Learn English with AI

The AI tsunami has reached language learning, too. Now everyone is dying to replace their expensive tutor or language course with (almost) free AI chatbots.

They are said to provide a whole different level of teaching and propel your conversational English to new heights. But can they teach you a language from scratch, and what pitfalls must you avoid while learning with AI?

In this article, discover everything you need to know about learning English with AI.

How to learn English with AI?

The main benefit of AI in learning is that you can study virtually without any time constraints. AI doesn't get tired, and unlike usual tutors, you don't need to fit into AI's schedule because it simply doesn't exist.

With AI, you can learn new vocabulary, practice pronunciation, improve grammar, and better navigate yourself in different styles, whether casual or formal.

So, how can you consistently improve your English with AI? If you don't want to reinvent the wheel and waste your time — use apps with AI integrations. That is the shortest way.

English with ChatGPT?

Now it's time to address the elephant in the room — can you learn English with ChatGPT? The short answer is yes and no

While ChatGPT can certainly uphold some conversation and even write to you in different styles, it cannot provide a comprehensive learning experience.

And the problem is not only that you aren't able to practice speaking skills but simply that ChatGPT doesn't know the right way.

My argument here is when you learn a language, outside of some exceptions, there are always some set rules that you must follow. Or, in other words, the right way to speak. These rules span from [boring] grammar to correct pronunciation, etc.

And the reason why ChatGPT isn't fit for language learning is precisely this: it doesn't know the rules and doesn't have an understanding of what is correct and what isn't. GPT is just a probabilistic language model.

Here's an example where ChatGPT fails miserably. So, I've asked it to determine the tense of the following sentence: "Marry is riding a bicycle right now" (It's present continuous)

As you can see, at first, ChatGPT identifies everything correctly, but when I write that they're wrong and suggest different answers, the chat begins to apologize and write nonsense.

Again, the sentence "Marry is riding a bicycle right now" is 100% present continous, and there's no alternative answer to that.

Because of that, in some areas, it's impossible to learn with ChatGPT.

We, humans, make mistakes, but ChatGPT doesn't know the right way and, thus, cannot teach you properly

However, we shouldn't discard Mr. GPT and downplay the benefits of practicing English with it, as the chat can:

• Correct your spelling mistakes
• Correct your grammar mistakes
• Hold a somewhat "humane" conversation on topics of your interest
• Provide new vocabulary
• Explain words
• Give stylistic tips

Memrise

Memrise has two main options for English learners. The classical one, like in Duolingo, is where you read and listen to new words and then try to memorize them.

The second option includes conversations with AI on various life situations, like meeting an old friend, a birthday party, etc. Memrise is powered by GPT-3, so it may not correctly identify your message or give boring answers, but overall it works well.

Compared to some apps that don't have a free version or laughably insufficient functionality in it, Memrise's demo account is just lovely. However, looking at the Ai-chats featured inside the app, you might wish to have more than five free messages.

Pros	Cons
Comprehensive learning experience	Generic conversations
Relatively cheap Premium	Not suitable for advanced learners

Elsa SPEAK

Elsa SPEAK is your best choice if you want to improve your pronunciation.

To begin with Elsa, you must choose the topic of your interest (business, traveling, etc.) and listen to the themed sentences. Then, you repeat the sentence written before you, and the built-in algorithm determines the percentage of your speaking fluency.

It looks something like this:

If we were asked to rate the AI behind Elsa, it would score 7 out of 10. It's because, in general, it can define your fluency grade. However, it's far from perfection.

For example, you can speak unnaturally, with awkward or "shouting" intonation, often misspelling some words. Still, because AI checks the correctness of one sound, it will give you a perfect score.

In the current iteration, Elsa tries to gamify your experience and make it more natural while offering speaking exam preparation and other "serious" features.

Pros	Cons
Tailored studying plan	Minimal functionality in the free version
Various accents (British, American, Australian)	Questionable pronunciation assessment
IELTS speaking exam preparation
Learners community

Duolingo Max

Duolingo Max is a new subscription-based service that offers language learners a more immersive and interactive language learning experience.

It is the next tier after Duolingo Super and comes with two critical GPT-4-enabled features: Explain My Answer and Roleplay.

The Explain My Answer feature helps learners understand why their answers were right or wrong. Roleplay offers a more realistic language learning experience by simulating real-life conversations with an AI chatbot.

Although Duolingo Max is an excellent language-learning tool, there are a few downsides to consider:

1. The subscription cost for two new features plus all the previous tier's benefits is significantly higher than that of other language learning apps, with a monthly fee of $29.99.
2. The service is currently only available for French and Spanish.

Pros	Cons
Instant feedback through Explain My Answer feature	Only available for French and Spanish
Interactive language learning through Roleplay feature	High subscription cost of $29.99 per month.
Innovative use of GPT-4 technology
Realistic language learning experience

About Us:

Spectrum AI is a free application where you can improve your English skills at your own pace while chatting with other users.

Spectrum AI boasts two core features: Themed group chats, where you can improve your knowledge with other participants and GPT-4 empowered AI-chat to speak without limits.

Overall new AI-empowered solution allows you to:

• Improve writing skills
• Learn new vocabulary
• Master grammar topics

And the best part is that you can chat with our AI about anything you want, completely free of charge.