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Learn how to use this app

Note: You are not logged-in. Some functionalities in the guide (such as word starring) only work for logged-in users.

Let's get started. By the way, you can always access this page by using the “Guide” section in the menu.

This app provides an extremely efficient way to learn new vocabulary by reading texts (fiction or textbooks) and marking all unfamiliar words, so that you can review them later.

To start, click on the word “is” in the following sentence:

This is the introduction.

You'll see a little window with four colored rows. They have the following purpose:

The translation of the sentence the word is in. Click on it to see the same sentence in English reformulated using synonyms.
Information about the word's grammar and its forms. Click on any form to see its pronunciation.
The pronunciation. Click on to listen to it.
The word's dictionary form and its translation or explanation in the given context.
  • Clicking on the dictionary form will open a dictionary window showing all of its meanings.
  • Clicking on the translation will show a monolingual definition in English.

Every row has the symbol in it. Click on it to save the word for later. Why four separate stars? Each one has a different purpose:

saves only the given meaning. Try starring one of the words “park” below. Did they both become blue?

The park is near. Can we park there?

saves the given pronunciation. Try starring “read”:

I read now. I have read. Yesterday I read.

saves the grammar form. Try the second “read” above. Did the third one get highlighted?

saves the whole sentence. Try it in any of the examples above.

The simple rule is: always use the star in the row you would like to remember.

One last thing you should know: phrases and phrasal verbs. Click on “by the way” in the following sentence.

By the way, this is a phrase.

Did you try it? You should see the meaning of the whole phrase, but the grammar and pronunciation rows still show information about the particular word you click on.

When you are ready to review your saved words and phrases, go to the Vocabulary section in the menu (or click on the stars in the top panel).

Keyboard shortcuts

The widget also supports several keyboard shortcuts. You can try them using the examples above.

  • arrow keys or h, j, k, l – move between words
  • b, r, g, s – star the meaning (blue), pronunciation (red), grammatical form (green) or sentence (sentence), respectively
  • i, o – move to the previous/next grammatical form
  • u – open the dictionary
  • Esc – close or open the widget
How to use the Vocabulary section?