I Tried a Learning App Called WordUp. Here are My Thoughts
Welcome to my very first Mind & Body post. How does the saying go? The mind is a terrible thing to waste. Well, I think I’ve found something that not only can help the mind, but keep it sharp. And who couldn’t use that? So what is this genius contraption? It’s actually an app. A new learning app called WordUp to be more specific. Well, it’s new to me anyway. And big ups to the creators for using a popular 80s song as its name for quick recognition. Anyone who knows me knows that 80s music is my heart.
*And full disclosure: The company behind WordUp reached out to me to ask that I try out the app and give my honest opinion on it. To thank me, they gave me a pro subscription so I could get the most out of it. So without further adieu, here are my thoughts…
So what does this learning app do?
WordUp helps non-English speakers learn English and also helps fluent English speakers boost their vocabulary in a truly immersive way. It’s like each important and useful English word has its own thoroughly researched page, using all kinds of examples such as visual ones, i.e. famous people’s quotes, pictures, definitions, whether the the word is a verb or adjective, etc., videos of speakers using the word in a sentence. It also uses audible examples, i.e. the word is said aloud with correct pronunciation.
I totally get how this learning app could help people who are just starting out. See below for some examples of what a word page looks like:
Pretty cool, huh? And WordUp can also help people who just want to feel more confident using words they may have heard before but aren’t quite comfortable using yet in social situations. And I admit, I’m guilty of that sometimes.
Like I’ll know a word. I’ve heard it spoken many times. But maybe I don’t know exactly what it means so I won’t use it myself yet to spare me the embarrassment of using or God-forbid pronouncing a word wrong! I think it’s safe to say we’ve probably all been there.
What’s also cool about this learning app is its review feature. If you use it regularly, it’ll review the words you wanted to learn more about the next day. The whole practice makes perfect thing. Further helping you to feel more comfortable with the word so you can confidently use it the next time you need it.
They also have something called a knowledge map, explained below. They have a numbered range of words that get more advanced the higher the number goes. So they’ve kind of turned learning new and more advanced words into a game. The higher you go, the more advanced you get in your English speaking abilities. I could see myself spending a few minutes a day expanding my vocabulary. It was actually kind of fun.
When I was setting up the app, it asked me who my favorite celebrities were and I selected a few you’ll see below. Then you can have a fantasy conversation with a celebrity of your choice, using AI. My short convo is also below. I’m not so sure this helped me in particular, but I could see how it could help beginners.
I used the Vocabulary section of Practice with AI and I’m delighted to say I actually learned something. Here’s a portion of the chat about the word archaic, a word I’ve heard before but probably wouldn’t use in a social setting without practicing with it on my own first. It’s silly, but I always thought that’s what Juliet was saying. In the words of the late great musical genius Prince, I stand corrected.
I also used the Conversation section of Practice with AI and found it would, again, probably help newbies but not necessarily a native speaker. This makes sense, since the app helps essentially two types of people, newbies and natives. Some parts of the app are more helpful than others, depending on where you’re at with your English speaking skills. Below is a screenshot of my convo with AI.
And another thing, anyone else a Scrabble junkie? I played the game recently for the first in years and had so much fun. And maybe had I been using this app at that time, I could’ve come up with some dope and impressively big words to boost my score. I’m just sayin’.
And I know you may be saying – ugh! Learning! So boring! But here’s the thing. We are all beings essentially put on this planet to learn. Learn about the rules, learn about the world around us, learn in school, learn in life, learn in our careers. We really never stop learning, even after we graduate. And this app helps us to communicate better by giving us words we may not use otherwise. And let’s be honest, no one got ahead in life without using their voice. What if we could supercharge that voice with some new essential words?
Now for the nitty gritty – would I recommend investing in this app?
First of all, there are a few tiers you can try. There’s the free version, which I unfortunately am not familiar with, but at least that’s an option. Or you could try the full paid app for 7 days free of charge. After the 7 days are up, the app costs $49 for the year or $9.99 per month. I believe it automatically signs you up for $49 for the year once your 7 days are up.
So you’re probably asking again, would I pay for it out of pocket? Honestly? I’m kinda on the fence. Mostly because this is what I would call an extra bill that I’m not sure I need. But if I still worked in corporate America and thought this would be useful in helping me to better and more thoroughly express myself in the workplace, then I probably would pay for it. If I were new to the whole English speaking thing, then I’d definitely pay for it. In fact, this app would be a Godsend to those new to the English language. It’s thorough, it’s interesting, it’s fun, it’s bright and it’s simple. What more could you ask for?
In short, it’s a fun educational app to use to brush up on your vocabulary. If you have the means, I’d say give it a try. Thanks for reading!
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