The Oxford 3000 words

The Oxford 3000 is a list of the 3,000 core words that every learner of English needs to know. The words have been chosen based on their frequency in the Oxford English Corpus and relevance to learners of English. Every word is aligned to the CEFR, guiding learners on the words they should know at A1-B2 level.

ALL a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
  • i (/aɪ/)
  • ice (/aɪs/)
  • ice cream (/ˈaɪs kriːm/)
  • idea (/aɪˈdɪə/)
  • ideal (/aɪˈdiːəl/)
  • identify (/aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/)
  • identity (/aɪˈdentəti/)
  • if (/ɪf/)
  • ignore (/ɪɡˈnɔː(r)/)
  • ill (/ɪl/)
  • illegal (/ɪˈliːɡl/)
  • illness (/ˈɪlnəs/)
  • illustrate (/ˈɪləstreɪt/)
  • illustration (/ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn/)
  • image (/ˈɪmɪdʒ/)
  • imaginary (/ɪˈmædʒɪnəri/)
  • imagination (/ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn/)
  • imagine (/ɪˈmædʒɪn/)
  • immediate (/ɪˈmiːdiət/)
  • immediately (/ɪˈmiːdiətli/)
  • immigrant (/ˈɪmɪɡrənt/)
  • impact (/ɪmˈpækt/)
  • impatient (/ɪmˈpeɪʃnt/)
  • imply (/ɪmˈplaɪ/)
  • import (/ɪmˈpɔːt/)
  • importance (/ɪmˈpɔːtns/)
  • important (/ɪmˈpɔːtnt/)
  • impose (/ɪmˈpəʊz/)
  • impossible (/ɪmˈpɒsəbl/)
  • impress (/ɪmˈpres/)
  • impressed (/ɪmˈprest/)
  • impression (/ɪmˈpreʃn/)
  • impressive (/ɪmˈpresɪv/)
  • improve (/ɪmˈpruːv/)
  • improvement (/ɪmˈpruːvmənt/)
  • in (/ɪn/)
  • inch (/ɪntʃ/)
  • incident (/ˈɪnsɪdənt/)
  • include (/ɪnˈkluːd/)
  • included (/ɪnˈkluːdɪd/)
  • including (/ɪnˈkluːdɪŋ/)
  • income (/ˈɪnkʌm/)
  • increase (/ɪnˈkriːs/)
  • increasingly (/ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/)
  • incredible (/ɪnˈkredəbl/)
  • incredibly (/ɪnˈkredəbli/)
  • indeed (/ɪnˈdiːd/)
  • independent (/ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/)
  • indicate (/ˈɪndɪkeɪt/)
  • indirect (/ˌɪndəˈrekt/)
  • individual (/ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl/)
  • indoor (/ˈɪndɔː(r)/)
  • indoors (/ˌɪnˈdɔːz/)
  • industrial (/ɪnˈdʌstriəl/)
  • industry (/ˈɪndəstri/)
  • infection (/ɪnˈfekʃn/)
  • influence (/ˈɪnfluəns/)
  • inform (/ɪnˈfɔːm/)
  • informal (/ɪnˈfɔːml/)
  • information (/ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃn/)
  • ingredient (/ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/)
  • initial (/ɪˈnɪʃl/)
  • initially (/ɪˈnɪʃəli/)
  • initiative (/ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/)
  • injure (/ˈɪndʒə(r)/)
  • injured (/ˈɪndʒəd/)
  • injury (/ˈɪndʒəri/)
  • inner (/ˈɪnə(r)/)
  • innocent (/ˈɪnəsnt/)
  • inquiry (/ɪnˈkwaɪəri/)
  • insect (/ˈɪnsekt/)
  • inside (/ˌɪnˈsaɪd/)
  • insight (/ˈɪnsaɪt/)
  • insist (/ɪnˈsɪst/)
  • inspire (/ɪnˈspaɪə(r)/)
  • install (/ɪnˈstɔːl/)
  • instance (/ˈɪnstəns/)
  • instead (/ɪnˈsted/)
  • institute (/ˈɪnstɪtjuːt/)
  • institution (/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃn/)
  • instruction (/ɪnˈstrʌkʃn/)
  • instructor (/ɪnˈstrʌktə(r)/)
  • instrument (/ˈɪnstrəmənt/)
  • insurance (/ɪnˈʃʊərəns/)
  • intelligence (/ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/)
  • intelligent (/ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/)
  • intend (/ɪnˈtend/)
  • intended (/ɪnˈtendɪd/)
  • intense (/ɪnˈtens/)
  • intention (/ɪnˈtenʃn/)
  • interest (/ˈɪntrəst/)
  • interested (/ˈɪntrəstɪd/)
  • interesting (/ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/)
  • internal (/ɪnˈtɜːnl/)
  • international (/ˌɪntəˈnæʃnəl/)
  • internet (/ˈɪntənet/)
  • interpret (/ɪnˈtɜːprət/)
  • interrupt (/ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/)
  • interview (/ˈɪntəvjuː/)
  • into (/ˈɪntə/)
  • introduce (/ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/)
  • introduction (/ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃn/)
  • invent (/ɪnˈvent/)
  • invention (/ɪnˈvenʃn/)
  • invest (/ɪnˈvest/)
  • investigate (/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/)
  • investigation (/ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃn/)
  • investment (/ɪnˈvestmənt/)
  • invitation (/ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn/)
  • invite (/ɪnˈvaɪt/)
  • involve (/ɪnˈvɒlv/)
  • involved (/ɪnˈvɒlvd/)
  • iron (/ˈaɪən/)
  • island (/ˈaɪlənd/)
  • issue (/ˈɪʃuː/)
  • it (/ɪt/)
  • item (/ˈaɪtəm/)
  • its (/ɪts/)
  • itself (/ɪtˈself/)
English Audio Level

i (pronoun)

UK /aɪ/
US /aɪ/
A1

ice (noun)

UK /aɪs/
US /aɪs/
A1

ice cream (noun)

UK /ˈaɪs kriːm/
US /ˈaɪs kriːm/
A1

idea (noun)

UK /aɪˈdɪə/
US /aɪˈdiːə/
A1

ideal (noun)

UK /aɪˈdiːəl/
US /aɪˈdiːəl/
B2

identify (verb)

UK /aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/
US /aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/
A2

identity (noun)

UK /aɪˈdentəti/
US /aɪˈdentəti/
B1

if (conjunction)

UK /ɪf/
US /ɪf/
A1

ignore (verb)

UK /ɪɡˈnɔː(r)/
US /ɪɡˈnɔːr/
B1

ill (adjective)

UK /ɪl/
US /ɪl/
A2

illegal (adjective)

UK /ɪˈliːɡl/
US /ɪˈliːɡl/
B1

illness (noun)

UK /ˈɪlnəs/
US /ˈɪlnəs/
A2

illustrate (verb)

UK /ˈɪləstreɪt/
US /ˈɪləstreɪt/
B2

illustration (noun)

UK /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn/
US /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn/
B2

image (noun)

UK /ˈɪmɪdʒ/
US /ˈɪmɪdʒ/
A2

imaginary (adjective)

UK /ɪˈmædʒɪnəri/
US /ɪˈmædʒɪneri/
B1

imagination (noun)

UK /ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn/
US /ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn/
B2

imagine (verb)

UK /ɪˈmædʒɪn/
US /ɪˈmædʒɪn/
A1

immediate (adjective)

UK /ɪˈmiːdiət/
US /ɪˈmiːdiət/
B1

immediately (adverb)

UK /ɪˈmiːdiətli/
US /ɪˈmiːdiətli/
A2

immigrant (noun)

UK /ˈɪmɪɡrənt/
US /ˈɪmɪɡrənt/
B1

impact (verb)

UK /ɪmˈpækt/
US /ɪmˈpækt/
B1

impatient (adjective)

UK /ɪmˈpeɪʃnt/
US /ɪmˈpeɪʃnt/
B2

imply (verb)

UK /ɪmˈplaɪ/
US /ɪmˈplaɪ/
B2

import (verb)

UK /ɪmˈpɔːt/
US /ɪmˈpɔːrt/
B1

importance (noun)

UK /ɪmˈpɔːtns/
US /ɪmˈpɔːrtns/
B1

important (adjective)

UK /ɪmˈpɔːtnt/
US /ɪmˈpɔːrtnt/
A1

impose (verb)

UK /ɪmˈpəʊz/
US /ɪmˈpəʊz/
B2

impossible (adjective)

UK /ɪmˈpɒsəbl/
US /ɪmˈpɑːsəbl/
A2

impress (verb)

UK /ɪmˈpres/
US /ɪmˈpres/
B2

impressed (adjective)

UK /ɪmˈprest/
US /ɪmˈprest/
B2

impression (noun)

UK /ɪmˈpreʃn/
US /ɪmˈpreʃn/
B1

impressive (adjective)

UK /ɪmˈpresɪv/
US /ɪmˈpresɪv/
B1

improve (verb)

UK /ɪmˈpruːv/
US /ɪmˈpruːv/
A1

improvement (noun)

UK /ɪmˈpruːvmənt/
US /ɪmˈpruːvmənt/
B1

in (preposition)

UK /ɪn/
US /ɪn/
A1

inch (noun)

UK /ɪntʃ/
US /ɪntʃ/
B2

incident (noun)

UK /ˈɪnsɪdənt/
US /ˈɪnsɪdənt/
B2

include (verb)

UK /ɪnˈkluːd/
US /ɪnˈkluːd/
A1

included (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈkluːdɪd/
US /ɪnˈkluːdɪd/
A2

including (preposition)

UK /ɪnˈkluːdɪŋ/
US /ɪnˈkluːdɪŋ/
A2

income (noun)

UK /ˈɪnkʌm/
US /ˈɪnkʌm/
B2

increase (verb)

UK /ɪnˈkriːs/
US /ɪnˈkriːs/
A2

increasingly (adverb)

UK /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/
US /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/
B2

incredible (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈkredəbl/
US /ɪnˈkredəbl/
A2

incredibly (adverb)

UK /ɪnˈkredəbli/
US /ɪnˈkredəbli/
B1

indeed (adverb)

UK /ɪnˈdiːd/
US /ɪnˈdiːd/
B1

independent (adjective)

UK /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/
US /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/
A2

indicate (verb)

UK /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/
US /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/
B1

indirect (adjective)

UK /ˌɪndəˈrekt/
US /ˌɪndəˈrekt/
B1

individual (noun)

UK /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl/
US /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl/
A2

indoor (adjective)

UK /ˈɪndɔː(r)/
US /ˈɪndɔːr/
B1

indoors (adverb)

UK /ˌɪnˈdɔːz/
US /ˌɪnˈdɔːrz/
B1

industrial (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/
US /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/
B2

industry (noun)

UK /ˈɪndəstri/
US /ˈɪndəstri/
A2

infection (noun)

UK /ɪnˈfekʃn/
US /ɪnˈfekʃn/
B2

influence (verb)

UK /ˈɪnfluəns/
US /ˈɪnfluəns/
B1

inform (verb)

UK /ɪnˈfɔːm/
US /ɪnˈfɔːrm/
B2

informal (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈfɔːml/
US /ɪnˈfɔːrml/
A2

information (noun)

UK /ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃn/
US /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃn/
A1

ingredient (noun)

UK /ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/
US /ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/
B1

initial (adjective)

UK /ɪˈnɪʃl/
US /ɪˈnɪʃl/
B2

initially (adverb)

UK /ɪˈnɪʃəli/
US /ɪˈnɪʃəli/
B2

initiative (noun)

UK /ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/
US /ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/
B2

injure (verb)

UK /ˈɪndʒə(r)/
US /ˈɪndʒər/
B1

injured (adjective)

UK /ˈɪndʒəd/
US /ˈɪndʒərd/
B1

injury (noun)

UK /ˈɪndʒəri/
US /ˈɪndʒəri/
A2

inner (adjective)

UK /ˈɪnə(r)/
US /ˈɪnər/
B2

innocent (adjective)

UK /ˈɪnəsnt/
US /ˈɪnəsnt/
B1

inquiry (noun)

UK /ɪnˈkwaɪəri/
US /ˈɪnkwəri/
B2

insect (noun)

UK /ˈɪnsekt/
US /ˈɪnsekt/
A2

inside (preposition)

UK /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/
US /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/
A2

insight (noun)

UK /ˈɪnsaɪt/
US /ˈɪnsaɪt/
B2

insist (verb)

UK /ɪnˈsɪst/
US /ɪnˈsɪst/
B2

inspire (verb)

UK /ɪnˈspaɪə(r)/
US /ɪnˈspaɪər/
B2

install (verb)

UK /ɪnˈstɔːl/
US /ɪnˈstɔːl/
B2

instance (noun)

UK /ˈɪnstəns/
US /ˈɪnstəns/
B2

instead (adverb)

UK /ɪnˈsted/
US /ɪnˈsted/
A2

institute (noun)

UK /ˈɪnstɪtjuːt/
US /ˈɪnstɪtuːt/
B2

institution (noun)

UK /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃn/
US /ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃn/
B2

instruction (noun)

UK /ɪnˈstrʌkʃn/
US /ɪnˈstrʌkʃn/
A2

instructor (noun)

UK /ɪnˈstrʌktə(r)/
US /ɪnˈstrʌktər/
A2

instrument (noun)

UK /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
US /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
A2

insurance (noun)

UK /ɪnˈʃʊərəns/
US /ɪnˈʃʊrəns/
B2

intelligence (noun)

UK /ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/
US /ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/
B1

intelligent (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/
US /ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/
A2

intend (verb)

UK /ɪnˈtend/
US /ɪnˈtend/
B1

intended (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈtendɪd/
US /ɪnˈtendɪd/
B2

intense (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈtens/
US /ɪnˈtens/
B2

intention (noun)

UK /ɪnˈtenʃn/
US /ɪnˈtenʃn/
B1

interest (verb)

UK /ˈɪntrəst/
US /ˈɪntrəst/
A1

interested (adjective)

UK /ˈɪntrəstɪd/
US /ˈɪntrəstɪd/
A1

interesting (adjective)

UK /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/
US /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/
A1

internal (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈtɜːnl/
US /ɪnˈtɜːrnl/
B2

international (adjective)

UK /ˌɪntəˈnæʃnəl/
US /ˌɪntərˈnæʃnəl/
A2

internet (noun)

UK /ˈɪntənet/
US /ˈɪntərnet/
A1

interpret (verb)

UK /ɪnˈtɜːprət/
US /ɪnˈtɜːrprət/
B2

interrupt (verb)

UK /ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/
US /ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/
B2

interview (verb)

UK /ˈɪntəvjuː/
US /ˈɪntərvjuː/
A1

into (preposition)

UK /ˈɪntə/
US /ˈɪntə/
A1

introduce (verb)

UK /ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/
US /ˌɪntrəˈduːs/
A1

introduction (noun)

UK /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃn/
US /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃn/
A2

invent (verb)

UK /ɪnˈvent/
US /ɪnˈvent/
A2

invention (noun)

UK /ɪnˈvenʃn/
US /ɪnˈvenʃn/
A2

invest (verb)

UK /ɪnˈvest/
US /ɪnˈvest/
B1

investigate (verb)

UK /ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/
US /ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/
B1

investigation (noun)

UK /ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃn/
US /ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃn/
B2

investment (noun)

UK /ɪnˈvestmənt/
US /ɪnˈvestmənt/
B2

invitation (noun)

UK /ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn/
US /ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn/
A2

invite (verb)

UK /ɪnˈvaɪt/
US /ɪnˈvaɪt/
A2

involve (verb)

UK /ɪnˈvɒlv/
US /ɪnˈvɑːlv/
A2

involved (adjective)

UK /ɪnˈvɒlvd/
US /ɪnˈvɑːlvd/
B1

iron (verb)

UK /ˈaɪən/
US /ˈaɪərn/
B1

island (noun)

UK /ˈaɪlənd/
US /ˈaɪlənd/
A1

issue (verb)

UK /ˈɪʃuː/
US /ˈɪʃuː/
B2

it (pronoun)

UK /ɪt/
US /ɪt/
A1

item (noun)

UK /ˈaɪtəm/
US /ˈaɪtəm/
A2

its (determiner)

UK /ɪts/
US /ɪts/
A1

itself (pronoun)

UK /ɪtˈself/
US /ɪtˈself/
A2