The Most Useful 2000 Words in English

The Most Useful 2000 Words in English

These are the most common 2000 words in English. They are the most useful words for your study of English because you will meet them very often. You cannot learn English without them!! You have no choice but to learn these words if you wish to learn even basic English. However, you probably already know most of these words. Look through this list and underline any words and phrases you do not know. There are no numbers, days and months in this list.

Be very careful of two things

Because you may know the word as a verb does not mean you know the nounremember that there are word family members to learn too. E.g. help --> helps, helping, helped, helpful, helpless, unhelpful etc.

Take note : sthg = something s/one = someone s/where = somewhere to buy (sthg) means 'to buy' or 'to buy something' to meet (s/one) means 'to meet' or 'to meet someone' to agree (with s/one) means 'to agree' or 'to agree with someone' to teach (sthg (to s/one)) means 'to teach', 'to teach someone'; 'to teach something' or 'to teach

something to someone'

aan abilityablebe able to do sthg aboutabovean absenceabsolutelyacademicto accept sthgaccessan accidentto accompany s/oneaccording to s/one or sthgan accountto account for sthgto achieve sthgan achievementan acidto acquire sthgacrossan actto actan actionactivean activityactualactuallyto add (sthg)an additionadditionalan addressto address s/one or

sthgan administrationto admit sthgto adopt s/onean adultan advancean advantageadviceto advise (s/one)an affairto affect sthgto afford sthgafraidafteran afternoonafterwardsagainagainstan agean agencyan agentagoto agree (with s/one)an agreementaheadaidan aimto aim for sthgto aim to + verbairan aircraftallto allow sthgalmost

alonealonealongalreadyalrightalsoalternativean alternativealthoughalwaysamongamongstan amountan analysisancientandan animalto announce sthgannualanotheran answerto answer (s/one)anyanybodyanyoneanythinganywayapartapparentapparentlyan appealto appeal (to s/one)to appear (in sthg)to appear at a place

an appearancean applicationto apply (to s/one)to apply (for sthg)to appoint s/onean appointmentan approachto approach s/oneappropriateto approve (sthg)an areato argue (with s/one)an argumentto arisean arman armyaroundto arrange sthgan arrangementto arrive (at a place)(an) artan articlean artistasto ask (s/one)an aspectan assemblyto assess sthgan assessmentan assetto associate with s/onean associationto assume sthgan assumption

This list was taken from the BNC Lemma list (freely downloadable)

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atan atmosphereto attach sthg (to sthg)an attackto attack (s/one)an attemptto attempt sthgto attend (sthg)attentionan attitudeto attract s/one or sthgattractivean audiencean authoran authorityavailableaverageto avoid s/one or sthgan awardto award sthg to s/oneawareawaya babybacka backa backgroundbada baga balancea balla banda banka bara baseto base sthg on sthgbasica basisa battleto beto bear sthgto beat s/onebeautifulbecauseto become sthg or s/onea beda bedroombeforeto begin sthga beginninga behaviourbehinda beliefto believe (s/one) to believe in sthg

to belong to sthgbelowbeneatha benefitbesidebestbetterbetweenbeyondbiga billto bind sthga birda birtha bitblacka blockbloodbloodyto blowbluea boarda boata bodya bonea booka borderbotha bottlea bottoma boxa boya braina branchto break sthga breatha bridgebriefbrightto bring sthgbroada brothera budgetto build sthga buildingto burn sthga busa businessbusybutto buy (sthg)bya cabineta callto call s/one

a campaigncan do / be /have ...a candidatecapablea capacitya capitala cara cardcareto care (for s/one or sthg)a careercarefulcarefullyto carry sthga casecasha catto catch (sthg)a categorya causeto cause sthga cellcentrala centre (or center)a centurycertaincertainlya chaina chaira chairmana challengea chancea changeto change (sthg)a channela chaptera charactera characteristic a chargeto charge s/onecheapto check sthga chemicalchiefa childa choiceto choose sthg or s/onea churcha circlea circumstancea citizena citycivila claim

to claim sthga classcleanclearto clear sthgclearlya clientto climb (sthg)be close (to sthg)to close sthgcloselyclothesa clubcoal(a) code(a) coffeecolda colleagueto collect sthga collectiona collegea coloura combinationto combine sthgto comea commentto comment (on sthg)commerciala commissionto commit sthga commitmenta committeecommon(a) communicationa communitya companyto compare sthg (with sthg)a comparisona competitioncompleteto complete sthgcompletelycomplexa componenta computerto concentrate (on sthg)a concentrationa concepta concernto concern oneself with sthgconcernedto conclude sthga conclusion


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a conditionto conduct sthga conferenceconfidenceto confirm sthga conflicta congressto connect sthg (with sthg)a connectiona consequenceconservativeto consider sthgconsiderablea considerationto consist of sthgconstanta constructiona consumera contactto contact s/oneto contain sthgcontenta contextto continue sthga contracta contrastto contribute to sthga contribution(a) controlto control sthga conventiona conversationa copya cornercorporatecorrect'cos (because)a costto costcould do / be / ...a councilto count sthga countrya countya couplea coursea courta coverto cover sthgto create (sthg)a creationcredit(a) crimecriminal

a crisisa criterioncritical(a) criticismto cross sthga crowdto crycultural(a) culturea cupcurrentcurrentlya curriculuma customera cutto cut sthgdamageto damage sthga dangerdangerousdarkdataa dateto date s/onea daughtera daydeada dealto deal with s/one or sthg(a) deatha debatea debta decadeto decide sthga decisionto declare sthgdeepa defencea defensea defendantto define sthga definitiona degreeto deliver sthga demandto demand sthgdemocraticto demonstrate sthgto deny sthga departmentto depend on sthg or s/onea deputyto derive sthg

to describe sthga descriptiona designto design sthg(a) desirea deskdespiteto destroy sthga detaildetailedto determine sthgto develop sthga developmenta deviceto diea differencedifferentdifficulta difficultya dinnerdirectto direct sthga directiondirectlya directorto disappeara disciplineto discover sthgto discuss sthga discussiona diseasea displayto display sthga distancea distinctiona distributiona districtto divide sthga divisionto do sthga doctora documenta dogdomestica doordoublea doubtdownto draw sthga drawinga dreama dressto dressa drinkto drink (sthg)

a driveto drive sthga driverto drop sthga drugdrydueduringa dutyeachan earearlyto earn sthgan eartheasilyeasteasyto eat (sthg)economican economyan edgean editoran educationeducationalan effecteffectiveeffectivelyan effortan eggeitherelderlyan electionan elementelseelsewhereto emergean emphasisto employ s/onean employeean employeremploymentemptyto enable sthg to +verbto encourage sthgto encourage (s/one to do ..)an endto end sthgan enemyenergyan engineengineeringto enjoy sthgenoughto ensure sthg


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+verb(+s)to enter sthgan enterpriseentireentirelyto entitle s/one to sthgan entryan environmentenvironmentalequalequallyan equipmentan errorto escape (from sthg or s/one)especiallyessentialto establish sthgan establishmentan estateto estimate sthgevenan eveningan eventeventuallyevereveryeverybodyeveryoneeverythingevidenceexactlyan examinationto examine sthg or s/onean exampleexcellentexceptan exchangean executivean exerciseto exercisean exhibitionto existan existenceexistingto expect sthg to expect s/one to do sthgan expectationan expenditurean expenseexpensivean experienceto experience

an experimentan expertto explain (sthg)an explanationto explore (sthg)to express sthg (to s/one)an expressionto extend sthgan extentexternalextraextremelyan eyea faceto face sthg or s/onea facilitya facta factora factoryto fail (sthg)a failurefairfairlya faitha fallto fallfamiliara familyfamousfara farma farmera fashionfasta fathera favoura fearto fear sthg or s/onea featurea feeto feel sthga feelingfemalefew(a) fewa fieldto fight (s/one)a figurea fileto fill sthga filmfinalfinallyfinance

financialto find sthg or s/onea findingfinea fingerto finish sthga firea firmfirsta fishto fitto fix sthga flata flighta floora flowa flowerto fly (sthg)to focus (on sthg)to follow sthg or s/onefollowinga fooda foota footballfora forceto force s/one to do sthgforeigna forestto forget (sthg or s/one)a formto form sthgformalformerforwarda foundationfreea freedomfrequentlyfresha friendfromfrontthe fronta fruita fuelfullfullya functiona fundfunnyfurtherfuturea future

to gain sthga gamea gardena gasa gateto gather (sthg or s/one)generala generalgenerallyto generate sthga generationa gentlemanto get sthga girlto give sthga glassto go somewhere to go to (+ name)a goala goda goldgoodgoodsa governmenta grantto grant s/one sthggreatgreengrey (or gray)a grounda groupto grow (sthg)growinga growtha guesta guidea guna hairhalf of sthga halfa halla handto hand sthg (to s/one)to handle sthgto hang sthg (on sthg)to happenhappyhardhardlyto hate sthg or s/oneto have sthghea headto head somewhere


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a healthcan hear (sthg)to hear (sthg)a hearta heatheavyhella helpto help (s/one with sthg)henceherhereherselfto hide (sthg or s/one)highhighlya hillhimhimselfhishistoricala historyto hit sthg or s/oneto hold sthga holea holiday(a) homea hopeto hope (for sthg)a horsea hospitalhota hotela houra housea householdhousinghowhoweverhugehumana humanto hurt (s/one or sthg)a husbandIan ideato identify s/oneifto ignore s/oneto illustrate sthgan imageto imagine (sthg)immediateimmediatelyan impact

an implicationto imply sthgimportanceimportantto impose s/one with sthgimpossiblean impressionto improve sthgan improvementinan incidentto include sthg (in sthg)includingan incomean increaseto increase sthgincreasedincreasinglyindeedindependentan indexto indicate sthgindividualan individualindustrialan industry(an) influenceto influence sthg or s/oneto inform s/one about sthgto inform s/one of sthginformationinitialan initiativean injuryinsideto insist on sthgan instanceinsteadan institutean institutionan instructionan instrumentinsuranceto intend to do sthg to intend doing sthgan intentionan interestinterestedinterestinginternalinternationalan interpretation

an interviewintoto introduce s/one (to s/one)an introductionto investigate (sthg)an investigationan investmentto invite s/one (to s/where)to involve s/one (in sthg)an ironan islandan issueto issue sthgitan itemitsitselfa jobto join sthg (to sthg)jointa journeya judgeto judge (sthg)to jumpjusta justiceto keep sthgkeya keya kidto kill (s/one)a kinda kinga kitchena kneeto know (sthg)a knowledgelaboura lack of sthga ladya landa languagelargelargelylastto lastlatelaterlatterto laugh (at sthg) to laugh (with s/one)to laugh about sthg

to launch sthga lawa lawyerto laya leadto lead (sthg or s/one)a leadera leadershipleadinga leafa leagueto leanto learn (sthg)leastto leave (s/where)lefta leglegala legislationa lengthlessto let s/one do sthga lettera levela liabilityliberala libraryto liea lifeto lift (sthg or s/one)lighta lighta likebe like sthg or s/oneto like sthg or s/onelikelya limitto limit sthglimiteda linea linkto link sthg (to sthg)a lipa listto listen (to sthg) to listen (to s/one)a literaturelittleto live (s/where)livinga loanlocala locationlonga look


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to look (at sthg) to look (at s/one)a lordto lose (sthg or s/one)a lossa lota loveto love (sthg or s/one)lovelylowa luncha machinea magazinemainmainlyto maintain sthgmajora majorityto make sthgbe malea malea manto manage (sthg)a managementa managera mannermanya mapa markto mark sthga marketto market sthga marriagebe married (to s/one)get married (to s/one)to marry s/one(a) massa mastera matchto match sthg with sthga materiala matterto mattermay do / be / ...maybemea mealto mean sthga meaninga meansmeanwhilea measureto measure sthga mechanismmedia

medicalto meet (s/one)a meetinga membera membershipa memorymentalto mention sthg (to s/one)merelya messagea metala methoda middlemight do / be / ...a milemilitarya milka mindto mind (sthg)a minea ministera ministrya minuteto miss sthg or s/onea mistakea modelmoderna modulea momentmoneya monthmorea morningmosta mothera motiona motora mountaina moutha moveto move sthga movementmucha murdera museummusicmustmymyselfa nameto name sthg or s/onenarrowa nationnational

naturala naturenearnearlynecessarilynecessarya necka needto need sthg or s/oneto need to do sthga negotiationa neighbourneithera networkneverneverthelessnewnewsa newspapernextnicea nightnono-onenobodyto noda noisenonenornormalnormallynorthnortherna nosenota noteto note sthgnothinga noticeto notice (sthg)a notionnownucleara numbera nursean objectan objectivean observationto observe (sthg)to obtain sthgobviousobviouslyan occasionto occurodd

ofoffan offencean offerto offer (sthg (to s/one))an officean officerofficialan officialoftenan oilokayoldononceoneonlyontobe opento open sthgto operate sthgto operate on s/onean operationan opinionan opportunityan oppositionan optionoran orderto order (sthg)ordinaryan organisationto organise sthg or s/onean organizationan originoriginalotheran otherotherwiseoughtourourselvesoutan outcomean outputoutsideoveroverallownto own sthgan ownera packagea pagea pain


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to paint (sthg)a paintinga paira panela papera parenta parka parliamenta partparticularparticularlypartlya partnera partyto pass (sthg)a passagepasta pasta patha patienta patterna payto pay (sthg)a paymenta peacea pensiona peopleperpercentperfectto perform (sthg)a performanceperhapsa periodpermanenta personpersonalto persuade s/onea phasea phonea photographphysicalto pick sthg or s/onea picturea piecea placeto place sthg on sthga planto plan sthga planninga planta plastica platea playto play sthg

to play with s/onea playerpleasea pleasureplentyplusa pocketa pointto point (to sthg)to point (to s/one)the policea policypoliticala politicsa poolpoorpopulara populationa positionpositivea possibilitypossiblepossiblya postpotentiala potentiala pounda powerpowerfulpracticala practiceto prefer sthg (to sthg)to prefer s/one (to s/one)to prepare sthga presencepresenta presentto present (a prize)a presidenta pressto press sthga pressureprettyto prevent sthgpreviouspreviouslya priceprimaryprimea principlea prioritya prisona prisonerprivate

probablya problema procedurea processto produce sthga producta productionprofessionala profita programa programmeprogressa projectto promise (sthg)to promote sthg or s/oneproperproperlya propertya proportionto propose (sthg to s/one)a proposala prospectto protect sthg or s/onea protectionto prove sthg (to s/one)to provide sthg (to s/one)provideda provisiona pubpublica publica publicationto publish sthgto pull sthga pupila purposeto push sthg or s/oneto put sthg s/wherea qualitya quartera questionto question s/one (about sthg)quickquicklyquietquitea racea radioa railwaya rainto raise sthg

a rangerapidlyrarea rateratherto reach sthg or s/onea reactionto read sthga reader(a) readingreadyrealto realise sthga realityto realize sthgreallya reasonreasonableto recall sthgto receive sthg (from s/one)recentrecentlyto recognise sthg or s/onea recognitionto recognize sthg or s/oneto recommend sthg (to s/one)a recordto record sthgto recover sthg (from s/one)redto reduce sthga reductionto refer sthg (to s/one)a referenceto reflect on sthga reformto refuse sthgto regard sthga regionregionalregulara regulationto reject sthgto relate (sthg) to sthga relationa relationshiprelativerelatively(a) releaseto release sthg


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relevanta reliefa religionreligiousto rely on sthg or s/oneto remainto remember sthg or s/oneto remind s/one (about sthg)to remove sthg (from ... )to repeat sthgto replace sthgto reply (to s/one)a reportto report sthg (to s/one)to report to s/oneto represent sthga representationa representativea requestto require s/one to do sthga requirementresearcha resourcea respectto respond (to sthg or to s/one)a responsea responsibilityresponsiblea restto resta restauranta resultto retain sthga returnto return (sthg to s/one)to reveal sthg (to s/one)revenuea reviewa revolutionrichto ride (sthg)righta righta ringto ring (sthg)a riseto risea riska rivera road

a rocka roleto roll sthga roofa roomrounda routea rowroyala rulea runto runruralsafesafetya salesamea sampleto satisfy sthg or s/oneto save (sthg)to say sthg to s/onea scalea scenea schemea schoola sciencescientifica scientistto score sthga screena seaa searchto search sthg (for sthg)a seasona seata secondsecondarya secretarya sectiona sectorto secure sthga securitycan see (sthg or s/one)to see (sthg or s/one)to seek for sthgto seem +adj to seem to be +adjto select sthga selectionto sell (sthg (to s/one))to send sthg (to s/one)seniora sensea sentenceseparate

to separate sthg (from sthg)a sequencea seriesseriousseriouslya servantto serve (s/one sthg)a servicea sessiona setto set sthg s/whereto settle (sthg)a settlementseveralseveresexsexualto shake sthgshalla shapea shareto share (sthg)shea sheeta shipa shoeto shoot (sthg or s/one)a shopshorta shotshoulda shoulderto shout (at s/one)a showto show sthg (to s/one)to shut sthga sidea sighta signto sign sthga signala significancesignificanta silencesimilarsimplesimplysincesinceto sing sthgsinglea sira sisterto sit (on sthg)

a sitea situationa sizea skilla skina skyto sleepslightlyto slip (on sthg)slowslowlysmalla smileto smile (to s/one)sosociala societysofta softwarea soila soldiera solicitora solutionsomesomebodysomeonesomethingsometimessomewhatsomewherea sona songsoonbe sorrya sorta soundto sounda sourcesouthsoutherna spaceto speak (to s/one)a speakerspeciala speciesspecifica speecha speedto spend sthg to spend time doing sthga spirita sporta spotto spread sthg


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a springa staffa stageto stand (on somewhere)standarda standarda starto star (in sthg)a startto start (sthg)a stateto state sthg (to s/one)a statementa stationa statusto stay (somewhere)to steal (sthg (from s/one))a stepto step on sthgto stick to s/oneto stick sthg to/on sthgstilla stocka stoneto stop (sthg)to stop doing sthgto stop to do sthga storea storystraightstrangea strategya streeta strengtha striketo strike (sthg or s/one)strongstronglya structurea studenta studioa studyto study sthga stuffa stylea subjectsubstantialto succeed (in sthg) to succeed (at sthg)a successsuccessfulsuchsuddenly

to suffer (sthg)sufficientto suggest sthg (to s/one)a suggestionsuitablea suma summera suna supplyto supply sthg (to s/one)a supportto support s/oneto suppose sthgsuresurelya surfacea surpriseto surround sthga surveyto surviveto switcha systema tableto take sthg from s/one or sthga talkto talk (to s/one)talla tapea targeta taska taxa teato teach (sthg (to s/one))to teach (s/one (about sthg))a teachera teaching a teama teartechnicala technique(a) technologya telephonea televisionto tell s/one sthga temperatureto tend to sthgto tend to do sthga terma termsterrible

a testto test sthg or s/onea textthanto thank s/one (for sthg)a thanksthatthea theatretheirthema themethemselvesthena theorytherethereforethesetheythina thingto think (of sthg or s/one)to think (about sthg or s/one)thisthosethoughthougha thoughta threatto threaten s/one (with sthg)throughthroughoutto throw (sthg (s/where))to throw (sthg (to s/one))thusa ticketa timetinya titletotodaytogethertomorrowa tonetonighttooa toola toothtopa top

totala totaltotallya touchto touch (sthg or s/one)a tourtowardsa towna tracka tradea traditiontraditionaltraffica trainto train s/onea traininga transferto transfer sthg (to s/one)a transportto travel (s/where)to treat s/one (to sthg)a treatmenta treatya treea trenda triala tripa troopa troubletruea trusta truthto try (sthg)a turnto turn (sthg)twicea typetypicalunableunderto understand (s/one or sthg)an understandingto undertake sthgunemploymentunfortunatelya uniona unituniteda universityunlessunlikelyuntilup


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uponupperurbanusa useto use sthg (for sthg)usedusefula userusualusuallya valuea variationa varietyvariousto varyvasta vehiclea versionveryveryviaa victima victorya videoa viewa villageviolencea visiona visitto visit s/one to visit s/wherea visitorvitala voicea volumea voteto vote (for s/one or sthg)a wageto wait (for s/one)a walkto walk (to s/where)a wallto want sthg or s/onea warwarmto warn s/one (about sthg)to wash (s/one or sthg)to watch (s/one or sthg)a watera wavea waywe

weaka weaponto wear sthga weathera weeka weekenda weightto welcome s/one (to s/where)a welfarewella westwesternwhatwhateverwhenwherewhereaswhetherwhichwhilea whilewhilstwhitewhowholea wholewhomwhosewhywidewidelya wifewildwill do / be / ...a willto win sthga winda windowa winea winga winnera winterto wish for sthgwithto withdraw from sthgwithinwithouta womanto wonder about s/one or sthgwonderfulwooda wordwork

to worka workerworkinga worksa worldto worry about sthg or s/oneworthwould be / do /....to write (sthg (to s/one))a writera writingwronga yardyeaha yearyesyesterdayyetyouyoungyouryourselfyoutha youth


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The Most Useful 2000 Words in English