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Chosen as Apple’s App of the Year in 2013, Duolingo is one of the frontrunners when it comes to free apps and is available on iOS, Android and Windows. This highly addictive and well-designed app is a fun way to learn French. It switches constantly between different methods of input, testing your listening, writing and reading skills. While it works on a level-based system, you can take shortcuts with a level test. Therefore, you don’t waste your time doing exercises that are too easy for you, making this app especially ideal for those who already have some experience with the language.
You earn points with every exercise completed, with bonus levels when you earn enough “lingots” (points, in the Duolingo universe, which enable you to “buy” extra lessons and bonus lives). The app covers a number of topics and is good at consolidating previously learnt vocabulary. However, there is no dialogue practise and it falls short on grammar explanations. Therefore, Duolingo a good way to build a base of vocabulary and phrases and a functional fluency, but you won’t necessarily understand the intricacies of French by the time you reach the last level.
Reviewed by
Nicole Eberhard has a Masters degree in English Literature which has left her with a book-buying problem. She has since abandoned the world of academia, travelled to South America and is trying to master Spanish.
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