Duolingo English Test Pattern: Format, Structure and Question Types

A leading digital-first, high-stakes English proficiency test, the Duolingo English Test is accepted by thousands of universities and taken by millions of students worldwide. It is an English test designed for aspirants - convenient, fast, affordable, and trusted globally. The test is brought to you by Duolingo, the most popular online language-learning platform. 

The Duolingo English Test(DET) is much more convenient and accessible for students pursuing higher education overseas when compared to other English proficiency tests as it can be taken online anytime and anywhere, there’s no need for prior appointments, or long commutes to test centres. It can be completed in just one hour and the test taker can access their results in two days. A test taker’s overall score, subscores, and writing and speaking samples are included in the results which can be shared to an infinite number of institutions absolutely free of cost! 

Duolingo English Test Structure

Due to its computer-adaptive nature, the Duolingo English Test offers a unique experience for each test taker and every session, with varying question order and difficulty levels. This adaptability sets it apart from other tests, as questions of the same type are not typically grouped together.  The Duolingo English Test (DET) is designed to efficiently evaluate a test taker's English language proficiency, with a flexible number of questions. The test consists of three primary sections: introduction and onboarding (5 minutes), adaptive test (45 minutes), and writing and speaking samples (10 minutes). The test does not have a predetermined number of questions; instead, it concludes when the grading engine determines a confident assessment of the test taker's score. 

• The introduction and onboarding section of the test requires those taking the test to confirm that the computer's camera, speakers, and microphone are all in working order. They must also read the test's guidelines and requirements, and produce a valid ID from the government. 
• The adaptive test section evaluates a test taker's English proficiency using a variety of question formats. The questions appear at random, and the test taker's performance determines how difficult the questions will be in real-time. 
• For the writing and speaking sample, a prompt is given, following which the test taker needs to respond to at length. A 1-3 minute response is allowed for the speaking sample, and a 3-5 minute response is allowed for the written sample. The respondent will have the chance to evaluate the results once the test is concluded. Institutions that receive the test taker's results will also receive these samples.

One of the best ways to learn about the structure of the test is to watch the video walkthrough, available on the Duolingo English Test website or their YouTube channel.

Suggested: Universities Accepting Duolingo English Test