SEC English Vocabulary Hub | G1, G2, G3, Essential, Advanced & Secondary 1–4

Find the right SEC English vocabulary list, then learn how to use the words. Choose your English subject level, your school year, or the skill you want to improve. This hub brings eduKate’s Essential and Advanced vocabulary resources together.

Complete SEC Essential Vocabulary Suite

Choose the subject level first, then the student’s Secondary year.

Level	Essential Master	Secondary 1–4 Essential Hub	Advanced Hub
G1	Top 100 SEC G1 Essential	G1 Essential Sec 1–4	G1 Advanced Sec 1–4
G2	Top 100 SEC G2 Essential	G2 Essential Sec 1–4	G2 Advanced Sec 1–4
G3	Top 100 SEC G3 Essential	G3 Essential Sec 1–4	G3 Advanced Sec 1–4

Overall SEC Vocabulary Lists

Top 100 SEC Vocabulary List: Essential · Top 100 SEC Vocabulary List: Advanced

Start here: what do you need?

What you need	Where to start
“I recognise words but struggle to use them.”	SEC Essential Vocabulary — practise meaning, sentences and natural word combinations.
“I want to express more precise ideas.”	SEC Advanced Vocabulary — explore a wider choice of words, then check which ones fit.
“I know my English subject level.”	Choose G1, G2 or G3.
“I need a list for my school year.”	Choose Secondary 1, 2, 3 or 4.
“I need help with writing or speaking.”	Find a practice guide.
“I would like to try something now.”	Try the short vocabulary practice.
“I prefer a printable reference.”	SEC vocabulary PDF guide.

You do not need to read every page or learn every list at once. Choose one useful starting point. Learn a small group of words, try them in your own sentences, and return when you are ready for the next step.

First, understand the three labels

G1, G2 and G3 describe subject levels. Secondary 1–4 describe school years. A student can therefore be in Secondary 2 and study English at G3. For SEC examinations, students take subjects at their respective subject levels; see SEAB’s explanation of the SEC.

Essential and Advanced are eduKate’s resource labels. They help you choose what to practise. They are not additional examination levels. Essential does not mean G1, and Advanced does not mean G3.

For example, a G3 student who struggles to use familiar words accurately can still work on an Essential list. A G1 student can use a G1 Advanced resource for further practice. Choose the material that helps with the actual difficulty, while keeping school and examination work aligned with the student’s English level.

For a fuller comparison, read What are the G1, G2 and G3 English vocabulary resources, and how do they differ?

Choose your English subject level

Start with the English level the student is studying at school. The codes below identify the 2027 SEC English Language syllabuses; they are not vocabulary difficulty scores.

English level	2027 syllabus	Vocabulary resources
G1 English	K100 — official syllabus listing	G1 Advanced Top 100 G1 vocabulary guide
G2 English	K200 — official syllabus listing	G2 Advanced Top 100 G2 vocabulary guide
G3 English	K300 — official syllabus listing	G3 Advanced Top 100 G3 vocabulary guide

Unsure of the student’s English level? Check the school’s subject information or ask the English teacher before choosing examination-specific practice. The right resource should support the student’s current work, not simply have the most demanding title.

Should I choose Essential or Advanced?

Choose	A useful starting point when…	Begin with
Essential	You need more secure meanings, clearer sentences, or practice recalling words without help.	Top 100 SEC Essential Vocabulary
Advanced	You can use the words you already know and want more choice, finer distinctions, or closer reading practice.	Top 100 SEC Advanced Vocabulary

Here is the difference in practice. “The plan was good” leaves the reader guessing. “The plan was practical because we could carry it out with the materials we already had” explains what made it useful.

A different sentence might say, “The plan was considerate because it gave the younger pupils more time.” That is a different judgement. The aim is not to replace every simple word. It is to choose the word that expresses what you actually mean.

A student can use both kinds of list. Practise an uncertain everyday word alongside a new advanced word. There is no need to stop using familiar vocabulary when you begin an Advanced resource.

Choose your school year

Use this table to open a year-level list. The Essential column is a general Secondary sequence, not a separate G1, G2 or G3 Essential course. The Advanced links shown here are labelled by subject level.

School year	General Essential list	Level-specific Advanced lists
Secondary 1	Secondary 1 Essential	Secondary 1 G2 Advanced Secondary 1 G3 Advanced
Secondary 2	Secondary 2 Essential	Secondary 2 G2 Advanced Secondary 2 G3 Advanced
Secondary 3	Secondary 3 Essential	Secondary 3 G2 Advanced Secondary 3 G3 Advanced
Secondary 4	Secondary 4 Essential	Secondary 4 G2 Advanced Secondary 4 G3 Advanced

Looking for G1? Use the G1 Advanced Top 100, then continue through the live year-level route: Secondary 1 G1 Advanced Vocabulary · Secondary 2 G1 Advanced Vocabulary. Use the G1 practice guides below for context, morphology, collocations and K100 vocabulary skills.

For an overview before choosing a list, visit the Secondary 1–4 Essential guide, the Secondary 1–4 G2 Advanced guide, or the Secondary 1–4 G3 Advanced guide.

The year label gives you a starting point, not a deadline for knowing every word. Keep earlier vocabulary in use. Move to a new list when you can explain and use the words you have been practising; review earlier examples whenever you need them.

Use the words in writing, reading and speaking

A list gives you words. The next step is to do something with them. Choose the skill you want to practise, then open the guide that matches your resource or English subject level.

What to practise	General guides	G2 and G3 guides
Composition Use a word to develop a scene or explain a point.	Essential composition Advanced composition	G2 composition G3 composition
Idioms Check meaning and whether the expression suits the tone.	Essential idioms Advanced idioms	G2 idioms G3 idioms
Phrasal verbs Practise natural expressions in complete sentences.	Essential phrasal verbs Advanced phrasal verbs	G2 phrasal verbs G3 phrasal verbs
Why learn these words? Connect vocabulary practice with a clear purpose.	Why learn Essential vocabulary? Why learn Advanced vocabulary?	Why learn G2 vocabulary? Why learn G3 vocabulary?
Learning methods Try a word, check it, and return to it later.	Learn Essential vocabulary Learn Advanced vocabulary	Learn G2 vocabulary Learn G3 vocabulary

You do not need to complete all five types of guide at once. For example, a student who knows definitions but writes awkward sentences can start with composition practice. A student who keeps forgetting familiar words can begin with a learning-method guide and a smaller word set.

G1 practice: work on one skill at a time

What you would like to improve	Open this G1 guide
Choose useful words for everyday reading and communication.	High-utility vocabulary
Work out a word’s meaning from the sentence around it.	Vocabulary in context
Recognise related forms, prefixes and suffixes.	Word families
Use words that naturally go together.	Collocations and word combinations
Practise choosing a suitable word for a gap.	G1 modified cloze practice

Try a short vocabulary practice

Use this section when you are ready to try the words rather than read about them. These are original teaching activities, not a SEAB examination paper. You can answer in a notebook or discuss your answers aloud.

1. Can you explain the difference?

Candid means honest and direct. Tactful means careful about how you speak so that you avoid unnecessary offence. “Your opening is confusing” is direct. “Your main idea is useful; could you explain it earlier?” expresses criticism more gently.

A comment can be both candid and tactful. The words are not opposites: one highlights honesty, while the other highlights the way the message is delivered. Your turn: write one piece of helpful feedback, then explain which quality you want to emphasise.

2. Repair one sentence

Sentence to repair: “She participated the discussion and gave a reason relevant with the question.”

There are two word-pattern errors. Rewrite the sentence before checking the answers below. Then write a different sentence using either participate or relevant. Do not simply copy your correction.

3. Read a short passage

This fictional scene takes place at a school book exchange in Singapore.

Nadia was reluctant to lead the welcome desk. She knew how the exchange worked, but she worried that she would forget the instructions when visitors arrived. Rather than tell her to “be more confident”, Arjun helped her prepare a short explanation.

They took a methodical approach. First, they checked which books visitors could bring. Next, they wrote the exchange rules in three clear sentences. Finally, they rehearsed with two classmates. When one classmate misunderstood the collection time, Nadia changed “later” to “after three o’clock”.

Their plan was still tentative. Only two people had tried the instructions, so Nadia wanted to test them with another group before the event. She was willing to lead the next rehearsal. This time, she knew what she would say—and what she still needed to check.

Question 1: What does reluctant tell you about Nadia’s willingness at the beginning? Does it prove that she lacks the ability to do the task?

Question 2: Which details make methodical a suitable description of the preparation?

Question 3: Why is “after three o’clock” more precise than “later”?

Question 4: What does tentative mean here, and why is the plan still tentative?

4. Try the idea in writing and speaking

Writing: write a short scene in which a student changes a plan after noticing a problem. Choose two or three words from your current vocabulary list only where they improve the meaning. Show what happened; do not simply describe the student as “good” or “clever”.

Speaking: explain one change that could make a school activity easier to understand. Give a reason and an example. Then answer this follow-up: “What would you check before making the change permanent?” Use familiar words whenever they express your idea clearly.

Check your answers

Sentence repair: “She participated in the discussion and gave a reason relevant to the question.” The useful patterns are participate in and relevant to. Knowing the meaning of a word is only part of using it in a sentence.

Passage 1: Nadia is hesitant or unwilling at first. That does not establish a lack of ability. The passage says she understands the exchange but worries about forgetting the instructions.

Passage 2: the group works through an organised sequence: check the rules, write the explanation, rehearse, and revise a confusing detail. Those actions support the description methodical.

Passage 3: “after three o’clock” gives a specific time reference. “Later” leaves the visitor unsure when collection begins.

Passage 4: tentative means provisional—not yet final. The instructions have only been tested with two people, so Nadia plans another check. A promising first attempt is not the same as a fully tested plan.

Your wording does not need to match these answers exactly. Check whether it explains the meaning and uses the passage to support the explanation.

A simple routine for your next five words

Choose five words from one list. Keep the group small enough to give each word attention. Treat the routine below as a suggestion, not a fixed timetable.

When you practise	What to do
First session	Read each meaning and example. Explain the word in your own words, then write a new sentence.
Next session	Cover the list. Recall the meaning and one natural phrase. Check afterwards and repair any mistake.
Another session	Use two or three words in a short paragraph. Remove any word that sounds forced.
Later in the week	Explain an idea aloud using the words naturally. Answer a follow-up question without returning to a prepared script.
Before adding more	Try a fresh example. Keep uncertain words in your practice group rather than treating one correct answer as the end.

For parents: ask “What does that word mean here?” and “Why did you choose it?” Give the student time to explain. When a sentence is awkward, work out whether the problem is meaning, grammar, or tone. Correct that part, then ask for a new example.

Can I actually use this word?

Use this check with any word from any list. A word can be familiar in reading but still need practice in writing or speech.

Check	Show what you can do
Meaning	Explain the meaning needed in this sentence without copying the definition.
Word pattern	Give a natural phrase or combination, such as relevant to the question.
New sentence	Use the word in a sentence that is different from the model.
Choice	Explain why it fits better than a nearby word—or when a simpler word would be better.
New situation	Use it in a different paragraph or spoken answer, then check it again after a break.

An uncertain answer tells you what to practise next. It does not mean you need a completely new list. Repair the specific gap, then try again.

Ready for more writing practice?

Continue with SEC Composition Theme 00001 or SEC Composition Theme 00002. For closer work on word choice, use Precision: Choosing the Exact Word.

Choose one writing task and keep the vocabulary purposeful. An unusual word is not automatically a better word, and a longer sentence is not automatically a clearer one.

Questions students and parents often ask

Is this one vocabulary list or a collection of lists?

It is a guide to the collection. Open a linked Top 100 article for the words themselves. Use this page to choose a level, find practice, and decide where to go next.

Are these official SEAB vocabulary lists?

No. These are eduKate teaching selections, not SEAB-prescribed word banks. The official syllabus for the student’s subject level and examination year remains the reference for examination requirements.

Does every student need to start with Advanced?

No. Start with the words the student needs to understand or use more accurately. Advanced resources add choices; they do not make familiar vocabulary unnecessary.

Should I use all 100 words in a composition?

No. Choose words that suit the meaning, audience and task. A composition is not a checklist of vocabulary items. Sometimes the clearest choice is a simple word you already know.

What should I do after finishing a list?

Try the words without the list: in a new paragraph, an unfamiliar passage, or a spoken response. Keep practising the words you cannot yet use comfortably. Then choose another list or a skill guide from this hub.

Check the official SEC information

SEC stands for Singapore–Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate. SEAB states that the SEC replaces the former N(T), N(A) and O-Level certification arrangements from 2027, with subjects taken at their respective G1, G2 or G3 levels. Read the official SEC overview for the qualification framework.

The subject codes shown above are for the 2027 school-candidate syllabuses. Students in a different examination cohort should check the syllabus for their own year rather than assume that a page labelled “SEC” replaces their school’s instructions.

Official 2027 references: G1 English — K100 · G2 English — K200 · G3 English — K300.

Choose your next step

Return to the starting guide, choose your school-year list, or open a practice guide. One clear next step is enough.

Explore more: Vocabulary Learning Hub · English Learning Hub · eduKateSG Learning Hubs.