Brandon Harville
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Learn English with Your iPhone and These 9 Apps
Your iPhone isn’t just great for FaceTime and iCloud.
In fact, you can turn your phone into an ESL classroom.
The great thing is that many of these apps work for English teachers and students. And in most cases, they help make learning English easier.
So if you’ve had enough of English textbooks and audio CDs giving you the same information, it’s time to check out these exciting apps that will let you learn English with your iPhone.
Contents
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Learn English with Your iPhone! 9 Apps for That
LearnEnglish Grammar
LearnEnglish Grammar is a free app available on the iPhone App Store. It was created by the British Council to help English language learners improve their understanding of the English language.
What’s great about LearnEnglish Grammar is that it incorporates activities into every lesson to help make grammar easier to learn. Each section is divided into skill levels—like Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced—so finding the right level for you shouldn’t be a problem.
And for low-level beginners out there, the instructions on the app can be presented in a number of languages including Spanish, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Japanese and other widely spoken languages.
If you really want to get the most out of LearnEnglish Grammar, keep a daily journal and every time you learn a new grammar rule, find a way to add it in your writing.
FluentU
It uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the English language and culture over time. You’ll learn English as it’s spoken in real life.
FluentU has a variety of engaging content from popular talk shows, nature documentaries and funny commercials, as you can see here:
FluentU makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.
For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you'll see this:
Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.
The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It even reminds you when it’s time to review! Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.
You can start using the FluentU website on your computer or better yet, or download the iOS app or Android app.
Tips: Try watching the same one or two FluentU videos throughout the day, so you can see how much vocabulary you remember by the last review. For example, you can learn from one video in the morning and then watch it again at night. Then you can take a quiz to see what you need to practice.
Also, try to watch the videos that match your current English level. It’s easy to find them because FluentU organizes clips by difficulty level, topic and format.
Babbel
Babbel is one of the fastest growing language learning programs available online. You can access it on the App Store (through the link above), and if you'd rather use it on your computer, there's an option for that, too.
Like some of the other applications mentioned below, it’s a complete program that turns your iPhone into a digital classroom. With Babbel, you have access to a wide range of English speaking, reading, writing and grammar courses for all types of skill levels.
What makes Babbel different from some of the other English apps out there is its natural approach to learning the language. While you’ll be exposed (given access) to thousands of vocabulary words and expressions, the dialogues are modern and realistic. This means that you’re also exposed to slang and informal speech as you work through each course.
Tip: Because Babbel is packed with useful and important information, you can improve your English by using it without any other resource. But if you really want to take your English a level up, try using it to help you reinforce (strengthen) what you’re learning from other resources, like English textbooks or different courses.
Duolingo
Duolingo is a popular language learning app available for iOS and Android devices. With Duolingo, you’re able to turn your iPhone into a language learning lab where you can learn the basics of English vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking through activities and flashcards.
Tips: If you want to maximize the effectiveness of Duolingo, try making sentences from the vocabulary words as you learn them. When you create sentences in the app, be sure to repeat them out loud.
While Duolingo is great for vocabulary building and learning the basics of the English language, it doesn’t have much to offer advanced speakers. If you’re preparing for something like the IELTS or TOEFL, you might want to use a fully customizable flashcard app instead…
AnkiApp
AnkiApp is a powerful study tool that allows you to create customized flashcard decks and use them to help you study.
The thing that sets Anki apart from some of the other programs on the App Store is that Anki works with all platforms, including your computer or your friend’s Android phone. You can also customize existing decks or design your own, and can even insert pictures and sounds into each card.
Another great thing about Anki is that you’re in control of what you learn, so it’s perfect for every English learner regardless of skill level.
You can try it out by adding some of the important words, phrases and grammar rules you’ve been learning into a custom-built deck. Alternatively, you can visit the AnkiWeb site and download shared decks for free if you don’t feel like making your own.
Tip: AnkiApp is a free study tool. If you come across a similar product named AnkiMobile on the App Store that costs money, don’t download it. It’s not the same product.
Your Podcast App
Did you know that the podcast app that comes with your iPhone can be turned into an awesome language learning tool?
Podcasts stand out from other streaming services for a couple of reasons. For starters, when you subscribe to a podcast, you’re automatically notified when a new video or audio clip has been uploaded. Also, you can change your podcast settings to either stream content or download clips to your iPhone, which is great if you want to learn English when you don’t have WiFi access.
If you’re looking for some good podcasts to help you master English, have a look at these three:
- 6 Minute English: A British podcast that teaches conversational English to English language learners. Every six-minute audio clip is a quick chat on a random topic, like exercise, eating habits or the weather. Great for learning small talk.
- All Ears English: ESL podcast for intermediate and advanced English language learners. Focuses mostly on conversational English but touches on grammar, pronunciation and how to use those tricky American idioms.
- Daily Easy English Expression: If learning a new word every day isn’t enough, try Daily Easy English Expression instead. Every day, you’ll learn a new expression or phrasal verb, as well as how to correctly use it in a sentence.
Tandem
If you’re looking for a completely new way to learn English, Tandem is just the app for you. Unlike language learning programs on the App Store that teach you through approaches like flashcards and word problems, Tandem gives you a one-on-one language exchange with a native speaker.
What’s nice about Tandem is that all new users are assessed (looked at and considered based on certain information) by a moderator upon signing up to make sure that they’re serious about learning English. Once you’ve been approved, Tandem will help connect you with a speaker (who you can schedule a time to chat with by video, voice or text), who they select based on your skill level and interests.
Tandem is unique in that the app is designed to make conversations go as smoothly as possible. You don’t have to worry about any awkward conversations like you might have with language exchanges on WhatsApp or Skype. Before scheduling your conversation, you and the other speaker can select specific topics to talk about so that you begin ready to talk!
Tip: If you want to take your English learning to the next level, try studying or brushing up on your set conversation topic before the scheduled language exchange conversation.
Google Translate
When it comes to writing out long, complex sentences, Google Translate makes a good number of mistakes. But if you’re looking for a quick definition of a word or you want to hear how something is pronounced in English, this app can be especially useful.
Tip: Think of Google Translate as more of a dictionary tool (instead of a language learning app). Next time you’re reading a story in English and you don’t know what a certain word means, try putting it in Google Translate and seeing the definition in your language.
Quora
Quora is a social media platform where people ask questions and experts respond with their answers. If you have any questions regarding English or anything else, Quora is a great place to look. The people who answer questions on Quora tend to put a lot of time and effort into giving well thought out responses and are happy to assist you.
Tip: The other benefit of Quora is that you’re able to leave comments just like you can on Facebook or Instagram, so you can also use it to improve your written conversations. If you know the answer to a question someone else asked, try writing your own response. If you’re one of the top respondents, your answer will be “upvoted” to the top of the page.
The best way to improve your English proficiency is to take a balanced learning approach, and that requires stepping away from the textbooks every now and then.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of useful apps to improve your studies and help you master English with the iPhone.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
