Pre-A1 Starters Vocabulary: School
Cambridge Pre-A1 Starters introduces 40 school words. Every word below has its part of speech, a kid-friendly meaning and an example sentence — most also have pronunciation audio. Tap the speaker to hear a word.
New at Pre-A1 Starters: 40 words
| Word | Type | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
alphabet  | noun | Letters used to write words. | I know the alphabet song. |
answer  | noun, verb | A reply to a question. | I know the answer to this problem! |
ask  | verb | You say to get something. | I ask my mum for juice. |
board  | noun | Flat piece of wood or plastic. | I write on the board at school. |
class  | noun | A group of students learn together. | I like my English class very much. |
classroom  | noun | It is a room for school. | We learn in the classroom. |
close  | verb | Not far away. | My house is close to school. |
correct | adjective | It is right, not wrong. | My teacher says my answer is correct. |
crayon  | noun | It's a stick to color. | I use a crayon to draw. |
cross  | noun, verb | Go from one side to the other. | I cross the street to school. |
English | adjective, noun | It is a spoken language. | I learn English at school. |
eraser  | noun | It cleans pencil marks off paper. | I use an eraser to fix mistakes. |
example  | noun | It shows what something is. | This is a good example of my drawing. |
find  | verb | To see something you looked for. | I can find my shoes here. |
keyboard  | noun | It helps you type letters. | I use the keyboard to write stories. |
learn  | verb | Get knowledge or skill. | I learn English at school. |
lesson  | noun | Time to learn something new. | I like my music lesson a lot. |
line  | noun | A long, thin mark. | I draw a line with my ruler. |
look  | verb | Use your eyes to see. | I look at the blue sky. |
mouse  | noun | It helps you use a computer. | I use the mouse to play games. |
number  | noun | It shows how many things. | I know my phone number. |
open | adjective, verb | Not closed; you can enter. | The shop is open today. |
page  | noun | One side of paper in a book. | I read one page every day. |
painting  | noun | It is art on paper. | I like the painting in my room. |
part  | noun | A piece of something bigger. | This is a part of my toy. |
pen  | noun | You use it to write. | I use a pen in class. |
pencil  | noun | You write with this. | I use a pencil in school. |
poster  | noun | It is a big picture. | I have a poster on my wall. |
question  | noun | Ask for information. | I have a question about my homework. |
ruler  | noun | It helps you draw straight lines. | I use a ruler for my homework. |
school  | noun | A place for learning things. | I go to school every day. |
sentence  | noun | Words put together to say something. | I read every sentence in my book. |
sit  | verb | Rest on your bottom. | I sit on the chair. |
spell  | verb | Say letters to make a word. | Can you spell your name, please? |
stand  | verb | Be on your feet. | I stand up to play games. |
teacher  | noun | A person helps you learn. | My teacher reads us a story. |
tell  | verb | Say something to someone. | I tell my mum I love her. |
tick  | noun, verb | A small bug that bites. | I hate when a tick bites me. |
understand  | verb | I know what it means. | I understand my homework now. |
write  | verb | Make letters or words using pen. | I write my name on my book. |
Letters used to write words.
I know the alphabet song.
A reply to a question.
I know the answer to this problem!
You say to get something.
I ask my mum for juice.
Flat piece of wood or plastic.
I write on the board at school.
A group of students learn together.
I like my English class very much.
It is a room for school.
We learn in the classroom.
Not far away.
My house is close to school.
It is right, not wrong.
My teacher says my answer is correct.
It's a stick to color.
I use a crayon to draw.
Go from one side to the other.
I cross the street to school.
It is a spoken language.
I learn English at school.
It cleans pencil marks off paper.
I use an eraser to fix mistakes.
It shows what something is.
This is a good example of my drawing.
To see something you looked for.
I can find my shoes here.
It helps you type letters.
I use the keyboard to write stories.
Get knowledge or skill.
I learn English at school.
Time to learn something new.
I like my music lesson a lot.
A long, thin mark.
I draw a line with my ruler.
Use your eyes to see.
I look at the blue sky.
It helps you use a computer.
I use the mouse to play games.
It shows how many things.
I know my phone number.
Not closed; you can enter.
The shop is open today.
One side of paper in a book.
I read one page every day.
It is art on paper.
I like the painting in my room.
A piece of something bigger.
This is a part of my toy.
You use it to write.
I use a pen in class.
You write with this.
I use a pencil in school.
It is a big picture.
I have a poster on my wall.
Ask for information.
I have a question about my homework.
It helps you draw straight lines.
I use a ruler for my homework.
A place for learning things.
I go to school every day.
Words put together to say something.
I read every sentence in my book.
Rest on your bottom.
I sit on the chair.
Say letters to make a word.
Can you spell your name, please?
Be on your feet.
I stand up to play games.
A person helps you learn.
My teacher reads us a story.
Say something to someone.
I tell my mum I love her.
A small bug that bites.
I hate when a tick bites me.
I know what it means.
I understand my homework now.
Make letters or words using pen.
I write my name on my book.
Frequently asked questions
How many school words are in the Pre-A1 Starters wordlist?
Pre-A1 Starters introduces 40 school words, including alphabet, answer, ask. All of them are on this page with kid-friendly meanings, example sentences, and audio for most words.
Are these all the school words for the Pre-A1 Starters exam?
Yes — Pre-A1 Starters is the first Cambridge YLE level, so the 40 words on this page are the complete school vocabulary your child needs for the exam.
Is this the official Cambridge list?
This page is aligned with the official Cambridge English Pre-A1 Starters vocabulary list, with kid-friendly definitions, example sentences and audio added by FlyersEnglish. FlyersEnglish is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge; the official PDF wordlists are available at cambridgeenglish.org.
FlyersEnglish is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge. This page is aligned with the official Cambridge English wordlists; the official PDFs are available at cambridgeenglish.org.
Turn these words into a game
Kids remember school words by playing, not by reading lists. FlyersEnglish turns the Pre-A1 Starters wordlist into mini-games with audio, pictures and spaced review — and tracks every word your child masters.