Anumika BahukhandiStudy Abroad Expert
The Duolingo English Test is a modern language proficiency test designed for international students and institutions. The test has been designed in such a way that it tests candidates' English Language skills like reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Candidates can take the test from their homes and no appointment is needed for taking the test as candidates can take it anytime at their convenience. In this article, we will inform you about how to make your Duolingo English Test preparation up to the mark and ace the DET exam.
DET 2023 Preparation Tips
Duolingo preparation can be done by learning and practising some English Language skills. Reading some, high-level material like international magazines, and newspapers, and practising writing regularly will help you hone your skills. Apart from this, you can watch English movies and converse with people who have English as their native language. You can also get a lot of free resources online for preparing for the exam. Read: Advantages of Taking the Duolingo English Test
How to prepare for Duolingo English Test is not a tough question. Scoring well in any exam requires consistent preparation, dedication and a positive outlook. In order to score well on Duolingo English Test, one may join classes to enhance his/her basic language skills or may indulge in self-study. It all depends upon one's level of English whether personal classes are required for preparation or not. But it is always good to combine both self-study with coaching as a qualified coach will help candidates clear their doubts in a much more authentic manner. Prospective candidates can go through some of the Duolingo English Test tips and tricks below for performing well in the test:
- Polish your vocabulary everyday: The mantra to obtain good scores has always been 'regular practice'. As one's vocabulary plays a significant role in this test, learning new words everyday is a plus point. Maintain a seperate notebook for vocabulary and jot down 2-3 words from a dictionary everyday with their meanings. Revise the same before sleeping every day. You may even note down words unknown to you which someone uses while interacting with you. This is another good method to improve your verbal glossary. Other sources from where you may learn new words are books, magazines, online blogs, newspapers, etc.
- Work on your listening skills: You may improve your listening skills by watching your favourite English webseries, documentary, or dramas. The best part is that you can replay all of these in case you miss out on any part or have misheard a word and hear it again clearly.
- YouTube Videos: Nowadays, with an easy access to the internet, almost all of us have video apps on your cellphones. Youtube is a great source to practice your English skills as the channel has multiple English learning lessors, live coaching classes, vocabulary pronunciation, synonyms/antonyms videos and the like all available for free.
- Descriptive excercise: As Duolingo English Test has an excercise which requires candidates to describe a thing, event or something mentioned in their own language, candidates can very well practice the same at their homes only. Just focus on any thing lying next to you or nearby you and write 2-3 short descriptive sentences about it as creatively as you can.
- Speaking excercise: Just like the descriptive excercise, in order to improve your speaking skills select any topic of your choice and speak for 30 seconds to 1 minute about it. Record the entire thing and listen to it again. Mark where all can you improve and re-do the entire excercise again till the time you feel confident about your preparation.
- Attempting sample papers: Before appearing for the actual paper it is always a good idea to go through some sample papers to get an idea about your level of preparation. The official Duolingo website has a free sample paper as well which one can attempt.
Predict your English proficiency score by sharing few details
DET 2023 Sample Test
If you want to familiarize yourself with the real test, you can visit the Duolingo site and give the sample test. Although the sample test is shorter in duration (eight minutes) and the score range is less accurate and unofficial. By taking the sample test, you will come to know about the real test and can experience what is going to come in the actual exam.
The best part about the sample test is that it is free and you can take it as many times as you want. Also, once you complete the sample test, it shares an estimated score range, so, you can judge your preparedness.
DET 2023 Rules
As the test can be taken online, Duolingo follows a rigorous process and has framed various sets of rules for candidates. While the complete test experience is recorded and reviewed by the proctors. Proctors also make sure that there is no background noise, or anybody is present in your room at the time of the test. Apart from this, candidates cannot wear earphones and interact with anyone. Candidates are not allowed to use a phone or any other device while giving the exam. Make sure you follow all these rules otherwise, you have to take the test again.
Duolingo English Test Walkthrough
Available on the official DET website, the Duolingo walkthrough video lets you gain an overview of all the DET question types in just 3.36 minutes. It is the best way to get familiar with your test as you will be able to get acquainted with different types of questions which are asked in Duolingo English Test and the same can be practiced by you as many times as you want by re-playing the video. You will also learn the manner in which those questions need to be answered.
DET 2023 Test Requirements
As you will give the exam online from your home, make sure you have all the equipment required to take the test, so you can take the exam hassle-free.
You need:
- Your passport, driver's license, or government ID
- A quiet, well-lit room
- 1 hour of free time
- A reliable internet connection
- A computer
Your computer should also have
- A supported browser (Chrome, Opera)
- A front-facing camera
- A microphone
- Speakers
When you share the result of the Duolingo English Test with the university both the adaptive test and the video interview are included in it. In this test, you will have a choice of two question types of each video interview and the writing sample. Then you have to speak for one to three minutes and write up for up to five minutes. Also, there is a timer that you can track through the exam. If you are not satisfied with your performance, you can take the test again. You can take the Duolingo English test as many times as you want.
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DET 2023 Preparation Tips FAQs
Q. How difficult is the Duolingo English test?
A. Duolingo English Test is designed in such a way that it tests the ability of the candidate quickly. The test is adaptive, where if you answer a question correctly then the next one becomes harder, and so on. It assesses a candidate's listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities. A variety of questions such as fill-in-the-blank, describe an image, record a sentence, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions are asked. Generally, DET is considered to be easier than the other standardized English language proficiency tests such as IELTS or TOEFL.
Q. How is the DET scored?
A. The Duolingo English Test measures the English language ability on a scale of 10 to 160 and is scored in 5-point increments. A higher score indicates a higher level of proficiency. It is further divided into four categories. The scoring system is computer-generated. Each of the sections is scored separately. Various universities and institutions across the world make use of the Duolingo English Test score for the purpose of admission as well as immigration purposes.
| Scale | CEFR |
| 10-55 | A1/A2 |
| 60-85 | B1 |
| 90-115 | B2 |
| 120-160 | C1/C2 |
Q. How to check the Duolingo English Test score?
A. Once your test has been graded and reviewed by the administrator, you will receive an email on the email id given by you at the time of registration. Also, candidates can check their complete test history and results on Duolingo's official website by login through their account. The test report will contain one's overall score, section-wise score, comparison of the scores with those of others, and a breakdown of your performance in individual skill area. The validity of the Duolingo English Test Score is two years.
Q. How can I prepare well for the Listen, then Speak question?
A. In this question, the test takers will have to give an answer to the question they hear. A prompt will be played after listening to which one will have to record his/her response. You will have 20 seconds to read the directions after which the recording will commence. You will be able to listen to and replay the prompt during this period. Before you start recording, ensure that you have understood the prompt properly. You are permitted to play the same again twice. Speaking will have to be done for atleast 30 seconds.
Q. How to I attempt 'Complete the Sentence' question in DET?
A. In this question, test takers will have to choose the best answer for every missing word in a displayed sentence. A passage will appear on their screens which will have various blank spaces. You will have to select the best word which you think would complete the sentence. Make sure that you've carefully read the complete sentence. Make sure of context clues in order to decide the best option. Once you've filled in the blanks, read the entire completed sentence once again to see if it makes sense.
Q. What to do in 'Complete the Passage' question in DET?
A. In this excercise, the test takers will have to choose the best sentence to fill in the blank. Two sections of a passage will appear on the screen which will have missing sentence in the middle. You will be aware of some parts of the passage. Go through each section carefully and carefully understand the choices given to complete the sentence. Sentences before and after the blanks should be given special attention if you are unable to select an answer immediately. You will also be able to see if the options make sense as when you'll keep your cursor over them, each one would appear in the context.
Q. How to attempt the 'Writing Sample' in DET?
A. In the 'Writing Sample' task, the test takers will have to write about a topic displayed on their screens for 3-5 minutes. A written prompt will be provided for this task and one will have to write as much as one can for a minimum three minutes. The instructions for the same will be displayed on the screen for 30 seconds during which one can read the prompt carefully and decide on the reply. Give the response in a timely manner so that you can verify your grammar, spellings, and punctuations as well.
Q. How do I attempt the 'Speaking Sample' in SET?
A. In this task, the test takers will have to speak about a given topic for 1-3 minutes. A written prompt will appear on the screen and you will have to speak as much as you can about the same. Before the recording starts, instructions for the same will be displayed on the screen for 30 seconds. During this time one can read the prompt carefully and decide on the reply. Make sure you keep speaking till the 'next' button becomes orange. Before pressing the button and submitting the response, review your response carefully.
Q. How is the scoring done for different types of questions in DET?
A. Automatic grading is done for the test questions with the help of special procedures which have been developed for individual question types. These question types include Complete the Sentences, Highlight the Answer, Read and Complete, Read Aloud, Identify the Idea, Listen and Type, Complete the Passage, Read and Select, Title the Passage, and Listen and Select. Here, your answers are compared with the correct responses and the differences and similarities are then evaluated.
Q. What are open response questions in DET?
A. The open response questions in Duolingo English Test refers to questions such as Listen Then Speak, Write About the Photo, Read Then Write, Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak and Writing Samples. The responses of test takers will be evaluated by a grading engine. This engine is conditioned to understand your English proficiency just like human rater professionals. This will evaluate your variety and level of grammar, variety of word choice, how much you can write or say in a given time period, grammatical accuracy, level of vocabulary used, etc.
Q. How should I prepare for attempting DET?
A. The best part of attempting the DET is that it can be taken at your home or at any place of your choice. Still, there are a few things which if kept in mind will help one to appear for the test smoothly. Ensure that the room where you take the test is well lit and has no background noise to distract you from the questions. Do not let anyone enter the room while you're appearing for the test as you may get disturbed and the same may be considered unethical. Your computer's microphone, camera, and speakers should be well functioning.
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Anumika BahukhandiStudy Abroad Expert
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Anumika BahukhandiStudy Abroad Expert
3 months ago
Hello Priya. Obtaining a good DET score can help you in getting admission into your desired educational institution. The desired test scores are decided by the universities as part of their admission criteria. A score of 100 falls in the Upper-Intermediate (85-120) category. It implies that one can
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Anumika BahukhandiStudy Abroad Expert
4 months ago
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Anumika BahukhandiStudy Abroad Expert
5 months ago
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