What are sight words?

Sight words refer to words that are recognized instantly without the need for decoding them. These words are typically high-frequency words found in English texts, and they often include common words like "the," "and," "is," and "to." Recognizing sight words quickly and automatically contributes significantly to reading fluency, allowing readers to focus on comprehension rather than getting bogged down by decoding each word.

For early readers, developing a strong sight word vocabulary is crucial, as it helps them read more smoothly and increases their overall reading confidence. By memorizing these words, students can improve their ability to understand text, as they won't have to stop and sound out each word while reading.

The other choices do not fit the definition of sight words. For instance, words that require extensive decoding would not qualify as sight words, since they need to be broken down into smaller components to be understood. Additionally, sight words are not limited to literary texts; they appear in various types of writing, including informational texts. Finally, while spelling rules may apply to some sight words, the defining characteristic is the immediate recognition of the word rather than any connection to spelling conventions.