4 Best Apps to Strengthen Your Vocabulary

It is a common misconception that native English speakers do not need to improve their English skills. Almost every day new words find their place in dictionaries. In addition to that English uses words and phrases from other languages. Thus, even for a native it is very important to strengthen vocabulary. How do you think you can expand your vocabulary? The best way is to use the right dictionary app. Given below is a list of smartphone applications that can help you to improve your vocabulary skills:

• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: Merriam-Webster has been a popular name with students for years. The app comprises 225,000 definitions and audio pronunciations. The best part of using this app is that once a user downloads the app, she/he does not need internet connectivity to use the application. You can access the meanings of the words wherever you are. The app supports hyperlinks and search history.
• Dictionary.com: It is a great application that comprises more than a million words and definitions. In addition to that, there are over 90,000 antonyms and synonyms. However, with so much, the app is slow to download on a Wi-Fi connection. However, once downloaded, it runs smoothly and there is no noticeable lag. The app contains features like example sentences, homonyms, phonetics, and a customizable dictionary.
• Dictionary! This dictionary application has been developed by Catlin Software LLC. It has more than 200, 000 definitions and an advanced spell check feature. This application is free to use and provides long, detailed definitions. With it you can enjoy ad free searching.
• Longman Advanced American Dictionary: This application features almost everything that you’d expect in the conventional dictionary of the same name. However, there are two versions of the application – with and without audio. Which one to choose? You need to decide depending on the storage space of your iPhone or iPad.

There are more dictionary applications in the market that can help you to strengthen your vocabulary. And more similar apps are coming soon in the market that will help you to expand your vocabulary.

5 Web Tools for Language Learning

Vocabulary building is an essential aspect of language learning. Traditional dictionaries and tutorials are not the only way to go about doing it. With technology taking a groundbreaking role in any sort of learning, traditional language learning tools are gradually giving way to innovative tools and resources to aid in vocabulary building. Here is a list of some of the best language learning apps / tools:

Wallwisher

This digital tool allows users to make digital walls of sticky notes. These multimedia notes can contain images, text, videos and links. This can be of immense help to teachers, who can use it to create vocabulary walls that students can later contribute in. These collaborative walls can be embedded in blogs and webpages, and they will provide an integrated access to new words.

Flashcard Stash

This website is dictionary based. It allows teachers to save word lists for text. Users can get definitions, images to depict the word and example sentences. Teachers can then access a set of flash cards to help the students use and practise new words and understand them through quizzes and games. Students can access the word links without logging in.

Subcommune

This unique smartphone app provides a dictionary with video examples of the words. For every word that the user looks up, this app provides three options: the definition, examples from subtitles of videos, and the videos themselves. This helps in vocabulary building because the users can get real world examples of the words being used, their pronunciation and context.

Spell Checker Pro

This app makes your spellings error proof. Not exactly a vocabulary building app, this helps to strengthen your spellings, and thus, your vocabulary. Like online plagiarism checking portals, Spell Checker Pro lets you paste text into a space, so that spelling errors can be spotted and removed. The app highlights the misspelt words.

Mindsnacks

This free app uses gamification for vocabulary building. It provides the users with nine games to practise vocabulary. The app targets SAT takers, but GRE takers could use it as well. It has a database of over 500 words and phrases, as well as antonyms, and tracks the user’s progress to maximize learning.

These are only a handful of the apps and tools you can use to build and strengthen your vocabulary. There are a lot more of these out there. You must look beyond conventional approaches to enhance your learning experience, as well as to make it more inclusive.

Few New Words That Found Place in Dictionary Recently

Reading a dictionary is one of the best ways to expand your vocabulary. Almost every year new words get added to the latest dictionary editions. English has a tendency to absorb new words from other languages. The year 2013 also saw the addition of a few words to the ever expanding dictionaries. Given below is a list of a few of the new words, which have been widely accepted:

• Buzzworthy: It has been derived from the popular word “buzz”, which means general excitement and activity. Anything ‘Buzzworthy’ is sure to get attention and interest from the public. For example: The new novel is sure to be one of the most buzzworthy books for Pulitzer this year.
• Clunker: A clunker is referred to an old machine, especially an old car. A clunked represents something that doesn’t function well. It can also represent someone or something that fails. For example: I owned that clunker for over 10 years and want to sell it now.
• Flash Mob: This is a new term that is used to describe a lot of people who goes to a certain public place, performs, sings and dances, then disperses into the crowd. Social media sites or the Internet organises such mobs. For example: Flash mob recreates ‘Peanuts’ holiday scene in NYC.
• Geekery: This term refers to behaviours or actions typical of geeks. For example, Geekery can be used in the following context: Kim and Tom spent a lot of time together discussing about Star Trek geekery.
• Live blog: This new word is used to describe a blog that is used to make frequent, short posts to comment on some on-going event. For example – Sam live-blogged the schedule of the ongoing annual meeting of the college committee.

• Selfie: You must have recently come across this word in social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. The word means a photograph that a person takes of himself/herself. It can be used in a sentence like – These days a lot of people post selfie on Facebook.

Words like these are emerging almost every day and thus, dictionaries are expanding.

Top 3 Apps with High Security Risk

Imagine a day without your smartphone! How will you listen to music? How will you call a cab in the morning or pay at the restaurant in the evening? Today, life truly seems difficult without a smartphone loaded with different apps. But do you know these applications are putting you at huge risk in terms of monetary loses? A report from Appthority states that about 83% of popular smartphone apps are associated with privacy and security issues. Here’s where the risk lies:

Given here is a list of three apps that are useful yet risky and need to be handled with utmost care (Courtesy – The Motley Fool)

• Facebook: Sounds shocking, isn’t it? FB is surely an app you can’t do without. The day Facebook started allowing users to store credit card details on the social network directly, it became a risky app to use. With this app you can auto fill credit card information when buying anything on Facebook.

Anyone who has access to your phone and can retrieve your Facebook login information can start misuse the information. This can result in fraud and identity theft. There is also the risk of your FB account getting hacked.

To save yourself from all these risks, you can do several things like logging out of emails and social networking sites when not in use and never storing passwords and credit card details on your phone.

• Starbucks: It is a lucrative app for all those who prefer to pay for their purchases through their phone. Anyone signing up or using the app gets various perks. The Starbucks app stores vulnerable details like passwords, usernames, and other sensitive information in the form of plain text. It is different from encrypted data storage, which adds a layer of protection to it.

• TabbedOut: This is an app that allows you to pay bills at restaurants or bars. It is possible to make money transfers to your friends. This app also stores credit card details on the phone, which is risky. Once your phone is stolen, be ready to get huge credit card bills if you do not lodge a stolen report immediately.

So, the next time you opt for an app in your smartphone, make it a point to see the flipside of it too.

Tips from Uncle AG – Part I – TOEFL Mock Test

Hey fellas, here is Uncle A.G to help you with your TOEFL vocabulary.

Need help with TOEFL test? If you prepare right, it is not too difficult to crack. Wondering what does “preparing right” means? Mainly strategic studies and smart plans. There are loads to learn, but being organised and setting short term English learning goals always help. You must focus on your writing, reading, and listening skills. Let’s start with a few sample questions.

1. The kids were so _______ that the parents had to yell to be heard.
2. These flowers are not ________ to USA. They can’t grow here in natural conditions.
3. David pretended to know about basketball, but, he was just a __________
4. The professor became so forceful, so ______ in his expression that students began to leave his course.
5. Linda had read the book in a ______________fashion and couldn’t remember what she’d said.
6. Claude had a reputation for _____ trouble in high school, but, he calmed down as he entered college.
7. My friend has never been to an art museum; in fact, when it comes to matters of art, my friend is a real ______
8. The jury ___________ the mayor of all wrongdoing.
9. A ______ seemed to befall the entire community as it heard the horrid news of accident.
10. Amanda’s dissertation was on such a _______subject that no one could understand it.

ANSWERS

(1)    Obstreperous

(2)    Indigenous

(3)    Dilettante

(4)    Dogmatic

(5)    Cursory

(6)    Instigating

(7)    Philistine

(8)    Exonerated

(9)    Malaise

(10)   Esoteric

4 Tips to Expand Your Vocabulary the Smartest Way

Being fluent in English needs practice and perseverance. However, that doesn’t mean you have to learn in a boring way. You can learn by reading newspapers, watching Hollywood movies, and listening to news reports in the English television channels. With the advancement of new technologies like digital devices, smartphones and the Internet, learning English has become fun and interesting. You should particularly emphasize on developing your vocabulary because it is a primary aspect of learning English. It surely pays to learn new words every day, but you should follow some smart ways to do that:

• Try a dictionary app: Instead of learning new words from traditional dictionaries, you can create and maintain your own dictionary on your phone. Use your smartphone to download a dictionary app. With the help of such an app, you can create your own customized vocabulary list on your phone. This can help you a lot in noting and remembering new English words. This practice of creating your own dictionary along with word usages will help you in learning to frame sentences correctly.
• 
• Watch subtitled videos: Another way to enhance your word power in English is by watching videos, movies, and tutorials with subtitles. As you watch a movie with subtitle, you can follow the right pronunciations, usages, and spellings of words. You must keep note of the new words you learn and find out the meanings of those.
• 
• One of the best ways to improve spoken English is regular practice. You may not get enough scope of speaking the language at home. But you can practice speaking English with other ESL students of your class. You can also try speaking the language with your office colleagues. Some ESL students also practice speaking before a mirror. This lends you a lot of confidence while speaking and also improves your fluency.
• Play word games, fill up crossword puzzles, and participate in vocabulary quizzes. You can fill up puzzles in newspapers, magazines, or can watch quizzes and word games on television.

Remember the above tips to improve your vocabulary. If you have any other smart ideas, please share with us.

How Can Watching A Movie Help To Learn American English?

Learn American English

Are you planning to watch “The Wolf of Wall Street” this weekend? What’s stopping you from watching it? Are your ESL English class timings colliding with the movie screening time? Now, you can watch movies and learn English too. And you can do this simultaneously with the help of a great subtitle app like Subcommune.

Watching Hollywood movies is the easiest way you can learn American English. You can learn the exact accents and pronunciations from there. But, how to learn the spellings? This is where a subtitle app comes to play. With the help of such an app ESL students like you can search for relevant videos by subtitles. In addition to that, you can save subtitles or parts of a tutorial or video that you want to refer later.

As you are planning to learn American English, you must remember that the spellings of American and British English differ a lot. That is why it is important to pay special attention to the spelling while learning English. There are a few apps that let you create your own vocabulary lists. Reading subtitles lets you learn the spellings. You can check the meanings of words from the Web using such a subtitle app. Thus, you get opportunity to new English words and their right usages. Learning in such an entertaining way is interesting too.

By watching movies, you don’t only learn the language, but also get an idea of the culture and intonations. This helps a great deal in developing your mannerisms and attitude. You can be more confident of your English skills.

Do you know that watching movies can also help you in developing your SAT, GRE, and TOEFL vocabulary list? Learning English with subtitles help a great deal in gathering new words for such important tests.

The bookmarking feature in some of the apps let you save subtitles, which you can get back to whenever you need to revise. In addition, you can re-organise saved subtitles into different categories. So, download an app and go watch your favourite movies on your phone.

Learn American English

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learn best american english

TOEFL Vocabulary List – 3 Helpful Tips to Prepare For TOEFL

3 Helpful Tips to Prepare For TOEFL

TOEFL Vocabulary List

The TOEFL scores are recognised by more than 9,000 educational institutions around the world. Are preparing for this test?? You must be burning midnight oil preparing for TOEFL vocabulary list and working on English grammar. But don’t get too tense; it’s not too tough to crack TOEFL test.

Do you know how the TOEFL tests your English skills? It is a test that takes into account your ability to understand and use English. You need to show your proficiency in reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. So, you can see that there’s a tough competition out there! Especially, if you are an ESL English student, you need to practice a lot to survive the competition. Give below are 5 tips to help you prepare for TOEFL test:

1. Read and Listen: You need to read aloud as much as possible to prepare yourself. You must read on a wide variety of topics. You can practice reading on current affairs, reviews, articles, books, and magazines.
2. Write as much as possible: It is suggested that all students who are preparing for the TOEFL tests must write as much as possible. You can maintain your own blogs and can contribute your writings to the micro-blogging sites. Maintain a notepad containing TOEFL vocabulary list and refer to it as often as you require. These days you can maintain a TOEFL vocabulary list on your Smartphone. There are quite a few vocabulary apps in the market (like Subcommune) that can create, organise, and maintain your own vocabulary list.
3. The pronunciation and spelling trick: Remember it is very important to learn the right pronunciations. Do you have good knowledge of grammar? You need to learn spellings too. There are websites and portals where you can find tutorials on TOEFL tests. In addition to that you can use mobile apps that are specially designed to make TOEFL test preparation easy for you.

The more you practice, the more confident you are to crack TOEFL. Just make sure you are systematic and organised during your preparation. Here’s wishing you All the Best!

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TOEFL Vocabulary List

5 Ways to enhance your ESL Skills using Mobile Apps

English Learning Apps – 5 Ways to enhance your ESL Skills using Mobile Apps

English Learning Apps

Knowing English is one of the most important skills in the corporate sector. So, if you are planning to search for a new job in some other parts of the world or thinking of immigrating to a country where English is spoken majorly, you must learn English first.

ESL or English as a Second Language needs a lot of practice and patience to learn. However, there are ways you can enhance your ESL English skills. The best way to learn to speak English is by using Smartphone apps. With a free Smartphone app you can avoid taking costly ESL English tuitions. That saves a lot of time! Given below is a list of 5 ways you can enhance your ESL skills with an app:

  

• With the right English learning apps you can watch, bookmark, and also save ESL videos. So, now you are not just watching an educational video, you can also keep it in your inbox for revision purposes. Teaching ESL students who are using such an app is easier for the teachers also.
• While choosing an application, you must make sure that the app allows subtitled videos. Often students fail to understand certain words or sentences in an educational video. Subtitles can help you to know the exact words spoken in the video. Moreover, you can check out the exact spellings of the words being spoken in it.
• There are certain English learning apps that let you create your own dictionary! Find an app, which doesn’t only help you to learn new words, but also lets you save those along with meaning for future reference.
• Find an app made exclusively for teaching ESL students that can help you subscribe to your favorite video channels, let you organize your saved videos and tutorials according to different categories.

You must make sure that the app you are choosing provides interactive video lessons that you can watch as many times you want, without downloading it to your mobile. That saves a lot of phone memory space.

English Learning Apps

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best English learning apps