The Duolingo test is applicable for admission to over 1000 universities. You can take the test at the convenience of your home. There’s no need to make an appointment and travel to the test center. It is a computer-based test; however, you are supervised by an official, live through the laptop camera.
Duolingo Exam Highlights
| Test Name | Duolingo English Test |
| Mode | Online |
| Sections | 2 |
| Type of Questions | Objective + Descriptive |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
How to set up a Duolingo English Test?
The Duolingo test can be taken online anytime, anywhere. You have to create an account to register for the test.
In case you don't have an account, follow the steps below to create an account:
Step 1: The first step is to click on the ‘Purchase the Test’ option. Then, follow the steps that say-
- Proceed with Duolingo app download
- Install the Duolingo English exam app on your computer
- Then finally sign in with Duolingo
Step 2: After signing in to the Duolingo English app, it will confirm your possession of the ID proof, i.e passport, license, or any other government-issued ID proof.
Step 3: Next, the Duolingo app will ask you to test your microphone and speaker for the speaking and listening test. It will also test your front camera for a well-lit room and a stable internet connection.
Step 4: After that, students must choose their country and ID proof selection.
Step 5: Duolingo will ask you to hold your ID in front of the camera to verify your ID proof. Make sure the ID doesn’t cover your face and is not tilted.
Step 6: Next, Duolingo will ask you to provide the information as per your official ID. It includes given names, surnames, date of birth, demographic information like first language, gender etc.
Step 7: Now, Duolingo will ask you to abide by specific rules and agree to the test security agreement.
Step 8: After completing the above steps, candidates need to pay the Duolingo English Test fee in INR i.e Rs.3605/-
Step 9: Start your Duolingo test now.
Duolingo English Test Pattern
The pattern of the Duolingo English Test is quite similar to other English tests like IELTS and TOEFL. The duration of the Duolingo English Test is less than an hour which is very less when compared to the two-hour IELTS and TOEFL tests.
The Duolingo English Test can be divided into two parts:
| Part 1 | Part 2 |
| Graded Portion - Adaptive Test | Ungraded Portion - Video Interview |
| This contains questions regarding speaking, writing, listening and reading | This contains a video interview along with a writing sample. |
Part 1 - The Adaptive Test (45 minutes)
The very first part of the exam is the adaptive test. This is a graded or score-based section of the Duolingo English Test. This section of the exam evaluates your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in the English language. You will find the following types of questions in this test:
1. Type the missing letters to complete the sentences
These types of questions will be missing letters in the words of a given paragraph. You are required to complete these missing letters.
2. Recording your voice while speaking a written sentence
Here you will see a sentence on the screen. You have to speak that sentence and record yourself. This part of the exam test your speaking abilities.
3. Describe the image in writing
In this part, you will come across an image on the screen. You need to describe the image in one or more sentences in the space available on the screen. There is no word limit for the same.
4. Select the real English words from the given list
Here you have to listen to the words one by one and then select the words which are real English words.
5. Read the written words and select the real ones
It is quite similar to the previous task, the only difference is that you will have to read the word instead of listening. You need to select the real English words and ignore the ones which are not real.
6. Type the statement that you hear
You need to write the statement that you hear. This task evaluates your listening as well as writing skills.
7. Write the answer in at least 50 words
In this part, you will see a question on the screen and you need to answer it with a minimum of 50 words. This task evaluated your writing skills.
8. Verbally answering a spoken question
Here you will be asked a recorded question and you need to answer by speaking. You have to speak for a minimum of 30 seconds. Answer all the questions clearly and properly as your answer will be recorded and will be evaluated by the officials later.
Part 2 - The video interview and writing test (10 minutes)
After the completion of the adaptive test, you will have to record a video interview and complete a writing test. This part of the test will not be counted in your final scores but will be available to all the institutions that will receive your score.
1. The Video Interview
You get a choice in this part of the test. You will be given two topics. You need to select one and talk about it for one to three minutes. Once a topic is selected, you can start speaking about the topic as long as you can within the specified time limit,
2. The Writing Test
The writing test will ask you to choose one out of the two topics and start writing about it for three to five minutes. The timer will start once you select your topic.
Preparation of Duolingo Syllabus
Truly, there is no specific syllabus for the Duolingo English test. It evaluates your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. So you can practice these skills by whatever material you get. For example:
You can read some high-level reading material such as international magazines, newspapers, and practising regularly will help you in honing your skills.
- You can also watch English movies and try to mimic them.
- You can also conversate with people having English as their native language.
- You can also practice through alot of free resources available online for the Duolingo English Test.
Understanding the Rules for taking a Duolingo English test:
A proctor will review your test video to ensure that the following rules were followed:
- You are not allowed to wear headphones
- You are not allowed to interact with anyone
- You are not allowed to use your cell phone or tablet during the test
- You are allowed to look offscreen during the test
It is important to follow these rules during the test, else you might have to take the test again. These rules are also provided to you before the beginning of the test.
If you violate any of the rules during the Duolingo English test you can face the following consequences:
- Duolingo holds the right to not certify your result.
- The officials can also invalidate any previously certified Duolingo results, without providing any refunds.
- The test applicant can also be banned from appearing for Duolingo Tests in future.
Why Choose Duolingo over other English tests?
- Convenient: You can take the test online anywhere, anytime - no travelling to a test center or appointment needed.
- Fast : Get your results within 48 hours of completing the test and share it with anyone immediately.
- Affordable : Receive your score and interview for only $49, while other certifications costs over $200.
- Send results to every School : You can send your results to every school on your list at no extra cost. Thousands of universities around the world accept the Duolingo English test. You can check the list of universities accepting Duolingo test scores here.
- Quick Setup : You can get ready for the exam in just 5 mins. There's an introduction video too to walk you through the test rules and requirements.
- Adaptive Test : An adaptive test of 45 mins will evaluate your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
- Video Interview : A 10 mins test that will record your answers to open-ended questions.
Duolingo English Test FAQ’s
Q. How many times can one take the Duolingo English Test?
A. There is no limit on the number of times you can take the test. However, you cannot give the test more than twice in a period of 30 days.
Q. Is Duolingo easier than TOEFL/IELTS?
A. Comparing the difficulty level of these English proficiency exams doesn’t make any sense. It is a myth that the Duolingo test is easier than the TOEFL/IELTS exam.
Q, Is Duolingo score accepted all over the globe?
A. The Duolingo test score is accepted by over 1000 institutions in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Ireland, China, Japan, Qatar, Thailand and other European countries. More than 70% of these institutions are in USA.
Q. Which is a good score in the Duolingo English test?
A. Duolingo score is based on a scale of 10-160. Any score more than 120 is considered good and implies that you can understand written and spoken language.
Q. Can you take the Duolingo English Test for free?
A. No there is no waiver provided by Duolingo on the exam fees.
Q. What is the total price of the Duolingo English Test?
A. The total cost of a Duolingo is around $49 USD or INR 3605/-
Q. What is the difficulty level of the Duolingo English test?
A. Although the Duolingo English test is a bit shorter than the other English tests. But, one needs to have a good command of language to answer the questions within the specified time frame.
