Top 5 Apps to Improve English for International Student
Studying abroad regardless of which country you will live in can be quite scary for most of the people, including me. Especially when I thought about how to communicate in English without hesitation and write academic essays.
Being independent as an international student in an English-speaking country like Australia from such a young age was not easy, I had to learn many things to help me go through my studies as smoothly as possible. I needed to do some research on what will help me to improve my English skill without spending much money.
Today, I am happy to inform you that those research results were mostly from Android/iOs apps. We live in a digital world that makes our life always in ease. Just remember not to take it for granted!
These apps below can be called “Survival Apps for International Students.” I chose these apps because they have helped me through my college life and scholarship application.
Dictionary (Thesaurus)
This free app helps me improving my vocabularies by giving a daily notification “Word of the Day”. Dictionary is to find word definitions, while thesaurus is to find synonyms, antonyms, etc. It is so helpful for those who want to write a “not so embarrassing” essay! Can be downloaded from App store or Google Play Store
Grammarly
Can’t be more thankful to people who made this app. It fixes your essay in no time! They will recommend you what word to use for a specific sentence. At first, I used a free version, but now I have the premium account (costs around AUD95/Rp. 980,000) for the annual subscription. It is worth the purchase for the international student. You can also download the app for windows, so then you can place it on Ms Office or google chrome on the desktop. Can be downloaded from App store or Google Play Store
Vocabulary Builder (Magoosh)
A useful English Quiz! It contains the definition and sentence example too. If you don’t know the answer, pick “not sure” they will give you the answer. Rather than scrolling the Instagram feed, I downloaded this app and play whenever I free. Can be downloaded from App store or Google Play Store
Google Translate
Really? Some people might underestimate this app. Gosh, just be honest that you have used it overtime! I am aware of this app’s weaknesses and its weird translation but I don’t use this all the time. I use google translate only whenever I feel stuck on the sentence composition. Then, whenever I feel the word is too informal/formal or not suitable with the context, I use thesaurus to find an alternative word (synonym). Can be downloaded from App store or Google Play Store
URBAN Dictionary
When you hang out, the informal way you will use to talk to your friends in English is often called “Slang” or “Slang Words”. Sometimes you will find some stupid words there, but some of them can be useful. PS: Only use the words from Urban Dictionary to talk to close friends, not for your academic essay! Can be downloaded from App store or Google Play Store
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My profile in Superprof if you need an IELTS/English tutor! https://www.superprof.co.id/mahasiswa-penerima-beasiswa-sarjana-italia-menawarkaan-sukses-ielts-untuk-aplikasi-beasiswa-luar-negeri.html
