5 Best Apps To Learn English As A Student
Photo by Katerina Holmes
Learning a language can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be with the right tools. The beauty of living in the 21st century is that we have some of the best apps to learn English right at our fingertips – quite literally.
English apps are a bit like carrying a mini classroom around in your pocket; they’re there for you to use whenever you have time to kill. Whether you’re in line for some bubble tea or waiting for a movie to start in the cinema, these apps are a fun and easy way to learn English and take your skills to the next level.
That’s why we’ve scanned the great wide web and rounded up some of the best apps for students to learn English – whether it’s reading, speaking, writing or listening. Read on and get downloading!
Best App To Learn English #1: Duolingo
Photo by Alex Green
Chances are, you’ve probably heard of Duolingo or seen the app’s adorable green owl somewhere. Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps out there and with good reason.
This free app makes learning into a game where students will have to earn virtual coins to access new levels. You can choose between different levels depending on how much time you have available each day and what area of learning you want to focus on first (pronunciation, reading, or writing).
Duolingo is the best app for beginners to learn new English words and grammar. The 5-minute long games often involve translating a word into or from English or saying a phrase out loud. The app (and the friendly owl) will send you reminders to ensure you don’t lose your ‘streak’ – similar to a feature found in Snapchat. Although a tad bit annoying, the app will pester students into building a habit and ultimately, helps them get fluent faster.
Duolingo is available on iOS, Android and the web.
Best App To Learn English #2: Memrise
If you’re a student looking to expand your vocabulary, look no further than Memrise.
By associating words, phrases and concepts with pictures, Memrise has quickly become one of the best apps for beginners to learn English. The app uses the concept of flashcards and spaced repetition; a method that’s proven to help build long-term memory of new words and phrases.
Another fun-filled, free language app, Memrise works in levels like Duolingo. Students won’t be able to unlock the next level without completing the current one. In addition, paying users can access pronunciation exercises featuring a collection of videos on how to pronounce words and phrases like native speakers.
Memrise is available on iOS, Android and the web.
Best App To Learn English #3: LearnEnglish Grammar
Photo by Katerina Holmes
Most language apps are focused on helping students learn new words. If you’re well on your way in that department, the next step is to grasp the many grammar rules and start stringing together sentences.
And a great app to do exactly that is LearnEnglish Grammar – an app by the British Council. The #1 educational mobile app is home to 25 grammar topics, 600 interactive activities, and thousands of fill-in-the-blanks, multiple-choice, and word-matching questions. Not just for beginners, the app is great for intermediate students to sharpen their grammar skills.
There are two versions of the app available – British English and American English. Given there is a slight difference in pronunciations, spelling, and usage, you’ll want to ensure you’re downloading the right one.
LearnEnglish Grammar UK (recommended for Malaysian students) is available on Android and iOS.
Best App To Learn English #4: English Speaking Practice
Photo by zhenzhong liu
The two English skills that often get overlooked are speaking and listening. While important, students have fewer opportunities to practise these skills when they don’t have access to English speakers. That’s why we’ve selected English Speaking Practice as our next app to help improve your English!
The app contains almost 100 different lessons and practice tests, which range from simple conversations between two people to complicated grammar rules. You can choose whichever level of difficulty you want at any given time and there are also many different topics covered in the lessons, including vocabulary, pronunciation, and listening comprehension.
Unlike the other apps, English Speaking Practice is organised in such a way that you don't have to pass certain checkpoints to unlock new material — you just jump right into whatever lesson or test interests you most! This makes it perfect for those who are short on time but still want to improve their English skills as much as possible.
Beyond just speaking, this is a great option to improve on your conversation skills. The app has hundreds of recorded conversations where you can listen to native speakers, record yourself, and compare your recording to the native speaker.