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Using AI to learn English
Ben Battle
April 30, 2024
Sponsored by
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can used to help you with many things.
Today we’ll give you some ideas for using AI when learning English, starting with Chat GPT.
This is a chatbot powered by OpenAI.
This AI model is one of the biggest out there, with a whopping 175 billion parameters.
Here are some prompts you can give to Chat GPT to get the most out of it:
Make it your penpal
“Hello! Please be my penpal. Let’s talk about…”
Ask it to recommend materials for your level
“Please make a list of books/movies/TV shows for students with the Intermediate level of English.”
Role-play a dialogue or go through a mock interview
“You are a recruiter in an international corporation, and I am a job seeker. Let’s have an interview, act like an expert.”
Simplify complex texts for an easier read
“Please simplify this text for an A2 English learner (insert text).”
Ask it to explain grammar in simple words
“Explain when I should use the present perfect tense in layman’s terms.”
There are so many ways you can use Chat GPT to help you, so use your imagination to tailor it to your specific needs.
Remember to type your requests clearly and that chatbots often make mistakes.
If you want to keep up with the latest AI news while improving your English, check out The Rundown.
What’s the secret to staying ahead of the curve in the world of AI? Information. Luckily, you can join early adopters reading The Rundown– the free newsletter that makes you smarter on AI with just a 5-minute read per day.
Midjourney
This cool program creates images based on text requests.
The only tricky part is nailing those requests. But don’t worry, let’s break it down and learn how to chat with Midjourney like a pro.
To get AI to work its magic and generate an image, you need to type the command /imagine and type your request in the prompt.
If you want to combine two images, enter /imagine and insert two links to the images in JPG format.
Now, here’s the key: the more details you provide, the quicker you’ll get the result you want. Describe the colors, camera parameters (like a 35mm photograph), and materials. Add specific stylistic instructions by writing “in the style of…” or “artwork by…” The system will rely on the specified reference.
If you need a little help coming up with your requests, check out the prompter. Just enter the main description, and it’ll suggest some additional parameters. Some popular ones are Noonshot, Phraser, and Promptomania.
Feeling creative? So let’s see how Midjourney can help you out with studying English.
Generate cards with words in the style of your favorite movie or TV series.
Request: /imagine card with the verb “dance” and its translation into Spanish as “baile,” in the style of the Wednesday TV series.
Generate unusual places to write sentences about them or describe an image.
Request: /imagine cherry garden as an artwork by Dali.
Generate cards with images on various topics (family, animals, furniture, or any others) to learn new words using visual memory.
Request for the topic “Furniture”: /imagine a room in the style of pop art with the following furniture: table, 4 chairs, shelf, photo frames on the wall, TV, couch…
With Midjourney you will learn English while you search for the perfect request! Finding the right request can take hours, especially if you’re a perfectionist. While you’re surfing through server prompters, you’ll come across new words and expressions to use in your descriptions. While you’re writing your requests, you can even look up word translations in the dictionary. And when you receive the image, have fun describing everything you see with the awesome vocabulary you’ve learned.
This is a powerful tool developed by Google that allows you to convert spoken language into written text. You can use it:
Work on your pronunciation
Record yourself speaking in English and use the API to transcribe your speech into text. Read the text to check if you have pronounced all the words correctly and AI has recognized them.
Practice your speaking skills
Talk on any topic trying to use new vocabulary and grammar. Then evaluate your own transcribed speech or have a teacher assess it for accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary usage.
Boost your listening skills
Immerse yourself in the English language by listening to things like podcasts or speeches. Use the API to turn the spoken words into written text. Read along with the text to understand better what’s being said and learn new words.
Now, as cool as AI may be, let’s not forget that it’s not a substitute for real human interaction. So think of it as an awesome extra resource that you can use to take your language skills to the next level.