Dolch Grade 2 Sight Words (Ages 7-8)
The 46 Grade 2 words: because, does, their, would, write, your… Looking for a Dolch list for a 7-year-old? Start here, with a free printable list, flashcards, tracing and bingo.
The 46 Dolch Grade 2 sight words
- always
- around
- because
- been
- before
- best
- both
- buy
- call
- cold
- does
- don't
- fast
- first
- five
- found
- gave
- goes
- green
- its
- made
- many
- off
- or
- pull
- read
- right
- sing
- sit
- sleep
- tell
- their
- these
- those
- upon
- us
- use
- very
- wash
- which
- why
- wish
- work
- would
- write
- your
Words with an orange outline are the tricky ones, explained below.
About the Grade 2 list
The Grade 2 list has 46 words. Compared with the earlier lists it has fewer tiny words and more with spelling surprises (because, does, buy, would, write) and more words where the spelling, not the sound, tells you which word it is (their, right/write, read).
It is the Dolch list for 7-year-olds in Grade 2 (ages 7 to 8). This is the page to use if you are looking for "Dolch list 7": 7-year-olds are split between Grade 1 and Grade 2, so the Grade 1 page also has what a child who is turning 7 needs.
The tricky words, one by one
These words do not follow the sound-letter rules children have learned so far. They are the ones worth spending extra time on.
- because
- Two surprises: "au" says /uh/ and the final "se" says /z/. A rhyme such as "Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants" fixes the spelling for many children.
- does
- "oe" says /u/ and the "s" says /z/. It does not rhyme with "goes" even though it looks like it.
- buy
- "uy" says long i. Same sound as "by" (Grade 1) and "bye": three words, one sound, three spellings.
- been
- In American English it is said /bin/, not "been" as in "seen".
- would
- Silent l, same family as "could" (Grade 1). Teach them together: "would, could, should".
- their
- Sounds like "there" and "they're". At this level the aim is just to read it; choosing the right spelling comes in Grade 3 (see the homophone exercises).
- write
- Silent w. It sounds like "right", which is also on this list, so the pair teaches meaning through spelling.
- right
- The "igh" says long i (same as "light", "night" and "high").
- read
- Present (/reed/) and past (/red/) tense are spelled the same. Context decides.
- don't
- A contraction: do + not with an apostrophe where the o is missing. Explain it as a shortcut.
A 10-week study plan
Five words a week, five minutes a day. On the last day of each week, revise the words of the weeks before. The list is in alphabetical order; change the order to start with the words your child meets most in books.
- Week 1
always · around · because · been · before
- Week 2
best · both · buy · call · cold
- Week 3
does · don't · fast · first · five
- Week 4
found · gave · goes · green · its
- Week 5
made · many · off · or · pull
- Week 6
read · right · sing · sit · sleep
- Week 7
tell · their · these · those · upon
- Week 8
us · use · very · wash · which
- Week 9
why · wish · work · would · write
- Week 10
your
How to teach the Grade 2 words
- Move from reading to writing. A Grade 2 child should be able to spell most of these words in sentences, so ask for a short dictation once a week: "Do you know why we write because?"
- Teach the word families together: would/could/should, write/right, their/there (by meaning), found/round/sound. One rule explains several words.
- Use the words in sentences your child composes. "I will write a note because I don't have a phone" uses three list words and means more than a card on its own.
- Mix old and new: each session include 3 words from the Grade 1 list your child hesitates on. Gaps in earlier lists cause most mistakes here.
- Do not drill all 46 at once. Eight sets of six words, one set a week, gives two full months with time to revise.
More Dolch printables
Make the same sheets for another list, or find the list that fits another age.
Frequently asked questions
+How many words are on the Dolch Grade 2 list?
46 words. The Dolch lists for ages 7 to 8 are the Grade 2 list (46 words) and, for the following year, the Grade 3 list (41 words).
+Which Dolch list is for a 7-year-old?
The Grade 2 list is the usual match for a 7-year-old in Grade 2. A 7-year-old still in Grade 1 should finish the Grade 1 list first. Use the checklist to see how many words are already automatic.
+How many Dolch words should a child know by the end of Grade 2?
The lists are named after the reading level at which the words usually appear, so by the end of Grade 2 the aim is the Pre-Primer, Primer, Grade 1 and Grade 2 lists together (179 words). Schools vary, so your child's teacher is the reference.
+Does my child need to spell these words, or only read them?
Reading comes first, spelling next. A good order is: read the word instantly, then spell it aloud, then write it from memory. The tracing sheet and the blank lines follow that order.
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