Duolingo English Test Question Types
Every question format explained with tips and strategies to maximize your score.
Overview
The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an online English proficiency exam taken from home in about 1 hour. It's accepted by thousands of universities (including Harvard, MIT, and Yale) and is significantly cheaper and more convenient than IELTS or TOEFL.
Question Types
Read and Complete
Partially obscured words — type the missing letters.
Strategies
- ✓Context clues help reconstruct the word
- ✓Common academic vocabulary appears frequently
Listen and Type
Hear a sentence and type it exactly.
Strategies
- ✓Focus on every word — punctuation counts
- ✓Replay allowed up to 3 times
Write About the Photo
Describe a photo in 1 minute.
Strategies
- ✓Use complex structures: relative clauses, present progressive
- ✓Describe people, actions, setting, mood
General Strategies
- 1.Use the official Duolingo practice test at englishtest.duolingo.com — identical format.
- 2.'Read and Select' tests vocabulary breadth — use Quizlet decks for academic word lists.
- 3.For 'Listen and Type', practice by transcribing English podcasts at 1x speed.
- 4.Speaking sections favor natural fluency over perfect grammar — aim for 4–5 complex sentences.
- 5.The video interview affects admissions decisions — prepare 2–3 personal anecdotes in English.