Becoming a confident English speaker is not magic. It is the result of many short speaking moments done often, with good feedback. After decades teaching learners from every background, these are the five apps I trust most to build real speaking skill. Each one solves a different problem: pronunciation, live conversation, feedback, and finding the right words in context. Use them together and you will move faster with less guesswork.

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1) ELSA Speak — precise pronunciation feedback

What it’s for: Training your mouth, tongue, and voice to produce English sounds clearly and naturally.

Why it works: ELSA listens to your speech and gives instant, sound-by-sound feedback. You can see where you misplace stress, which phonemes you miss, and how your intonation compares to a model. Recent updates also let you role-play real conversations with an AI coach and get live correction.

How to use it (15 minutes):

1. Take the placement test to map your weak sounds.
2. Do one focused drill set (5–7 minutes) on two target sounds.
3. Record three short sentences. Repeat until your score improves.
4. End with a 5-minute AI conversation on a daily topic (meetings, travel, small talk).

Teacher tip: Don’t chase perfection in one sitting. Stop once the app shows a measurable gain. Return to the same sound two days later. Spaced repetition beats marathons.

2) italki — real lessons with real teachers

What it’s for: Live 1-to-1 speaking practice tailored to your level and goals.

Why it works: You choose a teacher who fits your style and book short video lessons. Professional teachers guide structure; community tutors are great for conversation. italki also offers an AI-supported “Plus” layer of study materials linked to your lessons.

How to use it (30–45 minutes):

1. Filter for teachers who focus on speaking and error correction.
2. Book 30-minute “trial” lessons with two teachers. Keep the one who gives clear, fast feedback in the chat as you talk.
3. Ask for a speaking-first lesson format: 20 minutes free talk + 10 minutes feedback + 5 minutes homework.
4. Save your teacher’s notes. Turn them into a personal “fix list.”

Teacher tip: Stay with one teacher for four weeks, then review progress. Switch only if your speaking time drops below 70% of the lesson.

3) HelloTalk — daily chats with native speakers

What it’s for: Friendly, low-pressure speaking and texting with native speakers.

Why it works: It pairs you with people who want to learn your language while helping you with English. Built-in tools (voice messages, correction, and translation limits) keep talk flowing without leaving the app.

How to use it (10–15 minutes):

1. Write a short “Moment” about your day and invite voice replies.
2. Send two 30-second voice notes to partners. Ask one question in each.
3. Accept two corrections, then record the fixed sentence once.
4. Give back: correct one line in your partner’s message.

Teacher tip: Set a small daily rule: “Two voice notes before lunch.” Consistency beats long weekend binges.

4) Speechling — structured speaking drills with coaching

What it’s for: Systematic speaking practice with human feedback and clear goals.

Why it works: You imitate model sentences, record yourself, and receive coach feedback. The free tier covers a lot; the paid plan adds “unlimited” coach reviews at a low price point. The method is simple: listen → repeat → get corrected.

How to use it (10–20 minutes):

1. Choose a daily target (10 recordings or one theme like “describing photos”).
2. Submit your best takes for coach review.
3. Bookmark coach comments. Re-record only the lines with the same repeated error.
4. Track your streak to keep habits strong.

Teacher tip: Pair Speechling with your italki homework list. Convert each “fix” into two Speechling practice lines for the week.

5) YouGlish — real-world pronunciation in context

What it’s for: Hearing how words and phrases sound in real videos.

Why it works: YouGlish searches YouTube and jumps you to clips where your word appears. You can hear different accents, speeds, and contexts. It’s perfect for stress, linking, and natural rhythm.

How to use it (5–10 minutes):

1. Search a phrase you plan to say today (“touch base,” “could you send”).
2. Listen to three clips. Shadow the line while watching the captions.
3. Record yourself and compare.
4. Steal a collocation or chunk from one clip and use it in your next message.

Teacher tip: Add function words (“to,” “for,” “of”) to your searches. Listen for how they reduce in fast speech. That’s where fluency hides.

How to combine them for fast gains

Tools work best in a simple routine. Keep it light, daily, and focused on output.

A 4-week speaking plan

Daily (25–40 minutes):

• ELSA Speak (5–10 min). One sound or stress goal. Track the score trend.
• Speechling (10–15 min). Ten recordings or one theme. Submit for coach feedback.
• HelloTalk (5–10 min). Two voice notes to partners + one correction for them.

Twice a week (30 minutes):

• italki lesson. Focus on speaking time and live correction. Ask your teacher to keep notes in the chat.

As needed (5 minutes each time):

• YouGlish check. Before meetings or calls, test any phrase you are unsure about.

Weekly review (15 minutes):

• List three errors you repeated.
• Pick one pronunciation target and one grammar target for the next week.
• Turn each target into two or three Speechling lines and one ELSA drill.

What each app does best (at a glance)

• ELSA Speak: Pinpoint pronunciation errors and prosody issues; quick solo practice with instant feedback and CEFR-style levels.
• italki: Live, tailored speaking time with a human teacher; flexible schedule and wide choice.
• HelloTalk: Frequent, informal voice practice with natives; simple social accountability.
• Speechling: High-repetition speaking drills plus coach corrections; habit-friendly structure.
• YouGlish: Real usage and accent variety on demand; fast context checks.

Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

• Collecting apps, not hours. Limit yourself to these five for one month. Delete notifications from everything else.
• Endless input, little output. Measure mouth-time. In a 30-minute block, aim for 20 minutes speaking, 10 minutes listening and feedback.
• Chasing perfect pronunciation before you talk. Good enough is the target. You can refine sounds while you keep talking. ELSA and Speechling are for targeted clean-up, not delay.
• Choosing the wrong teacher fit. In italki, pick a teacher who interrupts with fast, clear corrections and keeps you speaking. If you speak less than 70% of the time, change format or change teacher.
• Using translation as a crutch. HelloTalk gives you a few daily translations. Use them to keep flow, not to write essays. Say it simply and ask follow-ups.

How to know you are improving

• Fewer repeats: Partners ask you to repeat less often on HelloTalk. Track this in a simple note.
• Stable ELSA scores: Your weak sounds move from “Needs Work” to “Good” and stay there across sessions.
• Coach comments change: Speechling feedback shifts from “vowel /ɪ/ vs /iː/” to stress and rhythm, then to natural phrasing.
• Output volume: Your italki teacher notes show longer turns, fewer pauses, and more connected speech.
• Context control: On YouGlish you can copy full phrases and intonation patterns, not just single words.

Final word

Speaking improves when you speak often, get targeted feedback, and hear real language in context. These five apps make that loop fast and clear:

– ELSA Speak for precision feedback,
– italki for live, guided practice,
– HelloTalk for daily voice notes with natives,
– Speechling for structured drills and coach reviews, and
– YouGlish for real-world pronunciation and phrasing.

Keep sessions short. Track small wins. In four weeks, your speech will feel smoother, clearer, and more confident.