What Sight Words Are

Learn why some words should be read in a snap, without sounding out.

Sight words are words you see again and again in books. Words like 'the', 'is', 'and', and 'you' show up on almost every page. If you had to sound out each one, reading would be very slow.

So we practice them until we know them in a snap, the way you know your own name. Look at this sentence: 'The cat and the dog can see you. ' Six of those eight words are common sight words.

Once you know them fast, you can spend your energy on the new words.

• 1Sight words appear on almost every page.
• 2Knowing them fast makes reading smooth.
• 3Save your sounding-out for new words.