Glossary · Letters, phonics and word reading
What are Fry words?
Definition
Fry words are a list of 1,000 high-frequency words, compiled by Edward Fry and ordered by how often they appear, usually taught in groups of 100.
Fry built his list from a word-frequency count of reading material for grades 3 to 9 and published updates over several decades. The first 100 words cover a large share of the words in a typical text, and the first 300 cover even more.
Compared with the Dolch list, Fry is longer, includes nouns and is ordered strictly by frequency. Schools often use the first 100 or 300 as goals for kindergarten to second grade.
As with any frequency list, most Fry words are regular. The list tells you which words matter most, not how to teach them. Decode what can be decoded, heart the irregular parts, and practice until reading is instant.
In a lesson
From the first hundred, a teacher picks words a student at short vowels can sound out, such as it, and and can, plus a few heart words such as said and of for this week.
Why does this matter for the record?
Track Fry words in groups, with the date each group became automatic. Groups are easier to report than single words.
Rate each skill as you teach it
Needs support, Developing, Secure. The rating schedules the review and builds the report.