Duolingo English Test
The Duolingo English Test is an online exam that candidates can take on their personal computers. Candidates need to prove English language proficiency can give the Duolingo English Test which can be taken online from anywhere anytime. Like conventional study abroad exams TOEFL, IELTS and PTE, it also tests all the four language skills Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. In this post, we will inform you of everything about the Duolingo test and whether you should take it or not.
The test is adaptive which means the difficulty level of the test increases with every correct answer and the next question becomes easier if your answer is wrong. Although the test duration is only around an hour but only with few questions it can test the ability of the test taker quickly.
Candidates can take the test from their home and no appointment needed for taking the test, as candidates can take it anytime anywhere as per their convenience. It also has an upgraded section where candidates can take a video interview of 10 minutes and record their answers to open-ended questions.
Why Duolingo English Test?
In this time of COVID-19 crisis when students are not able to give the English Language Proficiency exams in the test center, Duolingo offers them the opportunity to attempt the test from their homes. Although not all the colleges are accepting the Duolingo test scores.
Currently, the Duolingo exam is majorly used for admission to undergraduate programs in the US. IELTS and TOEFL exams are accepted by thousands of programs. Also, with Duolingo, one can send scores to as many educational institutions as one wants for free, whereas, with IELTS and TOEFL exams one has to pay a $20 fee for sending score reports to any educational institution other than what they are allowed at the time of registration.
How can I take the Duolingo test?
You can take the test online anywhere, anytime. Candidates need not travel to a test center for attempting this test. Candidates can take the test from their home as per their convenience they just need some necessary equipment to give it.
As candidates will be taking the test from their home, Duolingo makes sure that candidates follow the stringent rules it had set in place, so, you take the test without any kind of help. Candidates need to be alone in the room while taking the test and nobody should be talking to you at the time of the test. Also, aspirants can’t navigate from the browser at the time of taking the test. Apart from this, there are other set of rules which you need to follow while taking the exam.
Test duration
The total test duration is 1 hour. 45 minutes for the adaptive test where all your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills are tested. Also, there is a video interview of 10 minutes that records your answers to open-ended questions.
Duolingo English Test Pattern
| Section | Skills tested | Duration |
| Adaptive test | A graded section that evaluates your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills | 45 minutes |
| Video interview | An ungraded section that records your answers to open-ended questions | 10 minutes |
Duolingo English Test Result
You can get the results within 48 hours or 2 days of completing the Duolingo test and share it with anyone and as many schools immediately.
How the Duolingo test is scored?
The Duolingo English Test is a computer-based test and is designed to assess real-world language ability by measuring Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking skills. The test taker proficiency is measured as a holistic score on a scale of 10-160.
Once the exam is over, the candidate receives a score from 10-160. This is a complete score and not section-wise scores. Usually, top programs ask for a score of more than 120. You may require to check how you scored in comparison to the IELTS or TOEFL test scores.
What is the highest possible Fluency Badge score?
Fluency score is an estimate of one’s fluency in the language that he is learning. As per the Duolingo, one can achieve fluency as high as 50-60% with it. The fluency score increases over time as one learns more words and strengthen his skills.
Who accepts the Duolingo English Test?
According to the Duolingo, thousands of institutions worldwide accept it. Hundreds of educational institutions in the US even some of the top universities like Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Duke University, and Yale University accept the Duolingo English Test scores.
How to prepare for the Duolingo English Test?
You need to prepare yourself for taking the Duolingo exam. You should work on improving all the aspects of reading to listening. You can listen to English podcasts and read articles from top magazines and newspapers and also practice by having a conversation in English with someone with native English speakers.
In addition, you can also take a sample test and get familiar with the types of questions you are going to get in the real test. You can take the sample test free on Duolingo’s website. You can take the test as many times as you want. Read more on Duolingo English Test Preparation Tips here
Send Duolingo Test Scores
You will get the scores within 48 hours of completing the test. Once you get the scores, you can send them to educational institutions from the results page. Also, there is no limit to send the score reports, you can send it to as many schools you want.
Test requirements
- Passport, driver’s license or government ID
- A computer
- A well-lit room
- A reliable internet connection
Hardware/Software requirements
- A supported browser (Chrome or Opera)
- A microphone
- A front-facing camera
- Speakers
Difference between Duolingo English Test and TOEFL Exam
The items of the Duolingo test are often brief in comparison to other English Language Proficiency Exams. Whereas, the TOEFL exam focuses on scenarios you are going to witness in the real world particularly in academics. Also, questions in the TOEFL exam are divided into different sections of Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking whereas the Duolingo test includes all types of questions in one exam. This also means you have to adapt quickly to solve the next question. If one question tests your Reading skills then the other one may test your Listening skills. Also, the Duolingo test is adaptive which means the difficulty level of questions is related to the previous question, whereas, in the TOEFL exam, the difficulty level does not have anything with your previous answers.
Difference between Duolingo English Test and IELTS Exam
Dulolingo test can be given in one attempt whereas the IELTS exam is given generally over a two- day period. Also, there are various differences in the format of both the exams. Although both the exams test all the four skills of the English language, however, you will not see long texts in the Duolingo exam. IELTS exam tests the candidate through essay questions, short answer, and multiple-choice questions while the Duolingo test the candidate’s ability on the use of intonation and knowledge of idioms.
What happens after the test?
Once you complete the test, it is sent to the proctors and the candidate receives an email stating when he will get the scores (48 hours). When the scores are ready, the candidate is notified through an email. Candidates can take two certified tests within a 30-day period. A certified test is a usual test that you give and get scores. If, in case you face any technical issue during the exam, it will not be count against the two-time limit.
Duolingo scores are valid for two years. Once you receive your scores you can send it to the educational institutions straight from the results page and there is no limit of sending the score reports. You can send the score report to as many institutions you want.
Why we need a new English Test?
The process of taking the English Language Proficiency test can be hard for some students. Students need to travel long distances ad schedule the test weeks or in some cases months in advance for taking the test. Also, the cost of the test goes to hundreds of dollars.
Duolingo exam uses technology to make education accessible to everyone. With the use of modern-day technology, it is not difficult or expensive to certify their English skills. Therefore, Duolingo comes with an exam that is affordable, convenient, and fast.