Underbaked – Vocabulary Builder by Magoosh Review

This is, at best, a rudimentary starter lesson in advanced vocabulary. There are thousands of difficult words in the English language, and here we are presented with only 1200 of them. It is also limiting in that there is rarely more than one definition given, and, as others have noted, there is no context provided for any given word. “Betray” is but one example. Most of us use it to mean something entirely different than “reveal.” But in this program the word is given short shrift. A great many words are arcane or archaic, or might be found fourth on the list of definitions in any dictionary. If you’re into literary classics of old, you will benefit to some extent. The pronunciation icon rarely works on the first attempt. You will get not able to connect messages until your fourth or fifth attempt. The Merriam Webster app has no problem with this at all. I think this program is best for high school aged individuals aiming to lift their standardized test scores, and even then it won’t cover everything one needs to know. The best vocabulary builders remain only in printed volumes. This program is sloppily coded and hasn’t been updated in nearly a year. Doesn’t seem like the developer is keen on further improvements.
Review by The Reluctant Critic on Vocabulary Builder by Magoosh.