Hi Friends, Teacher Luke here!
This article will explain how you can prepare for the Duolingo English Test in only 30 days.
This article will give you seven useful tips and strategies on how to prepare quickly for Duolingo English Test, so if you’re taking it soon, this is going to come in handy.
1. Understand the Duolingo English Test Structure
The first thing you should do is to understand the structure of the test because the Duolingo English Test is a bit different than the other exams like the Tofel or IELTS.
- It’s a mixed-skills test. So all of the questions are in one section, they are not separated by skills (reading, writing, speaking, & listening)
- There are 13 different question types on the test. 5 Computer Adaptive Questions, 3 Writing questions, 4 speaking questions, and an interactive reading section. You can practice all the question types here.
- Adaptive Test. The test is an adaptive test which means that the questions are tailored to your level as you go through the test. So for example, if you keep doing well then the questions will get harder and harder.
2. Learn Methods
For some of the question types on the Duolingo English Test, there are specific methods and strategies you can use to improve your score. For example, for the writing task in which you must describe a photo in one minute, you can use a simple structure to organize your answer. Start with a general overview of the photo, then go into more detail about what is happening or where things are located. If you have time, you can also speculate about the people or situation depicted in the photo. By learning and practicing these methods ahead of time, you will be better able to apply them on the actual exam.
3. Practice Every Day
To become more familiar with the types of questions you can expect to encounter on the Duolingo English Test and to apply the methods and strategies you have learned, it’s important to practice as much as possible. You can practice by taking an official practice test, which will give you a score at the end, or by using a practice platform like the one offered on the DET READY website, which has over 5,000 questions for you to practice with.
4. Understand the Duolingo English Test Scoring Criteria
For the Duolingo English Test, it is essential to know the scoring criteria, especially for speaking and writing questions. The production subscore, which includes these questions, is divided into several categories:
- grammar,
- vocabulary,
- task relevance,
- fluency,
- and pronunciation.
It’s crucial to understand these criteria because it will help you know what you need to do to get a good score. By understanding the scoring criteria, you’ll be better able to focus on the areas you need to improve in order to do well on the exam. Learn more about the scoring criteria here.
5. Increase your Vocabulary
This tip discusses the importance of improving your vocabulary in preparation for the Duolingo English Test. This exam has two question types that test your vocabulary directly:
- Read and Select
- Listen and Select
To do well on these questions, you’ll need to learn new vocabulary and practice spelling and pronunciation. One effective way to learn new words is to read and take notes on any unfamiliar words, then look them up in an online dictionary and listen to the pronunciation. You can also test yourself using word lists from resources like the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, which has lists at different levels. By regularly practicing and expanding your vocabulary, you’ll be well-prepared for these specific question types on the Duolingo English Test.
6. Increase your Typing Speed
Improving your typing speed for the writing questions on the Duolingo English Test is extremely helpful. For the “describe a photo” task, you only have one minute to write at least one sentence, but you should aim for two or more. In the other writing question, you need to write at least 50 words in five minutes, but again, it’s best to aim for more. If you’re slow at typing, this could negatively impact your score on the exam. One great way to improve your typing speed is to use the website 10fastfingers.com, where you can compete against yourself or others by typing out the words they give you. By practicing and increasing your typing speed, you’ll be better able to complete the writing tasks on the Duolingo English Test in the allotted time.
7. Know the Score you Need!
Let’s talk about knowing the score you need on the Duolingo English Test in this final tip. Different universities and institutions have different requirements for this exam, so it’s important to know what score you need to achieve before you take the test. To find out the score requirements for your specific institution, visit the Duolingo English Test website. From there, you can type in the name of your university and see its requirements. For example, if you want to attend Warwick University in the UK, you’ll need an overall score of 115 with no less than 90 in each of the subscores. By understanding the score you need to achieve, you’ll be able to better focus your preparation efforts and increase your chances of getting into your preferred institution.
Interested in a more intensive practice experience? Create a free account at DET Ready and begin practicing!
Thanks for reading!
Do you want to study more with me?
Here’s how:
1 – Practice Platform: https://practice.detready.com/
Sign up for free! Practice all the 13 question types on the Duolingo Test and see the correct answers immediately. Works great on your computer and phone!
2 – Ultimate Production Score Program! https://learn.detready.com/
Course 1: Write About The Topic
Course 2: Write About The Photo |
Course 3: The Speaking Questions
*Bonus: All my YouTube videos + PDFs included!*
Keep on learning!
Teacher Luke
