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Duolingo (DET) practice & tips for speaking and writing that also link to model answers.

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Duolingo English Test (DET) Free

Information, Practice Test Links & Tips

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The Official Guide Book puts out some good sample and advice on each of these sections.

Type 1:

• Read & Complete - page 19 - stresses the importance of reading the whole passage before focusing on individual word and using context clues.

Type 2:

• Read and Select - page 20 - stresses the importance of trusting your instincts,  looking for small differences in words and the option to deselect if you change your mind.

Type 3:

• Listen and Select - page 21 - Stresses paying  pay attention to each syllable of each word, double checking before clicking NEXT, and being aware of the option many times as you want by clicking the speaker icon next to the words.

Type 4:

• Listen and Type - page 22 - Stresses the importance of first typing out what you hear first. and then replaying it to fill in details missed, given that you can replay the statement twice.

Type 5:

• Read Aloud - page 23 - Stresses the importance of speaking the statement once out loud before recording and knowing how to pause using punctuation

You can also see these questions on the readiness section of the official DET site

Logic Prep has a nice run down of the questions 1-5 in its site which they call Adaptive Questions Part 1
First Academy does a pretty good job with question type 1 and keeps it honest. You have to strain your ears sometimes to hear it
England English does a video on the read aloud sentences and I like many of the points raised although it is sometimes a strain to listen to.
Hurray has a few good pointers, nothing brilliant, but may be useful particularly for these questions

Since pronunciation play s a big role in Type 5 there a few pronunciation YouTube videos that you may find worthwhile
Accent's Way English with Hadar This video goes a bit beyond the normal intonation points of end of sentence rise and falls  and talks about the way words within sentences are often treated
Oxford Online English has some good videos on pronunciation, particularly with regard to stress. It has both British and American accents
Pronunciation Pro has a video you may find useful that gives 7 exercises to improve pronunciation

Tips Menu (Click on the tip you want)

Speaking


Duolingo Speaking (DET) Question 5 (Read Aloud) Tip: understand task, structure response, stay natural, use transitions & manage time

Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Question 17 (Long talk) Tip: Choose topic quickly & brainstorm; follow structure template of background, main points, extension & conclusions; concentrate on pronunciation of stressed content words, rhythm & clause pauses

Duolingo English Test (DET): Question 9 (Read, Then Speak) Tip: Prepare content by practicing common topics & using divergent thinking,structure it for efficiency, combine rhythm, stress and intonation to enhance fluency

Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Question 10 (Listen, Then Speak) Tip: Use the 3 playthroughs to your advantage, structure response, use grammatical matching, pay attention to combining pronunciation and proper hesitation to maximize fluency

Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Question 7 (Speaking About a Photo) Tip: Plan with a details scan, have an action framework, master structures of present action, structure response on what is there and what is happening, don't forget location clauses and description (adj,adv etc)

Writing

Duolingo English Test (DET) riting Question 6 (Write About the Photo) Tip: Structure your response for separate sentences 1 & 2, use adj clauses, present continuous & descriptive adjectives, edit for the small stuff (e.g commas, apostrophes, verb-noun, etc)

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing: Question 8 (Read, Then Write) Tip: Structure your response, use descriptive adjectives, low frequency words, complex sentences, indirect relative clauses and edit for word count, organisation & the small stuff

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing: Writing Sample (Question 16) Tip: Structure your response, use descriptive adjectives, low frequency words, complex sentences, indirect relative clauses and edit for word count, organisation & the small stuff 

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing Question 4 (Listen & Type) Tip: Use first playthrough for content words & leave blanks, fill in for function words in second playthrough, verify & polish in third playthrough

Speaking Tips

Duolingo English Test (DET) Read-Aloud task (Question 5) Tip: understand task, structure response, stay natural, use transitions & manage time

Do not see this task as a test of reading. The read aloud task is primarily a test of pronunciation, particularly your pace, rhythm, intonation, pausing after clauses. To improve in this area you need to read out many sentences and repeatedly. Here are my specific recommendations:

Strategies.
1. Suprasegmental Strategies (Intonation, Stress, Rhythm)
A. Sentence Stress & Rhythm:

• Strong (slow & emphasized): Content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, negatives like can’t).
• Weak (fast & merged): Function words (articles, prepositions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs).
  • Example:
    "We’re not going to see my mother at all this summer."

B. Intonation Patterns:

• Statements: Start mid, rise slightly at first verb/noun phrase, drop at the end.
  • "I like tea [rise], but I’m not a fan of coffee [drop]."
• Yes/No Questions: Rise sharply at the end.
  • "Don’t you wish [rise] you had someone to share your troubles with? [high rise]"
• Lists: Rise on first items, drop after "and".
  • "She likes apples [rise], oranges [rise], and bananas [drop]."
• Clauses: Pause + slight drop after clauses.
  • "I want to go [pause/drop], but I think I’m busy [drop]."

C. Linking & Blending:

• Merge weak words (e.g., "to the" → /təðə/).
• Use glottal stops for pauses (e.g., "Don’t you" → /doʊntʃə/).

2. Phonetic Strategies (Problem Sounds)
A. Tongue Twisters for Common Trouble Pairs:

• /r/ vs. /l/: "Right light, long wrong, red led"
  • "Is it wrong to stay long on a very bad ferry?"
• /θ/ vs. /d/ or /s/: "Then den, think sink, three tree"
  • "Then in the den, his suit was full of soot."
• /v/ vs. /f/: "Very ferry, vine fine, veil fail"
• /iː/ vs. /ɪ/: "Seat sit, beat bit, sheep ship"

B. Vowel Length:

• Practice long vs. short vowels: "suit" (/uː/) vs. "soot" (/ʊ/), "stack" (/æ/) vs. "stuck" (/ʌ/).

C. Silent Letters & Reductions:

• "could go" → /kʊdɡoʊ/ (blend "d" into "go").
• "election" → /ɪˈlɛkʃən/ (schwa in unstressed syllables).

3. Pre-Test Warm-Up Routine

1. 5 mins of suprasegmentals: Read a few sentences aloud, recording yourself to check:
   • Did you stress content words?
   • Did your intonation rise/drop correctly?
2. 3 mins of phonetics: Drill 3-5 tongue twisters targeting your weak sounds.
3. 2 mins of pacing: Practice pausing at commas/clauses (e.g., "The election... [pause] continued to take a back seat...").

Key Reminder:

• Fluency > Perfection: The DET AI scores natural rhythm and intonation higher than isolated word accuracy.
• Mock Tests: Use Duolingo’s official practice tests to simulate the timer (20 sec prep, 90 sec to read).

By combining suprasegmental awareness with targeted phonetic practice, you’ll sound more natural and fluent.

For an example, model speaking answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Question Type 17 (Long talk) Tip: Choose topic quickly & brainstorm; follow structure template of background, main points, extension & conclusions; concentrate on pronunciation of stressed content words, rhythm & clause pauses

The long talk is an important part and the most important is the speed and quality of your preparation so that you are grounded while you speak. Following a stable structure can help so that you have a secure process no matter what the topic is: Many test takers forget that pronunciation is an important part of the assessors evaluation so make sure your rhythm and intonation shows some variety and adherence to standard English speaking styles. Here are my specific strategies:

Pre-Speaking Tips

1. Topic Selection (5 sec max):
   • Pick the topic you can talk about longest (not the "best" one).
   • Use the first 10 seconds to brainstorm 2-3 key points.
2. Structure Template:
   • Background (30 sec): Personal connection to the topic.
   • Main Points (2 min): Answer the 2 core questions (description + explanation).
     • Use 1-2 examples per point with transitions:
       "The first reason... Let me explain why..."
   • Extension (20 sec): Add extra details (benefits, future plans, comparisons).
   • Conclusion (10 sec): Summarize or reflect.
3. Pronunciation Prep:
   • Stress content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives).
   • Pause after clauses (e.g., *"After the game ended... [pause] I felt...").
4. Avoid:
   • Long silences (>3 sec).
   • Overly complex vocabulary (prioritize fluency)
     
   • 
     

For an example, model speaking answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET): Read, Then Speak (Question 9) Tip: Prepare content by practicing common topics & using divergent thinking, structure it for efficiency, combine rhythm, stress and intonation to enhance fluency

This is a medium length topic that is used more than the long talk so is very important. This task is a well used one with standardized tests and the good news is that there are some broad classifications that almost every topic falls into. So, to do well a test taker should practice with a good sample of each type of broad topic type (ie people, places, events, objects, imaginary wishes). That way a test taker can adapt the language needs to the specific topic. It is important to train your speaking to be divergent so that you can extend a talk in many ways without necessarily going off topic.  The important approach here is to get a variety of practice with the common categories and to approach it with a structure that is efficient and showcases your grammatical level. If you need more practice in this area, you can try the many topic cards in IELTS (Stage 2) & CELPIP (task 2) which are similar in nature. Here are my specific strategies:

Pre-Speaking Tips
1. Content Preparation

• Practice Common Topics: Be ready for:
  • People (role models, teachers)
  • Places (cities, travel spots)
  • Events (festivals, parties)
  • Objects (gifts, books)
  • Imaginary/Wishes (dream job, future plans)
• Divergent Thinking: Any connected idea is valid. If asked about a "memorable meal," talk about the food, the people, or even a cooking fail!

2. Structure (30-90 sec Framework)

• Background (10-15 sec): Set context.
  • "The person I admire is my grandfather, who grew up in a small village..."
• Main Points (45-60 sec): Answer all prompt questions + 1-2 extras.
  • Use transitions: "The first reason...", "Another thing...", "For example..."
• Conclusion (10-15 sec): Reflect or look ahead.
  • "Because of him, I now value..."

3. Fluency & Pronunciation

• Avoid Hesitation: Replace "uhm" with pauses or filler words ("Well...", "You see...").
• Stress & Intonation:
  • Emphasize content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives).
  • Rise/fall tone for engagement (e.g., "Why do I like it? Let me explain...").
• Grammar Matching:
  • Past for events ("The party was..."), Present for habits ("I love this subject because..."), Conditional for dreams ("I would visit...").

For an example, model speaking answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Question 10 (Listen, Then Speak) Tip: Use the 3 play-throughs to your advantage, structure response, use grammatical matching, pay attention to combining pronunciation and proper hesitation to maximize fluency

.This is primarily a topic from a listening prompt and the good thing is that you can listen to the prompt 3 times. It is important to take advantage of this feature and structure your response. Regardless, this task should be combined with the read and speak because they are very similar. One important aspect not to forget is that to avoid losing marks due to struggle sounding hesitation, you need to regulate your voice for pauses, positive hesitation strategies and a rhythmic and connected speech. It is important to match the grammatical needs with the kind of topic. Often students are trying to produce such perfect grammatical English that they forget that pronunciation is just as important. Duolingo is completely assessed by AI so it is important to note that it can track a struggling, rough response. Here are my specific strategies:
Pre-Speaking Tips
1. Active Listening & Note-Taking

• 1st Playthrough: Focus on the main topic (e.g., "food you didn’t like").
• 2nd Playthrough: Write key words (e.g., "where," "why").
• 3rd Playthrough: Confirm details (e.g., tense: past/present/future).

2. Structure Your Response (30-90 sec Framework)

• Introduction (10 sec): Paraphrase the prompt.
  • "The food I didn’t enjoy was..."
• Main Points (45-60 sec): Answer all questions + 1-2 extensions.
  • Use transitions: "The first reason...", "For example...", "Looking back..."
• Conclusion (10-15 sec): Reflect or add future intent.
  • "Now, I always check ingredients before ordering!"

3. Fluency & Pronunciation

• Avoid Hesitation: Replace pauses with fillers ("Well...", "Actually...").
  
• Stress & Intonation:
  • Emphasize key words ("disgusting," "unexpectedly spicy").
  • Use rising tone for contrast ("I thought it’d be sweet... but it was SOUR!").
• Grammar Matching:
  • Past tense for experiences ("I tried..."), conditional for lessons ("I would never...").

For an example, model speaking answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Question 7 (Speaking About a Photo) Tip: Plan with a details scan, have an action framework, master structures of present action, structure response on what is there and what is happening, don't forget location clauses and description (adj,adv,etc)

Speaking about a photo is sometimes stressful because it is not a natural speaking function that we do regularly. However, one advantage of it is that, grammatically, it uses a limited number of structures. This is because describing a photo is primarily about describing action rather than objects. Master these basic descriptive action structures. These will include present continuous and existential clauses with ...ing participles (eg There is a bird flying.) You are expected to add location clauses (eg In the background to the left...) and some descriptive adjectives (tall, thin, round etc...) but they do not need to be elaborate. Plan during your 20 second prep time with a quick scan and action framework and then structure your response according to what is there, what is happening and why. Do not forget the importance of varying your intonation rhythm and minimizing struggle hesitation. Here are my strategies: ,

Pre-Speaking Tips
1. Plan During the 20-Second Prep Time

• Quick Scan: Identify:
  • Setting (e.g., park, office, beach).
  • People/Animals (number, actions, emotions).
  • Key Objects (e.g., backpack, coffee cup).
  • Mood (e.g., chaotic, serene).
• Action Framework:
  • Opening: "This picture shows..."
    
  • Main Action: "In the foreground, a man is..."
    
  • Speculation: "Perhaps they’re celebrating..."
    

2. Structure Your Response

• 0:00–0:30: Describe the scene (location, people, objects).
  
• 0:30–1:00: Explain actions/mood with description(use present continuous [a boy with a blue short is dancing], existential statements with ...ing participle phrases [eg There is a tall, thin boy dancing.).
  
• 1:00–1:30: Speculate or add a story ("Maybe...").
  

3. Fluency & Pronunciation

• Pace: Speak slowly enough to enunciate ("a LONE-ly bench").
  
• Stress: Emphasize adjectives ("FADED hat") and contrasts ("LAUGHing... but CRYing").
  
• Recovery: If stuck, use fillers ("What else... Oh yes!").
  

For an example, model speaking answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Writing Tips

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing Question 6 (Write About the Photo) Tip: Structure your response for separate sentences 1 and 2, use adj clauses, present continuous and descriptive adjectives, edit for the small stuff (e.g commas, apostrophes, verb-noun , etc)

 Pre-Writing Tips
1. Structure Your Response

• Sentence 1: Introduce the scene with location + main action (use present continuous).
  • "This is a picture of six well-dressed university students relaxing in a sunny park, where two men stand attentively while the seated women chat about classes."
• Sentence 2: Add details, inferences, or mood (use adjectives/clauses).
  • "Their backpacks and joyful expressions suggest they’ve just finished finals, and the lush trees around them hint at a perfect spring day."

2. Grammar & Style

• Use:
  • Adjective clauses: "who are laughing", "which is surrounded by..."
  • Present continuous: "are chatting", "are standing"
  • Descriptive adjectives: "lush," "joyful," "well-dressed"
• Avoid:
  • Simple labels ("There are students" → too basic).
  • Overused words ("nice," "good" → replace with "vibrant," "serene").

3. Editing (Last 10-15 sec)

• Check:
  • Commas after introductory phrases ("In the picture,").
  • Spelling (no autocorrect!).
  • Word count (aim for 30+).

For an example, model writing answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing: Question 8 (Read, Then Write) Tip: Structure your response, use descriptive adjectives, low frequency words, complex sentences, indirect relative clauses and edit for word count, organisation and the small stuff

.Pre-Writing Tips
1. Structure Your Response

• Opening (10-15 sec): General statement + personal connection.
  • "The microwave has revolutionized modern life, especially for busy families like mine."
• Body (3-4 min): 2-3 key points with examples/contrasts.
  • Use connectors: "First," "Moreover," "For instance," "In contrast to..."
• Conclusion (30 sec): Future impact or reflection.
  • "While some argue it reduces cooking skills, its convenience is undeniable."

2. Language & Style

• Descriptive Adjectives: "instantaneous," "fragrant," "time-consuming" (aim for 5+).
• B1 (CLB Benchmark) + Vocabulary: "revolutionized," "efficiency," "ubiquitous" (4+ words).
• Complex Sentences: Use clauses ("which," "because," "although") rather than simple compound sentences
• Use indirect clauses
  • "The car, which was once a luxury, is now indispensable."

3. Editing (Last 60 sec)

• Check:
  • Word count (>50).
  • Paragraphs (separate ideas).
  • Grammar/spelling ("every day" vs. "everyday").

For an example, model writing answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing: Writing Sample (Question 16) Tip:  Structure your response according to question type [Opinion -) reason-examples-conclusion; Explanation -theory 1-theory 2- example; Cause Effect -) Cause-effect 1-effect 2-result)  open by answering the prompt directly, use speculative sentences, use chain logic, use many connectors

The first thing to know is that there are 3 different varieties of the essays.

Task Types:

• 16A (Opinion Essay) – "Should X do Y?"
• 16B (Explanation Essay) – "Why do people do X?"
• 16C (Cause & Effect Essay) – "What were the effects of X?"

You need practice in all three types but there are commonalities. For all of them, the important things to concentrate on are the argumentative technique of developing a proposition or argument and then going though a step by step logical way of persuading a reader either using condition consequence for opinion essays, cause and effect for explanations and cause/effect essays. Stick to structures that facilitate this rather than using complex elaborations. Openings and conclusions should be planned and methodical because often students spend too much time on them and overthinking these can lead to careless grammatical errors. keep these sections clean, simple and direct. Here are my specific strategies:

Pre-Writing Tips for All Types
1. Planning (1 Minute)

• Underline Keywords: Identify the core question (e.g., "should," "reasons," "effects").
• Brainstorm Ideas: Jot down 2-3 points/examples.
• Structure:
  • Opinion (16A): Thesis → Reasons → Examples → Conclusion.
  • Explanation (16B): Theory 1 → Theory 2 → Example → 
  • Cause/Effect (16C): Cause → Effect 1 → Effect 2 → Result.

2. Writing (3-4 Minutes)

• For Explanation writing, use speculative structures with modals ("perhaps," "might").
• Introduction

          * For opinion writing and cause/effect writing, directly answer the prompt in the opening.
         * I believe parents should be held responsible because..." (16A).
         * People visit museums possibly to..." (16B).
         *"Online classes caused..." (16C).

• Body:

             * Use chain logic structures
                     * Opinions - If A, B....
                     * Explanation Because A, B
                     * Cause/Effect - Whenever A, B.
             * Use many connectors ("First," "Moreover," "For instance").

• Conclusion

             * Have a short conclusion:
             * Restate main idea
            * End with a future thought.

3. Editing (1 Minute)

• Check:
  • Word count (aim for 100+ words).
  • Grammar/Spelling (e.g., "their" vs. "there").
  • Complex Sentences (e.g., "When children see ads, they...").

For an example, model writing answer to a task, and post-task reflections and assessment click here

Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing Question 4 (Listen & Type) Tip: Use first playthrough for content words & leave blanks, fill in for function words in second playthrough, verify & polish in third playthrough

Duolingo generously gives you three plays of an audio to allow you to type in the full sentences. Use it for different purpose stages. First, focus on only content words like nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Then play it for function words like prepositions (eg in, on, at etc), articles (a, an the) modals and auxiliaries (eg can, will, should), pronouns (eg his, her, it, my, your, their)  and 'be verbs (eg is, am, was, were,) Then play it to polish and add in things that make it grammatically sound (eg If you have "I be there tomorrow", you'd change 'I' to 'I'll'). Here are my specific strategies:
Pre-Listening Tips:
1. First Playthrough (Focus on Content Words)

• Ignore function words (e.g., "the," "is," "to").
• Write down:
  • Nouns (e.g., "battery," "cellphone").
  • Verbs (e.g., "lasts," "change").
  • Key adjectives/adverbs (e.g., "12 hours," "ready").
• Leave blanks for missing words:
  "The _____ cellphone lasts _____ 12 hours."

2. Second Playthrough (Fill in Function Words)

• Listen for:
  • Articles ("the," "a").
  • Prepositions ("up to," "for").
  • Pronouns ("you," "we").
• Example:
  • 1st Draft: "_____ battery _____ cellphone lasts up 12 hours."
  • 2nd Draft: "The battery in my cellphone lasts up to 12 hours."

3. Third Playthrough (Verify & Polish)

• Check:
  • Verb tenses ("lasts" vs. "lasted").
  • Plurals/singulars ("hours" not "hour").
  • Small words ("are" vs. "our").

Post-Writing Assessment & Reflection
Self-Check Questions:

1. Did I capture all content words?
   • ✅ Nouns, verbs, numbers, key descriptors.
2. Did I fill in function words correctly?
   • ✅ Articles, prepositions, pronouns.
3. Did I infer logically?
   • Example: "spice life" → "Spice up your life" (common phrase).
4. Did I use all 3 replays effectively?
   • 1st: Content words.
   • 2nd: Grammar words.
   • 3rd: Proofread.

Reflection Prompts:

• Speed vs. Accuracy: "Did I rush and miss endings (e.g., 'hours' vs. 'hour')?"
• Blended Words: "Did I mishear 'for a' as 'ferry'?"
• Prioritization: "Did I focus too much on the start and miss the end?"

Key Takeaways

• Back-End Focus: The sentence’s second half is harder to recall—prioritize it first.
• Hedge Bets: If unsure, guess common phrases ("up to" vs. "up for").
• Silent Editing: Use the last 10 sec to fix typos ("their" vs. "there").

 For an example of 10 sentences and post-task reflections and assessment click here