News Desk
Over 1.5 billion people speak English as a second language. Compared to native speakers, they are naturally at a disadvantage in an increasingly globalised world where English is what connects people to opportunities, says Paymon Khamooshi, owner of an English learning App.
Vision
“WordUp’s vision is to level the playing field,” he adds.
It’s a revolutionary English learning app based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), downloaded by over five million users as he explains.
Explaining the app’s core message, Mr Paymon says “English has 200,000 words. You’ll never hear 95% of them. Only 5% is enough for a perfect vocabulary. But which 5%, depends on your unique life, profession, hobbies, etc.
WordUp, according to Mr Paymon, helps users to focus on exactly the words that matter to him or them, sorted by their importance (usage frequency), giving them the absolute most value out of every minute of learning.
Introducing ‘Fantasy Chat’
WordUp has just launched a new AI feature — Fantasy Chat. It allows users to have an imaginary conversation with their idols, celebrities, writers, intellectuals, politicians, artists, and athletes to discuss any topic and even debate with them, he claims!
It’s a very enjoyable and engaging way for English learners to practice their language skills and widen their vocabulary. It’s available on the latest version of the app on both iOS and Android in every country.
‘Active vocabulary challenge’
WordUp was already well-known for its ‘Knowledge Map’ concept, allowing users to uncover their existing vocabulary knowledge into a ‘digital twin’, enabling a hyper-personalised learning journey, with plenty of examples and visual learning content.
This approach has already made WordUp the leading app for personalised
vocabulary learning, used by millions of people around the world.
The problem, Mr Paymon noted, was the user’s learning in passive voice, rather than active vocabulary.
They could understand the words when facing them but couldn’t necessarily recall and use them naturally in real-time conversations, as he put it. Moving from passive to active vocabulary is only possible through practice and active usage.
The new Fantasy Chat feature solves that problem, he says.
The journey and feats
Like other Asian immigrants, the Persian-speaking students also faced communication problems.
Paymon Khamooshi and Somayeh Aghnia experienced the first-hand challenges of learning English vocabulary after immigrating to the UK from Iran in 2004.
To cope with the challenge and help others, the two promising entrepreneurs founded WordUp.
Paymon Khamooshi receives Queen’s Award for Innovation from Queen Elizabeth, Source: Paymon Khamooshi/HAH
In 2007, they started Geeks Ltd, a software business, in south London, and have since created jobs for over 500 people and won several industry awards, including the Queen’s Award for Innovation.
WordUp was a side project at Geeks, and later developed as an independent company with “philanthropic” and “impact-driven ambitions”.
“When we first imagined WordUp, we said it’s worth building, even if only for our own use. And if it helped others too, that’s just a bonus. Five million downloads later, we’re overjoyed and humbled by so many warm messages and reviews, every day, from enthusiastic users around the planet,” the duo says.