Word List: BOOK: Lessons and Activities in American Sign Language (By Brenda Cartwright and Suellen Baheda)
Created By: Signing Savvy
List Details
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Member Tools (tutorial)
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 1 - Manual Alphabet and Introductions - ALL (page 4)
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 1 - Introductions (page 4)
Fingerspelling / Alphabet
There is an ASL sign for each letter of the alphabet. Fingerspelling, using the signed alphabet to spell words, is quite common. Fingerspelling is used to:
- Spell people's names or other proper nouns, such as places or organization names that do not have a designated ASL sign.
- Spell words from spoken language that don't have a designated sign, such as slang or profession-specific jargon.
- Spell words that you do not know the ASL sign for.
- Some people prefer to fingerspell words that have ASL signs, there is nothing wrong with that, fingerspelling can be used as often as one would like.
ASL Fingerspelling Learning Tools
A great place to start learning the ASL alphabet is with this word list of all the letters.
As a Signing Savvy Member, you can use the "Practice with Flash Cards" and "Create Quiz and Test Yourself" tools with this word list to practice and test yourself on the ASL alphabet. Just click on the buttons above to get started. This is a great place to start if you are just beginning to learn the ASL alphabet.
Once you know the individual letters of the ASL Alphabet, you are ready to start putting those letters together to fingerspell. We have the Savvy Fingerspelling Quiz and Savvy Fingerspelling Flash Cards tools to help you practice your receptive fingerspelling skills.
Check out the tools to help learn fingerspelling:
Printable Posters
Here are some printable posters that correspond with this wordlist:
ASL Alphabet
(as in "the letter A")
(as in "the letter B")
(as in "the letter C")
(as in "the letter D")
(as in "the letter E")
(as in "the letter F")
(as in "the letter G")
(as in "the letter H")
(as in "the letter I")
(as in "the letter J")
(as in "the letter K")
(as in "the letter L")
(as in "the letter M")
(as in "the letter N")
(as in "the letter O")
(as in "the letter P")
(as in "the letter Q")
(as in "the letter R")
(as in "the letter S")
(as in "the letter T")
(as in "the letter U")
(as in "the letter V")
(as in "the letter W")
(as in "the letter X")
(as in "the letter Y")
(as in "the letter Z")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 2 - Iconic Signs (page 15)
(as in "the plant")
(as in "to show love")
(as in "to hate something or someone")
(as in "on time")
(as in "drink something")
(as in "a generic airplane")
(as in "to walk")
(as in "a very young child")
(as in "a spherical object you play with")
(as in "the noun 'milk'")
(as in "type on a computer")
(as in "a hearing person")
(as in "me")
(as in "to say yes to someone")
(as in "to say no to someone")
(as in "a greeting")
(as in "the sport")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 3 - Number Signs (pages 27-30)
Numbers
You can type any number in the search box to see the sign for the number.
A great place to start learning the ASL numbers is with this word list.
Hand Position / Palm Orientation
Hand positioning when signing numbers can be confusing! We’ve noted palm orientation guidelines for each set of numbers in the lists below. For some numbers, your palm orientation will either face toward or away from your body as you are signing numbers depending on why you are signing them. For example, if you are signing a quantity, the palm of your hand should face away from your body while you are signing the number(s). If you are just signing a number, then the position of your hand varies depending on the number you are signing.
ASL Number Learning Tools
As a Signing Savvy Member, you can use the "Practice with Flash Cards" and "Create Quiz and Test Yourself" tools with this word list to practice and test yourself on the ASL numbers. Just click on the buttons above to get started. This is a great place to start if you are just beginning to learn ASL numbers.
Once you know the individual numbers and how to count in ASL, you are ready to start making larger numbers and series of numbers. We have the Savvy Numbers Quiz and Savvy Numbers Flash Cards tools to help you practice your receptive numbers skills.
Check out the tools to help learn numbers:
Printable Posters
Here is a printable poster that corresponds with this wordlist:
Number Vocabulary
Numbers - 1 to 5
- There is a unique sign for the numbers one through five.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should face toward your body when signing the numbers 1 through 5, unless you are specifically indicating a quantity, in which case your palm should face away from your body as you sign.
- 1 - 5 are important signs to remember because you will use them frequently when signing higher numbers.
(as in "the number or amount and when counting")
(as in "the number or amount and when counting")
(as in "the number or amount and when counting")
(as in "the number or amount and when counting")
(as in "the number or amount and when counting")
Numbers - 6 to 10
- There is a single sign for the numbers six through ten.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face away from your body when signing the numbers 6 through 10.
- 6 - 9 are important signs to remember because you will use them frequently when signing higher numbers.
- The signs for 6 and the letter W are identical.
- The signs for 9 and the letter F are identical.
Numbers - 11 to 15
- There is a single sign for the numbers eleven through fifteen.
- The numbers 11 through 15 have a repeated motion.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should face toward your body when signing the numbers 11 through 15, unless you are specifically indicating a quantity, in which case your palm should face away from your body as you sign.
Numbers - 16 to 19
- For these numbers, you sign a combination of two signs: 10 and the following single-digit number. For example, to sign 16 you would use the sign for 10 and the sign for 6 quickly put together.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm starts facing your body and then turns out away from your body as you transition from the 10 handshape to the single-digit handshape when signing the numbers 16 through 19.
Numbers - 20
- There is a unique sign for 20. It has a repeated motion from a modified 2 (similar to an L) handshape to a modified 0 handshape.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face away from your body when signing the number 20.
Numbers - 21
- There is a unique sign for 21. It changes from a modified 2 (similar to an L) handshape to a 1 handshape.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face your body when signing the number 21.
Numbers - Identical / Double Digits - 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99
- Numbers that have two identical digits - 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99 - are signed with the palm down, bouncing from your non-dominant side to your dominate side.
- Palm Orientation:
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should be facing down when signing identical digit numbers (22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99).
- Note: 11 is not signed using this identical / double digits pattern.
Numbers - 23 to 29
- Numbers 23 through 29 are signed with a modified 2 (similar to an L) handshape.
- Note: 22 uses the 2 handshape and does not use the modified 2 (similar to an L) handshape.
- Your palm should always face away from your body when signing the numbers 23 through 29.
Numbers - 30 to 99
- Combine the signs for the first and then second digit of the number to sign the numbers 30 through 99.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face away from your body when signing the numbers 30 through 99.
- Note: Identical / double digit numbers are included in this list, however, they do not follow this pattern. See the section describing identical / double digits for information on how those signs are formed. Identical / Double digit numbers include 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99.
(as in "the number")
Numbers - Hundreds - 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900
- The sign for C represents a hundred. This comes from the Roman numeral character "C" used for 100.
- To sign 100, sign the number 1 and then change to the C handshape as it slides back towards the body. For 200, sign the number 2 and then change to the C handshape as it slides back towards the body.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face away from your body when signing the hundred numbers.
Numbers - Thousand
- The sign for thousand is made by having the fingertips of the bent-B handshape come down in the palm of the opposite hand.
- To sign 1000, sign the number 1 and then thousand. Use this same pattern to sign other thousand numbers (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000).
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face forward when signing the first digit and then the palm faces down when making the sign for thousand.
Numbers - Million
- The sign for million is made by having the fingertips of the bent-B handshape come down in the palm of the opposite hand two times (as in one thousand thousand).
- To sign 1,000,000 - sign the number 1 and then million. Use this same pattern to sign other million numbers.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face forward when signing the first digit and then the palm faces down when making the sign for million.
Numbers - Billion
- The sign for billion is fingerspelled.
- Another variation for signing billion is made by having the fingertips of the bent-B handshape come down in the palm of the opposite hand three times (as in one thousand thousand thousand).
- To sign 1,000,000,000 - sign the number 1 and then BILLION. Use this same pattern to sign other billion numbers.
- Palm Orientation: Your palm should always face forward when fingerspelling B-I-L-L-I-O-N. When signing the second variation of BILLION, your palm should always face forward when signing the first digit and then the palm faces down when making the sign for BILLION.
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 4 - Calendar Signs (page 42)
(as in "a day")
(as in "the duration of time")
(as in "a unit of time")
(as in "age")
(as in "on time")
(as in "evening")
(as in "to start")
(as in "done")
(as in "before something begins")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
(as in "the month")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 5 - Introductory Signs (page 54)
(as in "I met")
(as in "you possessive")
(as in "myself")
(as in "to help or assist")
(as in "to like something")
(as in "educate")
(as in "what is this")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 5 - State Signs (page 56-58)
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the U.S. capital")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
(as in "the state")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 6 - Family Signs (page 69)
(as in "a group of students taught together")
(as in "male parent")
(as in "female parent")
(as in "male grandparent")
(as in "female grandparent")
(as in "male spouse")
(as in "female spouse")
(as in "male sibling")
(as in "female sibling")
(as in "male cousin")
(as in "female cousin")
(as in "either male or female cousin, gender neutral")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 7 - Food Signs (page 81)
(as in "the liquid")
(as in "the color or the fruit")
(as in "the animal or the food")
(as in "the animal or food")
(as in "fried potato chunks")
(as in "the bird")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 8 - City Signs (page 94)
(as in "the largest city in Michigan")
(as in "the windy city")
(as in "the capital city of Arizona")
(as in "the largest city in Pennsylvania")
(as in "the city - Buffalo, New York")
(as in "the U.S. capital")
(as in "independent city of Maryland")
(as in "the capital city of Massachusetts")
(as in "the capital city of Georgia")
(as in "the city in Pennsylvania")
(as in "the largest city in Wisconsin")
(as in "the city in California")
(as in "the city in California")
(as in "the city in Washington")
(as in "the largest city in Louisiana")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 9 - Money & Math Signs (page 106)
(as in "purchase")
(as in "math addition")
(as in "deduct an amount")
(as in "the mathematical concept")
(as in "the mathematical concept")
(as in "the total in math")
(as in "leftover food")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 10 - Major & Career Signs (page 117)
(as in "course of study in school")
(as in "secondary focus of study")
(as in "the language")
(as in "the profession or discipline")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 11 - Animal Signs (page 128)
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal or food")
(as in "a type of primate")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the insect")
(as in "the animal")
(as in "the insect")
(as in "to possess")
(as in "to hate something or someone")
(as in "the sport of hunting")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 12 - Color & Clothing Signs (page 142)
(as in "the noun, a color or colors")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color or the fruit")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "the color")
(as in "an article of clothing")
(as in "any shirt")
(as in "a pair of socks")
(as in "any hat")
(as in "generic gloves")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 13 - Sport Signs (page 153)
(as in "the sport")
(as in "the sport")
(as in "the sport")
(as in "the sport")
(as in "snow skiing")
(as in "moving quickly on feet, faster than walking")
(as in "the verb- to dance, or the noun- a social gathering where you dance")
(as in "physical exercise")
(as in "to play a game or play with something or play around")
(as in "overcome")
(as in "to achieve a prize, trophy, or victory; or to achieve the first place in a competition: to win")
(as in "to lose a game")
(as in "the same score at the end of a game")
Lessons and Activities in ASL - Lesson 14 - Holiday Signs (page 165)
(as in "to go somewhere specific")
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