These are words frequently encountered in written English that are often difficult to decode phonetically. Examples include “because,” “thought,” and “friend.” Mastery of these common but irregular words allows readers to recognize them instantly, leading to greater fluency and comprehension.
Rapid and automatic recognition is essential for efficient reading. A strong foundation in this vocabulary frees up cognitive resources, enabling students to focus on understanding complex sentence structures and extracting meaning from the text. Historically, these lists were developed based on word frequency in children’s literature and have become a staple in elementary education.