In this article, I will write in detail about:
- Take the Duolingo English Test anywhere, anytime
- The Duolingo English Test can also be used for entrance examinations at universities
- Pros and Cons of the Duolingo English Test
It is also recommended for measuring English proficiency of working people!
What is the Duolingo English Test?
Duolingo English Test is an online English test provided by the foreign language learning app Duolingo. Duolingo is a popular app that allows you to learn English grammar, words, and pronunciation like a game. Studying English with the Duolingo app is fun and recommended, but it’s easy enough that it’s not enough to get a high score on the Duolingo English Test.
The Duolingo English Test can be taken completely online, and the test fee is cheap. The exam fee is US$49.(For some, it may be 59 dollars.) You can take the test on your own computer, so you can take the English test anytime, anywhere as long as you have the environment.
How to prepare for the Duolingo English Test
The environment required to take the test is as follows.
- Internet environment
- Computer
- Camera
- Microphone
- A quiet place where you can be alone without being disturbed
If your computer has a built-in camera and microphone, all you need is a computer! You cannot take the test on your smartphone or tablet. I took it on my MacBook Air (built-in camera and microphone).
How difficult is the Duolingo English Test?
Anyone from beginner to advanced is welcome. The reason is that the Duolingo English Test does not have grades like Level 1 and Level 2. It is an adaptive test using AI, and the questions will change depending on your answers during the test. For example, depending on your answer, some difficult questions will come out, and some easy ones will come out. So, if you feel that the questions are getting harder during the test, that might be a sign that your correct answer rate is good. By the way, test questions are set from a huge amount of data, so no matter how many times you take the test, there is almost no chance of hitting the same question. According to the official guide, the same question won’t appear until you take the test more than 1,000 times!
Pros of the Duolingo English Test
The Duolingo English Test has many advantages over other English tests.
The main advantages are as follows.
- Take the test anytime, anywhere
- Used in universities around the world
- Sending test results is free and OK for any school
- Low exam fee
- Short test time
- Fast test results
Take the test anytime, anywhere
There is no need to go to a test center or make an appointment as the test can be taken online. You can take the test anytime after paying US$49(For some, it may be 59 dollars.) in advance and downloading the app to your computer. You can purchase a test and take it immediately when you feel like it! The expiration date is within 21 days from the date of purchase.
Used in universities around the world
Duolingo partners with institutions across the globe, including thousands of universities and secondary schools who accept the Duolingo English Test as part of their admissions process.
Duolingo English Test: Which schools or institutions accept the Duolingo English Test?
The Duolingo English Test has also been introduced by world-famous universities such as Yale University and Columbia University.
Sending test results is free and OK for any school
Duolingo English Test lets you send your test results to as many schools as you like at no additional cost.
[Comparing the cost of sending test results]
| Duolingo English Test | TOEIC | TOEFL | IELTS |
| Free, any number of universities | 1,100 yen per copy | Up to 4 free, then $20 each | Free for up to 5 copies, then $3.75 per each |
For TOEIC, it costs 1,100 JPY per copy. (Overseas shipping requires an additional handling fee.) For TOEFL, up to 4 copies are free, but after that, each additional copy costs US$20. In the case of IELTS, up to 5 copies are free, but after that, 1,200 yen will be charged for each copy. For IELTS, up to 5 copies are free, but more are $3.75 per institution. If the university you’re applying to uses the Duolingo English Test, it’s very convenient and a good deal.
Low exam fee
The exam fee is US$49(For some, it may be 59 dollars.) plus tax.
[Exam fee comparison]
| Duolingo English Test | TOEIC | TOEFL | IELTS |
| $49 – 59 plus tax | JPY 7,810(incl. tax) | $245 | $245 to $255 |
The Duolingo English Test measures all four skills of writing, listening, reading, and speaking, so it’s pretty cost-effective. You can pay by credit card or PayPal.
Short test time
The test time is approximately 1 hour.
[Comparison of test times]
| Duolingo English Test | TOEIC | TOEFL | IELTS |
| about 1 hour | about 2 hours | about 3 hours | less than 3 hours |
What’s more, there is no need to go to the test center or wait, so it really takes an hour. There is no travel time or waiting time, so the stress at the time of taking the exam is considerably reduced!
Fast test results
You will receive your test results within 48 hours of taking the test. When you receive the email notification, log in to the Duolingo English Test official website and check the results. You can also download your certificate as a PDF.
This is my certificate at July 2021.
It seems that the language of the certificate here changes depending on the language setting. When I see this on the website in Japanese, the certificate changed in Japanese.
[Comparing the number of days it takes for test results]
| Duolingo English Test | TOEIC | TOEFL | IELTS |
| within 2 days | 17 days at the earliest | 6 days at the earliest | 3 business days at the earliest |
Cons of the Duolingo English Test
The Duolingo English Test is full of good things, but of course it has its downsides.
- Low awareness
- May result in an invalid test
- Duolingo English Test up to 3 times in 30 days
- Lack of information for studying for the tests
Low awareness
The biggest disadvantage of the Duolingo English Test is its low recognition. Especially in Japan, the Duolingo English Test is almost unknown. If the company you want to work for requires a TOEIC score, you cannot use the Duolingo English Test. On the other hand, if the company understands when you explain the Duolingo English Test, then at least you know it’s not a hard-headed company.
May result in an invalid test
The Duolingo English Test may invalidate the test you have taken. Since the test is taken at home and there is no proctor, the rules regarding whether or not you are cheating seem to be strict. Candidates must ensure that their face is always in the frame of the camera to prevent cheating.
– Face must be visible and unobscured
Duolingo English Test: Test Policies, Rules, and Requirements
– Do not look away from the screen
I have a habit of looking up when I speak, so I tried to look at the camera as much as possible during the test, but I think I did look up a few times. But it didn’t invalidate the test!
Also, it seems that there is no problem looking at the keyboard when typing.
Looking at the keyboard to type will not affect the certification decision for your test.
Duolingo English Test: How can I maintain eye contact with the screen if I have to look down to type?
Duolingo English Test up to 3 times in 30 days
I don’t think this is really disadvantage, but the Duolingo English Test can be purchased up to 3 times in 30 days. The next test can only be taken after the results of the previous test are available. The results will come within 48 hours, so I don’t think it’s a tight limit.
Once you complete and submit a test, you will need to wait for your results before taking a new test.
You may purchase three tests in a 30 day period. This period starts on the day you purchase your first test.
Duolingo English Test: How often can I take the Duolingo English Test?
3 times in 30 days is enough for me.
Lack of information for studying for the tests
Even though it is gradually becoming more popular, it is still not well known compared to other English tests, so there is little information about test preparation. That said, it’s safe to know the basic answers, right? So, here are my recommended solutions.
Take the practice test on the official website
The Duolingo English Test official website has a “practice test” that you can take as many times as you like. It is recommended that you take this practice test first to familiarize yourself with the format of the questions.
Read the official test preparation guide
If you log in to the Duolingo English Test official website, you can see the “OFFICIAL GUIDE”.
It’s written in English, so it’s a bit hard, but I recommend reading the “DIAGRAM OF A QUESTION” in that guide.
- The following contents are written on it.
- What questions the test consists of
- Tips for how to answer Method of operation
Therefore, you can study effectively if you read it before starting the countermeasures.
It’s also a good idea to solve the “Practice questions” at the end of the guide. You can find all kinds of problems in “Practice questions”. Moreover, since there are problems for each level, you can see how difficult the easy problems are and how difficult the difficult problems are.
Use english lessons
If you try the “practice test” and understand what kind of questions will be asked, it is also recommended to consult with the English teacher. The Duolingo English Test has picture description questions that are also asked in other English tests, so even English teachers who do not know the Duolingo English Test should be able to handle it.
Learn on youtube
There are several people who have posted about the Duolingo English Test on YouTube, but I especially recommend Luke’s YouTube channel “Teacher Luke – Duolingo English Test”. The quality of the content is very high, and even if Duolingo updates any problems, it is immediately reflected in the video, and it also introduces tips on how to answer and sample answers.
However, since all explanations are in English, I think it is for intermediate and above.
I was able to improve my score by 15 points by studying mainly the mock exams on this channel!
Conclusion
The Duolingo English Test is a convenient online English test that you can take anytime, anywhere. Anyone from beginner to advanced can take the test. The exam fee is only $49 – $59! The test time is only 1 hour, and the test result can be confirmed within 48 hours, so you can measure your English ability very quickly. It is important that the examinee’s entire face is always within the frame of the camera so as not to be suspected of cheating. Due to low awareness, there is little test preparation information. World famous universities such as Yale University and Columbia University have also introduced it, and thousands of universities, middle and high schools around the world use it as part of the entrance examination. It’s easy, and the adaptive test measures your overall English proficiency. The test is easy to take, so please try it!
