Students’ experiences of using AI conversational tools to enhance their speaking confidence in English

Abstract

Free versions of AI conversation apps are widely used for English speaking practice, but we know very little about how their limits (like daily time caps, annoying pop‑up ads, and locked features) affect learning. I interviewed five high school students one‑on‑one using Zoom. Three of them only used the free version of Duolingo; the other two also paid for subscriptions to Lingoda or Cambly. I analysed the interview transcripts using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The students said they liked the privacy and safety of AI apps because it made them less anxious than speaking in class. But free‑version users often got frustrated when the app didn't understand their accent, sounded robotic, or showed an ad right after they made a mistake. Paid users got live feedback from real teachers and felt much more confident. Everyone agreed that apps can't replace talking to real people. Free‑version problems – especially ads popping up after errors – broke their focus, killed motivation, and made practice inconsistent. Paid users struggled with high subscription costs that sometimes forced them to pause their learning. The study shows that punishing mistakes with ads works against learning. App designers should offer ad‑free basic speaking practice and cheaper student plans.