The most common words

There are thousands and thousands of words in the English language, but which ones are the most commonly used? A user named Valde Optiums wanted to know the ten most popular words. I did what I could to find him an answer.

Ask Oxford features a slew of information on the topic. The site explains that just ten base words “account for a remarkable 25%” of all the words used. These ten words are: the, be, to, of, and, a, in, that, have, and I.

The site goes on to rank the most commonly used nouns, verbs, and adjectives. It’s a pretty interesting list, and one that I found to contain a few surprises. For example, the most commonly used noun isn’t “man,” “day,” or “thing.” It’s “time.” As for the top adjective, I was hoping for “funky,” but the number one spot actually goes to the rather boring but dependable “good.”

So that settles that. But there are other aspects of English that people can obsess over. Take favorite words, for example. I am convinced that everyone, whether they know it or not, has a favorite word. After a bit of soul searching, I’ve decided that mine is “fiasco.” Just saying it brings a smile to my face. I don’t get too many opportunities to say it, although, given the definition, maybe that’s a good thing.

What’s your favorite word? My least favorite is and will always be “lozenge.” What about you? What are some of your favorite words? Do they hold special significance to you or do you just like the way they sound? Drop me a note and let me know.

Thanks for reading,