Sounds: The Pronunciation App FREE App Reviews

Is this ever lame. There is absolutely zero value in using this app to teach pronunciation. All it does is list words, play a garbled audio bit and offer an IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription. Google or any online dictionary/thesaurus does the same and more. This is just a new interface for one of Macmillan’s ESL dictionaries. From a literate students POV, learning pronunciation typically requires that a student remember audio info along with an alphabetic transcription. Using this app, they also have to remember the IPA transcription. Arent students overburdened enough already without adding such useless tasks to the rigors of learning a language? Students need to learn aurally (and orally) not visually. For a variety of reasons students need to learn word sounds in context, NOT in isolation. Have a heart, dont foist this tripe on your students. There may be some value in this app for linguists or student teachers who wish to master IPA but for English language learners: zip. The hype says this app won an Elton Award. What’s that? I checked, it seems like an award program run by the British Council. It also seems like Macmillan Education is a sponsor of the award. Hmmm. Nice bit of synchronicity, that.

The correct symbol for he vowel sound in egg is [ɛ] and not [e] as referenced in this app. The same goes for eight and there. An app based on IPA should be entirely accurate to be useful. It doesnt help that the app has problems with portrait-landscape switching.

Useful app for english learners

Excellent for advanced learning speakers

Looks promising, but the flawed design means it needs more work to be useable. Doesnt switch between portrait and landscape orientation on an iPhone and keyboard blocks the view on an iPad.

Thank you a lot!

I love this app! If you want to practice your sounds, just download it.

Its Work perfectly

This app is very helpful, especially if you want to stay abreast of the IPA.

Really appreciate the effort done here, this is really helpful for a beginner.

Its really usefull, thanks a lot.

Very good app but need to add more words

Love this app.

Unfortunately, I dont concur with some of the write practice answers. In one example, I typed the correct answer, which was confirmed when I pressed "show", but that same answer was marked with an "x" when I pressed "check". In another example, when the speaker prompts the word "iron". I think it sounds like "I-ern"-- and while the write practice speaks "I-ern" it provides the phonetic answer that equates to "eye-in". When I say the word calm, I hear the "L" but the phonetic answer provided amounts to "cam" -- perhaps the developer is from the northeast and therefore does not pronounce the "L" in "calm"? In addition, the sound symbol provided for "L" sounds to me like "La" with a vowel of short "a" tagged onto the end. This app has great potential. The layout is clean and easy to use. The concept is wonderful. Unfortunately, I disagree with some of the answers and feedback provided in the practice sessions. If those were corrected -- it would be a wonderful app. It would be nice to have the option to provide auditory feedback for user input that would blend the sounds a user has entered. This feature would allow a user could compare the sound of what they entered with the spoken clue provided to allow a user to alter or amend their response after comparing the two (prompt and user response).

Especially the compare excises help a lot for me to distinguish some vowels.

Going to go buy the full version! WORTH IT

Good app.

Phonetics and the metric system are going to last a very long time.

Very helpful for those working on refining their accent.

This is super helpful for our 1st year of phonology. I was starting to feel "wedge" I want to feel more "schwa!"