory, détente, detriment, deviation, devout, diaspora |
| 1666–1685 · D | diatribe, dichotomy, dictatorship, dictum, didactic, diffident, digress, digression, dirge, disaffected, disavow, discernment, discomfit, disconcert, disconsolate, discursive, disenfranchise, disillusion, disinterested, disparagement |
| 1686–1702 · D | disparate, dispassionate, disrepute, dissertation, distasteful, doctrine, doggerel, dogma, dogmatic, domination, dominion, dowager, dramatise, duplicity, duress, dynastic, dynasty |
| 1703–1717 · E | ebullient, echelon, eclectic, edict, edifice, egregious, elocution, eloquent, emanate, embargo, embezzle, eminent, emissary, enfeeble, ennoble |
| 1718–1737 · F | fabulist, facetious, facile, faction, factious, fallacy, fallible, familial, fanatic, fanaticism, fastidious, fatalism, fatuous, fealty, feckless, felicity, fervent, fervour, feudal, feudalism |
| 1738–1757 · F | fictitious, fidelity, fiefdom, filial, filibuster, finesse, flagrant, flamboyance, flamboyant, florid, forbearance, forebear, formidable, forswear, fortitude, fortuitous, fraternity, frivolity, frugality, fulsome |
| 1758–1758 · F | furtive |
| 1759–1777 · G | galvanise, gambit, gamut, garbled, gauche, generalisation, geniality, gentrification, germane, gesticulate, gesticulation, glorification, grandiose, grandstanding, gratuitous, gratuity, gravitas, gregarious, guileless |
| 1778–1797 · H | halcyon, harangue, harbinger, hauteur, hedonism, hegemony, heinous, heraldic, heraldry, heredity, heresy, heretic, heretical, hierarchy, highbrow, humanise, humanism, humanitarian, humiliate, hyperbolic |
| 1798–1817 · I | ideology, ignoble, ignominy, illicit, illusory, illustrious, imbue, immortal, immutable, impasse, impeccable, imperious, impertinent, impetuous, implacable, impregnable, impudent, impunity, inane, inarticulate |
| 1818–1837 · I | incisive, incorrigible, incredulity, incredulous, indictment, indigent, indignation, indiscretion, indoctrinate, indolent, indulgence, ineffable, inexorable, infallible, infamy, infernal, inflect, ingratiate, inherent, iniquity |
| 1838–1857 · I | injunction, innocuous, innuendo, insatiable, inscrutable, insidious, insinuation, insipid, insolent, insubordinate, insular, intercession, interlocutor, intimation, intrepid, inundate, inveterate, inviolable, ironic, irreconcilable |
| 1858–1861 · I | irreproachable, irresolute, irreverent, itinerant |
| 1862–1869 · J | jettison, jocular, jollity, judicial, judicious, juggernaut, juxtapose, juxtaposition |
| 1870–1870 · K | kowtow |
| 1871–1882 · L | lackadaisical, laconic, lambaste, lampoon, languid, languish, languor, latent, legitimacy, legitimise, levity, longevity |
| 1883–1902 · M | macabre, maestro, magnanimous, malign, mandate, manoeuvre, marquess, martial, martyr, maudlin, maverick, mawkish, maxim, medieval, mediocre, melancholy, mercenary, metaphor, misapprehension, misdemeanour |
| 1903–1907 · M | misnomer, moralist, mortify, munificent, mythology |
| 1908–1916 · N | negligent, nemesis, neophyte, nepotism, nexus, nominal, nonchalant, nostalgia, notorious |
| 1917–1927 · O | obdurate, oblique, obsequious, obverse, obviate, odious, officious, omniscient, onerous, opulent, ornery |
| 1928–1947 · P | pacifist, palpable, panache, paradigm, paradox, paragon, parochial, pathos, patriarch, patronage, patronise, pedantic, penance, penchant, penitence, penitent, perfunctory, perpetuate, persecute, personify |
| 1948–1967 · P | philosophical, pictorial, piety, plaintive, poignant, polemic, pomp, ponderous, precept, precocious, premonition, presumptuous, pretentious, privateer, privation, proclamation, prophetic, propriety, prosaic, providence |
| 1968–1973 · P | prudish, psyche, psychological, pugnacious, punctilious, purport |
| 1974–1976 · Q | quandary, querulous, quixotic |
| 1977–1985 · R | rabble, raffish, rancour, rapscallion, redress, remonstrate, revere, riposte, rueful |
| 1986–1989 · S | soothsayer, squire, stalwart, sycophant |
| 1990–1993 · T | tacit, thespian, thrall, tumult |
| 1994–1997 · V | valorous, vindictive, virtuoso, visage |
| 1998–1998 · W | wearisome |
| 1999–1999 · X | xenophobia |
| 2000–2000 · Z | zealot |
Using this bank
Read for actions, motives, viewpoints and the exact meaning a word carries.
The complete list is above. Go to age guidance, the practical method, definitions and examples, common problems, frequent questions or all published age banks.
When a story becomes more interesting, its words often do more than name things. They show a character’s attitude, hint at a motive, change the pace or leave a question unanswered. This volume offers language for talking about those choices.
Choose a word because it helps with a particular sentence or idea. A character can be cautious without being cowardly; a claim can sound confident without being reliable. The useful conversation is about the difference, not about collecting the longest synonym.
The bank includes familiar starting points and optional words from richer narrative and public language. Adults should select books, topics and explanations that suit the child. The complete list is a reference, not a reading-level test or an expectation that every seven-year-old will use these words.
What Age 7 means here
ASHA’s second-grade guidance includes explaining words and ideas, finding information to answer questions, and retelling stories in order. It describes US end-of-grade tasks. It should not be treated as a birthday checklist or automatically mapped to a Singapore school year. ASHA: Your Child’s Communication — Second Grade.
This age volume is organised around supported conversations about meaning. The three bands describe the collection; they do not label children. No source cited here validates these particular 2,000 words as an age requirement.
| Band | What it means here | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | A starting route within this collection | Choose an entry that fits something the child already notices, says or enjoys. |
| Intermediate | More detail, description and relationships | Choose a word that makes an existing idea more precise or adds a useful distinction. |
| Advanced | Optional adult-led reading extension | Use a term only when a suitable story, interest or question gives it a meaningful context. |
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Use the sentence, check the meaning, consider the viewpoint
1. Read enough of the scene
Look at the sentence and the nearby events. A character’s action may explain why a word appears. Context can suggest a meaning, but an uncertain guess still needs checking.
2. Explain the meaning in that scene
Use familiar language. “Reluctant means not very willing to do it.” Then return to the sentence and ask whether that explanation makes sense there.
3. Compare a nearby word
Choose one useful contrast: reluctant and unable; confident and accurate; persuade and order. Two words can overlap without being interchangeable. Discuss what would change if you swapped them.
4. Separate the action from the motive
“She shut the door” describes an action. “She wanted to be alone” suggests a motive. Ask which part the text tells you and which part you are inferring.
5. Use the word in a new sentence
Invite a short example from another story or an imaginary situation. If the meaning slips, model an example and talk about the difference. A second context can show what the word does and does not mean.
EEF’s Vocabulary in Action resource recommends everyday explanations, varied contexts and repeated encounters with useful words. This guide’s comparisons and examples are original applications of those broad principles. EEF: Vocabulary in Action.
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Useful meanings and examples from ordinary life
Examples use familiar words from across the series, including earlier volumes. The no-repeat rule applies only to the numbered bank entries. The short meanings below explain the intended sense in each example; they are not exhaustive dictionary entries.
1. A character does not want to join
reluctant — unwilling or hesitant
“She can join the game, but she is reluctant. What might explain that?”
Distinguish willingness from ability.
2. Two people tell different accounts
perspective — a way of seeing a situation
“How does the scene look from the other character’s perspective?”
A viewpoint is not the whole event.
3. A character makes a strong claim
confident — feeling or showing assurance
“He sounds confident. What evidence supports his claim?”
Confidence alone does not establish accuracy.
4. Dialogue suggests more than it says
imply — suggest without stating directly
“The line may imply she knows the secret. What makes you think so?”
Keep the inference connected to the words.
5. A choice affects another person
considerate — showing thought for others
“Was the choice considerate of the person waiting?”
Discuss the specific action and its effect.
6. A narrator leaves information out
omission — something left out
“Would that omission change how a reader understands the event?”
Notice missing information without inventing it.
7. A statement can mean two things
ambiguous — open to more than one meaning
“This message is ambiguous. How could we make it clearer?”
Try two interpretations and rewrite the message.
8. A character changes after an event
resilient — able to recover or adapt after difficulty
“What did the character do after the setback?”
Look for actions; avoid assuming how someone must feel.
Precise language makes room for uncertainty and different viewpoints
A synonym list can be useful, but swapping one word for another can change a sentence. Stubborn and determined can both describe persistence, yet they carry different judgements. Ask whose judgement the story presents. Is it the narrator’s, another character’s or your own?
Character labels are starting points for discussion. “She is selfish” is a broad judgement. “She kept all the supplies even though the others needed some” gives evidence about an action. Encourage the more specific account before deciding which label fits. People and characters can act differently in different situations.
Separate what a speaker says from what the reader knows. A character may be mistaken, exaggerating or trying to persuade someone. That does not mean every statement should be distrusted; it means the reader has a reason to check the scene and consider the speaker’s purpose.
When two interpretations are possible, keep both until the text settles the question. “Perhaps” and “another possibility” help a child discuss ambiguity without needing to guess the adult’s preferred answer. If the book leaves the issue open, the conversation can do so too.
For writing, favour the word that gives the reader the right information. A short exact verb may be more useful than an impressive adjective. After changing a word, read the whole sentence aloud and ask whether it still expresses the intended meaning.
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Five possible occasions to return to a useful word
Choose occasions that fit naturally. These are not five compulsory days, and there is no daily quota or completion deadline. Repeat, change or stop an activity according to the child’s interest.
| Occasion | What to try |
|---|---|
| Find | Choose a short scene containing one useful unfamiliar word. |
| Explain | Put the meaning into familiar language and reread the sentence. |
| Compare | Try a nearby word and discuss the change in meaning or tone. |
| Support | Point to the action or line that supports an interpretation. |
| Transfer | Use the word in another story, conversation or short piece of writing. |
Reading and languages at home
Let the topic guide your reading. A story, information book, picture, recipe, sign or instruction can give a word a useful context. Read aloud when the idea interests the child but the text is difficult. Pause for a necessary explanation and return to the meaning of the passage.
Use the languages you are comfortable using, and welcome connections between them. The Communication Health Support Association encourages families to give children opportunities to use their languages. This English bank cannot represent everything a multilingual child knows. Communication Health Support Association: Learning More Than One Language.
When something is not working
| What you notice | A useful adjustment |
|---|---|
| The child guesses from one word and ignores the sentence | Reread the scene together. Check which meaning fits all the information. |
| Every character becomes “good” or “bad” | Describe the specific choice and its effect before discussing a label. |
| The adult and child interpret the scene differently | Ask each person to show the relevant words. More than one reading may remain possible. |
| Longer words make writing harder to understand | Return to the intended message. Keep the simpler word when it is more exact. |
| An unfamiliar cultural reference blocks the story | Give a brief explanation or find a suitable picture or source, then return to the narrative. |
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Frequently asked questions
Is advanced vocabulary always better writing?
No. A useful word fits the meaning, audience and sentence. Length and rarity are not measures of quality.
Should a seven-year-old know all these words?
No. This is an adult-guided reference with optional extensions. It is not a developmental word count or a requirement for independent reading.
Can context always reveal a word’s meaning?
No. It can give clues, but some contexts are incomplete or misleading. Check a suitable dictionary or another reliable explanation when the meaning remains uncertain.
What if two words seem to mean the same thing?
Compare sentences. Consider tone, strength, purpose and the kinds of things each word naturally describes. A small difference may matter in one sentence but not another.
Does the sequence ban repetition?
Only the numbered entries are allocated once across published age banks. The teaching examples and ordinary conversation should reuse useful words freely.
The sequence and word audit
Age 7: 2,000 distinct listed entries. This volume occupies series positions 12,001–14,000. 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 interesting sentence. Explain a word, compare it with a nearby alternative and ask what the change does to the meaning.
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Sources and editorial note
ASHA: Your Child’s Communication — Second Grade
Communication Health Support Association: Learning More Than One Language
The guides, definitions and examples are original eduKate editorial explanations. The cited organisations do not endorse this page. “Top” describes the editorial selection; no search ranking, measured word-frequency order or learning outcome is promised.
edu|Kate Singapore · Clear words for useful conversations, reading and everyday understanding.
Vocabulary Growth Guide for Age 7: Why, What and How
Two words can point towards a similar idea without making the same claim. “Ignored” is not the same as “did not hear”. “Certain” does not mean “correct”. Vocabulary growth at this stage can involve noticing these differences and choosing language that matches the evidence in a story or an everyday account.
Read the scene, explain the relevant meaning, compare a near miss and use the word in a new sentence. The aim is precision, not replacing every ordinary word with an impressive synonym. This bank’s 2,000 entries remain an editorial reference, not a seven-year-old’s required score.
Why words matter · What growth means · The research · A worked example · A practical method · Noticing progress
Why precise meanings help a reader
Suppose a story says a character did not answer a question. Calling that behaviour “ignoring” adds an interpretation: the character may have deliberately paid no attention. The text might instead explain that the room was noisy and the question was not heard. A reader needs more than a list of synonyms to decide which word fits.
The same care matters in daily life. “She ignored me” can communicate a different claim from “She didn’t answer me”. An adult can help a child distinguish the observed event from an inferred intention, without demanding certainty about what another person was thinking.
The Age 7 guide to synonyms and antonyms provides a related route. The useful goal is not matching every word to one interchangeable partner. It is understanding what changes when one word replaces another.
What vocabulary depth looks like in a sentence
Take “awkward”, an entry in this bank. A package might be awkward to carry because of its shape. A moment in a conversation might be awkward because people feel uncomfortable or uncertain about what to say. The same spelling can perform different jobs in different contexts.
Start with one sentence and a short, suitable explanation. Then compare a sentence in which the proposed meaning would not fit. A large package is not necessarily awkward if it is easy to carry. An unfamiliar social situation is not automatically awkward for every person in it.
This kind of comparison turns a vague impression into a clearer distinction. It also shows why a definition learned in isolation may need further explanation. The child does not need every possible meaning at once; they need enough understanding to read the present sentence accurately.
What research says about learning from context
Nash and Snowling’s study of 24 children aged seven to eight compared teaching definitions with teaching a strategy for deriving meanings from written context. Both groups initially improved on taught words. At the later assessment, the context group showed advantages in expressive vocabulary and comprehension of text containing taught words. This small study involved children with weak existing vocabulary; it does not establish that definitions are useless or context always gives a sufficient answer.
A sensible application is to combine a child-friendly explanation with attention to the actual sentence. Context supplies clues, and an adult or suitable dictionary can help check an uncertain interpretation. Do not teach “guess and move on” as if a plausible guess were verified knowledge.
Context work also does not replace decoding. The reader still needs to identify the printed word. The activity below focuses on choosing a meaning after the word has been read or supplied, rather than guessing which word is on the page.
A worked example: did the character ignore the message?
Read a short scene. “Mina was wearing headphones while drawing. Her brother asked a question from the doorway. She kept drawing.” Ask what the scene explicitly tells us. It tells us about the headphones, the question and the continued drawing. It does not yet tell us whether Mina heard.
Introduce the distinction. Explain that “ignore” can mean deliberately not attending or responding. Ask whether the evidence is enough to say Mina ignored her brother. “We don’t know yet” is a thoughtful answer, not a failure to use the vocabulary.
Add relevant information. In a second version, Mina hears the question, turns away and decides not to answer. Discuss why “ignored” fits more clearly here. You have changed the evidence, not merely requested a longer sentence.
Write two accurate accounts. “Mina did not answer” fits the first scene. “Mina deliberately ignored the question” fits the second version more securely. The simpler sentence can be the more accurate one when the evidence is limited.
Transfer carefully. Try a new fictional situation involving a missed greeting or an unread note. Keep real family disagreements out of the exercise if they would make it uncomfortable. The purpose is meaning and evidence, not using a lesson to assign blame.
How to turn a new word into a usable choice
Begin by locating the word’s job. Is it describing an action, a quality, a feeling, a relationship or a judgement? This question does not require formal grammar terminology. It helps the adult choose an explanation that belongs to the sentence.
Next, give a familiar explanation and ask what would change with a nearby word. “Certain” expresses confidence or lack of doubt; it does not guarantee accuracy. “Baseless”, also in this bank, concerns a lack of supporting grounds. A statement can sound certain and still be baseless. Use age-appropriate fictional examples rather than turning this into a test of current affairs.
Invite a short original sentence. The child might dictate it, write it or include it in a story. Then check whether the situation actually supports the chosen word. A vivid word that changes the intended meaning is not an improvement merely because it sounds sophisticated.
For further home activities, the Age 7 meanings-and-games guide offers a complementary route. Keep the example small enough that the child can concentrate on the distinction, rather than remembering a long invented plot.
How to notice progress without rewarding verbosity
Look for an accurate explanation, a suitable new example or a reason for rejecting a near miss. “I would not use ignored because we do not know whether she heard” demonstrates a useful distinction even without a long written answer.
A child may recognise the word while reading but not use it comfortably in writing. Offer another opportunity, not a demand to insert it into every paragraph. Some vocabulary remains mainly useful for understanding what other people say or write, and that is a legitimate purpose.
When a sentence is inaccurate, identify the problem. Was the meaning misunderstood? Did the child infer more than the text supports? Did a synonym change the tone? Model a repair and explain the change. Recopying the same incorrect sentence does not address those different issues.
Keep notes as examples of current work, not diagnostic labels. Persistent difficulties with reading, language or word finding should be discussed with the child’s teacher or a qualified professional. Consider the child’s full language experience rather than judging only an English sample.
Where the next layer of growth begins
The Age 6 guide remains useful for observation and explanation. The Age 8 bank and growth guide extends the same care to sources, information and more independent word learning.
A useful vocabulary does not merely make a child sound older. It helps them understand a passage, express a fair account and recognise when they need to check a meaning. Precision can mean choosing a shorter sentence and admitting uncertainty.
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.