10+ Best Apps To Learn English You Should Try
Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/tips/best-apps-to-learn-english-2/
English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with almost one billion people as native speakers. This language has become one of the important languages one has to learn to open up opportunities, have a better global reach, and communicate with other speakers, especially if you are not from an English-speaking country.
There are different ways and language courses to use when learning English. However, language learning Apps have been proven several times as one of the best ways to learn a language. Basically, it allows users to get practical lessons and learn at their own pace. Besides, almost everyone uses a smartphone, making it super easy to learn on the go.
However, aspiring English language learners are often challenged to choose the right app to learn English, especially when there are thousands to choose from. Well, I have great news!
After testing numerous English learning apps, we’ve come up with the best language apps for learning English. From learning the basic things like saying how are you in English to making proper conversations, these language apps come with everything you need to become a fluent speaker. Let’s take a closer look at the best apps below without further ado!
What Are The Best Apps To Learn English?
Babbel
Babbel starts strong as one of the best apps for learning English with its robust features and lessons. It does an excellent job covering almost every aspect of the language, such as speaking, pronunciation, writing, grammar, and vocabulary.
It offers 15-minute grammar lessons focusing on interactive and real-time lessons such as introducing yourself, offering food, or traveling words. In addition, you’ll have access to native English speaker audios that help you speak the English language more naturally by listening to how native speakers pronounce each word.
Another notable feature that Babbel offers is its optional live classes in case you are interested in taking it to the next level and the speech recognition feature that allows you to answer questions verbally. Well, Babbel doesn’t forget to remind you to review your last lessons to help you commit them to memory.
The Babbel language learning app offers practical grammar explanations, quality audio lessons, speaking practice, and much more. Want to learn more about its features? Check out this review.
Price
Free with in-app purchase
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, PC
Duolingo
Duolingo is one of the best free English learning apps one can come across, and while one may think that its tradeoff will be quality lessons, the opposite is the case. Duolingo uses gamified experience and advanced technology to turn new English language learners into intermediate speakers in no time.
Duolingo is an excellent app if you are entirely new to the English language and you want to learn basic English language skills such as basic conversational skills, phrases, and essential words. This free app uses gamified experience, reward systems, and advanced technology to ensure that your learning experience is seamless and concise.
Starting with the gamified features, Duolingo uses animations to make the lessons interactive, daily streaks as a reward system for showing up daily, and tree-linking exercises that ensure you progress. It also tracks your daily learning activities and offers an offline mode for users to keep learning even if they are in a place with a poor network.
In addition, Duolingo comes with sentence-building and interactive exercises that are mostly ignored by other language-learning apps. You can match pictures with words, translate English sentences to your native language for better comprehension, and build basic sentences block by block.
That’s not all. Duolingo uses AI to detect words you had problems with and brings it up periodically until there is a significant improvement.
Duolingo integrates other add-ons such as Duolingo Stories for reading practice, Tinycards for vocabulary flashcards, and Duolingo Podcasts for improving listening skills.
In its free version, Duolingo focuses on all-around English-building skills such as reading, speaking, writing, and listening. However, if you are thinking of advancing your English learning skills, Duolingo is not the best app because it is mainly focused on complete beginners. Get to know more about its features here.
Price
Free with in-app purchase
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, Ipads, PC
Rosetta stone
Rosetta Stone is one of the most popular English language apps, taking a different approach to learning English. Instead of teaching you English with the help of learners’ native languages, it teaches English in the English language, which can spring mixed feelings depending on your learning goals. While some people find this immersive learning approach helpful, others find it extremely radical and intimidating.
Rosetta Stone makes you visual lessons such as connecting a picture to a new word and audio lessons to teach English. The lessons and sentences are repeated on the platform to help learners learn English passively. These lessons can quickly become boring and repetitive for language learners.
Rosetta Stone uses fill-in-the-gap quizzes, audio questions, selecting a correct text from a group of texts, and other exercises to help learners get a better grip on the lessons. In addition to all these features, their “truaccent” speech recognition technology enables you to take your speaking practice to the next level by giving you the chance to get your pronunciation assessed.
Overall, Rosetta Stone is a radical approach to learning English and can become intimidating for new users. However, it does a great job of teaching people the English Language. The painful tradeoff is that it lacks lessons on writing skills and in-depth grammar explanations. It may also not be suitable for specific English learners looking for an engaging, gamified, and writing skill-focused app for learning the language. Want to learn more about it? Check this out.
Price
$11.99 (three months) to $199 (lifetime access)
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, Ipads, PC
Memrise
Memrise language app focuses on memorization and engagement when learning a language. It features flashcards that help you learn new words and vocabulary and practice English pronunciation. These flashcards have proven to be an effective memorization strategy. Also, Memrise makes use of user-generated courses. Therefore, you have access to tons of English lessons. These courses are arranged intuitively where the courses start at a leisurely pace and get harder progressively. Some English courses also use interactive video lessons to help with understanding and retention.
Another feature worth noting is the spaced repetition technology Memrise adapted which reminds you of learned words at strategic periods. The developers also added a bit of fun and gamified experience to their learning app, such as fast-paced exercises in the form of multiple choices where you have to pick the correct words quickly.
The speech recognition system allows learners to pronounce words and get graded with a pass or fail mark. Another exciting thing about Memrise is its grammar bot features that work like chatbots. These bots chat you up with your native language while inputting some of the languages you are learning and gives you a series of option to choose from as a reply.
The learn with local feature video lessons feature native English speakers who pronounce phrases and sentences engagingly.
Overall, Memrise is a great English app that is beginner friendly and focuses on pronunciation practice and memorization in a short period. Learn more about it here.
Price
$8.99/month to $139.99
Device Compatibility
Android, iPhone, iPad, PC
FluentU
FluentU is an English app that focuses on interacting and learning authentic English. One proven way to learn a new language fast is to be immersed in genuine day-to-day conversation and videos of that particular language. Fortunately, FluentU considered that and developed an application where both beginners and intermediates can become conversant with a language through authentic English videos.
The less than 5 minutes, subtitle-heavy FluentU videos range from news, music videos, interviews, advertisement,s and so on. These videos come with two subtitles that translate the video into your native language and the new language you are learning, making interacting with the video seamless. So, you can decide on the type of videos you would like to interact with. After each video, you get access to quizzes and flashcards based on what you’ve watched. Some of these quizzes are sound snippets and speaking questions that mandate you to reply by speaking, which is great for practicing pronunciation and English words.
Apart from these, FluentU doesn’t offer much more features. So, you’ve got to rely on other materials if you want to expand your writing skills and English grammar skills. Lear its best features here.
Price
$30/month to $240/year
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, PC
ELSA Speaks
One problem learners often encounter when practicing a new language is the speaking part. Learners may be able to read and write new languages. But when it comes to speaking with native English speakers, it is sad to find out that native speakers cannot decipher their words. However, ELSA Speaks, an English learning app, solves that problem using advanced AI technology to give you detailed feedback on your pronunciation and grade you on how much you sound like a native speaker.
Get started with ELSA, you will be required to read some sentences. After doing that, you get instant detailed feedback about how well you did. One impressive thing I would like to point out is the detailed feedback. It grades you in percentage based on pronunciation, intonation, and fluency and gives you valuable tips on how to become better. The following lessons will automatically focus on your weaknesses.
ELSA speaks with various content, including word pronunciation, dialogue, listening, and syllable stress. There are other supportive features such as Word Bank, which keep track of words and phrases you’ve worked on so far, and Dictionary and Assessment.
If you are looking for an app that focuses on pronunciation and helps you to sound more like a native speaker, then ELSA Speaks a great app. However, it doesn’t provide features to improve your reading and writing skills. Learn more about it here.
Price
Free with in-app purchase
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, PC
Lingodeer
Lingodeer takes a gamified approach to learning English, just like Duolingo. However, Lingodeer focuses more on advanced grammar lessons and more goal-oriented progress. Experts organized the lesson structures, so you are assured that your learning progress will move from basic English to advanced English learning. Also, it features high-quality native speaker audio to improve your listening skill.
One impressive feature is that lessons are categorized based on valuable topics. For example, there are lessons on ‘Occupation and People,’ ‘Greetings,’ and much more. You also get access to versatile practice by doing exercises such as filling in the gap, matching images with words, translations, and so much more. It comes with other features like the ‘test out’ features that ensure you know what you’ve learned so far, the ‘review’ tab where all the words you’ve learned and grammar courses you’ve learned can be improved, and the download section where you can download and keep your courses.
Overall, Lingodeer is an excellent English app focusing on gamified experience and goal-oriented learning to move beginners to intermediate in 5 minutes per day.
Price
Free with in-app purchase
Device Compatibility
Android, ios, PC
Italki
Italki is an online tutoring app that connects you with online tutors teaching your language. Currently, it is one of the best places to access a professional community of online tutors where you can take online classes and improve your English.
As of now, there are over 4000 native speakers teaching English in Italki, so you have limitless options to find that perfect online tutor that understands your goal. Also, you have the autonomy to choose the right online tutor based on price, country, review, age group, and much more. For example, some online tutors offer $60/hr for tutoring, while others offer $4/hr.
Grammar exercises and lessons are based on your teacher and take different teaching approaches. You can find jovial, interracial teachers, while others are straightforward and professional.
You can find tutors teaching your target language and still speak your native language, in case you are more comfortable learning English through your language.
Lastly, Italki has a helpful online community where you can ask questions, get your grammar corrected, and network with others who learned for language exchanges.
The app is the best place to find an online teacher to help you achieve your English learning goals. Discover more about its features here.
Price
Price varies based on the online tutor
Device Compatibility
PC and Mobile
Busuu
Busuu is one of the great apps to learn English, and it offers comprehensive tutorials and lessons that you will find helpful in your language-learning journey.
When you join Busuu, you will be asked to choose your learning level from Beginner to Intermediate. Based on your choice, Busuu will create tailored, comprehensive courses. Also helpful is the personalized learning curriculum, where you can choose tailored lessons on specific topics. For example, if you are interested in learning traveling phrases and dialogue in Spanish because you travel to Spanish for vacation every year, you can find that on Busuu.
The speech recognition system allows you to practice with native speakers and get useful feedback about your English pronunciation. You can also access a writing practice session, a recording session, a lesson review, and interactive exercises. Some of the activities are matching audio clips with pictures, filling in the gap, and matching words with definitions.
The Busuu Live feature connects you with an online tutor that works you through the Busuu content. It is beneficial if you are looking for an in-depth explanation of each Busuu content.
Busuu is a great app to advance your writing, listening, speaking, and reading skills. Get to know our experience using the app here.
Price
$6.85 per month
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, and PC
Ling App
Ling App is one of the best language apps that offer an advanced gamified experience, grammar explanation, loads of quizzes and games, and a self-learning pace. The Ling English App focuses on all-around learning such as writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills.
Ling App comes with structured lessons you can complete in 10 minutes per day, and each lesson is built on the previous one, so you have a progressive learning journey. Also, the lessons are enriched with audio clips that you can listen to and practice along with the speakers and a review option that allows you to retake the lessons until you gain mastery.
Ling App is one of the English apps that comes with a lot of quiz options. Apart from every app’s standard fill-in-the-gap quizzes, the Ling App comes with word sorting, writing tests, chatbots, flashcards, sentence completion, dialogue completion, and other quizzes that make learning enjoyable. Get to know its stellar features here.
Price
Free trial with in-app purchase
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, and PC
Pimsleur
Are you looking for an aurally focused English app? Think Pimsleur. Pimsleur focuses heavily on audio lessons and passive learning. The app did a great job of creating interactive, high-quality audio. The audio lessons are 30 minutes long and can be fit into any schedule, maybe when driving or doing chores. These lessons allowed you to interact with the speakers and practice your pronunciation as you listened.
Also, Pimsleur uses flashcards that display a word and translation audio, which can significantly help you commit what you’ve learned to memory.
In the platform, you’ll have access to a quick match that allows you to choose from multiple answers, speak way to help you listen to individual sentences, speed round exercise that displays words moving down the screen at a fast rate, and you are expected to choose the right translation before the words get to the bottom of the screen. Lastly, Pimsleur allows you to practice pronunciation by comparing your pronunciation with that of a native speaker.
Overall, Pimsleur is one of the best apps for learning English aurally. Learn more about it here.
Price
Price is dependent on the target language
Device Compatibility
Android, Ios, and PC
Bonus
IELTS Prep
Owned by the British Council, the IELTS prep app is focused on preparing those preparing for the IELTS, and it comes with loads of practice. You get to practice IELTS exams for each section, such as Writing, Speaking, Reading, and Listening. One useful feature is tracking your progress and finding your weakness areas. However, the IELTS prep app is not a full-blown learning English app, so you won’t get much out of it if you are a complete beginner.
Price
Free
Device Compatibility
Android and Ios
Mondly
Mondly language learning app teaches English uniquely different from other learning apps. Mondly integrated AR (augmented reality) functions into the app, which means you can have a 3D teacher in your office teaching you various lessons in the target language.
Apart from this feature, Mondly has a supporting app called Mondly VR that serves as a complement to the main app. On Mondly VR, you can interact with the 3D teacher and use speech recognition to practice your pronunciation.
Mondly, like every other language app, breaks lessons down into digestible tips and integrates reminders that notify you at a specific time. The lessons are categorized into themes such as travel, grammar, and transportation, so you can get started with the theme you are interested in.
You can access weekly quizzes, monthly challenges, and leaderboards to keep you motivated in your learning journey.
Lastly, the oxford learning course created in partnership with the Oxford University Press is a great English course that can be found on Mondly. Get to know more about it here.
Price
Prices start from $9.99/month
Device Compatibility
Android and Ios
Lingo Kids
If you are looking for a gamified, simple English learning app for children of 2–8, Lingo Kids is a great learning app to try out. It has loads of gamified activities, vocabulary-building lessons, and engaging games to keep kids hooked. Apart from English building, Lingo Kids promises to develop critical thinking and collaboration skills in kids.
Price
Free with in-app purchase
Device Compatibility
Android, ios
Summary
I hate to conclude this article, but I want to give you the time to check through the apps and find the right one for your learning goals. The above apps are the best for learning English and guaranteeing an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience. If you are still wondering which one to download first, I highly recommend the Ling App!
Learn English With Ling App
If you are wondering about the best platform where you can learn English and over 60+ languages, then it is the Ling App. Ling App provides intuitive courses that you can learn in 10 minutes daily. It comes with gamified experience and enjoyable quizzes that help to learn an enjoyable experience. You can download Ling App on Playstore or App Store to start your English language learning journey today.
