Basic 850: Core English Words

Basic 850 is a calm, offline reference and learning app for the Basic English 850-word system — the essential words chosen to express almost anything in clear, plain language.

No accounts. No subscriptions. No noise. Just the complete Basic English 850 word system, organized the way it was designed.

FOUR CLASSIC CHAPTERS • Operations — the 100 core words that do the work of a sentence • Things (General) — 400 general nouns • Things (Picturable) — 200 concrete, picturable nouns • Qualities — adjectives and their opposites

WHAT YOU CAN DO • Browse every word by its original category • Hear natural pronunciation with built-in text-to-speech • Search the list instantly — completely offline • Mark the words you know and keep track of your progress

FREE TO START The full Operations chapter (100 words), pronunciation, and chapter search are free. Dark Mode is included.

ONE-TIME UNLOCK — $2.99 Unlock all 850 words across four chapters, full-library search, and saved progress that stays with you. One payment, yours forever. No subscription, ever.

WHO IT'S FOR • Intermediate English learners who want the most useful core words • Technical writers and plain-language enthusiasts • ESL teachers sharing a focused, authoritative list • Anyone who likes saying more with fewer words

Everything works offline. Nothing about your learning is uploaded — your progress stays on your device.