Phrasalstein
By Amanda Bindel,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Learning English can be scary, but monsters make it fun.
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Phrasalstein
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What’s It About?
The English language is complicated, and phrasal verbs are one of its many tricky parts: "go in," "go for," "go off" -- same verb, different meanings. PHRASALSTEIN uses monsters and short animations to demonstrate the meanings of common phrasal verbs. The whole process is set up like a machine in Dr. Frankenstein's lab. Kids scroll the dial to a verb and a preposition and hit "view." A window opens showing a short animated clip that demonstrates the meaning of the phrasal verb, and another window gives the meaning or translation and a sample sentence. This great tool for English-language learners lets kids customize the language in Settings and view instructions and translations in their chosen language, with the sample sentence in both English and that language. To test understanding, kids can challenge themselves in the exercise section, where they'll view the short animated clip demonstrating a phrasal verb in action and match it to the correct term on the dial.
Is It Any Good?
Phrasalstein doesn't have broad appeal since it's focused on English-language phrasal verbs, which are most likely already ingrained in native English speakers' grammar. For English-language learners of any age, however, the cross-cultural appeal of Frankenstein, Dracula, and their monster crew make learning this tricky aspect of the English language fun. Short, simple animations demonstrate the concepts in a way that makes sense, and the option to see instructions and translations in other languages makes it easier to use.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Challenge yourself and your child to "catch" the English phrases you use that don't follow the rules of logic or grammar (or make sense to someone learning the language).
For English-language learners, read widely and listen to talk radio to hear conversational English phrasing.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire
- Subjects: Language & Reading: speaking, vocabulary
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: memorization, thinking critically, Communication: conveying messages effectively
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: October 28, 2013
- Category: Education
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press
- Version: 1.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 4.3 or later
- Last updated: August 10, 2021
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