With the increasing acceptance of the Duolingo English test by prestigious universities, an escalating number of international students are favoring this assessment over traditional options like TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE.

Why the shift?

Primarily, it boils down to the brevity of the Duolingo test, clocking in at just an hour. Additionally, the convenience of taking the test from home rather than at a designated testing center adds to its allure.

Now, let’s find out the top Duolingo preparation tips here, and relieve your test worries. Keep reading!

Step 1: Watch a Duolingo Test Walkthrough

Begin by familiarizing yourself with the exam. Visit the Duolingo test website and watch a brief video walkthrough. In just three minutes, you’ll gain valuable insights into the test format, sample questions, and the registration process.

Step 2: Complete a Duolingo Sample Test

Access the free Duolingo sample test on the website, which only takes 8 minutes to finish. This is an excellent opportunity to acquaint yourself with the test format, and sample questions, and receive an estimated performance result. Since each Duolingo test is unique, practicing with the sample exam is essential for effective preparation.

Step 3: Understand Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)

When you answer a question correctly, the next one becomes slightly more challenging automatically. Conversely, if you answer incorrectly, the next question will be a bit easier. This adaptive approach helps assess your English proficiency accurately.

If you encounter a difficult question, don’t stress—it may indicate that you’ve performed well so far!

Step 4: Explore Duolingo Question Types

While the exam website offers detailed information on Duolingo question types, here’s a quick overview to get you started:

– Complete missing letters to form words in a text.
– Differentiate between real and “fake” English words (text and/or audio).
– Listen to sentences and accurately type them.
– Record yourself reading aloud.
– Describe images in detail (written and/or spoken).
– Write short texts (approximately 50 words) based on prompts.
– Speak for 30 seconds on given prompts (text and/or audio).
– Speak openly for 1-3 minutes on various topics.
– Write for 3-5 minutes on assigned topics.

Step 5: Duolingo Speaking Practice

Speaking for 1-3 minutes on a given topic in the Duolingo Test can be challenging, even for native English speakers, let alone international students.

However, the key is to become comfortable with hearing your voice and quickly ready your thoughts. So, how can you prepare for this?

Select any topic—anything at all! It could be a political issue, your favorite TV show, a beloved food, an environmental concern, or any other subject that catches your interest.

Take a moment to consider what you could say about it and any challenges it might entail. Then, simply try recording yourself speaking aloud about the topic.

Initially, it might feel awkward and clumsy, but with practice, you’ll become more at ease, and your words will flow more effortlessly.

Step 6: Access the Official Duolingo Test Guide

We highly advise obtaining the official guide for the Duolingo test. Who better to provide valuable tips and strategic advice for success than the creators of the test themselves?

Wondering where to find the official Duolingo English Test guide? It’s simple! Just visit the website and download it after creating an account.

Step 7: Embrace Practice Tests

Repetition is key! We’ve emphasized the importance of the Duolingo sample test, and it’s worth reiterating. Regularly take advantage of free sample tests every few days or weeks to gauge your progress and enhance your skills.

Step 8: Start Early and Avoid Last-Minute Rush

Allow yourself ample time to prepare for test day. It’s advisable to begin at least one month before your potential exam date, or even six weeks for added assurance.

By starting early, you alleviate unnecessary stress and pressure. Your brain will also have sufficient time to process new information effectively. Remember, there’s no rush to book the test in advance; you can take it whenever you feel adequately prepared!

Step 9: Embrace Real-Life English

Among the myriad English tests for studying abroad, Duolingo stands out as particularly effective at assessing everyday English fluency.

This is because its questions are less academic, answer-adaptive, and not easily rehearsed.

To prepare effectively for the Duolingo English Test, integrate question styles into your daily life. Here’s how:

Describe pictures seen on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, both verbally and in writing. Practice reading and pronunciation by reading article excerpts aloud (you could even read this article aloud!).
Enhance listening skills by transcribing and repeating content from podcasts, songs, and YouTube videos. Seek out speaking and writing test prompts online and practice independently.

Step 10: Understand Test Day Protocol

As the Duolingo English Test is taken from the comfort of your home on your computer, there are specific rules and regulations to adhere to. While we’ve detailed these regulations in our guide to what to expect in the Duolingo English Test, here’s a summary:

Before the test day:
Prepare your test environment.
Ensure you have the necessary items: