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100 words maketh half the language

December 10th 2008 06:25

It is a remarkable fact that, while English has more than 400,000 words, more than half of all writing in English consists of just 100 words.

Here are the 100 most commonly used words in English, in order of popularity:

1-10
the
be
to
of

and
a
in
that
have
I

11-20
it
for
not
on
with
he
as
you
do
at

21-30
this
but
his
by
from
they
we
say
her
she

31-40
or
an
will
my
one
all
would
there
their
what

41-50
so
up
out
if
about
who
get
which
go
me

51-60
when
make
can
like
time
no
just
him
know
take

61-70
people
into
year
your
good
some
could
them
see
other

71-80
than
then
now
look
only
come
its
over
think
also

81-90
back
after
use
two
how
our
work
first
well
way

91-100
even
new
want
because
any
these
give
day
most
us

Together they would make one decent-sized paragraph. Together they represent 50 percent of the English corpus.

Notes
The accuracy of the list is debatable. Different compilers have provided different word orders, even amongst the top 10, so the list should be considered a guide only.

Note the relative lack of nouns. The highest-ranking noun is 'time', at 55. 'People', without whom there would be no list, limps in at 61.

A list of the 300 most commonly used words would represent about 65 percent of all writing in English.
en.wikipedia.org, www.myenglishlessons.net, esl.about.com

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Posted By: Chris Champion - Category: Writing

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Comments

5 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Janet Collins

December 10th 2008 09:25

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Janet Collins Blog

Yes, there are very few nouns. Any thoughts on why?

Comment by Chris Champion

December 10th 2008 19:01

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Hi Janet, good question. I guess it's because there is no choice when it comes to definite and indefinite articles, pronouns, prepositions and conjunctions, which dominate the list. There aren't many of them, and they are constantly in use. Nouns, conversely, are plentiful, and are called into play only when their particular subject comes under discussion. With 'time' and 'year' the top two nouns, we obviously spend a lot of time writing about time.

Verbs are thinly represented for the same reason, and adjectives and adverbs, those friendly little words of choice which add colour to our lives, don't make it at all. Well, 'well' could be an adjective, but I think it owes its Top 100 ranking to the fact that people so often start sentences with it. .