What are "high-frequency words," and why are they important?

High-frequency words are those that occur frequently in written texts across various genres and contexts. These words, such as "the," "and," "is," and "you," are essential for building a foundation in reading because they make up a significant portion of the words encountered in everyday reading materials. Mastering high-frequency words plays a crucial role in promoting not just reading fluency—allowing readers to recognize words quickly—but also reading comprehension, as it enables readers to focus on understanding the overall meaning of sentences rather than getting bogged down by decoding less familiar words.

By having these words readily accessible in their memory, readers can process texts more smoothly and efficiently, leading to an improved understanding of the material they are engaging with. This mastery is especially beneficial for early readers and emerging literacy learners, who often need to recognize these common words instantly to develop their reading skills effectively.