SOWPODS vs the Oxford Wordlist: Which Should Your Class Use?
Two word lists, two very different jobs.
Teachers often ask whether to use SOWPODS or the Oxford Wordlist for word activities. They aren't competitors. SOWPODS answers “is this a legal Scrabble word?”, while the Oxford Wordlist answers “which words do children need to learn first?” Use the wrong one for the job and the results get confusing fast.
At a glance
| SOWPODS (Collins Scrabble Words) | Oxford Wordlist | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The official word list for Australian Scrabble and the World Championship | The words Australian children use most often in their early writing |
| Size | Roughly 280,000 words (CSW24) | 500 words |
| Published by | Collins | Oxford University Press Australia |
| Built for | Scrabble players and word-game fans | Teaching early spelling, reading and writing |
| Best age group | Not designed for classrooms; suits older students as a game or extension | The first three years of school |
| The question it answers | “Is this word allowed?” | “Does my student know this word?” |
What is SOWPODS?
SOWPODS is the popular name for Collins Scrabble Words, the list used in Australian Scrabble clubs and tournaments. It was formed by combining two older lists, and it includes Australian, British and American spellings. It is huge and full of obscure words like QI and QANAT, because its job is settling disputes over a Scrabble board, not teaching spelling. For how it differs from the North American list, see our Collins vs NWL/TWL guide.
What is the Oxford Wordlist?
The Oxford Wordlist is made up of the 500 most frequently used words by children in their first three years of school. Oxford University Press Australia built it from research into children's writing in Australian schools, first in 2007 and updated in 2017. Many Australian primary schools use it for sight words and early spelling, and classroom resources often split it into smaller sets, such as the first 100 or 300 words. You can read about the research on the Oxford University Press Australia Oxford Wordlist page.
The main differences
- Purpose: SOWPODS settles Scrabble disputes. The Oxford Wordlist guides what children learn to read and write first.
- Size and difficulty: SOWPODS has hundreds of thousands of words, most of which no primary student will ever need. The Oxford Wordlist is 500 everyday words.
- Who decides what counts: SOWPODS is revised by Collins about every five years. The Oxford Wordlist comes from research into what Australian children actually write.
So which should your class use?
- Foundation to Year 2 spelling and sight words: use the Oxford Wordlist.
- Upper primary extension, word games and Scrabble club: use SOWPODS-checked activities.
- Mixed classes: build your activities from Oxford words, then use a SOWPODS-based tool to explore what else can be made from the same letters.
🇦🇺 Rule of thumb: Oxford for what children should learn, SOWPODS for what they can play.
How this works on Unscramble AU
- Play Mode uses a SOWPODS-based word list. It is an earlier edition of Collins Scrabble Words, so for a tournament dispute, check the current official list.
- Teacher Mode has preset lists for Foundation to Year 6 aligned to the Australian Curriculum, and you can type or paste your own words, such as the Oxford words your school uses. It has no ads and includes Easy Mode, printable worksheets and an interactive whiteboard display.
Try Teacher Mode → · Play the Daily Challenge →