The Internet has afforded us with so many conveniences, from information directly at our fingertips to instant communication down to improving skill sets. There isn’t a thing that’s not learnable these days if we’re going to be blunt. Even coding has been translated into something that even grade schoolers can learn! You just need to be savvy on where to get your resources because once you have them, you’re already halfway through the process.
So if one of your goals this year is to improve your vocabulary, fret not as there are many things you can do to realize it. From consuming content, free lessons on Youtube, even applications that you can download directly to your smartphone – if you’re truly invested, you’ll likely make your resolution come true in no time! Here are the best apps to check out when you want to improve your vocabulary.
Scrabble
Arguably the most fun way of enriching your vocabulary through a game, Scrabble lets you play with your Facebook friends, random people on the Internet, and the app’s bot. You decide when you’re going to take your turn, plus you are afforded the ability to trade all of your tiles. The app is free in both iOS and Android, but expect to have ads in every turn.
Not to worry, though, because Scrabble, in its most organic, is a fun game. You get to exercise your brain, engage your mind into forming words from a set of seven letters, and it lets you be creative with strategies in order to score the most points. If you’re stuck on a turn, you can always rely on a scrabble word finder as well.
PowerVocab
Although this app is only available to Android users, its effectiveness in building a truly impressive vocabulary is second to none. The app masquerades as a game where you pair a word with a set of multiple choices that carries a random definition. One of the cornerstones of effective learning is getting positive affirmation, so every time you get a word right, your brain triggers positive reinforcement.
This encourages you to learn further, and as you go through the levels, the rest of the entries get harder and more complicated. You can review your mistakes as well. So the next time you encounter the same word at a higher level, you won’t get it wrong the second time. It’s if you want to test where your vocabulary is at the moment in order for you to plan to improve it effectively.
New York Time Crossword
The venerable and always difficult New York Times crossword has been a legend throughout generations. The separate app carries with it all the features of the print version, with some minimal changes. The best part is, the app is free. The appeal with solving a crossword puzzle on a smartphone lies in its convenience – no erasing of wrong answers, among other things.
To continue playing with the app, you’ll need to have a subscription with the paper. The app is standalone, but for the subscription, you’ll need the official NY Times app. You can never go wrong with the app, though, as it promises to widen your horizons, makes you research obscure references, and that you normally wouldn’t encounter on basic vocabulary apps.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
What’s more iconic than the Merriam-Webster dictionary? None, to be honest. This is the most straightforward app you can use to widen your vocabulary, and in its app version, it becomes a handy reference when you’re looking for a particular word to use. It also has pronunciation guides – something you can add to your learning to take it to the next level.
If you open the app, there is a handy feature called Word of the Day, where the app highlights a word for you to learn. Deep inside the app, you also get vocabulary games the likes of ‘“How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?”, “Name That Thing,” etc. It’s one of the best apps out there when you’re looking to make your vocabulary as robust as it can be.
Takeaway
You don’t need thousand-dollar classes to improve your vocabulary skills. Download these apps and start to use them regularly, and soon you’ll see changes. Bear in mind that consistency is key when it comes to improving any skill set, so set aside time every day to practice. It doesn’t have to be an hour or longer; you can insert it with your regular schedule. As for the games, you can do while winding down for the night.
