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Determining the exact number of words in the English language is challenging because different dictionaries include or exclude various words. However, there is a core set of words that makes up a large portion of what people use in daily reading, writing, and listening. A person’s education, interests, and profession also play a crucial role in shaping their overall vocabulary.
- Estimates indicate that the English language contains over 1 million words.
- This figure includes different forms of the same word and older terms that are no longer used in everyday modern English.
- A 2010 research collaboration between Harvard and Google supports this estimate. This study also predicted that thousands of new words would be added to the English language each year.
- The Oxford English Dictionary (2nd Edition) offers a more precise count, listing around 600,000 distinct word forms.
- Out of these, 171,476 words are marked as currently in use, with examples showcasing their modern applications.
- Many of the remaining words in the dictionary represent outdated or obsolete terms that have faded from common usage over time.
- Every year, the Oxford English Dictionary undergoes revisions. These updates involve removing outdated words, adding new entries, or updating meanings for words that have evolved.
- For an average American around the age of 39, their vocabulary includes approximately 29,851 words.
- This means their vocabulary covers around 17.41% of the total English words presently in use.
- Surprisingly, a study found that understanding just 1.75% of the currently used words can allow a learner to grasp 95% of the words they encounter while reading.
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How many words in the English language are actually used?
- The top 3,000 most common words make up 95% of everyday writing and conversations.
- When you narrow it down to the top 1,000 words, it still accounts for 89% of all text and speech.
- What’s even more surprising is that just 25 words cover 33% of everything we read or say.
Top 10 most common words in English
| Rank* | Word | Word Length | Word type |
| #1 | The | 3 | Article |
| #2 | Be | 2 | Verb |
| #3 | To | 2 | Preposition |
| #4 | Of | 2 | Preposition |
| #5 | And | 3 | Coordinator |
| #6 | A | 1 | Article |
| #7 | In | 2 | Preposition |
| #8 | That | 4 | Subordinator, Determiner |
| #9 | Have | 4 | Verb |
| #10 | I | 1 | Pronoun |
Starting letters in the English language
- An analysis of 370,105 words in English shows that the most frequent starting letter is “S.”
- This letter begins 10.47% of all words.
- Next is the letter “P,” starting 9.42% of words, and then the letter “C,” which starts 8.68% of words.
| Starting letter | Count | Percentage |
| A | 25,417 | 6.87% |
| B | 18,413 | 4.98% |
| C | 32,107 | 8.68% |
| D | 18,733 | 5.06% |
| E | 14,197 | 3.84% |
| F | 11,893 | 3.21% |
| G | 10,953 | 2.96% |
| H | 13,743 | 3.71% |
| I | 13,199 | 3.57% |
| J | 2,840 | 0.77% |
| K | 3,952 | 1.07% |
| L | 10,002 | 2.70% |
| M | 19,805 | 5.35% |
| N | 13,459 | 3.64% |
| O | 12,681 | 3.43% |
| P | 34,860 | 9.42% |
| Q | 1,793 | 0.48% |
| R | 16,783 | 4.53% |
| S | 38,764 | 10.47% |
| T | 18,819 | 5.08% |
| U | 22,767 | 6.15% |
| V | 5,329 | 1.44% |
| W | 6,559 | 1.77% |
| X | 507 | 0.14% |
| Y | 1,143 | 0.31% |
| Z | 1,387 | 0.37% |
A graph is given below to show the most common starting letters for words in the English language:
Ending letters in the English language
- The most frequent ending letter for a word in English is “S,” which appears at the end of 20.44% of words.
- Following “S” is the letter “E,” ending 15.39% of words, and then the letter “Y,” which closes 9.94% of words.
| Ending letter | Count | Percentage |
| A | 16,373 | 4.42% |
| B | 638 | 0.17% |
| C | 13,690 | 3.70% |
| D | 30,894 | 8.35% |
| E | 56,959 | 15.39% |
| F | 1,172 | 0.32% |
| G | 19,493 | 5.27% |
| H | 6,069 | 1.64% |
| I | 3,372 | 0.91% |
| J | 30 | 0.01% |
| K | 3,535 | 0.96% |
| L | 18,323 | 4.95% |
| M | 10,399 | 2.81% |
| N | 25,638 | 6.93% |
| O | 3,577 | 0.97% |
| P | 2,737 | 0.74% |
| Q | 30 | 0.01% |
| R | 20,768 | 5.61% |
| S | 75,666 | 20.44% |
| T | 20,779 | 5.61% |
| U | 812 | 0.22% |
| V | 141 | 0.04% |
| W | 953 | 0.26% |
| X | 1,027 | 0.28% |
| Y | 36,778 | 9.94% |
| Z | 252 | 0.07% |
A graph is given below to show the most common ending letters for words in the English language:
Word length in the English language
- Nine-letter words are the most prevalent in the English language, making up 14.43% of all words.
- Next are eight-letter words, which account for 13.95%, followed by ten-letter words at 12.39%.
| Word length | Count | Percentage |
| 1 | 26 | 0.01% |
| 2 | 427 | 0.12% |
| 3 | 2,130 | 0.58% |
| 4 | 7,186 | 1.94% |
| 5 | 15,920 | 4.30% |
| 6 | 29,874 | 8.07% |
| 7 | 41,998 | 11.35% |
| 8 | 51,627 | 13.95% |
| 9 | 53,402 | 14.43% |
| 10 | 45,872 | 12.39% |
| 11 | 37,539 | 10.14% |
| 12 | 29,125 | 7.87% |
| 13 | 20,944 | 5.66% |
| 14 | 14,149 | 3.82% |
| 15 | 8,846 | 2.39% |
| 16 | 5,182 | 1.40% |
| 17 | 2,967 | 0.80% |
| 18 | 1,471 | 0.40% |
| 19 | 760 | 0.21% |
| 20 | 359 | 0.10% |
| 21 | 168 | 0.05% |
| 22 | 74 | 0.02% |
| 23 | 31 | 0.01% |
| 24 | 12 | 0.00% |
| 25 | 8 | 0.00% |
| 26 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 27 | 3 | 0.00% |
| 28 | 2 | 0.00% |
| 29 | 2 | 0.00% |
| 30 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 31 | 1 | 0.00% |
A graph is given below to show the most common word lengths in the English language:
English language word origin
- Around 60% of English words are derived from Latin.
- About half of these words come directly from Latin.
- Approximately 10% of these words come from Latin through French.
- 20% to 25% of English words have Anglo-Saxon origins.
- 15% to 20% of English words are of Greek origin.
- Different studies present varied estimates.
- English borrows words from many different languages.
How many English words have silent letters?
- The English language frequently uses silent letters in its words.
- Around 60% of English words contain silent letters.
- Originally, many of these silent letters were pronounced.
- The Great Vowel Shift in the Middle Ages changed the pronunciation of long vowels.
- Additional letters were often added in writing to make words resemble those from other languages.
- Over centuries, words came to be pronounced as they are today, with minimal changes in spelling.
FAQ’s
1.How many words are there in the English language?
The English language is estimated to have over 1 million words, though the exact count varies due to new words being added and old ones falling out of use.
2.Does the number of words in English include slang and technical terms?
Yes, the total word count generally includes slang, technical jargon, loanwords, and obsolete terms.
3.How many words are commonly used in everyday English?
Around 20,000 to 35,000 words are commonly used by fluent English speakers in everyday conversation.
4.What is the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) word count?
The Oxford English Dictionary contains over 600,000 words, including current, obsolete, and dialect terms.
5.Are all English words included in dictionaries?
No, dictionaries typically include a curated selection of words that are commonly used or historically significant, not every possible word.
6.How many words does the average English speaker know?
An average native English speaker knows between 20,000 and 30,000 words.
7.How many new words are added to the English language each year?
Several hundred new words are added to the English language each year, depending on social trends, technology, and culture.
8.Are all English words derived from other languages?
Many English words are derived from other languages, such as Latin, Greek, French, German, and others, but some are original to English.
9.How many words are in the English language compared to other languages?
English has one of the largest vocabularies of any language due to its history of borrowing and adapting words from many sources.
10.How many English words are considered obsolete?
Thousands of words in English are considered obsolete and are no longer in common use.
11.What percentage of English words come from Latin?
Around 60% of English words are derived from Latin, either directly or through other languages like French.
12. many words does a non-native English speaker need to know to be fluent?
It is estimated that knowing around 10,000 to 15,000 words is sufficient for fluency in English.
13.Are compound words counted separately in English word counts?
Yes, compound words are usually counted as separate entries in word counts and dictionaries.
14.How many words are there in Old English?
Old English had around 25,000 to 30,000 words, significantly fewer than modern English.
15.What is the shortest word in the English language?
“I” and “a” are considered the shortest words in English.
16.Which word has the most definitions in the English language?
The word “set” holds the record for the most definitions in English, with over 400.
17.How many phrasal verbs are there in English?
There are thousands of phrasal verbs in English, and the number is constantly evolving with language use.
18.How many words are in American English versus British English?
Both American and British English share the vast majority of their vocabulary, but there are slight variations in usage, spelling, and some unique words.
19.is the most common word in the English language?
The most common word in English is “the,” followed by “be,” “to,” “of,” “and,” “a,” and “in.”
20.How many words are used in Shakespeare’s works?
William Shakespeare used over 20,000 different words in his works, some of which he is credited with coining or popularizing.
