Breaking down the report
Oxford University Press, one of 500 Words’ official partners, have once again released their report into trending words and themes used in submissions for the 2023/24 competition.
The words and themes used in 500 Words stories and reported in this study provide an insight into the thoughts of the next generation of writers. It also shows that every single story entered in 500 Words matters and makes a difference.
We caught up with three of our judges, Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Charlie Higson and Sir Lenny Henry, to explain the findings of the report in a way that is easy for children to digest - take a look!
Lexicographers, researchers and teachers analysed the words used in almost 44,000 submissions received from children aged 5-11 across the UK.
The stories have been incorporated into the Oxford Children’s Corpus – a large database of children’s written language in English. This database contains over half a billion words and aids the OUP’s wider research.
Each story that will be submitted into the 2024/25 competition will also be used to compile next year's report.
You can read the full report
LennyDid you know, every single story entered into 500 Words changes the way reading and writing are learned around the world?
Each year, our friends at the Oxford University Press look at every one of your stories and create a special report on children's language.
It tells us a lot about you, what's important to you and the words and phrases that you use in your stories. Here's what we found out from last year's report.
FrankYou're thinking about the future of our planet. Climate change was chosen as the 2023 Oxford Children's Word of the Year (um, it's actually two words…) because so many of you chose to write about it in your stories.
What new ways could climate change and the environment feature in your stories this year?
CharlieYou're inspired by new technologies. Stories from the 500 Words 2023 competition used the word AI five times more often than in 2020.
What do you think the future will look like? Could your story take place in the distant future or could you take new technologies into the past?
LennyYou're influenced by world events like wars. Words related to Gaza, Ukraine, Israel and Palestine appear more often in stories from 2023 than from 2020. What world event could inspire your 500 Words story?
FrankYou like stories about heroes. The word Lioness appeared a lot in 2023 but not only in stories set in the zoo, over half of these mentions were about football.
Do you play any sports, have you been inspired by successes in the Euros, the Paralympics or the Olympics?
CharlieLots of your stories used creative similes to help describe a scene a simile compares two things by using the words like or as. Like these examples from last year's 500 Words stories.
"It was as dark as a raven flying across the misty night sky", "He is now as rich as a Victoria sponge", or "Mum sounded as angry as a bee whose hive was poked by a stick". What language could you use to paint pictures of the story in your reader's minds?
LennyWe can't wait to find out what you're going to write about this year. Your story will be part of something incredible! So get writing, go to to send it to us! What are you waiting for?
“This report demonstrates children's awareness to the world around them, evident in the significant rise of words related to contemporary conflict and new technologies in this year's 鶹Լ 500 Words submissions. Our ongoing collaboration with Oxford University Press is invaluable, providing crucial insights for those in children's education and this partnership is just one of the many reasons why we continue to host the 鶹Լ 500 Words competition”. Head of 鶹Լ Education.
Highlights
Themes of contemporary conflict: there are significant increases in mentions of Gaza (+1914%), Ukraine (+1287), Israel (+758%), and Palestine (+415%), with boys demonstrating a doubled propensity for the use of the word ‘war’ in their narratives than girls .
Stories around neurodivergence: children were much more likely to write about neurodivergence in 2023. Autistic (+306%), autism (+67%) and ADHD (+477%) frequently appeared and were often portrayed as a superpower or associated with strength.
AI is on children’s radar: use of the word skyrocketed by 411% since 2020. When mentioned in stories, ‘AI’ was often referred to as a dangerous entity.
A change of context: In previous years, The Lionesses were used in reference to the animal; in 2023, they were in reference to football. The same applies to Barbie (+109%) and TikTok (+22%).
Covid is still prevalent: stories from the 2023 competition are the first to demonstrate a lived experience of Covid – the pandemic is still “a reference point for children".
“鶹Լ 500 Words is an extraordinary and wonderful initiative. Oxford University Press has had the privilege of analysing the stories and the ways that children use their words for ten years. The stories they create never fail to surprise, delight, and inform. When a child submits their story to 鶹Լ 500 Words, not only are they entering a brilliant creative writing competition, but they are also contributing to learning. Every single story becomes part of an incredible database of children's language (The Oxford Children's Corpus) and this adds to an important body of research that is impactful and long-lasting” Director of Oxford Children’s, Oxford University Press.
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What makes a brilliant 500 Words story?
Watch judges Charlie Higson. Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Sir Lenny Henry share what they think makes a brilliant 500 Words story.
