7 Apps to Help With Your Writing Skills

With school in full swing and PSAT test preparation coming up, you’re probably encountering a lot of writing tasks in your daily schedule. If you’re not a strong writer or are just feeling overwhelmed with all the work (or both!), there are actually lots of great apps to keep you on track in your writing goals! Here are seven for you to try out.  

1. Popplet
   
   If you really struggle with all those crazy sentence structures or formats (like complex sentences or cause-effect forms), try using this app to help you learn them! It’s technically a productivity app but it’s perfect for visual organization, which really helps when you’re trying to figure out how a sentence is structured.
2. Advanced English Dictionary and Thesaurus
   
   No writer can live without a good dictionary and thesaurus. This app combines both types of books into one app, and was developed by Princeton University. You can even scan words with your phone to look up their meanings!
3. Evernote
   
   Yes, we’ve talked about Evernote before as a great productivity and organizational app for all your classes, but as its name implies, it’s also great for taking notes. When you’re brainstorming ideas for a paper, researching in the library, or even starting to outline your next project, Evernote comes in very handy.
4. Lists for Writers
   
   If you’re one of the students who easily gets stuck when you’re trying to brainstorm or write, this app will be a lifesaver for you. It takes a concept like “character traits” for fiction and lists options to help jog your creativity, like caring or ruthless. The app not only helps you generate ideas, but it could help you improve vocabulary if you’re constantly using it.
5. Dragon Dictation
   
   Got ideas but have trouble putting them down on paper (or the screen)? No worries – Dragon Dictation writes down what you’re saying as you speak it into your phone. This app is fantastic for students who have trouble writing but know they need to get their ideas saved before they’re lost.
6. Grammar Girl’s App
   
   Grammar Girl’s run a very popular site for a long time, and now her bank of grammar knowledge can be in the palm of your hands. This app not only gives you grammar tips but also general writing ideas you can implement in your studies and PSAT test preparation.
7. Vocabology
   
   If vocabulary is your downfall, check out Vocabology. You’ll get a word of the day along with its definition, pronunciation, and usage. There’s even a game you can play to make things more exciting!

With scores of apps on the market, there are undoubtedly hundreds more you could try out if these don’t work for you. Just don’t ignore smartphone apps, because they can easily help you improve your writing and help with PSAT test preparation.