Core vocabulary list with pictures: 52 free word cards

The 52 words

Kind of word	Words	What they do
People	I, you, we, he, she, they, it, mine	Who and what you are talking about.
Social words	yes, no, hi, bye, please, thank you, uh oh, all done	Quick answers and polite words that work on their own.
Actions	want, need, like, go, stop, help, get, give, put, make, eat, drink, play, look, open, wait	What people do. Most short sentences have one.
Describing words	more, again, big, little, hot, cold, good, bad, fast, slow	How much, what kind, how it feels.
Little words	not, in, out, on, off, up, down, that, what, where	Where things are, questions, and not.

How we chose these words

This is our own starter list. We picked words that come up all day in ordinary talk, at home, at school and out and about, for children and adults alike. Each one works in many places, and each can join others to make short phrases: want more, help open, not that, go up.

Together they let a person do more than ask for things: say no, ask for help, comment (look, uh oh), ask questions (what, where) and talk about people. There are no names of things on the list, like cookie or ball. Those matter too, but they change from person to person: add them on the blank cards, or make a board of them with the free board maker.

Ways to use the cards

• Word of the week on the fridge. Put this week’s card where everyone sees it, as a reminder to use it. The core word of the week plans have ideas for 32 of them.
• One card where the word happens. Tape open to the snack cupboard, up and down by the stairs, more by the high chair, stop and go by the front door.
• Two cards make a phrase. Lay cards side by side, want + more, help + open, not + that, and point to each one as you say it.
• A key ring for outings. Punch a hole in a corner of a few cards, like hi, bye, help, stop and all done, and take them along.
• Match the board. Hold a card next to the same word on the person’s full board or device, so they see it is the same word.
• A mini board for one routine. Glue six cards to a piece of card stock. For the bath: more, stop, all done, hot, cold, uh oh.

Using the fridge list

The one-page list is for the adults. Each word has a small picture and two short examples, like more juice · more tickles, so anyone can glance at it and find a way to use the word: grandparents, babysitters, a new teacher. Keep it on the fridge or in the school bag.

What’s on each page

Page 1 has the people (yellow) and social words (pink), page 2 the actions (green), and page 3 the describing words (blue) and little words (purple). Pages 1 and 2 end with four blank cards for your own words. Every card is 1.6 inches (4 cm) square, the same size as the cards on our choice boards and routine schedules, so they fit those boxes too.

Printing and cutting tips

• Print on card stock if you can, and laminate the sheets before you cut them out.
• Cut on the dashed lines and round the corners, so the cards are kind to small hands.
• Print in color: the colored edge tells you the kind of word at a glance.
• Print the words you use most twice, one for home and one for school or the car.