Duolingo English Test Success - Complete Course for 120+

In this short introduction to the Emergency Course for the Duolingo English test, you are going to learn about the course and what you can expect to accomplish by the end. We are going to achieve great things together!

The Duolingo English Test changes usually once a year. In this video, I summarize the latest changes as of May 1st, 2023.

On October 28, 2024, the Duolingo English Test included a new security requirement to complete the exam, which is to use a secondary camera on your phone. In this short video, I go over everything you need to know about using your phone to film your test session.

One of the hardest parts of starting something new is figuring out how it will fit in your daily schedule, which is why I have done it for you. Download the accompanying PDF and decide whether you want to finish the course in two days, one week, two weeks, or four weeks.

This course is about six hours long, but watch this 5-minute video for an overview of the test and all of the question types included. It will help you gain a better picture of how the DET will look and feel on test day.

A PDF version of the test is included in the course, but there are multiple question types that require technology only available on a computer. Learn about the difference between the two test formats in this short lecture.

I created this video as a way for you to experience the Duolingo English Test. The test will take a little bit over an hour to complete, so please plan accordingly. Also, the questions will include answers, along with sample speaking and writing answers.

Good luck :) 

Below, you will find a list of the links mentioned in the video for additional free practice questions for the Duolingo English Test: 
Duolingo - englishtest.duolingo.com
TST Prep - tstprep.com/sign-up-u/
DET Ready - practice.detready.com
Arno - goarno.io

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Read and Complete Question type. You can expect six of these questions on test day and they are adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Read and Complete questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to practice at home. Oh, you can also learn my big, secret tip for this particular question type.

Read and Complete questions require you to know a lot of vocabulary. However, there are a few tips and tricks that you can use to help you answer all of the questions, even if you do not understand 100% of the text.

Every sentence in English has to have a subject, and you probably already knew that, but this small fact can benefit you greatly when trying to find the correct answer for Read and Complete questions. Find out how in this short lecture.

This is the first lecture on the Fill in the Blanks Question type. You can expect six to nine of these questions on test day and they are adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Fill in the Blanks questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to practice at home.

The Fill in the Blanks question type is all about speed. In this lecture, you will learn the best way to practice. We will review twenty example questions together so you know exactly what to do to earn the best possible score on test day.

Almost every student I talk to feels like they need to improve their vocabulary, but they do not know how. Not anymore. Watch this lecture, take notes, and learn exactly how to practice and improve your vocabulary while studying on your own.

Most students are not familiar with this question type before taking the Duolingo English Test. It is pretty simple, but sometimes confusing. One way to get used to this question type is to reverse engineer the process of making a fake word. This illuminating lecture will help you gain the knowledge you need to spot fake words and answer correctly on test day.

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Listen and Type Question type. You can expect six of these questions on test day and they are adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Listen and Type questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to practice at home.

Listen and Type questions appear simple but are really tricky. The problem is that your mind has a way of filling in blanks and replacing words without any conscious effort. Discover the eight common mistakes most students make and learn how to avoid them on test day.

Some students just constantly struggle with Listen and Type questions. If this is the case for you, it might be a good idea to work on your overall listening skills. Check out my exclusive tips and exercises for independent students working on their listening at home.

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Read Aloud Question type. You can expect six of these questions on test day and they are adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Read Aloud questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to practice at home.

Read Aloud questions will be the first opportunity you have to speak during the Duolingo English Test. You want to be sure that you articulate yourself in a loud, clear, and confident voice. Learn how to do this and more exclusive tips to ensure that you score high for this question type.

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Write About the Photo Question type. You can expect three of these questions on test day and they are not adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Write About the Photo questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to organize your response on test day.

This is the first question type where you will have to display your writing skills. While you only have to write a few sentences for this question type, what you write is extremely important. Learn a few exclusive tips and tricks designed to improve your score for Write About the Photo questions.

Studying on your own is, well, lonely. Most students rely on a teacher to give them feedback on their writing, but there are ways for you to check your writing at home without a teacher. Learn how in this exclusive lecture.

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Interactive Writing Question type. You can expect one of these questions on test day and it is not adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Interactive Writing questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to organize your response on test day.

Interactive Writing Questions are the closest thing to a formal essay on the Duolingo English Test. You have to write more here than you do for any written response on the entire exam, which is why it is important to start strong. Find out a few ways to start your response to Interactive Writing questions in this lecture all about your introduction.

You nailed your introduction and now it is time to move to the heart of the first part of the Interactive Writing response, the body. However, you might struggle to find ways to expand on your response and write more than 50 words. Find out how to structure your body and organize it in a way where you will have plenty to write on test day.

I have to be honest, a conclusion isn’t necessary, but I believe it is a nice way to wrap up the first part of the Interactive Writing question type. If you want to learn how to write a good conclusion, find out how in this lecture.

There are two parts in the Interactive Writing question type and so far we have only discussed the first part. In this lecture, you will learn what type of questions to expect in part two and how to write a high-scoring response in less than three minutes.

This is where you will learn the good stuff, all my secret tips, tricks, and strategies to help you earn a better score on Interactive Writing questions. If you finished the other lectures about this question type and are hungry to learn more, check it out.

Just like with Write About the Photo questions, it is difficult to practice and check your writing without a teacher to provide you with more feedback. Watch this lecture to learn how to edit your essay and practice at home in a way where your writing will improve over time (even without a teacher).

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Speak About the Photo Question type. You can expect one of these questions on test day and it is not adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Speak About the Photo questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to organize your response on test day.

It is actually quite difficult to speak about a random photo for at least 30 seconds. There is a famous expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” which is what makes this question so hard. There are a lot of different things you could say about a single image. I have seen students make a lot of mistakes when responding to this question type, but these eight are the most common. Be sure to check out this lecture and discover what to avoid when answering Speak About the Photo questions.

The Duolingo English Test has an automated grading algorithm for speaking and writing responses. There are specific words, phrases, and sentences you should include in your response if you want to score high on test day. Learn more about the grading criteria and how to score well in this lecture.

Grammar is a part of the grading criteria for all speaking and writing questions. While some students stress out over grammar, there are actually only a few simple rules to keep in mind to speak clearly, naturally, and error-free for Speak About the Photo questions. Find out how in this lecture.

Just like writing, speaking is hard to practice at home on your own, which is why I have created grading rubrics and activities for students who do not have access to a teacher. Watch this lecture and learn how to practice speaking at home in a way designed to help improve on your speaking responses so you can score high on test day.

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Read, Then Speak Question type. You can expect one of these questions on test day and it is not adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Read, Then Speak questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to organize your response on test day.

Providing a personal example for your speaking responses is one of the best ways to expand on your answer and display a wide grammatical and lexical range but it is not easy. Many students may not be used to this style of response, which is why in this lecture you will learn how to come up with ideas and organize your examples in a way that will help you deliver a high-scoring response on test day.

Just like writing, speaking is hard to practice at home on your own, which is why I have created grading rubrics and activities for students who do not have access to a teacher. Watch this lecture and learn how to practice speaking at home in a way designed to help improve on your speaking responses so you can score high on test day.

This is the first in a series of lectures on the Listen, Then Speak Question type. You can expect two of these questions on test day and it is not adaptive. Watch this lecture to learn what Listen, Then Speak questions are, how they are scored, how you should answer these questions, and how to organize your response on test day.

Just like writing, speaking is hard to practice at home on your own, which is why I have created grading rubrics and activities for students who do not have access to a teacher. Watch this lecture and learn how to practice speaking at home in a way designed to help improve on your speaking responses so you can score high on test day.

The Speaking Sample Question used to be un-graded, but it now counts towards your final score. It is very similar to the Read, then Speak question with a few small differences. Watch and learn how to answer this question well on test day.

The Writing Sample Question type is very similar to the Read, Then Write question. This question is now a graded part of the test. Learn how to answer this question in a way that will impress anyone who sees it.

The team at Duolingo launched the Interactive Reading section in late March of 2022. This is the first of a series of lectures about this  test section. This video will provide a brief overview of the section and what to expect on test day.

The Complete the Sentence question type is designed to judge your vocabulary level. Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you find the answer quickly and easily on test day.

The Complete the Passage question type is designed to judge your understanding of passage structure. Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you find the answer quickly and easily on test day.

The Highlight the Answer question type is designed to judge whether or not you can find the answer to the question in the passage. Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you find the answer quickly and easily on test day.

The Identify the Idea question type is designed to judge how well you understood the main point of the text. Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you find the answer quickly and easily on test day.

The Title the Passage question type is designed to judge whether or not you understood the main point of the text (just like Identify the Idea). Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you find the answer quickly and easily on test day.

The team at Duolingo launched the Interactive Listening section in late May of 2023. This is the first of a series of lectures about this test section. This video will provide a brief overview of the section and what to expect on test day.

The Listen and Respond question type is designed to judge your listening skills. Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you find the answer quickly and easily on test day.

The Summarize the Conversation question type is designed to judge your ability to identify the most important pieces of information and share them with a reader. Learn what the question looks like along with a few tips to help you write on test day.