Teaching the Most Useful Words of English

Introducing the most useful words of English to second language (L2) learners has great pedagogical value because it ensures the best return for learners' vocabulary‐learning effort. Research has suggested that high‐frequency words, the words that occur very often in a wide range of texts, are the most useful words of English and should be the starting point in vocabulary learning. However, high‐frequency words have not received sufficient attention from teachers and institutions. This situation calls for a more principled approach to vocabulary teaching, one that places greater focus on the high‐frequency words. This entry provides information about four useful high‐frequency wordlists and discusses the pedagogical implications of learning from wordlists so that teachers can help their learners to master the most useful words.