The ability to express your ideas, thoughts, and opinions in clear and concise language is an art that few are able to master. With that thought in mind, let’s understand other reasons on why you want to learn new words and improve your English vocabulary.
Why Learn New Words to Improve Vocabulary
One of the most common reasons is the fact that you are preparing for SAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, or other such exams. A recent study has shown that learning new words can actually improve our brain’s ability to retain more information. You will not only sound smarter, but also actually get smarter because there is a direct correlation between learning new words and intelligence. Vocabulary is important for not just speaking, but also listening, reading, and writing. Now that you understand the importance of expanding your vocabulary, let’s take a look at some of the best Android apps to help us do that.
1. Memrise
Memrise is an amazing vocabulary app that supports more than 200 languages. When I opened the app for the first time, it asked me to choose a difficulty level: beginner or skilled. Memrise has an offline mode so you don’t need an active Internet connection. What makes Memrise a cool way to improve vocabulary is their intuitive and engaging games. They are fun and help with the learning process. Not sure how a word is pronounced? There is a voice mode. Plus, there are thousands of videos with user examples to watch. Memrise is more suitable for people who don’t want to learn too difficult to use (read awkward) words, but regular and pronounceable words to improve their vocabulary bank. Learn to speak the local language with real locals using the social media feature. There are no ads but Memrise has a subscription model in place starting at $9/month. Download Memrise
2. Quizlet
You are reading and practicing new words but how do you know how much information you have retained? This is where Quizlet comes in. Designed as a quiz game, it comes with flashcards that will test your vocabulary skills. Found a word that is not in the app? You can create your own flashcards too. The app has millions of users around the world who are creating flashcards daily. All of this is at your disposal. A vocabulary built by the community. What I like most about the app is the ability to choose from a wide range of categories with subjects ranging from sushi to beach wear. It’s a lot of fun and you can create your own list of flashcards. Quizzes are divided into time, memory, and learn modes. There is also an audio transcription for learning the pronunciation. You can create folders to store sets of flashcard for different classes if you are a student/teacher. The app is free to download but comes with ads and in-app purchases. Download Quizlet
3. Word Games (Knudge)
When you install the app, it will read Knudge instead of its Play Store name. When you register for the first time, you will be asked to choose a course depending on your current proficiency level. There are courses like difference between confusing words like ‘advice’ or ‘advise’, common words and phrases, idioms, and vocabulary builder. Based on your selection, that you can change later, you will receive flashcards at regular time intervals. Why? Because trying to remember too many words at once can be difficult. That is why I never liked school! There are a lot of exercises and games to choose from that will help you learn new words and improve your English vocabulary. Below each flashcard, there is a note icon where you can jot down quick thoughts. A monthly subscription will remove ads, allowing you to take notes, and unlock more levels, games, and flashcards in general. I also like the ability to track my progress which gives me a feeling that I am moving forward, encouraging me to do more. Download Word Games
4. VoLT – Vocabulary Learning
VoLT is more focused on students and people who are preparing for exams like SAT, GRE, and TOEFL among others. This is not to say that the app is not good for others who just want to learn new words to improve their vocabulary. Because the app is more focused on students, the UI has been designed with learning and testing methods in mind. Each flashcard comes with a pic and a lot of info like meaning, synonym, antonym, usage, and a memory key. What’s that? Memory key is a sentence that has been designed to help you remember the word and it’s meaning. More often than not, these sentences will relate to everyday events and objects so you can relate to it. So, agog is a dog with gogs! The app is free to use with no in-app purchases but only ads. Download VoLT
5. Busuu
Busuu is another app to learn new words and improve your English vocabulary, however, it does support other languages as well. The structure remains the same. There are courses designed to teach new words. Then there are tests designed to gauge how much you have learned. Busuu made the list because it has a social media element to it where users can interact with each other. This is a fun way to learn new words and also help fellow wordsmiths hone their skills. While learning new words is important, accent is equally important. This is why Busuu offers speech recognition features. Then there are locals and natives who will further help you in your journey. Busuu is a free to use app with no ads but comes with in-app purchases. Download Busuu
6. 7 Little Words
How can I forget crossword puzzles if we are talking about learning new words to improve our English vocabulary? 7 Little Words is a fun and engaging crossword puzzle game. A new puzzle will be updated for you to solve everyday for free for 7 days. After that, you need to subscribe. Ever seen those people who can’t think of anything else until they have cracked the daily newspaper crossword puzzle? Yeah, I am talking to you guys. This app is for you because newspaper is oldschool. The UI is really neat and makes it easy to play the games. The app is free to download but comes with in-purchases in the form of recurring subscription. Download 7 Little Words
Words can be Sharper than Swords
Uttering the wrong word can be the difference between life and death in certain situations. We can make or break a person with our words alone. There are just so many reasons to learn new words and improve our vocabulary. With these apps, you have no reason not to. Next up: Have you seen those awesome word clouds on some grammar blogs? Want to know how they made it? Check out the article below learn how. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
