PhonoFit - 英語の音を聞き分ける耳トレ

ASAKAWA Lab

In-app purchases

About this app

"Light and right," "sink and think"—even when listening to native speakers, it's difficult to distinguish between them. The reason isn't a lack of vocabulary, but rather that your ears haven't learned to differentiate sounds that don't exist in Japanese.

PhonoFit is a training app specifically designed to help Japanese speakers distinguish between English phoneme pairs (minimal pairs), which they often struggle with. Based on the design of High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT), ​​whose effectiveness has been repeatedly confirmed in second language acquisition research, it trains your "English ear" in short daily sessions.

◆ Main Features of this App
【1】First, determine your current level with a 20-question "ear diagnosis" (free). The app starts with a 20-question diagnosis to determine your "ear level" (0-100) and title. The results card, which clearly shows which words you distinguished and which you didn't, can be shared directly on social media. The diagnosis and proficiency tests are always free.

[2] Includes phoneme pairs that Japanese speakers often struggle with: Only carefully selected distinctions that don't exist in Japanese, such as /l/ vs /r/, /s/ vs /θ/ (sink / think), /b/ vs /v/, /æ/ vs /ʌ/, etc. This is a simple exercise where you choose between two options for the word you hear, at a pace of about 1 second per question.

[3] Train with 12 diverse voices (HVPT): Even the same word sounds significantly different depending on the voice. By practicing with 12 diverse voices from American, British, and Australian English speakers (male and female), the goal is not just to be able to hear a specific voice, but to develop the ability to distinguish sounds that are useful in real conversations.

[4] Automatically adjusts difficulty level. Designed to minimize frustration: The difficulty level of the questions is automatically adjusted so that the correct answer rate is approximately 70%. The program begins with audio examples that emphasize the differences between words, and progresses gradually to natural pronunciation and more speakers as you improve. This ensures it's neither too difficult to be frustrating nor too easy to become boring. Your listening level is based on your best performance on the proficiency test, so it won't decrease with practice.


[5] Spectrograms that show "why you can't hear": You can visually confirm the differences in sound between two words using frequency images (spectrograms). You can access them with a single tap from the answer check during practice, so you immediately know "what to listen for."


[6] Track your progress with proficiency tests and graphs: Weekly proficiency tests (natural audio, all speakers, 20 questions) measure your listening level. You can track your score progression and correct answer rates for each speaker in graphs, and review past test results anytime.


[7] Habit Formation with Daily Goals and Consecutive Records: Daily goals for each pair (with guidelines based on research training volume), a mixed mode for practicing multiple pairs together, consecutive days tracking, and reminder notifications encourage daily consistency. A confetti effect celebrates the moment you achieve your goal.

◆ Recommended for:
* Those who lack confidence in distinguishing between L/R and TH in listening comprehension.
* Those who understand vocabulary and grammar but struggle to understand native speakers.
* Those who want to develop a "distinguishing ear" before focusing on pronunciation correction.
* Those who want to build a foundation for listening comprehension in tests like TOEIC/Eiken.
* Those who want to study in short bursts, such as during commutes.

◆ Safe and Secure Use:
* No account registration required. Learning data is saved on your device.
* All practice audio is built-in. Learn offline
• Ear assessment and proficiency tests are always free
• Try the training for free for 7 days (cancellation is free during this period)
• You will be notified before being charged

Now, let's start training your "English ear" today.

What’s new

・中断した練習を、アプリを再起動したあとでも「再開」できるようになりました
・スペクトログラムの強調表示を修正しました（対象の音だけを枠で囲むように）
・耳レベルカード（シェア画像）のデザインを改善しました
・同点のスコアでも「自己ベスト」と表示される不具合を修正しました
・そのほか細かな改善を行いました