Cambridge Movers word list: 135 words to learn by topic
Short answer: A1 Movers is level A1 of the Cambridge English tests for young learners. Here are 135 of its most useful words in 12 topics; every one first appears at Movers level in the Cambridge word list. It builds on the Starters words, so children should know those first.
This is our selection, not the full official list. Each topic links to a page where children can hear the words, and the guide to Starters, Movers and Flyers explains the three levels.
Animals (15 words)
bat, cage, dolphin, fly, kangaroo, kitten, lion, panda, parrot, penguin, puppy, rabbit, shark, snail, whale.
The body and face (10 words)
back, beard, blond, curly, moustache, neck, shoulder, stomach, thin, tooth.
Clothes (5 words)
coat, helmet, scarf, sweater, swimsuit.
Health (12 words)
cold, cough, dentist, doctor, earache, headache, hospital, nurse, stomach-ache, temperature, tired, toothache.
Food and drink (17 words)
bottle, bowl, cheese, coffee, cup, glass, milkshake, noodles, pancake, pasta, picnic, plate, salad, sandwich, soup, tea, vegetable.
The home (10 words)
balcony, basement, blanket, downstairs, roof, shower, toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, upstairs.
In town (10 words)
bus station, car park, circus, city, farm, library, market, supermarket, swimming pool, town.
Weather (10 words)
cloud, cloudy, ice, rain, rainbow, snow, sunny, weather, wind, windy.
Hear and practice: the weather page, with audio.
The world around us (12 words)
field, forest, grass, island, jungle, lake, leaf, mountain, river, rock, sky, waterfall.
Hear and practice: the the world around us page, with audio.
Time words (13 words)
always, sometimes, never, week, weekend, yesterday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Describing and comparing (8 words)
best, better, loud, quiet, strong, weak, worse, worst.
Action words (13 words)
bring, build, call, climb, cook, drop, fall, invite, laugh, move, shout, wait, wash.
Numbers
At Movers level, children read and write numbers 21–100 and the ordinals 1st–20th.
How to learn these words at home
- Take one topic a week and about ten words at a time. Short, regular practice works better than one long session.
- Use the words in real life: name the food at dinner, the clothes when getting dressed, the animals in a picture book.
- Say whole sentences, not only single words: "The cat is under the table", "I like bananas".
- Play the free Bonus Games for listening and spelling, and use the Learning Path for sentences and writing.
- For the full list of words and the test format, see the official Cambridge pages linked under Sources.
English for Fun is not part of, or endorsed by, Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers are Cambridge English Qualifications; we use the names only to say which words we mean.
Questions
Is this the official Cambridge Movers word list?
No. It is our selection of 135 useful Movers words, grouped by topic. We checked each word against the Cambridge word list (2018 edition), and every word here first appears at Movers level. The official list has more words, plus names and grammar words; it is linked under Sources.
How many Movers words should my child learn?
All the words on the official list can appear in the test. Start with the 135 words here, which cover the topics children meet most, then work through the full list.
British or American spelling?
Cambridge gives both forms, for example colour (US color) and grey (US gray). Either is fine when children write.
Where can my child practice?
Our topic pages have audio for many of these words, and the Bonus Games are free. See also our guide to Starters, Movers and Flyers.