Parents' Guide to

English idioms,vocabulary game

By Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Collection of sayings has errors, costs an arm and a leg.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad Free to try Education
English idioms,vocabulary game Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

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Privacy Rating Warning

  • Unclear whether personal information is sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are created and used for personalised advertisements.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This large dictionary of quirky English expressions could be an interesting asset to anyone learning the languag -- if only it didn't have so many problems. Language learning isn't always just about grammar and vocabulary. English Idioms,Vocabulary Games stands out because it targets a different area of language learning: all those cultural idioms that don't always translate well, but carry a lot of meaning. And there are lots of them in this pretty extensive collection. Each idiom is nicely introduced with a definition and usage in a sentence and a short dialogue. It all sounds great -- except that it's not.

First, English Idioms,Vocabulary Games was clearly written by non-native English speakers as many idioms have odd phrasing, many sentences have poor grammar, and some examples showcase incorrect usage of the idiom. The user experience isn't great, as the narrator sometimes mispronounces homographs (words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently with different meanings). Sometimes learning sets "introduce" the same idiom multiple times. And though the app asks for your current level of English and kids progress through levels, there's no apparent change in what kids do or learn. Finally, at $9.99 per week, English Idioms,Vocabulary Games is very expensive. Unfortunately, most families would do better finding another way to learn English idioms and expressions.

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
  • Subjects: Language & Reading : vocabulary
  • Pricing structure: Free to try (three-day free trial, then $9.99/week)
  • Release date: February 28, 2020
  • Category: Education
  • Publisher: Basenji Apps
  • Version: 2.1.8
  • Minimum software requirements: iOS 10.0 or later
  • Last updated: March 10, 2020

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