Contents of the Duolingo English Test

Duolingo English Test is not major yet. You want to try an online English test, but you’re wondering what kind of test it is, right? This article explains what the Duolingo English Test actually does.

This article will introduce you to:

If you know what kind of test it is, it will be easier to prepare.

Contents of the Duolingo English Test

The Duolingo English Test had “10 types of questions”, “Writing Sample” and “Speaking Sample”. And on March 29, 2022, an update called ‘Interactive Reading‘ was newly added. We will answer all of them in an hour. You cannot see anything or take notes during the test.

[Questions to be asked]

Question type 1 : Read and Complete

“Read and Complete” questions are fill-in-the-blank questions. Fill in the blanks with the correct word to complete the sentence. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. You have 3 minutes to answer. Read the whole sentence first before focusing on the words! Sometimes clues can be found in the context.

Question type 2 : Read and Select

In “Read and Select” questions, choose only the correct, real word from the displayed words. Click to select and it will turn orange, click again to deselect. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. You have 1 minute to answer. There are words that seem likely and unlikely, and I often get confused. However, I don’t know what I don’t know even if I think about it, so I have no choice but to believe in myself and choose!

Question type 3 : Listen and Select

In the “Listen and Select” question, listen to the audio of the words and select only the correct words that exist. Click the speaker icon to hear the audio. Audio can be played any number of times. If you think it’s the correct word, click the checkmark to select it. The check mark will turn orange when selected, click it again to deselect it. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. Answer time is 1 minute and 30 seconds. I tend to worry about this too, but I have to believe in myself!

Question type 3 : Listen and Type

In the “Listen and Type” question, listen to a short sentence and type it exactly as you hear it. The audio can be played up to 3 times in total. Click the speaker icon to hear the audio. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. You have 1 minute to answer. It’s a good idea to start by typing in what you heard in the first voice, and then compare the voice and what you typed in the second and subsequent times!

Question type 4 : Read Aloud

In the “Read Aloud” question, you read and record the text that is displayed. Recorded only once. Read the text and when you are ready to record, click the RECORD NOW button to start recording.(The total time limit is 20 seconds.) After recording, press the “NEXT” button to move on to the next question. If you do not press the “NEXT” button, you will automatically move to the next question when the time runs out. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. The total time limit is 20 seconds. 20 seconds is enough time, so I recommend reading it out loud once before recording.

Question type 5 : Write About the Photo

The “Write About the Photo” question is about depicting a photo. Enter a one or more sentence description of the photo. The photo is displayed all the time as you write. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. You have 1 minute to answer. In order to prove your English proficiency, it is recommended that you write at least two sentences.

Question type 6 : Speak About the Photo

The “Speak About the Photo” question is also a photo description, but you speak rather than write. After the image is displayed for 20 seconds, the recording will start automatically. Or you can start recording by pressing the “NEXT” button yourself. Photos are still visible during recording. Recorded only once. You must speak for at least 30 seconds, and you can speak for a maximum of 1 minute and 30 seconds. Even if you make a mistake or get stuck, don’t panic, rephrase and keep talking!

Question type 7 : Read, Then Write

In the ‘Read, Then Write’ section, you will answer the displayed question with a written response over a 5-minute period. The question is still visible while you are writing your answer. The number of words you have entered is automatically displayed below the input field, and when you reach 50 words or more, the “NEXT” button turns orange and becomes ready to be clicked. At the same time as this problem is displayed, the timer in the upper left also starts. 5 minutes to answer. Before pressing the “NEXT” button, be sure to check that there are no mistakes in the entered text!

Question type 8 : Read, Then Speak

In the “Read, Then Speak” question, you will answer the displayed themes and questions. After the question is displayed for 20 seconds, the recording will start automatically. Or you can press the “RECORD NOW” button yourself to start recording. The questions are displayed even during recording, so you can speak while checking the questions. You must speak for at least 30 seconds, and you can speak for a maximum of 1 minute and 30 seconds. It is important to speak in a way that shows your English ability.

Question type 9 : Listen, Then Speak

In “Listen, Then Speak” questions, you will listen and answer the questions. The question will be displayed for 20 seconds, during which time click the speaker icon to listen to the question. You can listen to the audio a total of 3 times. Recording will start automatically after 20 seconds. Or you can start recording by pressing the “NEXT” button yourself. You can speak for at least 30 seconds and a maximum of 1 minute and 30 seconds. Use different words and sentence structures to improve your score.

Question type 10 : Interactive Reading (Added March 29, 2022)

The March 29, 2022 update added this “Interactive Reading” question to the test. Until then, it only appeared in the practice test, but finally it appeared in the real test! (It might be better to think that the questions that appeared in the practice test will appear in the real test eventually.) Even after this update, the overall test time is still 1 hour. “Interactive Reading” questions answer six questions about a sentence. Two sets of it will be given. One is narrative and the other is informative and educational. The answer time for each set is 7-8 minutes. There are 5 types of questions in “Interactive Reading”, and the number of questions is 6 in total. You will have 7-8 minutes to answer this question.

• Complete the Sentences x 1 question
• Complete the Passage x 1 question
• Highlight the Answer x 2 questions
• Identify the Idea x 1 question
• Title the Passage x 1 question

Complete the Sentences

For the “Complete the Sentences” question, choose the correct word for the blank. You can answer in any order. You cannot click the “NEXT” button until you have answered all the questions. One question will be asked for each set.

Complete the Passage

For the “Complete the Passage” question, choose the correct sentence to fill in the blank. In this question, the first paragraph is the same sentence as “Complete the Sentences” above, and a new sentence is added in the second paragraph. You will have to choose the sentences that fall between them. One question will be asked for each set.

Highlight the Answer

In the “Highlight the Answer” question, find the answer to the question in the text and drag to highlight it. Highlighting will automatically fill in that part in the box. You need to highlight only the part of the answer, if you highlight unnecessary parts or if necessary parts are not highlighted, your score will go down. Click and drag again to change the location of the highlight. There are two “Highlight the Answer” questions per set.

Identify the Idea

In the “Identify the Idea” question, choose an idea expressed in a sentence. Some of the options may seem related, but you should choose the best option.

Title the Passage

In the “Title the Passage” question, as the name suggests, you choose a title that fits the sentence from the options. Again, some of the choices may be related, but pick the title that best fits the text. From March 29, 2022, these 6 x 2 sets have been added to the Duolingo English Test.

Question type 11 : Interactive Listening (Added May 1st, 2023)

The frequency of appearance in one test is two sets of 5-6 questions each.

Up until April 2023, it only appeared in practice tests, but it has finally made its debut in the actual test! (It might be a good idea to assume that questions appearing in practice tests will eventually appear in the actual test.)

The total test time remains one hour.

You will answer 5-6 “Listen and Respond” questions in 4 minutes, and 1 “Summarize the Conversation” question in 75 seconds.

Listen and Respond

The “Listen and Respond” section involves listening to a conversation and selecting a response.

As soon as this section appears, a timer in the top left corner also starts.

There are two parts to the question. In the first part, you participate in the conversation as a student and choose your response to the other person.

In the second part, you write a summary of the previous conversation.

The response time for the listening part is 4 minutes.

The sub-scores measured are “Comprehension” and “Conversation”.

Summarize the Conversation

For the “Summarize the Conversation” section, you need to write a summary of the above conversation in 75 seconds.

You will write a summary, not bullet points.

Write a detailed synopsis of the conversation, including who was talking, what the conversation was about, how it ended, etc.

The sub-scores measured are “Literacy” and “Production”.

You can watch how to solve these questions in real-time on DET’s YouTube channel.

Since this is a new question type, I recommend checking it out before taking the test.

Writing Sample

Previously, the “Writing Sample” was not scored, but from February 28, 2022 it is scored. In this question you will write for 5 minutes on the topic shown. The topic will be displayed for 30 seconds, so read the topic and mentally prepare what you will write. After 30 seconds, the timer will start. When using the Duolingo English Test for university admission, this “Writing Sample” is sent to the university, and the university can see the answer for examination.

The sub-scores measured are “Literacy” and “Production”.

Speaking Sample

The “Speaking Sample” is not graded and does not affect your score.

The "Speaking Sample" was not graded, but from May 1, 2023, this "Speaking Sample" will also be graded.

When used for university admission, this “Speaking Sample” video is sent to the university, and the university can view the video for admission screening. The topic will be displayed for 30 seconds, so read the topic and mentally prepare what you will say. Recording will start after 30 seconds. After the recording starts, speak to the camera for 1-3 minutes. After 1 minute, the “SUBMIT” button will turn orange, but try to speak as long as possible. DET recommends talking without looking at the timer. Better practice before the test.

The sub-scores measured are “Conversation” and “Production”.

Conclusion

Duolingo English Test is a test that answers “11 types of questions”, “Writing sample” and “Speaking sample”. Test time is 1 hour. You cannot see anything or take notes during the test. There was a big update in February and March, the “Writing Sample” was graded, and a new question called “Interactive Reading” appeared. In May, the “Speaking Sample” also became a part of the graded section, “Listen and Select” was removed, and “Interactive Listening” was added. It’s a completely different format from other English tests, so if it’s your first time, you may be a little confused. Before taking the test, I recommend taking the free “practice test” on the Official Duolingo English Test Website.

In the next article, I will introduce how to take the Duolingo English Test!