Rockstar Games has a knack for making us feel like we’re back in the trenches of high school. In Bully (or Canis Canem Edit for the PAL crowd), the classroom is arguably more stressful than the actual fights behind the gym. Specifically, the English classes. You're sitting there, staring at a jumbled mess of letters, the timer is ticking down like a bomb, and your brain suddenly forgets every word in the dictionary. It’s frustrating.
Jimmy Hopkins might be a tough kid, but his academic success rests entirely on your ability to spot an anagram in seconds. The first level is the gateway. People often underestimate it. They think, "Oh, it's just basic English." Then they get stuck on that one six-letter word that refuses to reveal itself. Getting these Bully English 1 words right isn't just about pride; it's about the rewards. You need those apologies and the ability to talk your way out of trouble with the prefects.
The Panic of the Scrambled Alphabet
The mechanics are simple enough. Mr. Galloway, the perpetually disheveled and likely tipsy English teacher, gives you six letters. For the first session, those letters are L, O, W, L, E, S.
You have to find a specific number of words to pass. To hit 100%, you need every single one. It sounds easy until you’re three words short and the clock is at ten seconds. Most players naturally gravitate toward the three-letter basics. Low. Sew. Owl. These are the low-hanging fruit. But the game demands more.
Why the First Class Matters So Much
If you fail English 1, you're hobbling your gameplay early on. Completing this stage grants Jimmy the ability to apologize to students for minor scuffles. It’s a literal get-out-of-jail-free card for those moments when you accidentally shove a nerd or bump into a jock.
The difficulty curve in Bully is weird. The English classes don't necessarily get "harder" in terms of vocabulary complexity, but the pressure increases as the letter combinations become less intuitive. English 1 sets the pace. It teaches you to look for patterns. You start seeing the "S" and immediately look for plurals. You see an "E" and "W" and think of past tense or specific pairings.
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The Complete List of Bully English 1 Words
Let’s get into the actual meat of the challenge. You are working with L, O, W, L, E, S. Here is exactly what you can pull out of that mess to get that 100% rating and make Galloway proud (or at least less disappointed).
Three-Letter Words
The foundation. You need these to build momentum.
- Ell: Yes, it’s a word. It’s an L-shaped extension. Most people miss this one because it feels like a typo.
- Low: Obvious, right?
- Owe: Simple.
- Owl: A classic.
- Sow: To plant seeds, or a female pig. Either way, it counts.
- Ole: Usually ignored because it feels too Spanish, but the game accepts it.
- Los: Technically a plural for the letter L, though it's a bit of a stretch in common parlance.
Four-Letter Words
This is where the percentage bar really starts to move.
- Lowes: This refers to small hills or mounds. Not the hardware store.
- Owes: Verb form of owe.
- Owls: Plural of our nocturnal friend.
- Slew: A large number of something.
- Slow: The irony of typing this while rushing the timer is never lost on me.
- Sole: Only, or the bottom of your shoe.
- Sole: (Wait, the game sometimes registers these differently depending on the version, but generally, "Sole" and "Sloe" are the targets).
- Sloe: A small sour fruit.
- Well: Jimmy’s favorite place to throw firecrackers? Maybe.
- Sell: Basic commerce.
- Wall: (Wait, check your letters—no 'A'. Don't fall for the 'Wall' trap).
Five-Letter Words
There are only a few here, but they are heavy hitters.
- Slows: To decrease speed.
- Soles: Plural of sole.
- Wells: More than one well.
- Swell: That 50s slang for "great," or what a bee sting does to your face.
The Six-Letter Word
The "Big One."
- Sowell: Wait, that's a name.
- Lowels: Not quite.
- Mellows? No 'M'.
- Slowly: No 'Y'.
The actual six-letter word for English 1 is LOWELLS. It’s archaic, referring to certain types of cloth or specific geographic markers, but in the context of the Rockstar dictionary, it is the golden ticket to the 100% completion mark for this specific lesson.
Strategy for the Frustrated Student
Don't just mash buttons. If you’re playing on a console, the interface can be a bit clunky. If you’re on the "Scholarship Edition" on PC, it’s a bit smoother, but the pressure remains.
Honestly, the best way to handle the Bully English 1 words is to work backward. Start with the biggest words you can see. If you find "Lowells" immediately, you've already cleared a huge chunk of the requirement.
Another tip: look for the "S." In English 1, the "S" is your best friend. It turns "Owl" into "Owls," "Well" into "Wells," and "Sole" into "Soles." It’s a cheat code hidden in plain sight. If you find a word, immediately try to pluralize it. It works more often than not.
The Galloway Factor
Mr. Galloway is an interesting character. His dialogue while you're taking the test is meant to distract you. He mumbles about his "medicine" (booze) and his failures. Ignore him. The music also speeds up as the time runs out. It’s a classic psychological trick to make you faff about and make mistakes. Keep your eyes on the letters and ignore the audio cues if they start to get to you.
Why Do People Struggle?
It’s the "Ell" and the "Sloe." Those are the run-killers.
Most people don't use the word "Sloe" in their daily lives unless they’re drinking sloe gin. And "Ell"? That sounds like something from a spelling bee for people who read too many Victorian novels. But that’s the charm of Bully. It’s a bit quirky, a bit old-fashioned, and it rewards a specific kind of lateral thinking.
The game doesn't tell you that it uses a specific dictionary. It’s not exactly the Oxford English Dictionary, and it’s not Urban Dictionary either. It’s this weird middle ground.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trying to use letters twice: You only have two 'L's. You can't make words that require three.
- Using proper nouns: "Leo" might seem like it should work, but the game generally rejects names unless they double as common nouns.
- Overthinking: Sometimes the simplest words are the ones you miss because you're looking for something complex.
Beyond the Classroom
Success in English 1 is just the start. As you progress, the rewards get better. English 2 gives you better insults (essential for the "Taunt" mechanic). English 3 lets you apologize to the police—which is huge when you’re trying to navigate the town of Bullworth without being busted for truancy or vandalism.
But it all starts with those six letters in the first class. If you can't master L, O, W, L, E, S, you're going to have a rough time when the game throws the English 5 jumble at you (which includes words like "Dacron," "Radon," and "Chon").
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re sitting in front of your screen right now with the timer paused, or if you’re planning to boot up the game later, here is your game plan:
- Memorize the "Big Three": Lowells, Swell, and Sloe. If you get these, the rest will fall into place.
- The "S" Method: Every time you find a word, add an "S" and see if it sticks.
- Don't Pause if You Can Help It: Some versions of the game have a "blur" effect or a reset when you pause too often. It’s better to have the list next to you or memorized.
- Focus on the Goal: You don't actually need 100% to pass. You just need the passing grade. But if you're a completionist, the list above is your bible.
Once you pass English 1, go find a student and try out your new apology skill. It’s a game-changer for staying out of the principal's office. Just don't expect it to work on the prefects if you're caught with a literal smoking slingshot in your hand. Even Jimmy's silver tongue has its limits.