How to Prepare for Duolingo English Test?

To begin your Duolingo preparation journey, it’s important to understand the Duolingo test format. The DET includes a mix of adaptive and graded questions designed to assess your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Start your preparation by taking the official free practice test to evaluate your current proficiency level quickly. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Once you have the scores from your practice test - understand your scores to see where you are lacking. Focus more on the sections where your performance is the weakest. If your speaking or writing score is low, dedicate more time to those areas.

Since a Duolingo score of 120 is roughly equivalent to an IELTS band score of 6.5 - it can also be beneficial to use IELTS preparation material to improve your skills. You can purchase IELTS Learn It Yourself by LeapScholar for just INR 99. This will give you access to unlimited practice questions across various skill competencies and help you be ahead of the rest.

Effective communication is essential to survive in an English-speaking environment. The speaking part is crucial to ensure that the candidate can speak effectively. 
 

Here are some tips that can help you to be an effective speaker and aim for a good DET score: 

• Interact regularly in English: Practice speaking with friends or family members. Ask them to correct your mistakes and guide you to become a more effective speaker.
• Record and review your speech: Record yourself speaking and listen to the playback to identify areas for improvement and address any issues.
• Repeat dialogues from movies/ series: When you watch any English movies/ series/ podcasts - repeat the dialogues in your mind to push your brain to learn new sentences.
• Take practice tests: Complete mock tests regularly, have them evaluated by a mentor, and incorporate their feedback into your practice.
• Expand your vocabulary: Learn new words and phrases and use them appropriately while speaking on various topics. Having a great vocabulary for Duolingo will not only boost your speaking score but also help you in other sections.
• Focus on pronunciation and fluency: Pay attention to your pronunciation, maintain smooth speech, and ensure your ideas are coherent.

You can practice over 400+ IELTS cue cards to improve your speaking skills. A 7.5 Band in IELTS Speaking is equivalent to 145 in Duolingo.

Writing is the most challenging section, requiring you to develop your thoughts and ideas on a topic in real-time. It often requires continuous practice to make a better draft in the given timeframe. 
 

These are the Duolingo English test preparation tips that can help you achieve the same:

• Write something in English Daily: Try creating your shopping lists or your daily to-do lists in English. This will help you improve your typing speed as well as increase familiarity
• Write on online communities like Reddit or Quora: Participating in different topics on Reddit and Quora will not only improve your writing skill but also help you write on a variety of topics. Start by writing short answers on topics where you have higher knowledge and over time increase the length of your answers/ try writing for newer topics
• Practice regularly: Write essays, short articles, and other content frequently to build your writing skills and command of the language.
• Challenge yourself with new topics: Try writing on various topics from scratch to enhance your ability to develop ideas quickly and effectively.
• Expand your vocabulary: Read widely to enrich your vocabulary and learn to use new words and phrases appropriately in your writing.
• Analyse quality writing: Study your favourite blogs and essays to understand effective writing techniques and how to apply them to your own work.
• Get feedback from mentors: Have your writing evaluated by mentors or mock test agencies to identify key areas for improvement and focus on enhancing those aspects.

Integrating these strategies into your preparation will improve your writing skills and make you well-prepared for the Duolingo English Test.

Reading is an essential part of the Duolingo test. Many comprehension questions are asked during the test to understand your reading skills.
 

Here are the preparation tips that you can follow to perform better in the reading section: 
 

• Focus on main ideas and details: Identify key points and supporting details to boost your comprehension skills.
• Learn new vocabulary: Regularly practice unfamiliar words to enhance reading and language proficiency.
• Read eBooks or printed books in English: Choose books that interest you to build reading stamina and expand your vocabulary.
• Follow the news in English: Stay updated with current events to practice reading diverse texts and learn new vocabulary.
• Read blogs, essays, or short stories: Explore various online content to get familiar with different writing styles and topics.
• Follow English-language social media accounts: Engage with posts and updates to improve your grasp of informal and conversational English.
• Use language apps: Take advantage of apps designed to boost your reading skills through interactive exercises and practice.
• Practice regularly: Read daily to build fluency and confidence in understanding English texts.

Incorporate these strategies into your daily routine to enhance your reading abilities and prepare effectively for the Duolingo English Test.

Listening is an important part of every language, as is in the DET. The DET listening questions are more practical-oriented and just like everyday conversation. 
 

So, in order to prepare well for the listening part, these tips will be helpful:
 

• Watch English series or movies: This helps you get used to natural speech patterns and expressions
• Listen to podcasts and music: Repeated exposure to the same content reinforces vocabulary and comprehension
• Explore your interests in English: Engage with content related to your hobbies, like sports, news, or fashion
• Use subtitles: Watch movies or shows in your native language with English subtitles to improve understanding
• Practice with different accents: Listen to speakers from different regions to become more adaptable
• Engage in conversations: Practice speaking with native speakers or fluent friends to improve listening and speaking skills
• Participate in online forums: Join English-speaking communities related to your interests to enhance comprehension
   

By incorporating these tips into your daily routine, you'll improve your listening skills and be better prepared for the Duolingo English Test.

Consistency is key to success. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of focused English practice daily. Mix different question types in your sessions since the Duolingo test uses an adaptive format and doesn’t follow a fixed pattern.

Regular practice also helps reduce test-day anxiety and builds familiarity with the interface and question formats.

You can go through a list of sample questions and answers for Duolingo for practice.

Here are some recommended resources to help you prepare effectively:

• LeapScholar's IELTS LIY Course (INR 99 only): Includes 400+ cue cards for speaking, essay writing templates, reading paragraphs, and listening practice questions. All questions are evaluated by AI to help you understand your readiness. You can convert IELTS sectional score to Duolingo to understand your level.
• Practice Duolingo Sample Questions: Access regularly updated Duolingo practice material curated by experts.
• Official Duolingo Website: Offers a sample test and official guidance. Visit Duolingo English Test.
• YouTube Channel: Teach Luke: Users have indicated that they have found the resources at this channel helpful via tutorials and mock test walkthroughs.

Reading is an essential part of the Duolingo test. Many comprehension questions are asked during the test to understand your reading skills.
 

Here are the preparation tips that you can follow to perform better in the reading section: 
 

• Focus on main ideas and details: Identify key points and supporting details to boost your comprehension skills.
• Learn new vocabulary: Regularly practice unfamiliar words to enhance reading and language proficiency.
• Read eBooks or printed books in English: Choose books that interest you to build reading stamina and expand your vocabulary.
• Follow the news in English: Stay updated with current events to practice reading diverse texts and learn new vocabulary.
• Read blogs, essays, or short stories: Explore various online content to get familiar with different writing styles and topics.
• Follow English-language social media accounts: Engage with posts and updates to improve your grasp of informal and conversational English.
• Use language apps: Take advantage of apps designed to boost your reading skills through interactive exercises and practice.
• Practice regularly: Read daily to build fluency and confidence in understanding English texts.

Incorporate these strategies into your daily routine to enhance your reading abilities and prepare effectively for the Duolingo English Test.