Chapter 16: Top 200 common English words

You can skip this if you’ve already been learning the briefs in each chapter!

In English, the 200 most frequently used words account for something like 80% of all writing. Because of this, these words tend to be written with abbreviated outlines heavily for speed and comfort. About 50 of the 200 most common English words need to be memorized; they cannot always be written with theory principles covered so far. It’s important to be comfortable writing all of these words by the end of this chapter.

Write-outs versus briefs

A write-out refers to an outline that adheres to theory principles very closely. They are the canonical outline to use when in doubt. On the other hand, a brief is an outline that doesn’t necessarily follow theory. It is an abbreviated entry that is used for greater speed.

Some words do not have a write-out entry and will only have a brief which needs to be memorized. On the other hand, some words may only have a write-out. Finally, some may also have a brief and a write-out. If no explanation is provided, you may use either one.

NOTE: you may find other briefs in the dictionary that are not mentioned in this page. I recommend not using them until you are done theory and are comfortable with your dictionary.

How to complete this chapter

It would be extremely hard to memorize many of these briefs just by reading this page. Instead, first skim through this page and then use Typey Type to discover new words. Use these settings:

Study type: Discover
Limit word count: 200
Repetitions: 1
Sort: Random
Hide hint on last repetition: unchecked

This way, you can learn the words by simply reading the hints provided. If you come across a brief that is confusing, check back on this page to see if there is an explanation.

Practice material

Discover briefs

Discover all 200 words

1–50

the

Brief: -T

of

Brief: -F

to

Brief: TO

Write-out: TAOU

Both outlines are valid to use.

and

Brief: SKP

Useful in phrases such as SKP-T “and the” and SKPU “and you”.

a

Write-out: AEU

A is the “a-” prefix.

in

Brief: TPH

EUPB is the “in-” prefix.

is

Brief: S

it

Brief: T

you

Brief: U

that

Brief: THA

Useful in phrases such as THAT “that the” and THAEU “that I”.

he

Write-out: HAOE

was

Write-out: WAS

for

Brief: TP-R

TPOR is the “for-” prefix.

on

Brief: AUPB or O*PB

OPB is the “on-” prefix.

are

Brief: R or -R

Useful in phrases such as R-T “are the” and THR-R “there are” (see there).

with

Brief: W

Useful in phrases such as W-T “with the” and WU “with you” (see you).

as

Write-out: AS

I

Brief: EU

AOEU is the word “eye”.

his

Write-out: HEUS

they

Brief: THE

Useful for dealing with the “their”, “there”, and “they’re” three-way conflict as “they’re” can be written as THER.

be

Brief: -B

PWE is the “be-” prefix and PWAOE is the word “bee”.

at

Write-out: AT

one

Write-out: WUPB

have

Brief: SR

Useful in phrases like SR-T “have the” and SRU “have you”. HAF is also the word “half”.

this

Brief: TH

Useful in phrases like STH “is this” and TH-S “this is”.

from

Write-out: TPROPL

or

Brief: AOUR or AUR

OR is the “or-” prefix.

had

Brief: H

by

Brief: PWEU

PWAOEU is the “bi-” prefix.

hot

Write-out: HOT

but

Write-out: PWUT

some

Write-out: SOPL

what

Brief: WHA

Useful in phrases like WHAT “what the” and WHAEU “what I”.

there

Brief: THR

Useful in phrases like THR-R “there are” and THR-S “there is”.

we

Write-out: WAOE

To write the word “wee”, use WAO*E.

can

Brief: K

out

Brief: AOUT or O*UT

OUT is the “out-” prefix.

other

Brief: OER

Write-out: O*T/KWRER

The brief is recommended for this common word.

were

Brief: WR

Write-out: WER

The brief is useful in phrases such as WR-T “were the” and WRU “were you”.

all

Write-out: AUL

your

Write-out: KWHUR

The initial “y” consonant was recently changed. If KWHUR does not output correctly, you can either use the lookup tool to learn a different brief, or update your dictionary and relearn the initial “y” chord as KWH.

when

Brief: WH

Useful in phrases such as WH-S “when is” and WHU “when you”.

up

Write-out: UP

use

Write-out: AOUS

word

Write-out: WORD

how

Write-out: HOU

said

Brief: SED

The awkward spelling of this word makes a write-out impractical.

an

Write-out: APB

each

Write-out: AOEFP

she

Write-out: SHAOE

51–100

which

Brief: WEU or KH

WEUFP and WHEUFP are the words “witch” and “whisp”.

do

Brief: TKO

TKAOU and TKAO*U are the words “due” and “dew”.

their

Write-out: THAEUR

time

Write-out: TAOEUPL

if

Brief: TP

Useful in phrases like TPU “if you” and TP-T “if the”.

will

Brief: HR

Useful in phrases like HRU “will you” and HR-T “will the”.

way

Write-out: WAEU

about

Brief: PW

many

Brief: PHA*EPB

then

Write-out: THEPB

them

Write-out: THEPL

would

Write-out: WUD

write

Write-out: WRAOEUT

like

Write-out: HRAOEUBG

so

Brief: SO

SOE is the word “sow”.

these

Write-out: THAOES

her

Write-out: HER

long

Write-out: HROPBG

make

Write-out: PHAEUBG

thing

Write-out: THEUPBG

see

Write-out: SAOE

him

Write-out: HEUPL

two

Brief: TWO

has

Write-out: HAS

look

Write-out: HRAOBG

Write-out: PHOR

day

Write-out: TKAEU

could

Write-out: KUD

go

Write-out: TKPWOE

come

Write-out: KOPL

did

Brief: TK

Useful in phrases like TK-T “did the” and TKU “did you”.

my

Write-out: PHAOEU

sound

Write-out: SOUPBD

no

Brief: TPHO

TPHOE is the word “know”.

most

Write-out: PHOEFT

number

Write-out: TPHUPL/PWER

who

Brief: WHO

WHAOU is the word “whew”.

over

Brief: AUFR

OEFR is the prefix and AU is an easy to press alternative chord.

know

Write-out: TPHOE

water

Write-out: WAU/TER

than

Write-out: THAPB

call

Write-out: KAUL

first

Brief: TPEUFRT

Write-out: TP*EURS

TPEUFRT uses an inversion (violation of steno order) which is more of a briefing technique than a theory rule.

people

Brief: P

Write-out: PAOEPL

may

Brief: PHAEU

down

Write-out: TKOUPB

side

Write-out: SAOEUD

been

Brief: PW-PB

now

Write-out: TPHOU

find

Write-out: TPAOEUPBD

101–150

any

Brief: TPHEU

new

Brief: TPHU

TPHAOU is the word “knew”

work

Write-out: WORBG

part

Write-out: PART

take

Write-out: TAEUBG

get

Write-out: TKPWET

place

Write-out: PHRAEUS

made

Write-out: PHAED

live

Write-out: HREUF

where

Brief: W-R

Write-out: WHER

after

Brief: AF or AFR

Write-out: AF/TER

back

Write-out: PWABG

little

Brief: HREUL

Write-out: HREUT/-L

only

Brief: OEPBL

Write-out: OEPB/HREU

round

Write-out: ROUPBD

man

Write-out: PHAPB

year

Write-out: KWRAO*ER

came

Write-out: KAEUPL

show

Write-out: SHOE

every

Brief: EFR

good

Write-out: TKPWAOD

me

Write-out: PHAOE

give

Write-out: TKPWEUF

our

Write-out: OUR

under

Brief: TPH-PB or UPBD

Write-out: UPB/TK*ER

UPB/TKER is the “under-” prefix.

name

Write-out: TPHAEUPL

very

Brief: SRE

Write-out: SRER/KWREU

through

Brief: THRU

THRAOU is the word “threw”.

just

Write-out: SKWRUFT

form

Write-out: TPORPL

much

Write-out: PHUFP

great

Write-out: TKPWRAET

think

Brief: THEU

Write-out: TH*EUPBG

If you’re having trouble with the awkward write-out, use the brief instead.

say

Write-out: SAEU

help

Brief: HEP

Write-out: HEL/-P

low

Write-out: HROE

line

Write-out: HRAOEUPB

before

Brief: PW-FR

Write-out: PWE/TPOR

turn

Write-out: TURPB

cause

Write-out: KAUS

same

Write-out: SAEUPL

mean

Write-out: PHAOEPB

differ

Brief: TKEUFR

Write-out: TKEU/TPER

move

Write-out: PHAOUF

right

Write-out: RAOEUT

boy

Write-out: PWOEU

old

Write-out: OELD

too

Write-out: TAO

does

Write-out: TKOS

tell

Write-out: TEL

151–200

sentence

Brief: STEPBS

Write-out: SEPB/TEPBS

set

Write-out: SET

three

Write-out: THRAOE

want

Write-out: WAPBT

air

Write-out: AEUR

well

Write-out: WEL

also

Brief: HR-S

play

Write-out: PHRAEU

small

Write-out: SPHAUL

end

Write-out: EPBD

put

Write-out: PUT

home

Write-out: HOEPL

read

Write-out: RAED

hand

Write-out: HAPBD

port

Write-out: PORT

large

Write-out: HRARPBLG

spell

Write-out: SPEL

add

Write-out: AD

even

Brief: AOEFPB

land

Write-out: HRAPBD

here

Write-out: HAOER

must

Write-out: PHUFT

big

Write-out: PWEUG

high

Write-out: HAOEU

such

Write-out: SUFP

follow

Brief: TPOL

Write-out: TPO/HROE

act

Write-out: ABGT

why

Brief: KWH

Useful in phrases such as KWH-R “why are” and KWH-T “why the”

ask

Brief: SK

Write-out: AFBG

men

Write-out: PHEPB

change

Write-out: KHAEUPBG

went

Write-out: WEPBT

light

Write-out: HRAOEUT

If you feel that “lite” should be written HRAOEUT, feel free to swap these around. However, “lite” is quite a bit more uncommon that I feel it should be given the asterisk.