4 online tools that test your English communication skills

Do you ever find yourself lost in translation when you’re trying to improve your English? The only way to get better at your English communication skills is through practice but you’re stumbling to do so without a guide.

If you’re caught in this bind, check out these interactive online tools offering several methods that could help you speak English better. After all, there is plenty of spare time to do so as most of the world go into social isolation.

Switch to online tools if you’re feeling demotivated at home. Source: Bertrand Guay/AFP

Duolingo

Let’s face it, learning a whole new language or refining your English skills can be frustrating at times. It takes time, commitment and a lot of patience.

That’s why the designers of Duolingo first put themselves in your shoes, developing a selection of interactive and visually-appealing games for you to test out your skills.

From their compelling and colourful user interface, you can select your language and current ability level with ease. 

And after a few minutes on the app or by trialling it out on their website, you’ll gain access to a whole range of reading, speaking and writing activities that will help you progress.

LearnEnglish

LearnEnglish is brought to you by the British Council and is an online tool that first tests your English level through an online exam.

Once you’ve figured out how much extra practice you’ll need, the LearnEnglish site will point you in the direction of the detailed course database. 

This language platform also promotes virtual learning and helps you find face-to-face courses around the world – which is what you might be on the hunt for during a COVID-19 campus lockdown!

If all these online tools overwhelm you, just stick to the one you’re most comfortable with. Source: Marc Wattrelot/ AFP

Grammarly 

These days, it’s tricky to find students who haven’t heard of Grammarly and its sharp editing powers.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, it’s an online tool that allows you to work on your writing and English communication skills by automatically providing solutions to misspelt words and sentences that don’t make sense.

The danger of Grammarly is that it may become addictive. Once you start opting for alternative phrases and words, you’ll stop paying attention to your writing style and depend on the service for advice.

Yet, this may also work in your favour as Grammarly consistently points out your mistakes, so you’ll learn not to repeat them in future essays, projects and general life musings!

FutureLearn

If you want to practise English or even learn about the theories of language development, this is the ideal site for you. With very clear instructions and details on each of the schemes, you can fit FutureLearn around your busy schedule.

What’s interesting about this platform is that it introduces you to a variety of concepts that other online resources might leave out, including aspects like cultural diversity, applied linguistics, the inequalities of language and more. 

So if you’re thinking about amping up your English communication skills for your future career, FutureLearn may be your way forward.

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