What are the best apps for learning English?

When learning English, whether you happen to be in an English speaking country or not, you want to use as many tools as you can to get towards your target. There are a myriad of apps out there that can help you learn as you go, all based on your level and your needs.

Language learning apps are also a great way to gauge your level of reading and listening in preparation for a test such as the Oxford ELLT.

1. Duolingo: Possibly one of the most popular apps out there, Duolingo comes highly recommended for beginners. With just 20 minutes every day, you can learn English little by little by playing short games. Based on different topics, you can learn up to seven new words per topic and you gain skill points after completion of lessons.

2. Babbel: Another very popular language app, and for good reason – it is very effective if you want to acquire basic conversational skills. The focus of Babbel is vocabulary, so you get to understand the language better, rather than just memorising words. The lessons are divided in real-world topics, which means it ensures that you can start having comprehensible conversations sooner.

3. FluentU: This app is quite unique, as it uses engaging real-world videos; such as commercials and news, to turn them into English-learning experiences. You ease into a natural culture and similar to Babbel, you can start having conversation right away on every day or more meaningful topics. Learning English as it’s spoken in real life will also help you form an accent, if that’s what you are also after.

4. Rosetta Stone: The most famous app, the method it uses is also quite a unique one, because Rosetta Stone will not give you any translations in your own language. This is a cold-turkey method, where you are immersed in the language and there is no way out – except learning it! The app includes exercises to help you with basic words, before eventually move on to forming phrases and sentences.

5. Memrise: Slightly similar to another app called MindSnacks, the focus of Memrise is to learn English words, more than anything else. But its particularity is that it uses humour to help you memorise the words in question. Surely, if something is funny, you will be sure to remember it better. The Memrise courses are also created and designed by other users like yourself, which makes it a really friendly, true-to-form experience.

6. HelloEnglish: Known as Asia’s ‘largest English learning platform’, HelloEnglish is what is known as a spoken English app. The learning app has some interesting features such as interactive modules where the user can do his lessons through games. You can also build on your reading, writing and listening skills by using its bilingual dictionary.

These friendly apps can be a great way to start learning English, or to brush up on your existing skills. They can also be a great addition to any other form of learning you are currently. If technology is not the best medium for you, do check out the exceptional English learning courses we offer at our English Language Schools here.

Published on – 18th February 2019

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