2,000+ Core Tier 2 Vocabulary Words + PDF List

What are Tier 2 Vocabulary Words?

Have you found yourself asking, “What is a tier 2 vocabulary word?” If so, then I’ve got you covered in this blog post because we’ll be discussing tier 2 vocabulary words as well as tier 1 words and tier 3 words.

Tier 2 words are words that are high-frequency words that are frequently seen in an academic setting across multiple different subjects. 

They are words that are used by native speakers but are more difficult words which makes them words that need to be explicitly taught and learned. 

Tier 2 words aren’t used in spoken language as frequently as tier 1 words and therefore can be more challenging to learn for students. 

Examples of Tier 2 Words

For example, the words benefit, annual, and afford are all tier 2 words.

What are Tier 1 Vocabulary Words?

On the other hand tier 1 words are extremely common words, such as nouns and verbs that require minimal or no explicit teaching of their meanings. 

These basic words are words that most native speakers can acquire simply through their daily experiences, such as reading or an everyday conversation with others. 

These high-frequency words are typically root words with no prefix or suffix making their meanings very basic. 

Examples of Tier 1 Words

For example, the words red, help, and look are all tier 1 words. 

What are Tier 3 Vocabulary Words?

Lastly, tier 3 words are low-frequency words that are used in specific domains. 

A specific domain or subject-specific area includes subjects in school, occupations, hobbies, etc.

Tier 3 words are central to a specific subject and should be taught within the context of that subject or domain. 

Examples of Tier 3 Words

For example, the words algorithm and absolute value are all in the math content areas for tier 3 words. 

Vocabulary Instruction

When thinking about vocabulary development and what academic vocabulary words to teach your students focusing on tier 2 words is a great place to start. 

With tier 1 words being common sight words that are frequently learned through daily experiences and with tier 3 words being low-frequency words that are domain specific it would be best to focus on tier 2 words. 

Since tier 2 words are still considered high-frequency words unlike tier 3 words and need explicit instruction unlike tier 1 words it makes them the perfect set of academic words to focus on when thinking about which vocabulary words to teach this school year.

Focusing on tier 2 words is also a great idea for English language learners since these words are frequently used across multiple school subjects and different contexts. 

SEE ALSO: 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle

Grade Level: List of Tier 2 Vocabulary Words

Here is a list of words by grade level for working on tier 2 vocabulary words. With a high frequency of use tier 2 words make a great academic word list to work through.

Kindergarten: Early Grades

age	giggle	race
appear	glance	reach
artist	glossy	relax
autumn	glow	rotten
bay	goal	round
beak	gust	row
bloom	half	sail
bumpy	healthy	scene
burst	herd	scrub
buzz	hoof	shade
care	include	shaky
check	invitation	ship
chilly	knight	shore
chore	laundry	silky
comfort	lazy	sink
community	leaf	slide
country	leak	slip
covered	library	sniff
cradle	market	soapy
dangle	melt	sparkle
decision	miserable	spotted
delicious	month	spring
dentist	muddy	stare
dew	museum	summer
disappear	note	supplies
drawer	pace	tangled
dusty	pair	tent
edge	patient	tomorrow
farmer	peaceful	trade
fear	peck	trunk
firefly	pilot	warm
fix	plan	wave
flipper	pointy	week
fluffy	polite	wiggle
follow	pond	winter
gallop	president	wish
gentle	protect	yesterday
giggle	proud	young

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words First Graders

ache	fancy	problem
adjust	fascinating	promise
affordable	fasten	protect
alarm	feast	proud
alone	filthy	question
annoy	flat	rapid
apologize	flee	reminds
appetite	focus	remove
applause	fog	repeat
artistic	footprint	report
atmosphere	forest	rescue
attach	freezing	restart
attention	frustrated	return
bashful	gather	rhyme
basket	giant	ripe
batch	glad	rise
behave	gleaming	roar
belong	glum	rough
bend	grab	rusty
blink	grateful	scold
blush	grin	scratch
bolt	grip	searching
borrow	groan	seed
bundle	grumpy	selfish
cabin	hatch	serious
caterpillar	heap	shell
caution	hide	shovel (verb)
cave	hobby	shriek
celebrate	honest	sibling
centaur	howl	silent
champion	huge	simple
chat	ignore	slippery
cheat	illustrator	sly
chimney	important	sneaky
comfortable	injury	sob
compass	instead	special
complain	investigate	spiral
conductor	invite	splendid
consequences	jealous	spotless
construct	knob	sprinkle
costume	leader	squirm
cozy	list	startle
cranky	listen	steep
crash	lively	stomped
creak	loosen	stormy
croak	lovely	striped
crowded	mask	suddenly
cue	measuring	suggestion
curve	miserable	surprise
daily	misty	surround
dainty	modern	switch
dart	mountain	terrified
decide	mumble	thick
decorate	narrow	thunder
delighted	negative	ticket
denied	nervous	timid
deserve	nibbled	transportation
directions	note	travel
disappointed	notice	trust
discover	obey	uncomfortable
divide	observing	upset
dodge	opposite	warning
drenched	ordinary	weed
drowsy	pain	whimper
embarrassed	passenger	whirl
enormous	pattern	wicked
equal	pest	wonder
exclaim	polish	worried
exhausted	positive	yank
expensive	precious
explore	prefer
fair	pretend

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Second Grade

accident	dozen	observe
agree	drowsy	ocean
amaze	earth	opinion
amusing	edit	pack
analyze	effect	pale
annoy	enemy	parade
arranged	energy	past
arrive	enormous	peak
astronomy	escape	peeking
atlas	estimate	plan
attention	evening	planet
avoid	exactly	poke
award	excess	predict
aware	exercise	prefer
balance	expect	present
banner	factory	process
bare	fair	proof
base	famous	publish
beach	feast	records
besides	field	reflect
blast	finally	revise
board	flap	rumor
bounce	float	safe
brain	flock	scholar
branch	flood	seal
brave	fold	search
bright	fresh	separate
cage	friendly	settle
calf	frighten	share
calm	frown	shelter
career	fuel	shiver
cause	gap	shy
center	gasp	similar
cheer	gather	skill
chew	gaze	slight
classify	gift	smooth
claw	gravity	soil
clear	greedy	stack
cliff	gust	steady
club	harm	steaming
collect	helpful	stormy
community	herd	strand
conclusion	Idea	stream
connect	include	sum
continue	insect	support
cooperation	insist	suppose
core	instrument	sway
corner	invent	swoop
couple	investigate	team
crowd	island	telescope
curious	label	tiny
cycle	leader	tower
damp	leaned	travel
dangerous	leap	treasure
dash	living	tremble
data	lizard	universe
dawn	local	vanish
deep	lonely	village
demolish	luxury	volunteer
describe	march	warn
design	matter	weak
detail	mention	wealthy
diagram	moist	whisper
difference	motor	wise
different	necessary	wonder
discard	nervous	worry
discover	net	yard
dive	nibble	zigzag
dome	non-living
doubt	notice

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Third Grade

ability	doze	peer
absorb	drift	perform
accuse	effect	persuade
act	elect	pleasant
active	elegant	plunge
actual	enable	prank
additional	endangered	predator
adopt	event	predict
advantage	examine	prevent
advice	example	primary
agreeable	experience	privilege
ambition	explore	process
ancient	fan	purpose
approach	fatal	rare
arctic	fierce	rate
argue	flexible	recall
arrange	flutter	recognize
assist	fortunate	region
attitude	frail	rely
attract	furious	remark
average	gasp	repair
avoid	gathered	resident
bold	gist	respect
border	glide	responsible
brief	globe	reverse
brilliant	grace	revive
cable	gradual	ridiculous
capture	grasp	risk
careless	habit	scar
cause	harsh	scatter
certain	Imitate	schedule
chill	individual	sensitive
clever	infer	shiver
climate	intelligent	signal
cling	intend	similar
coast	invitation	slumber
compare	irritate	solution
confess	journey	spoil
consider	launch	starve
construct	limit	steer
contain	locate	struggled
continent	loyal	stumble
contrast	magnificent	suitable
convince	marine	survey
coward	marsh	swift
credit	mend	symbol
crew	method	tackle
crumple	misery	talent
culture	moisture	tentacle
custom	multiply	theory
dangle	mural	thrill
decay	mystify	treasure
deed	nation	triumph
defend	nectar	typical
delicate	nervous	unite
describe	nursery	unusual
details	observe	value
develop	occur	vehicle
device	opponent	vision
diagram	opposite	volunteer
digest	ordeal	wander
disappointed	origin	wisdom
disease	outcome	wit
distant	passage	woe
division	pastime
doze	patient
drift	pause

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Fourth Grade

accomplish	develop	outstanding
accurate	difference	passage
adaptation	disappointed	peculiar
address	disaster	peer
afford	disclose	permit
alert	distract	persuade
analyze	distress	plead
ancestor	distribute	plentiful
annual	dusk	pointless
apparent	eager	portion
approached	ease	practice
appropriate	effective	precious
arena	eliminate	predict
argued	entertain	prefer
arrest	entire	prepare
ascend	entrance	previous
assist	envy	proceed
attempt	essential	purpose
attentive	estimate	queasy
attractive	evidence	rarely
automatically	example	reason
avoid	except	recent
awkward	exclaimed	recognize
baggage	experiment	recommend
basic	extraordinary	reduce
benefit	flexible	release
blend	focus	represent
blossom	fortunate	request
border	fragile	resist
burrow	frantic	response
calculate	frequent	result
capable	frontier	reveal
captivity	furious	routine
carefree	generosity	scarce
cause	hail	select
century	hardship	separate
chamber	heroic	severe
circular	host	shabby
coax	humble	shallow
column	impact	simplify
communicate	increase	sole
compare	indicate	source
competition	infer	sturdy
complete	inform	summarize
concentrate	insert	support
concern	inspire	surface
conclude	instant	surround
confirm	invisible	survive
confuse	jagged	temporary
congratulate	lack	terror
considerable	limb	threat
content	limp	threatens
contrast	manufacture	tidy
contribute	master	tour
convince	mature	tradition
crafty	maximum	tragic
create	meadow	typical
critical	minimum	usually
decrease	mistrust	vacant
defend	mock	valiant
demonstrate	modest	variety
descend	noble	vast
describe	observe	venture
desire	obvious	weary
destructive	orchard
detail	organized

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Fifth Grade

abolish	endanger	ordinary
absurd	equivalent	overthrow
abuse	escalate	pardon
access	escalate	passage
accomplish	establish	pasture
accurate	evade	pedestrian
achievement	evaluate	perish
aggressive	evidence	persuade
alternate	exasperate	petrify
altitude	excavate	portable
announce	exert	prefix
antagonist	exhaust	preserve
antonym	exhibit	primary
anxious	expansion	protagonist
apparent	expectation	provide
approach	explain	purchase
approval	express	realistic
approximate	extend	reassure
argument	exult	recently
aroma	familiar	reference
assume	feeble	reign
astound	frequent	reliable
available	frigid	require
avalanche	gigantic	resemble
avoid	gist	retain
banquet	glare	retire
beverage	gorge	revert
bland	guardian	review
blizzard	harsh	revolt
briskly	hazy	route
budge	hearty	saunter
bungle	heroic	scarce
cautiously	hesitate	seldom
cease	hilarious	senseless
challenge	historic	sever
character	homonym	significant
claim	horizontal	slither
combine	hostile	sluggish
companion	huddle	soar
compassion	identical	solitary
compensate	identify	solo
comply	illegible	source
compose	illuminate	sparse
concept	immense	spurt
conclude	immigrate	strategy
confident	impressive	suffix
conflict	independent	suffocate
consistent	industrious	summarize
context	influence	summit
convert	intense	superior
convince	intercept	suspend
course	investigate	synonym
courteous	jubilation	talon
crave	kin	taunt
culture	luxurious	tension
debate	major	thrifty
decade	miniature	tolerate
decline	minor	translate
dedicate	mischief	tremble
deprive	monarch	tropical
detect	moral	unexpected
dictate	myth	unfamiliar
dissatisfied	narrator	vertical
document	navigate	visible
dominate	negative	visual
drowsy	nonchalant	vivid
duplicate	numerous	wilderness
edible	oasis	withdraw
effortless	obsolete
endanger	occasion
equivalent	opposed

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Sixth Grade

abandon	domestic	negotiate
abundant	dominate	obedient
access	drastic	objective
accommodate	duration	oblivious
accumulate	dwell	obstacle
adapt	eclipse	omniscient
adequate	economy	onset
adhere	eerie	optimist
adjacent	effect	origin
agony	efficient	originate
allegiance	elaborate	painstaking
ambition	eligible	paraphrase
ample	elude	parody
analyze	encounter	peculiar
anguish	encourage	persecute
anticipate	equation	persuade
anxious	equivalent	plummet
apparel	erupt	possess
appeal	esteem	poverty
apprehensive	evaluate	precise
appropriate	evolve	predicament
arid	exaggerate	predict
arrogant	excel	prejudice
artifact	exclude	preliminary
awe	exhaust	primitive
barren	expanse	priority
beacon	exploit	prominent
beneficial	expression	propel
benefit	extend	prosecute
blunder	extensive	prosper
boisterous	extinct	provoke
boycott	extract	pursue
burden	factor	quest
calculate	ferocious	quote
campaign	former	realistic
capacity	formulates	recount
capital	frequent	refuge
catastrophe	fuse	reinforce
chronological	futile	reluctant
citizen	generate	remorse
civic	genre	remote
civilization	genuine	repetition
clarity	government	resolute
collaborate	habitat	restrain
collide	hazardous	retaliate
commend	history	retrieve
commentary	hoax	rigorous
compact	hostile	rural
compose	hypothesis	salvage
composure	idiom	sanctuary
concise	ignite	siege
conclusion	immense	significant
congruent	improvises	similar
consent	inept	solar
consequence	inevitable	solution
conserve	influence	soothe
conspicuous	ingenious	stationary
constant	innovation	stifle
construct	insists	strategy
contaminate	intimidate	strive
context	irrigate	subordinate
continuous	jovial	subsequent
contrast	knack	substitute
contribute	leeway	superior
controversy	legislation	supplement
convenient	leisure	suspense
cope	liberate	swarm
cordial	likeness	tangible
cultivate	linger	tentative
cumulative	literal	terminate
declare	loathe	terrain
deluge	lofty	thesis
democracy	lure	trait
dense	majority	transfer
deplete	makeshift	transform
deposit	manipulate	transport
designate	marvel	treacherous
desperate	massive	unanimous
deteriorate	maximum	unique
dialogue	meager	unruly
diligent	mere	urban
dimension	migration	vacate
diminish	mimic	variable
discretion	minute	verdict
dissent	monotonous	verge
dissolve	narrate	vibrant
distinct		vital
diversity		vow

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Seventh Grade

abate	devious	notify
abdicate	devour	notorious
abnormal	dishearten	nurture
abode	dismal	obnoxious
abrasive	dismantle	omit
abrupt	distraught	opposition
accelerate	diversity	oppress
acclaim	docile	oration
acknowledge	downright	orthodox
acquire	drone	overwhelm
acrid	dumbfound	pamper
addict	eligible	patronize
adequate	emblem	peevish
adjacent	emphasize	pelt
admonish	endure	pending
affiliation	ensue	perceive
affliction	enthrall	perjury
agitate	epidemic	permanent
ajar	erode	persist
akin	estimate	persuasive
allege	evaluate	perturb
allocate	exonerated	pique
alternative	exposition	pluck
amendment	exuberant	poised
annihilate	exuberant	ponder
anonymous	famished	potential
antagonize	fathom	predatory
apathy	feud	prediction
arbitrate	figment	presume
aspire	firebrand	preview
astute	flabbergast	prior
attribute	flagrant	prominent
authentic	flaw	prospective
avert	formidable	prowess
bamboozle	fruitless	punctual
belligerent	gaudy	quench
bellow	geography	quote
beseech	gratify	radiant
bestow	gravity	random
bewilder	grim	rant
bias	grueling	recede
bigot	gruesome	relinquish
blatant	haggle	reprimand
bleak	harass	resolve
boycott	headlong	resume
braggart	hilarious	retort
brawl	homage	robust
browse	homicide	rudimentary
bystander	hospitable	rupture
candid	hurtle	saga
candor	hybrid	secession
canine	illiterate	sequel
canny	impartial	sham
capricious	impede	shirk
capsize	implore	signify
casual	incident	simultaneously
casualty	incredulous	snare
catastrophe	indifferent	sovereign
cater	industrious	species
cause	inevitable	status
characterize	infamous	stodgy
chorus	infuriate	substantial
chronological	inhabitants	subtle
citrus	initiate	sullen
clamber	insinuate	supervise
climax	intensified	suspense
compel	intimidate	talisman
competent	inundate	tamper
component	irate	tentative
compromise	irrelevant	throb
conclusive	lavish	toxic
concur	legacy	tragedy
condemn	legendary	treason
confront	legitimate	trickle
congested	lethal	trivial
conjure	liaison	uncertainty
connotation	libel	unscathed
consecutive	loath	upright
consult	ludicrous	urgent
contrast	lurk	utmost
copious	magnetic	vengeance
correspond	magnitude	vicious
corrupt	mandatory	viewpoint
counterfeit	maternal	vindictive
covet	maul	vista
customary	melancholy	vocation
dawdle	mellow	void
debut	mirth	wary
deceased	mitigate	whim
deceitful	momentum	wince
demeanor	mortify	wrath
dependent	mull	yearn
derogatory	murky
despondent	naive
detach	narrate
devastate	narrative
devious	necessity

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words Eighth Grade

abet	dire	onslaught
abhor	discern	opposition
abrasion	disdain	ornate
accord	disgruntled	ovation
adept	dispatch	overt
advocate	disposition	pang
agile	doctrine	panorama
allot	dub	perish
aloof	durable	perspective
alternative	eccentric	persuasive
ambiguous	elapse	phenomenon
amiss	elite	pioneer
analogy	embargo	pithy
anarchy	embark	pivotal
anonymous	encompass	plagiarize
anthology	encroach	plausible
antics	endeavor	plunder
apathy	enhance	porous
apprehend	enigma	precise
ardent	epoch	prediction
articulate	era	preposterous
assail	eventful	prevalent
assimilate	evidence	principal
assumption	evoke	procedure
atrocity	evolve	prodigy
attribute	exceptional	proficient
audacious	excerpt	profound
augment	excruciating	proprietor
authority	exemplify	prudent
avail	exotic	pseudonym
avid	facilitate	pungent
awry	fallacy	quote
balmy	fastidious	rankle
ban	feasible	rational
banter	fend	rebel
barter	ferret	rebuff
belligerent	flair	rebuke
benign	flustered	reception
bisect	focus	recourse
bizarre	foreboding	recur
blasé	forfeit	renounce
bonanza	formidable	renown
bountiful	formula	resilient
boycott	fortify	response
cache	foster	revenue
capable	gaunt	reverberate
capacious	generation	rubble
caption	gingerly	rue
cause	glut	sage
characterize	grapple	sedative
chastise	grope	serene
chronological	gruesome	servile
citadel	gullible	shackle
cite	haggard	significant
clad	haven	similar
clarify	heritage	simulate
colleague	hindrance	simultaneous
commemorate	hover	sleek
commence	humane	source
compels	imminent	specific
component	impel	spontaneous
concept	imperative	sporadic
concise	inaugurate	stamina
conclude	incense	stance
confiscate	indifferent	staple
conjecture	infinite	stint
connoisseur	instill	strident
conscientious	institute	sublime
consecutive	integrate	subside
conservative	interrogate	succumb
consistent	intervene	surmise
conspire	intricate	surpass
construct	inventive	susceptible
contagious	inventory	suspense
contrast	irascible	swelter
conventional	jurisdiction	tedious
convey	languish	teem
corroborate	legendary	theme
crucial	liberal	theory
crusade	loll	tirade
culminate	lucrative	tract
deceptive	luminous	transition
decipher	memoir	trepidation
decree	mercenary	turbulent
deface	merge	tycoon
defect	meticulous	ultimate
depict	mien	ungainly
deplore	millennium	universal
deploy	minimize	validate
derive	modify	variable
desist	muse	vice versa
desolate	muster	vie
despicable	mutiny	vilify
despondent	narrate	voracious
deter	novice	wage
dialect	obsolete	wrangle

Older Students: Tier 2 Vocabulary Words

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words 9th Grade

absolve	escalate	mortify
alleviate	evaluate	niche
alternative	exacerbate	obscure
ambivalent	excerpt	obsolete
analyze	exemplify	pacify
animosity	explicit	perception
approximate	exposition	perspective
arbitrary	falter	pertinent
attribute	feasible	ponder
beneficial	feign	prevalent
comprehensive	fluctuate	proponent
connotation	formulate	punitive
contrast	generate	rapport
credible	gist	rationale
cursory	hypothetical	reconcile
cynic	impartial	redundant
dearth	implausible	respective
deficient	implication	retaliate
demonstrate	imply	sabotage
depict	incentive	scrutiny
derive	incoherent	similar
detract	indolent	simulate
devastate	infamous	squander
digress	infuriate	succumb
dilemma	innovation	tangible
diligent	intercede	technique
dissent	interpret	traumatic
distort	intimidate	turmoil
diversion	isolate	valid
elation	jeopardize	verify
elicit	lucrative	viable
escalate	mandatory	vulnerable
evaluate	mediate

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words 10th Grade

abstract	dormant	panacea
admonish	egocentric	perfunctory
advocate	elusive	preposterous
alternative	emulate	precarious
ambiguous	equitable	precipitate
analogy	eradicate	preclude
anarchy	estrange	proficient
assiduous	exacerbate	propensity
assimilate	expedite	qualitative
augment	fabricate	quantitative
authentic	facilitate	recalcitrant
belligerent	fortuitous	redeem
bolster	fraudulent	rejuvenate
bureaucratic	heinous	relegate
circumvent	hypothetical	relinquish
coalition	illicit	repugnant
cohesive	imminent	resilient
collaborate	impetuous	retrospect
comply	incongruous	sanction
concurrent	indigenous	spontaneous
connotation	indiscriminate	static
constituent	inherent	stringent
contingent	jurisdiction	subordinate
criteria	lax	subsidize
demeanor	meticulous	tenuous
deplore	negligent	travesty
derogatory	nonchalant	tumult
disparity	oblivious	unilateral
disseminate	obscure	validate
dissident	omnipotent	vindicate
distraught	opportune	zealot
divert	oppose

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words 11th Grade

aberration	conciliatory	incessant
abstract	contrast	incidental
accolade	copious	incite
accommodate	cordial	incorrigible
aesthetic	dearth	indict
affinity	debilitate	indoctrinate
altercation	decadence	insurgent
ameliorate	deference	intangible
amicable	delineate	judicious
anarchy	deprecate	lavish
anomaly	despot	listless
appall	devious	meager
archaic	didactic	meander
arduous	disparage	negligent
articulate	dissonance	obliterate
astute	duplicity	ponderous
authoritarian	edifice	preclude
aversion	effervescent	prerequisite
biased	egregious	proximity
brevity	elusive	rectify
cajole	equivocal	rescind
callous	erroneous	resolution
capitulate	exemplary	rigorous
catalyst	expedient	scrutinize
catharsis	extraneous	substantiate
caustic	formidable	surmise
censure	frivolous	tirade
chastise	grueling	turbulence
clamor	haphazard	unimpeachable
coalesce	heretic	unobtrusive
cognizant	hindrance	usurp
commiserate	hypocrisy	vacillate
composure	iconoclast	whimsical

Tier 2 Vocabulary Words 12th Grade

anachronistic	divergent	perfidious
abbreviate	empathy	precocious
abdicate	emulate	pretentious
abstinence	enervating	procrastinate
adulation	enhance	prosaic
adversity	ephemeral	prosperity
aesthetic	evanescent	provocative
amicable	exasperation	prudent
anecdote	exemplary	querulous
anonymous	extenuating	rancorous
antagonist	florid	reclusive
arid	fortuitous	reconciliation
assiduous	frugal	renovation
asylum	hackneyed	resilient
benevolent	haughty	restrained
camaraderie	hedonist	reverence
censure	hypothesis	sagacity
circuitous	impetuous	scrutinize
clairvoyant	impute	spontaneity
collaborate	incompatible	spurious
compassion	inconsequential	submissive
compromise	inevitable	substantiate
condescending	integrity	subtle
conditional	intrepid	superficial
conformist	intuitive	superfluous
congregation	jubilation	suppress
convergence	lobbyist	surreptitious
deleterious	longevity	tactful
demagogue	mundane	tenacious
digression	nonchalant	transient
diligent	novice	venerable
discredit	opulent	vindicate
disdain	orator	wary
divergent	ostentatious
empathy	parched

Lesson Plans

Again when it comes to vocabulary direct instruction it’s important to focus on the notion of tiers. 

The different tiers of words help you decide which type of words to focus on. 

There a lot of opportunities to learn tier 1 words simply through conversation and daily life making them less important to focus on and with tier 3 words for more mature language users and used in a specific field of study they are low-frequency words and less important to focus on as well.

That leaves us with tier 2 words as our key words to be focusing on to get our biggest bang for our buck. 

SEE ALSO: 179+ Free Speech Therapy Wh Questions Printable

Instruction of Tier 2 Words

I’ve spent the last year creating something very special for my community! 

And I’m excited to announce in the month of August 2022 I’ll be releasing my newest tier 2 vocabulary resource.

Here is a sneak peek of what’s coming!

Are you in need of a year group vocabulary lesson plan? Each grade level bundle comes with 100 words giving you 2 pages per week for a 25-week school year lesson plan.

Practice using the vocabulary words in various contexts.

• Say the vocabulary word aloud.
• Write or type the vocabulary word.
• Read the word used in a sentence.
• Identify a synonym and/or antonym.
• Select the correct definition.
• Fill in the blank using your vocabulary word.
• Use the word in a sentence using the given real-life photos.
• Highlight the context clue.
• Select the correct definition based on the context clues given.
• Answering questions about your new vocabulary word.

The best part is practicing the vocabulary words in various ways from saying the word aloud, to selecting the correct answer, to creating your own definitions, to selecting the correct definition based on the context clues.

Tier 2 Vocabulary List PDF

Fill out the form below to grab your copy of tier 2 academic vocabulary words for grades Kindergarten through 6th grade. Looking for another fun idea? Create a grade-level word wall with your new words!

Grab your Free Tier 2 Vocabulary Lists!

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Frequently Asked Questions: Tier 2 Vocabulary Words

How do You Know if a Word is Tier 2?

Tier 2 words are words that are of high frequency that are used across a variety of contexts and are not domain or topic specific. 

What is the Difference Between Tier 2 and Tier 3 Words?

Tier 2 words are high-frequency words that can be used across multiple different subjects or topics while tier 3 words are low-frequency words and are domain specific. For example, infer and form are both tier 2 words while lava and DNA are both tier 3 words. 

SEE ALSO: 193+ Multiple Meaning Words Grouped by Grade + Free Worksheets

How Do you Teach Tier Two Words?

Practice using the vocabulary words in various contexts.

• Say the vocabulary word aloud.
• Write or type the vocabulary word.
• Read the word used in a sentence.
• Identify a synonym and/or antonym.
• Select the correct definition.
• Fill in the blank using your vocabulary word.
• Use the word in a sentence using the given real-life photos.
• Highlight the context clue.
• Select the correct definition based on the context clues given.
• Answering questions about your new vocabulary word.

Is Rainbow a Tier 2 Word?

Even though the word rainbow is a common word frequently used in conversation and might be thought to be a tier 1 word it is also a domain-specific word and used to understand and describe a specific topic, therefore, it is considered a tier 3 word.

What is a Tier 3 Vocabulary Word?

Tier 3 words are those low-frequency words that are used in a specific domain or subject-specific area including subjects in school, occupations, hobbies, etc.

They are specialized words that are used in a specific domain and only have one meaning.

For example, the words algorithm and absolute value are all math-specific tier 3 words. 

Fill out the Form Below to Get Your Free Copy!

Grab your Free Tier 2 Vocabulary Lists!

Send me the freeibe!

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

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