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Your Beginner’s Guide to the Duolingo English Test®

Josh MacPherson

Josh MacPherson has taught English language learners in New York, Seoul, and Osaka.
He holds a BA in Secondary Education and an MA in ESL Curriculum and Instruction.

In case you haven’t heard, the Duolingo English Test is now accepted by thousands of universities across the globe.

But people still have a ton of questions about this new exam…

…and we are here to help!

We will go over some of the most popular questions for the Duolingo English Test like:

  • What does the test look like?
  • Who accepts it?
  • How is it scored?
  • Is this the right test for me?

Let’s answer those questions right now.

Here are the top 15 questions asked by DET beginners:

  1. What Is The Duolingo English Test?
    2.
  2. How Much Does The Duolingo English Test Cost?
    3.
  3. How Long Will The Duolingo English Test Take To Complete?
    4.
  4. Where Can I Take A Duolingo English Test?
    5.
  5. Who Is Allowed To Take The Duolingo English Test?
    6.
  6. Will My School Or Institution Accept The Duolingo English Test?
    7.
  7. Can I Use The Duolingo English Test For Immigration?
    8.
  8. How Good Does My English Have To Be To Pass The Duolingo English Test?
    9.
  9. What Type Of Questions Are Included In The Duolingo English Test?
    10.
  10. What Is The Duolingo English Test Format?
    11.
  11. How Is The Duolingo English Test Scored?
    12.
  12. What Is Considered A “Good Score” On The Duolingo English Test?
    13.
  13. Can I Trust The Duolingo English Test Score?
    14.
  14. How Do Duolingo English Test Scores Compare To The TOEFL or IELTS?
    15.
  15. Where Can I Take A Practice Test For The Duolingo English Test?
    16.

What Is The Duolingo English Test?

The Duolingo English Test is an English proficiency test designed to measure the English abilities of students and language learners around the globe. In the words of Duolingo:

“The Duolingo English Test is a modern language proficiency tool designed for today’s international students and institutions. It offers an English proficiency score, video interview, and writing sample in an accessible, efficient, and secure testing experience.”

How Much Does The Duolingo English Test Cost?

As of September 1st, 2024, The Duolingo English Test costs $65 for one test, $110 if you purchase two at once.

How Long Will The Duolingo English Test Take To Complete?

The number of questions changes for each Duolingo English Test, however, you can expect between 40-45 questions and it will take about an hour to complete.

Where Can I Take A Duolingo English Test?

Unlike the TOEFL iBT or IELTS exams, there are no Duolingo English Test centers. The Duolingo English Test is an online exam. All you need is a computer with a working camera, microphone, and Internet connection.

Who Is Allowed To Take The Duolingo English Test?

Children under the age of 13 who wish to take the test must consult with a parent or guardian and communicate with the Duolingo English Test support team here: [email protected]

Most other restrictions are based on technical requirements and where you take the test:

  • Your computer must have a camera, microphone, speakers, and Internet connection
  • You must have a valid passport, driver’s license, or government ID
  • You must be in a quiet and well-lit room

Will My School Or Institution Accept The Duolingo English Test?

Thousands of universities and institutions now accept the Duolingo English Test. Enter the name of your institution here to confirm whether or not your school is one of them.

Can I Use The Duolingo English Test For Immigration?

In terms of Canadian immigration, students who would like to be part of the Student Direct Stream program are only permitted to take the IELTS or the French Test d’Evaluation de Français. Other types of study permits in Canada accept the Duolingo English Test for immigration purposes as long as your institution considers it a valid proficiency exam.

The same goes for universities in the USA, please check with them first. If they accept the Duolingo English Test then you can use it to obtain a student visa.

Is My English Good Enough To Pass The Duolingo English Test?

Like all proficiency exams, there is no passing grade. The score you wish to achieve will depend on the requirements of the school or institution you are applying to. Most schools seem to set a benchmark score of approximately 120 for the Duolingo English Test, however, check with your institution first to confirm their score requirements.

Here is a handy chart comparing Common European Framework (CEFR) levels with Duolingo English Test scores.

Score Conversion Table
Duolingo English Test TOEFL IELTS Academic CEFR
160 120 8.5-9 C2
155 119 8 C1
150 117-118
145 113-116 7.5
140 109-112
135 104-108 7
130 98-103
125 93-97 6.5 B2
120 87-92
115 82-86 6
110 76-81
105 70-75 5.5
100 65-69
95 59-64 5 B1
90 53-58
85 47-52
80 41-46
75 35-40 4.5
70 30-34
65 24-29
10-60 0-23 0-4 A1-A2

What Type Of Questions Are Included In The Duolingo English Test?

The Duolingo English Test looks much different from the TOEFL or IELTS. The reading and listening passages are short and there is no long-form written essay. Below you will find a short description and image of each question type. If you would like to know more, I encourage you to take a free practice test at Duolingo English Test’s official site.

a. Read and Complete

This question will provide a short passage between 40-100 words long. Your job is to fill in the missing letters. The directions are always the same: “Type the missing letters to complete the text below.” You have three minutes to complete the passage. Note that you will have anywhere between 7 to 18 words to fill in. Also, the missing letters will always be at the end of the word.

The Read and Select question will provide a series of 18 words, both real and fake. Your job is to select the words that are real. You will have one minute to complete this task. The number of real and fake words changes for each question, so trust your knowledge and select only the words you know to be true.

The title of this question type pretty much sums it up: Listen and Type. You will listen to a sentence and type out what you hear. You are allowed to replay the passage twice and have one minute to complete this task.

The Read Aloud question will present a statement that you must repeat. Like most other Duolingo English Test questions, the timer will begin to count down as soon as the prompt appears. You have 20 seconds to prepare and only one chance to record your response. The statement is usually about 5 to 25 words long.

The Write About the Photo question type will present an image, and you have one minute to describe the image. The directions state, “Write a description of the image below for 1 minute”. Use the entire minute to describe the foreground, background, and any other details you notice.

You will be presented with a photo and asked to describe it aloud. For this particular question, you have 20 seconds to prepare your response, and you can not take notes. You will be expected to speak between 30 – 90 seconds. Use the entire 20 seconds to think about what you will say. When it is time to speak, you will still be able to see the picture.

Once the question is presented, you will have 20 seconds to prepare your response. Like the rest of the Duolingo English Test, you are not allowed to take notes. Use the time to think about your answer to the prompt. Try to answer all of the questions in the order they are provided. When you speak, you will still be able to see the question. You must respond for at least 30 seconds but try to extend your answer. You will not be allowed to speak for more than 90 seconds.

This is one of the most challenging question types in the Duolingo English Test. You will listen to a question and have 20 seconds to prepare. You can replay the question up to two times. During your preparation time, think carefully about the question and how you intend to respond. When it is time to speak, you may speak between 30 – 90 seconds.

The Speaking sample is similar in format to the Read, Then Speak question type. You will have 20 seconds to prepare your response, and you must speak for at least 30 seconds but try to extend your answer. You will not be allowed to speak for more than 90 seconds. This question used to be ungraded, but as of May 1st, 2023, it is now part of your grade.

The Writing Sample is similar to the Read, Then Write question type. Be sure to write more than 50 words. You will have three to five minutes to write. Pay careful attention to your grammar, punctuation, and spelling as well. Think of this question as a mini-essay. Be sure to include an introduction, body, and conclusion. This question used to be ungraded, but it is now part of your grade.

The Interactive Reading section was added to the Duolingo English Test in 2022. It consists of two passages, and you will be expected to answer a series of questions about each passage. You will be given six to seven minutes to read the passage and answer all of the questions. Here are the question types you can expect for each passage on test day: Complete the Sentences, Complete the Passage, Highlight the Answer, Identify the Idea, and Title the Passage.

The Interactive Listening section was added to the Duolingo English Test in 2023. It consists of two passages. One passage is a conversation between two students, and another is between a student and a campus worker, usually a professor. In the first part of each passage, you will participate in the conversation. You will have four minutes to answer five or six questions. After the conversation, you will be asked to write a summary about it. You will have 75 seconds to complete the summary. Pay careful attention to your grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

The Interactive Writing section asks you to write about a topic in two steps. First, you’ll see a written prompt and have 5 minutes to respond. Next, based on your initial response, you’ll get a follow-up prompt and 3 minutes to complete your answer. The instructions for this second part will appear when the timer begins. Remember to pay close attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling throughout both steps.

What Is The Duolingo English Test Format?

The various question types included in the Duolingo English Test are spread throughout the exam. Some questions appear multiple times, while others show up just once. Check out this handy chart below for the question order and this complete DET practice test video.

.
DET Test Layout
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Initial Comprehension Comprehension Interactive Comprehension Production Shared Production
Read and Select*
(15-18)		 Read and Complete*
(3-6)		 Interactive Reading* (2) Write About the Photo (3) Writing Sample
(1)
Fill in the Blanks*
(6-9)		 Read Aloud*
(3-6)		 Interactive Listening*
(2)		 Interactive Writing
(1)		 Speaking Sample
(1)
Listen and Type*
(6-9)		 Listen then Speak
(2)
Speak About the Photo
(1)
*adaptive questions Read then Speak
(1)

How Is The Duolingo English Test Scored?

The way the Duolingo English Test is scored is a bit different from traditional language exams. The best score you can earn on the test is 160. Here is what your score report will look like:

The Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening Subscores are pretty simple to understand, but you might be wondering…

What are Integrated Subscores? 

Basically, the folks over at Duolingo believe that these skills are integrated and it is more accurate to combine them.

  • Literacy subscore: Ability to read and write
  • Comprehension subscore: Ability to listen and read
  • Conversation subscore: Ability to speak and listen
  • Production subscore: Ability to write and speak

What Is Considered A “Good Score” On The Duolingo English Test?

As mentioned in a previous question, this is an English proficiency exam, so what each individual student considers a good score will be subjective. However, most universities require a Duolingo English Test score of at least 120 for admission.

Can I Trust The Duolingo English Test Score?

In short, yes. Thousands of schools and universities across the world would not have accepted the Duolingo English Test as a valid measure of English proficiency if they could not trust the outcome. The makers of this test take great strides to ensure test security and carry out extensive research studies on the validity of the exam, which you can read more about here.

How Do Duolingo English Test Scores Compare To The TOEFL or IELTS?

Many students believe that the Duolingo English Test is easier than the TOEFL or IELTS, however, this is a subjective opinion. Research from Duolingo suggests that you can expect to prove a similar proficiency level whether you take the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test. In other words, according to the chart below, if you scored around 100 on the TOEFL, you can expect to earn approximately 120 on the Duolingo English Test.

Check the chart for additional information on how scores compare across tests.

Score Conversion Table
Duolingo English Test TOEFL IELTS Academic CEFR
160 120 8.5-9 C2
155 119 8 C1
150 117-118
145 113-116 7.5
140 109-112
135 104-108 7
130 98-103
125 93-97 6.5 B2
120 87-92
115 82-86 6
110 76-81
105 70-75 5.5
100 65-69
95 59-64 5 B1
90 53-58
85 47-52
80 41-46
75 35-40 4.5
70 30-34
65 24-29
10-60 0-23 0-4 A1-A2

Where Can I Take A Practice Test For The Duolingo English Test?

For official practice, check out Duolingo’s website. However, the amount of practice included is limited.

Looking for more information?

If you would like more practice questions, along with tips and tricks to help you earn the best possible score on test day, check out our Emergency Practice Pack for the Duolingo English Test. Everything you need to get your dream DET test score as quickly and as easily as possible. 

Do you have any other questions? Is there something we missed? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

And which test would you prefer to take: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo? 

Let us know in the comments below. 

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