Duolingo English Test Sample Papers

What to Expect with Duolingo English Test Sample Papers?

The Duolingo English Test is a globally recognized English language proficiency test, and the only way to ace it is to solve the Duolingo English Test papers designed in accordance with the main exam structure and complexity.

What are the Duolingo English Test Sample Papers?

Duolingo English Test sample papers are designed in accordance with the main Duolingo exam that assesses your English speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Solving these practice papers allows you to gain a better understanding of the different types of questions you might encounter during the actual exam.

The Duolingo English Test sample papers are available offline and online. If you want to access the papers online, follow these steps–

• Log in to your official Duolingo English Test account
• Access the official DET practice test

The official practice test contains a variety of questions that you are most likely to encounter in the Duolingo English Test. Similar question types are not grouped together but are provided randomly when you take the test online. The sample paper also contains the speaking and writing sample sections which were previously ungraded.

You can also access various unofficial Duolingo English Test sample papers offline, but in most cases, these offline tests do not contain the video interview section.

Duolingo English Test (DET) Sample Papers Structure

Almost every Duolingo English Test sample paper follows the same pattern and structure as the official test.

Test Sections Overview:

The Duolingo English Test can be divided into four sections –

1. Literacy – Some of the questions are designed to test your English literacy skills, which includes your ability to read and write.
2. Comprehension – The English language proficiency test also tests your ability to listen and read to ensure you can comprehend complex instructions in English.
3. Conversation – This section observes whether you can hold your own in a conversation by testing your speaking and listening skills.
4. Production – The final section of the Duolingo English Test assesses your ability to speak and write.

Sample Paper Structure:

Duolingo English Test sample papers are divided into two major sections – the adaptive test (45 mins) and the writing and speaking sample section (10 mins).

Adaptive Test section (approximately 45 minutes)

This section tests your English skills through a variety of questions, such as:

• Read aloud
• Read and select
• Read then write
• Read and complete
• Read then speak
• Listen and type
• Listen then speak
• Listen and select
• Complete the passage
• Complete the sentences
• Speak about a photo
• Write about a photo
• Highlight an answer
• Provide a passage title
• Identify an idea

Speaking & Writing sample (approximately 10 minutes)

Speaking sample – 30 seconds for prompt + 1-3 minutes to speak

Two prompts will be displayed on the screen, and you must choose one to speak on for a maximum of three minutes.

Writing sample – 30 seconds for prompt + 3-5 minutes to write

Similar to the speaking sample, you will receive two prompts and 30 seconds to choose one. Then, you have a maximum of five minutes to write your opinion about the topic.

Reading Section

Read and complete

• Fill in the missing letters in certain words within a given passage.
• This tests your vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Read aloud

• Record a sentence displayed on the screen.
• This tests your speaking and comprehension skills.

Read and speak

• Speak on a written prompt for at least 30 seconds.
• This tests your comprehension and critical thinking abilities.

Read and select

• Identify the correct English words from the options provided.
• This tests your vocabulary skills.

Read and write

• Write at least 50 words on a provided prompt.
• This tests your ability to comprehension and thinking skills.

Writing Section

Write about a photo

• You must write at least 50 words or 1-2 sentences about the photo provided.
• This tests your ability to organize your thoughts after observing a visual prompt.

Writing sample

• Write your opinion on one of the two prompts provided for 3-5 minutes.
• This checks your ability to form coherent sentences while maintaining the basic grammatical rules.

Listening Section

Listen and type

• Type out the sentence that you’ve heard.
• This tests your ability to understand a spoken sentence and take necessary notes.

Listen and speak

• Listen to the spoken prompt for 20 seconds and speak your answer.
• This tests your active listening skills.

Listen and select

• Listen to the audio pronunciations of certain words and choose which ones are correct English ones.
• This tests your English vocabulary knowledge and comprehension skills.

Speaking Section

Speak about a photo

• You must speak on a photo prompt (that will be displayed for 20 seconds) for a maximum of 1.5 minutes.
• This tests your quick thinking skills and ability to form coherent responses.

Speaking sample

• Choose one of the two prompts displayed for 30 seconds and speak on the topic for a maximum of 3 minutes.
• This section assesses your ability to express your opinions clearly and in a comprehensive manner.

If you want to ace the speaking section, the following tips will help you out –

• Incorporate English conversations into your daily life.
• Listen to English podcasts, audiobooks, etc.
• Repeat the words you’ve heard in an audio file.
• Practice speaking with a native English speaker.
• Reflect on your speaking skills, such as vocabulary choice and pronunciation.

Utilizing Sample Papers:

Solving the DET sample papers blindly won’t do you any good. Here are some suggestions to make the most of these practice papers –

Simulate test conditions – The DET requires students to be alone in a well-lit room when writing their exams. So, when solving the test papers, try to recreate the same environment. For one hour, don’t let anyone inside your room, and avoid peeking into your notes.

Practice time management – The adaptive section of the DET has a duration of 45 minutes, while the speaking and writing samples section I of 10 minutes only. Try to avoid going over this time limit when solving sample papers, and you'll be able to complete your test within the time limit.

Review your answers – Obtaining the scores from your sample papers isn’t enough. You must go through every incorrect answer thoroughly, figure out the reasons for your mistakes, and ensure you don’t repeat the same error in the next practice test. Only then will you be able to improve your English skills and score well in the DET?

Duolingo English Test (DET) Question Types

The graded adaptive test contains an excellent variety of question types that you must solve to check your English language proficiency skills.

How are Duolingo English Test Sample Papers Beneficial for Students?

Solving Duolingo English Test sample papers is guaranteed to help you improve your chances of scoring well in your exam.

Familiarises you with the question types

You’ll encounter many types of questions in the Duolingo English Test that you might not be familiar with. For example, you won't find Read Aloud, Listen and Speak, and Write about a Photo in your everyday school exams. That's why solving practice papers prepares you to tackle any kind of question that the exam might throw at you.

Helps you track your performance progress

Even if you don’t score well on the first few practice papers, you can track your progression once you complete a few. Once you see that your scores are improving gradually, you will gain confidence in your English skills.

Allows you to maintain the time limit

You can't spend more than 90 seconds answering most of the questions. Otherwise, you won't be able to complete the exam on time. So, once you start solving the sample papers, you’ll be able to improve your time management skills.

Importance of Solving Duolingo English Test Sample Papers

Duolingo English Test sample papers are excellent resources for DET aspirants to assess their current English speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. The DET is often mistaken as a simple test because it’s not as long as the IELTS or the TOEFL. As a result, many students underestimate the exam.

Since the test is adaptive in nature, you can’t predict the types of questions you might encounter. Thus if you’re not thoroughly prepared for the exam, you’re in for a lot of trouble.

Of course, solving Duolingo English Test sample papers is a great step to prepare for the exam. This allows you to –

1. Understand the test structure.
2. Comprehend the types of questions you might encounter
3. Assess the time you spend on each question.
4. Prepare yourself for the difficulty level of the main exam.
5. Check whether your English skills are up to the required standards.
6. Comprehend whether you need to improve your study habits to improve your scores.
7. Figure out which skills you must improve.

Solving a few DET sample papers provides so many advantages. So, if you want to increase your chances of scoring more than 120 on your Duolingo English Test, consider solving sample papers frequently to assess your preparation.

Why Choose AbroAdvice to ACE the Duolingo English Test?

The Duolingo English Test is globally recognized in more than 4000 colleges and universities as a valid English language proficiency test. Hence, a good score guarantees your eligibility for college application and student visa.

Instead of bearing the entire burden on your shoulders, you can sign up for the Duolingo English Test preparatory classes on AbroAdvice.com. The classes are available online and offline for students’ convenience.

Choosing AbroAdvice guarantees you the following benefits –

1. Personalized one-on-one sessions with trained DET experts
2. Revision of fundamental and complex English grammar and vocabulary
3. Listening practice via audio files in different accents
4. Vocabulary enhancement, pronunciation training, and more
5. Speaking practice with native English speakers
6. Help with registering for the Duolingo English Test
7. Regular practice paper solving under simulated test conditions

AbroAdvice offers affordable coaching sessions with trained experts to help you improve your English speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills so you can ACE your Duolingo English Test on one try.