Distinction - Words & Phrases2.7.0 - App Store

Textbook English may make sense on the page, but real conversations can still be hard to follow.
Distinction is an English learning app that helps you move from recognising English to actually using it.

It focuses on the words and phrases native speakers genuinely use in everyday life, but learners rarely meet in conventional study materials. With natural example sentences, native-speaker audio, word origins, English definitions, and pronunciation practice, everything you need to learn usable English is in one place.

Supports Distinction I-VI and Structures. Includes 2,530 carefully selected words and phrases and 5,320 practical example sentences, created with five native speakers from the US, UK, and Australia.

【What makes Distinction different】
. Carefully selected real-life words and phrases
. Natural example sentences and audio for every entry - American and British English
. English definitions and etymology that help ideas stick
. Pronunciation, listening, and speaking practice in one learning flow
. Fully offline once downloaded - study on your commute, on flights, or abroad without using mobile data

【App features】
. Study Mode based on spaced repetition and active recall
. Personalised study plans based on your time and goals
. Automatic review of weaker items
. Streaks, levels, XP, and completion certificates
. Fast search across headwords, examples, and explanations
. Speech recognition for pronunciation practice
(main entries only; Structures excluded)
. Audio filters, autoplay, and shuffle
. Progress tracking with graphs and statistics

【Pricing】
. Free to try - 120 words + 7 structures included
. Unlock only the titles you want with one-time in-app purchases
. No subscription
. No external ads

Version History Now available on iPad. See the list and the details side by side on a larger screen.

【New Features】

- The app now supports iPad. On a wide iPad screen, the list appears on the left and the details on the right, so the screen no longer switches every time you choose a word.
- The sidebar takes you straight to “Focus Study” (Today’s Learning / Proficiency / Ratings) and “Saved Items” (Bookmarks / Notes / History).
- A bar with the tabs and search has been added at the top of the screen. It also adapts when you split the screen or resize the window.
- You can now buy sets in the app, including book sets, Complete sets with British English audio, and British English audio sets. The sets shown depend on what you already own.

【Improvements】

- Various minor issues have been fixed.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the “Feedback & Requests” form. 2.7.0 6d ago 【Improvements】

- Fixed an issue where, with “Day Transition Time” set to a time other than 0:00, opening the app between 0:00 and that time could make the day change at 0:00, so that “Today's Learning” started over from the beginning or the “Day N” count on the start screen advanced by one.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the “Feedback & Requests” form. 2.6.5 Sep 25 【New Features】

- Added “Recent Searches” to the “Search” tab. When the search field is empty, the terms you recently searched for appear below it, and you can tap one to search for it again.
- Recent Searches start with the searches you make after this update. Tap × to remove a single term, or tap “Clear” to remove them all.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the “Feedback & Requests” form. 2.6.4 Sep 23 【Improvements】

- Fixed an issue where the app could quit unexpectedly, such as when audio finished playing to the end.
- Fixed an issue where the app could quit unexpectedly, such as when moving on to the next word while learning.
- Fixed an issue in “Pronunciation Practice” where the app could quit or recording could fail to start, such as when the record button was tapped
repeatedly or when recording started at the same time as audio playback.
- Made other minor bug fixes.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the “Feedback & Requests” form. 2.6.3 Sep 21 【Improvements】

- Fixed an issue where the keyboard in “Search” could not be switched to Japanese input, so words could not be looked up by their Japanese meaning or by note.
- Made other minor bug fixes.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the “Feedback & Requests” form. 2.6.2 Sep 21 【Improvements】

- Fixed an issue where an error such as “Purchase Failed” could appear at launch and the list in “Browse” might not load.
- Fixed an issue where the same error could appear repeatedly if preparing the audio for a purchased book failed.
- Fixed an issue where the app’s audio could become hard to hear after speech recognition failed to start in Pronunciation Practice.
- Made other minor bug fixes.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the “Feedback & Requests” form. 2.6.1 Sep 14 Distinction and Distinction 2000 are now connected.

【New Features】

- In the Distinction 2000 app, you can tap an expression from Distinction that appears in an example sentence to instantly view the corresponding entry in this app.
- Added a new form for reporting issues and submitting feedback.

【Improvements】

- Improved speech recognition performance.
- Updated the layout of the “Learning History” screen.
- Fixed an issue where a note could be linked to a different word.
- Fixed an issue that could prevent the app from launching after restoring from a backup.
- Corrected errors in word data reported by users.
- Made other minor bug fixes.

【Notice】

- Learning data can be transferred to the app on another platform. A backup must be created beforehand.

If you notice any issues or have suggestions, please feel free to send them to us through the new form. 2.6.0 Aug 28 What's New
The example sentences for the headword you're viewing are now a doorway into the rest of Distinction. As you read, you can dig straight into the explanation of any expression that catches your eye.

- Tap an expression in an example sentence to reach the related headword's explanation in an instant
- Turn that "I've seen this phrase somewhere" hunch into an answer on the spot
- Let one example sentence carry you onward to the expressions connected to it, without breaking your flow

Bit by bit, the expressions you've learned start to link together, and all of Distinction comes into view as one connected whole.

We've also fixed a few minor bugs.

If you like to wander through Distinction with an example sentence as your starting point, give this update a try. If you're enjoying the app, a review on the App Store would mean a lot to us. 2.5.0 Jun 24 What's New
The player screen now gives you finer control, so you can listen at your own pace and loop until it sticks.

- A new playback bar lets you see where you are and jump straight to the part you want to hear
- 3-second back / 3-second forward let you instantly re-listen to anything you missed
- Toggle between repeat-all and repeat-one to drill a single track as many times as you need

If you shadow or dictate, this update is built for that "wait, one more time" moment.

Improvements
The long-press copy popup is back and better. You can now copy the headword along with its synonyms in one tap.

We've also fixed a few minor bugs.

If you'd like to listen, mimic, and master English at your own pace, give this update a try. If you're enjoying the app, a review on the App Store would mean a lot to us. 2.4.2 May 24 【New】
You can now A/B-compare American and British English in an instant. Press and hold an English word or sentence to open a panel where you can switch accents and adjust playback speed on the spot. You can also change the speed from Settings, and your choice is saved across sessions so you can pick up right where you left off. Listen to the same word or sentence in US and UK back-to-back to lock the differences into your ear.

【Improvements】
- Fixed an issue where British phonetic symbols could be shown when American English was selected.
- Fixed a few minor bugs.

If you'd like to listen, mimic, and master English at your own pace, give this update a try.
If you're enjoying the app, a review on the App Store would mean a lot to us. 2.4.1 Apr 28 【New】
British English support is finally here. You can now switch between American and British English in Accent Settings, where you can check audio, phonetic symbols, and accent conversion guidance all in one place. Hear the differences, see the differences, and understand them more deeply.

【Improvements】
- Improved speech recognition accuracy and stability, making pronunciation checks smoother.
- Fixed a few minor bugs.

To build English skills that go beyond American pronunciation, give this update a try and start learning British English more thoroughly.
If you're enjoying the app, a review on the App Store would mean a lot to us. 2.4.0 Apr 18 【Improvements & Fixes】
- Fixed challenge mode lap count display: Resolved an issue where lap counts could appear as 0 or less than one lap in some cases. Existing learning records are now reflected correctly.
- Fixed an issue where the "Note" button on the learning screen could disappear when using iPad multitasking with another app.

We hope this update helps with your daily learning.
If you enjoy the app, we'd love to hear from you — please leave a review or rating! 2.3.7 Feb 24 【Improvements & Fixes】
- Improved achievement screen usability: You can now hide the study report button from the Settings screen, making it easier to dismiss the achievement screen.

We hope this update helps with your daily learning.
If you enjoy the app, we'd love to hear from you — please leave a review or rating! 2.3.6 Feb 21 【Improvements & Fixes】
- Fixed notification bug: Resolved an issue where daily reminders were still sent after being turned OFF. 2.3.5 Feb 12 【New Features】
- Studyplus integration: You can now share your learning activity from the app directly to Studyplus.

【Improvements & Fixes】
- Improved stability: Fixed an issue that could cause the app to crash under certain conditions.

We hope this update helps support your daily learning.
If you enjoy using the app, we’d really appreciate it if you could leave a review or rating. 2.3.4 Feb 9 New Features
- Learning Reminders: Get notified at your chosen time to build a consistent daily study habit.
- Distinction Challenge Notifications: Stay up to date with challenge announcements and track your progress during events.
- Information Updates: Be the first to know about new content and app updates.

Improvements and Fixes
- Smoother Study Reports: Create and edit study reports in the app, both during challenges and in normal study mode.
- Easier Sharing of Achievements: Share your progress and completion certificates for each book just like a study report.
- Improved Learning Records: Audio playback time is now included in your study history.
- Stability Improvements: Fixed minor issues related to study plan settings.

We hope this update supports your daily learning. If you’re enjoying the app, we’d appreciate a review or rating. 2.3.3 Jan 29 ・Added support for iOS 26’s new “Liquid Glass” design.
・Fixed minor bugs and improved stability.

Distinction App will continue to support your vocabulary growth. If you enjoy using the app, we’d really appreciate your support with a 5-star review on the App Store. 2.3.2 10/01/2025 ・You can now refresh the Account screen by opening it or by pulling down to update to the latest status.
・Fixed typos in book content.

Distinction App will continue to support your vocabulary development. If you enjoy the app, we'd appreciate your support with a 5‑star review on the App Store. 2.3.1 09/07/2025 Released: Distinction VI

・New content: We’ve added “Distinction VI,” the 7th book in the Distinction series. It includes 400 new English expressions and 800 example sentences to help you build practical vocabulary.
・New setting: You can now disable automatic audio playback on the Learning screen.
　Settings: Today > Settings > Auto Play Audio

Distinction App continues to support your vocabulary growth. If you enjoy the app, we’d appreciate a 5‑star review on the App Store. 2.3.0 09/06/2025 • Minor bug fixes and stability improvements.

We are committed to continuously improving the app based on your valuable feedback, so we can better support your English learning journey.
Thank you for your continued support! 2.2.27 06/20/2025 • Minor bug fixes and stability improvements.

We are committed to continuously improving the app based on your valuable feedback, so we can better support your English learning journey.
Thank you for your continued support! 2.2.26 06/19/2025 • Fixed an issue where a "Download Required" alert appeared even though the paid content had already been downloaded.
 - This issue occurred on some devices under specific conditions. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. If you still see a "Download" button on the "Account" screen, please try downloading the content again.

We’re committed to continuously improving the quality of the app based on your valuable feedback, so we can better support your English learning journey.
Thank you for your continued support! 2.2.25 06/17/2025 ＼You can now customize when your “day” starts／
Even if you study late at night, it still counts toward your daily goal—perfect for night owls.
You can change this setting via “Today” > “Settings.”

• Fixed an issue where study sessions couldn’t be started while offline.
 – You can now study with confidence even in places with poor connectivity, such as on a plane or in areas with unstable networks.

• Addressed an issue where a “Download Required” alert appeared even though paid content had already been downloaded.
 – This issue has been observed on certain devices under specific conditions. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We are currently investigating the root cause, and have implemented a temporary workaround. If the problem persists, we’d greatly appreciate it if you could contact us.

The Distinction App is here to fully support your vocabulary-building journey.
We hope this update brings you an even smoother learning experience.
If you’re enjoying the app, we’d be truly grateful for your support with a ⋱5-star review⋰! 2.2.24 06/16/2025 • Fixed an issue where notes deleted due to a problem in the previous version (v.2.2.20) can now be restored.
 - We sincerely apologize for the concern and inconvenience caused. We deeply regret the trouble this may have caused. After updating, deleted notes will be automatically restored when you open the app.
 - Please note that this applies to notes for users who have been using the app since version v.2.2.19 or earlier. Unfortunately, if you installed v.2.2.20 or v.2.2.21 as a new user, it may be difficult to restore deleted notes. We kindly ask for your understanding.

We will continue to improve the quality of our app based on your feedback to better support your English learning.
Thank you for your continued support. 2.2.23 06/12/2025 • We have resolved the issue that caused notes to be deleted
 - We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. There is a possibility that your previously saved notes can be restored. Please long-press “Contact Distinction App Support” from “Account,” select “Send Data,” and then email your inquiry via “Contact Distinction App Support.”

• We have improved the issue that caused the Browse screen to freeze

We will continue to improve quality based on your feedback so that we can better support your English learning.
Thank you for your continued support. 2.2.22 06/10/2025