5 Apps to Build English Vocabulary and Learn How to Use New Words in Speech
By Mihir Patkar
Mihir Patkar describes five free apps and how students can use them to increase their vocabulary.
- VocabTube contains its own educational videos, but closed-caption videos from any source can be played in the app. Viewers can click on any word to pause the video and see a pop-up definition.
- YouGlish initially functions like a dictionary, but instead of a definition, it provides three YouTube examples of everyday use of a word. Users can also find a definition of the word, related words, and pronunciation help.
- Burning Vocabulary is a browser extension that functions with any website in which it is possible to highlight a word. Besides giving a definition and pronunciation of a word, it also saves the word to a personal dictionary. The word is then underlined if it appears in another website, and can be reviewed with built-in flashcards.
- WordUp helps students learn the most common words in English. It starts with a test from which students can decide if they know the words or not, and saves the ones they don’t know in a personal dictionary. The dictionary contains definitions, pronunciation, and examples from text and videos.
- Word of the Hour presents a new word every hour of the day. It contains definitions and translations and works on phones and computers, and has the benefit of a community of users.
In her conclusion, Mihir Patkar reminds students to practice their new vocabulary in conversation.