Free resource · Primary 1

Primary 1 Spelling List and Vocabulary Words: Free PDF

MOE does not publish a national Primary 1 spelling list, as each school sets its own. This free list gives 120 words for P1 in 12 themed lists of 10 across the four school terms, each with a simple meaning and an example sentence. It adds phonics patterns, 50 sight words, missing-letter practice with answers, 10 challenge words and a five-day routine to use at home.

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About this list

MOE does not publish a national spelling list, and each school sets its own weekly lists. This is TSS's own list for Primary 1, pitched to the level using the MOE English Language Syllabus 2020. Use it alongside your child's school list. Everything on this page, including the practice and answers, is in the free PDF from the button at the top, ready to print.

What the official documents say, and what this list is

Point	What it means for you
National spelling list	MOE does not publish a national spelling list. Schools set their own spelling lists, so the list your child brings home will be different from this one.
Your school's own list	Some schools post their lists online. For example, Chua Chu Kang Primary School posts its P1 lists by term in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, and Punggol Cove Primary School posts weekly P1 spelling and dictation sets. Check your child's school website or class portal, and learn that list first.
Mother Tongue lists	Mother Tongue spelling lists, such as tingxie for Chinese, are set by schools too. This page covers English only.
MOE English Language Syllabus 2020	MOE brought in the English Language Syllabus 2020 from Primary 1 in 2020, and primary schools plan their English lessons on it. At the start of Primary 1, MOE's Learning Support Programme picks out pupils who need more help with English and gives them half an hour a day in small groups of 8 to 10.
Marks in P1 and P2	Since 2019 there are no weighted assessments or exams in P1 and P2, and school assessments do not count towards an overall mark or grade.
Foundation or Standard	In P5 and P6, English is taken at Foundation or Standard level, depending on P4 school exam results. This list is pitched at Standard English. A child taking Foundation English can start with the Primary 4 list and move up.
PSLE English	Spelling and vocabulary are assessed in Paper 1 (Writing) and Paper 2 (Language Use and Comprehension). The next section shows where.
This list	TSS's own 120 words for Primary 1, in 12 themed lists of 10 across the four school terms, plus 10 challenge words. Every word has a short meaning and an example sentence written by TSS. MOE and SEAB did not issue this list.

The list uses British spelling, such as colour, favourite and neighbour, as MOE's own syllabus documents do.

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Term 1 words (lists 1 to 3)

30 words in 3 lists

30 words in 3 lists: my school, my family, my body.

List 1: My school

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
school	a place where children go to learn	I walk to school with my brother every morning.
teacher	a person who helps you learn in class	Our teacher reads us a story after recess.
class	a group of pupils who learn together	There are thirty children in my class.
book	pages with words and pictures that you read	I chose a book about a little red bus.
pencil	a thin stick you use to write and draw	My pencil is too short, so I need a new one.
desk	a table where you sit to do your work	Please keep your desk neat and tidy.
bag	something you use to carry your things	My school bag has a pocket for my water bottle.
read	to look at words and understand them	I like to read before I go to bed.
write	to put letters and words on paper	Can you write your name at the top of the page?
friend	someone you like and play with	Mei Ling is my friend because she is kind to me.

List 2: My family

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
mother	a woman who has a child	My mother makes me breakfast every day.
father	a man who has a child	My father fixed the wheel on my bicycle.
sister	a girl who has the same parents as you	My sister is two years older than me.
brother	a boy who has the same parents as you	My baby brother likes to laugh.
grandma	the mother of your mum or dad	Grandma tells us stories about the old days.
grandpa	the father of your mum or dad	Grandpa and I feed the fish at the pond.
baby	a very young child	The baby is sleeping, so we must be quiet.
home	the place where you live	We reached home just before it rained.
love	to care about someone very much	I love my family very much.
help	to do something useful for someone	I help Dad to set the table for dinner.

List 3: My body

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
head	the top part of your body	Put on a cap to cover your head from the sun.
hand	the part at the end of your arm	Raise your hand if you know the answer.
foot	the part at the end of your leg that you stand on	I hurt my foot when I kicked the ball.
eye	the part of your body you see with	Close one eye and look through the hole.
ear	the part of your body you hear with	The cat has a black ear and a white ear.
nose	the part of your face you smell with	I can smell the bread with my nose.
mouth	the part of your face you eat and talk with	Cover your mouth when you yawn.
arm	the long part of your body between your shoulder and your hand	Dad lifted me up with one arm.
leg	the long part of your body you walk with	The table has one short leg, so it wobbles.
teeth	the hard white parts in your mouth that you bite with	I brush my teeth twice a day.

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Term 2 words (lists 4 to 6)

30 words in 3 lists

30 words in 3 lists: food, animals, at home.

List 4: Food

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
rice	small white grains that we cook and eat	We had chicken rice for lunch.
egg	a round thing laid by a hen that we can cook and eat	Mum cooked an egg for my breakfast.
milk	a white drink that comes from cows	I drink a glass of milk every night.
bread	a food made from flour and baked in an oven	We spread jam on the bread.
fish	an animal that lives in water, or its meat that we eat	Grandma steamed a fish for dinner.
apple	a round fruit that can be red or green	I pack an apple in my lunch box.
banana	a long yellow fruit	The monkey peeled the banana and ate it.
water	the clear liquid that we drink	Drink some water after you run.
cake	a sweet baked food, often for a party	We shared a chocolate cake at my party.
hungry	wanting to eat	I was so hungry that I ate two bowls of noodles.

List 5: Animals

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
cat	a small furry animal kept as a pet	The cat is sleeping on the sofa.
dog	an animal that barks, often kept as a pet	Our dog wags its tail when we come home.
bird	an animal with feathers and wings	A bird is building a nest in the tree.
duck	a bird that swims and says quack	The duck swam across the pond.
frog	a small green animal that jumps and lives near water	The frog jumped onto a big leaf.
cow	a large farm animal that gives us milk	The cow is eating grass in the field.
pig	a pink farm animal with a curly tail	The pig rolled in the mud.
lion	a big wild cat with a loud roar	The lion is resting under a tree.
monkey	a clever animal that climbs trees	The monkey swung from branch to branch.
zoo	a place where people go to see wild animals	We saw a white tiger at the zoo.

List 6: At home

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
door	something you open to go in or out of a room	Please close the door when you leave.
window	an opening in a wall with glass to let in light	I can see the playground from my window.
bed	the furniture you sleep on	I make my bed every morning.
chair	a seat for one person	Pull your chair closer to the table.
table	furniture with a flat top and legs	We eat dinner at the table together.
kitchen	the room where food is cooked	Mum is baking cookies in the kitchen.
lamp	a light that you can switch on and off	Switch off the lamp before you sleep.
cup	a small container you drink from	I drink warm milk from my cup.
clean	not dirty	My hands are clean after I wash them.
sleep	to rest with your eyes closed	Babies sleep for many hours a day.

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Term 3 words (lists 7 to 9)

30 words in 3 lists

30 words in 3 lists: colours and shapes, weather, toys and play.

List 7: Colours and shapes

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
red	the colour of a ripe tomato	She wore a red dress to the party.
blue	the colour of a clear sky	I painted the sea blue.
green	the colour of grass and leaves	The traffic light turned green.
yellow	the colour of a ripe banana	The sun is yellow in my drawing.
black	the darkest colour, like the night sky	Our cat has black fur.
white	the colour of snow and milk	The clouds are white and fluffy.
circle	a round shape like a ring	Draw a circle for the face.
square	a shape with four equal sides	The window is shaped like a square.
big	large in size	An elephant is a big animal.
small	little in size	The ant is very small.

List 8: Weather

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
sun	the bright star that gives us light and heat in the day	The sun is shining brightly today.
rain	water that falls from the clouds	The rain made the field wet.
cloud	a white or grey shape in the sky made of tiny drops of water	A dark cloud covered the sun.
wind	moving air	The wind blew my hat away.
hot	very warm	It is hot, so I wear a cap.
wet	covered in water	My shoes got wet in the puddle.
sky	the space above us where we see the sun and clouds	The sky turned orange at sunset.
umbrella	a cover you hold over your head to keep off the rain	Take an umbrella in case it rains.
storm	very bad weather with strong wind and rain	We stayed indoors during the storm.
rainbow	a curve of colours in the sky after rain	We saw a rainbow over the park.

List 9: Toys and play

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
ball	a round toy that you throw, kick or bounce	Kick the ball to me.
doll	a toy that looks like a small person	My doll has long brown hair.
kite	a toy that flies in the wind on a long string	We flew a kite in the field on a windy day.
game	something you play for fun, often with rules	Let us play a game of catching.
play	to have fun with toys or games	We play at the playground after school.
run	to move fast on your legs	I run to the gate when I see Dad.
jump	to push yourself up off the ground	Can you jump over the rope?
swing	a seat that hangs and moves back and forth	My sister pushed me on the swing.
slide	a slope that children slide down	I went down the slide very fast.
fun	something you enjoy	The class party was so much fun.

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Term 4 words (lists 10 to 12)

30 words in 3 lists

30 words in 3 lists: my neighbourhood, transport, feelings.

List 10: My neighbourhood

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
park	an open place with grass and trees	We cycle in the park on Sundays.
shop	a place where you buy things	Dad bought a newspaper from the shop.
road	a wide path for cars	Look left and right before you cross the road.
lift	a small room that carries people up and down a building	We took the lift to the tenth floor.
market	a place with many stalls that sell food and other things	Grandma buys vegetables at the market.
library	a place where you can borrow books	I borrowed three books from the library.
clinic	a place where a doctor sees sick people	Mum took me to the clinic when I had a cold.
flat	a home on one floor of a tall building	We live in a flat on the fifth floor.
street	a road with houses or shops along it	There are many shops along this street.
near	not far away	The school is near my home.

List 11: Transport

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
bus	a big vehicle that carries many people	I take the bus to school.
car	a vehicle with four wheels that a driver drives	Dad washed the car on Saturday.
train	a long vehicle that runs on tracks	The train stopped at the station.
taxi	a car you pay to ride in	We took a taxi to the airport.
bicycle	a vehicle with two wheels that you pedal	I am learning to ride a bicycle.
boat	a small vehicle that moves on water	We rode a boat to the island.
plane	a vehicle with wings that flies in the sky	The plane flew high above the clouds.
ship	a very large boat	The ship carried many boxes across the sea.
driver	a person who drives a vehicle	The bus driver said good morning to us.
wheel	a round part that turns so a vehicle can move	My toy car has lost a wheel.

List 12: Feelings

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
happy	feeling good and pleased	I feel happy when I play with my friends.
sad	feeling unhappy	Tom was sad when his balloon flew away.
angry	feeling very cross with someone or something	My brother was angry when I broke his toy.
scared	afraid	I was scared of the loud thunder.
tired	needing rest or sleep	After the long walk, I was tired.
excited	very happy about something that is going to happen	I am excited about my birthday party.
kind	friendly and caring to others	It was kind of you to share your snack.
sorry	a word you say when you feel bad about something you did	I said sorry for stepping on her foot.
smile	to make a happy shape with your mouth	The baby gave me a big smile.
cry	to have tears coming from your eyes	The boy began to cry when he fell.

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Phonics patterns and sight words

Most P1 words can be sounded out. Teach the sound of each pattern, then blend the sounds into a word. Sight words are common words a child should know at a glance, and several of them (the, said, was, one) cannot be sounded out, so learn them by reading them often.

Letter sounds and word families

Pattern	Words	Tip
Short a	cat, bag, hat, map, fan	Say the sound "a" as in apple, then blend: c-a-t.
Short e	bed, hen, red, pen, wet	The "e" sounds like the start of egg.
Short i	pig, sit, bin, lip, six	The "i" sounds like the start of insect.
Short o	dog, hot, pot, box, mop	The "o" sounds like the start of octopus.
Short u	sun, bus, cup, mud, rug	The "u" sounds like the start of umbrella.
Word family -at	cat, hat, mat, bat, sat	Change only the first letter to make a new word.
Word family -ig	pig, big, dig, wig, fig	Same ending, new first sound.
Word family -op	hop, top, mop, pop, shop	Shop adds two letters at the start: sh.
sh	ship, shop, fish, dish, shell	Two letters, one sound. Put a finger on your lips: shh.
ch	chip, chin, chair, lunch, much	Two letters, one sound, as in cheese.
th	this, that, then, bath, teeth	Put your tongue between your teeth to say it.
ee	see, tree, feet, green, sleep	Two e letters make one long "ee" sound.
Double ll, ss, ff	ball, bell, kiss, dress, puff	Short words often double these letters at the end.

Sight words to know at a glance

Set	Words
Set 1	the, a, I, is, it, in, and, to, my, you
Set 2	he, she, we, me, be, was, are, said, have, they
Set 3	of, for, on, at, up, go, no, so, do, all
Set 4	like, look, come, some, here, there, where, what, when, who
Set 5	one, two, little, down, put, saw, want, went, this, with

Learn one set at a time. Point to the words when you read a book together.

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Practice: fill in the missing letters

TSS's own practice using words from this list. Read the clue aloud, then your child writes the missing letters and the whole word. Cover the answer column first.

Missing letters, with answers

Word with gaps	Clue
sch _ _ l	a place where children go to learn
b _ _ k	pages with words and pictures that you read
t _ _ th	the hard white parts in your mouth that you bite with
r _ _ n	water that falls from the clouds
fr _ _ nd	someone you like and play with
h _ ppy	feeling good and glad
mon _ ey	a clever animal that climbs trees
win _ ow	an opening in a wall with glass to let in light
um _ rella	something you hold over your head in the rain
kit _ hen	the room where food is cooked

Show answersHide answers

No.	Answer
1	oo (school)
2	oo (book)
3	ee (teeth)
4	ai (rain)
5	ie (friend)
6	a (happy)
7	k (monkey)
8	d (window)
9	b (umbrella)
10	c (kitchen)

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Challenge words

For a child who finds the Primary 1 lists easy. Use these, then move on to the Primary 2 list.

10 challenge words

Word	Meaning	Example sentence
picnic	a meal you eat outdoors	We had a picnic at the beach on Sunday.
pillow	a soft thing you rest your head on in bed	My pillow is soft and fluffy.
carrot	a long orange vegetable	The rabbit nibbled a carrot.
sandwich	two pieces of bread with food in between	I packed an egg sandwich for recess.
basket	a container made of woven strips, with a handle	Grandma carried the fruit in a basket.
button	a small round thing that keeps clothes closed	One button fell off my shirt.
pocket	a small bag sewn into clothes	I keep my coins in my pocket.
jacket	a short coat	Wear your jacket in the cold cinema.
tomato	a soft round red fruit used in salads and sauces	Dad sliced a tomato for the salad.
puppy	a young dog	The puppy chased its own tail.

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How to use this list

Each list has ten words, about right for one week. If a list is too much, split it over two weeks. A few minutes every day works better than one long session.

A weekly spelling routine you can run at home

Day	What to do	Time
Day 1	Read the list together. Say each word clearly, talk about what it means and read the example sentence aloud.	10 to 15 minutes
Day 2	Look, say, cover, write, check for every word (see the next table). Circle the tricky part of any word your child got wrong.	15 minutes
Day 3	Your child says a sentence aloud with each word, then writes three of the words in sentences.	15 minutes
Day 4	A practice test. Read each word in a random order, then read it in its sentence. Mark it together and redo any word that was wrong.	10 minutes
Day 5	Check only the words missed on Day 4. Add any word that is still wrong to next week's list.	5 to 10 minutes

Look, say, cover, write, check

Step	What your child does
Look	Look closely at the word. Notice its letters, any double letters and the tricky part.
Say	Say the word aloud, then spell it letter by letter. Break a long word into parts, for example "rain-bow".
Cover	Cover the word with a hand or a card.
Write	Write the word from memory.
Check	Uncover the word and compare letter by letter. If it is wrong, start again from Look.

How school spelling tests often work

What to expect	What to do at home
The list usually comes home some days before the test.	Check the test day with your child or the teacher and start the routine early in the week.
Some tests read out single words. Others, often called dictation, read out a sentence or a short passage for your child to write in full.	Practise both. Read out a word on its own, then read out its example sentence for your child to write.
In a dictation, capital letters and punctuation may be checked as well as spelling.	Remind your child to start with a capital letter and end with a full stop.
Each school decides the format, the number of words and whether a test counts towards a mark.	Ask the teacher if you are unsure. Use the school list first and this list for extra practice.

Is this list the right level? A five-minute check

Result	What it means	What to do
9 or 10 right	The level is easy for your child.	Use the challenge words, then try lists from the Primary 2 list.
5 to 8 right	The level is about right.	Work through the lists in order, one a week.
Fewer than 5 right	The level is too hard for now.	Split each list into two weeks of five words, and spend more time on the phonics patterns.

How to check: pick 10 words from different lists. Read each one aloud for your child to spell. Count a word as right only if it is spelt correctly.

If your child finds spelling hard

What you notice	What to try
Most words are wrong every week.	Cut the list to five words a week and learn the school list first. Small wins build confidence.
Words are right on test day but forgotten a week later.	Keep a list of words still being learnt and test them again a week later, then a month later.
Letters come out in the wrong order.	Sound the word out slowly together, one sound at a time, and write each sound as you say it.
The spelling is right but the meaning is not known.	Act out or draw the word, and use it in a sentence at dinner.
Your child is upset by practice or avoids it.	Keep sessions to ten minutes, praise effort, and make it a game: spell words aloud in the car or on the way to school.
It is still hard after a whole term.	Talk to your child's English teacher, who sees your child's work every day and can suggest the next step in school.

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What to practise before Primary 1 starts

The school holidays before Primary 1 are a good time to build the skills that make spelling easier. Keep it playful and short.

Six things to practise before P1

Skill	How to practise
Letters and their sounds	Say the sound each letter makes, not only its name. Play "I spy something that starts with s".
Writing their own name	Practise the name in lowercase letters with one capital letter at the start.
Holding a pencil and writing left to right	Short, happy sessions of drawing lines, circles and letters build control.
Short sound-it-out words	Blend three sounds into a word: c-a-t, d-o-g, s-u-n. Use the patterns table above.
The first sight words	Learn Set 1 and Set 2 of the sight words above, a few at a time, by reading them in books.
Reading together every day	Ten to fifteen minutes of shared reading builds vocabulary more than anything else.

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2027 school terms and which lists to use

The lists follow the four school terms. This table gives the 2027 term dates from MOE and the lists for each term. It is the only part of this page that changes from year to year.

2027 school terms for Primary 1

Term	2027 dates	Lists	Holiday after
Term 1	Mon 4 Jan to Fri 12 Mar	Lists 1 to 3	13 to 21 Mar
Term 2	Mon 22 Mar to Fri 28 May	Lists 4 to 6	29 May to 27 Jun
Term 3	Mon 28 Jun to Fri 3 Sep	Lists 7 to 9	4 to 12 Sep
Term 4	Mon 13 Sep to Fri 19 Nov	Lists 10 to 12	20 Nov to 31 Dec

Primary 1 starts on Monday 4 January 2027. Primary 2 to 6 start on Tuesday 5 January 2027.
Source: MOE, School terms and holidays for 2027 (14 July 2026).

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Questions students ask

Does MOE publish a Primary 1 spelling list?

No. MOE does not publish a national spelling or vocabulary list for any primary level. Each school sets its own lists, so use this one alongside the list your child brings home.

How many spelling words should my child learn each week?

Each list here has 10 words, which suits one week. If your child finds that too many, split a list over two weeks and keep the daily practice short.

What if my child needs extra help with English in Primary 1?

MOE's Learning Support Programme identifies pupils at the start of Primary 1 who need more help with English. Trained teachers take them in small groups of 8 to 10 for half an hour a day. At home, the phonics patterns and sight words on this page are a good place to start.

Do spelling tests count in Primary 1?

Not towards a grade. Since 2019 MOE has removed weighted assessments and exams in P1 and P2, and school assessments do not count towards an overall mark or grade. Spelling tests still show you which words need more practice.

What should my child practise before Primary 1 starts?

Letter sounds, writing their own name, holding a pencil, sounding out short words such as cat and sun, the first sight words, and reading together every day. Keep sessions short and playful.

Does this page have Mother Tongue spelling lists?

No. Mother Tongue spelling lists, such as tingxie for Chinese, are set by each school, and this page covers English only. Some schools post their Mother Tongue lists on the school website.

Does this list use British or American spelling?

British spelling, such as colour, favourite and neighbour. MOE's own English syllabus documents use British spelling too, for example behaviour, organise and programme.

What if my child's school list has different words?

Learn the school list first, since the school test uses it. Then use this list for extra words, and use the meanings and example sentences to help your child use each word, not only spell it.

What if my child finds spelling hard?

Cut the list to five words a week, learn the school list first and keep a list of words still being learnt to test again a week later. If it is still hard after a term, talk to your child's English teacher.

What comes after this list?

The Primary 2 list picks up where this one ends, with no word repeated. If your child spells 9 or 10 of a random 10 words correctly, use the challenge words and then move on to it.

Keep revising

Source

The words, meanings, example sentences and practice items are our own. MOE does not publish a national spelling list. The syllabus, exam and term details come from the MOE, SEAB and school pages above, and if they differ, those pages are right. Tell us and we will fix it.

Primary 1 Spelling List and Vocabulary Words: Free PDF

1 About this list

2 Term 1 words (lists 1 to 3)

3 Term 2 words (lists 4 to 6)

4 Term 3 words (lists 7 to 9)

5 Term 4 words (lists 10 to 12)

6 Phonics patterns and sight words

7 Practice: fill in the missing letters

8 Challenge words

9 How to use this list

10 What to practise before Primary 1 starts

11 2027 school terms and which lists to use

Inside the PDF

Questions students ask

Does MOE publish a Primary 1 spelling list?

How many spelling words should my child learn each week?

What if my child needs extra help with English in Primary 1?

Do spelling tests count in Primary 1?

What should my child practise before Primary 1 starts?

Does this page have Mother Tongue spelling lists?

Does this list use British or American spelling?

What if my child's school list has different words?

What if my child finds spelling hard?

What comes after this list?

Keep revising

Source

About this list

Term 1 words (lists 1 to 3)

Term 2 words (lists 4 to 6)

Term 3 words (lists 7 to 9)

Term 4 words (lists 10 to 12)

Phonics patterns and sight words

Practice: fill in the missing letters

Challenge words

How to use this list

What to practise before Primary 1 starts

2027 school terms and which lists to use