Duolingo English Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Approximately how long does the full Duolingo English Test take to complete?

About 1 hour (Correct answer)
About 3 hours
About 15 minutes
About 5 hours

Correct answer: About 1 hour

The test takes roughly one hour, including the setup and interview sections.

Question 2: What does 'Scusa' means?

You're welcome
Excuse me (Correct answer)
Thank you
Please

Correct answer: Excuse me

In Italian, "scusa" is the informal way to say "excuse me" or "I'm sorry." It is used when addressing one person informally, for example, to get someone's attention or to apologize for a minor offense. The formal equivalent is "scusi."

Question 3: In the dictation section, how does background noise or accent variation affect the scoring?

Background noise is intentionally added to increase difficulty
Audio clips may feature different accents but are always clear (Correct answer)
All audio clips use the same standardized American accent
Test takers can request a different accent version

Correct answer: Audio clips may feature different accents but are always clear

The Duolingo English Test may feature different accents in its audio clips to reflect real-world English usage, but the recordings are always clear and professionally produced. This tests the ability to understand various English accents.

Question 4: A test-taker is in a 'Listen and Respond' section. They select an answer choice but are told it is incorrect. Which of the following is the best action to take next?

Read the provided correct answer to understand the conversation's flow before proceeding. (Correct answer)
Ignore the feedback and quickly move to the next question to save time.
Try to replay the audio clip, even though it is not possible in this section.
Guess randomly on the next question since they have already lost points.

Correct answer: Read the provided correct answer to understand the conversation's flow before proceeding.

The Duolingo English Test provides the correct answer if you choose incorrectly in the 'Listen and Respond' section. Reading it is crucial for understanding the ongoing conversation, which is necessary to answer subsequent questions correctly and to write an accurate final summary.

Question 5: What happens if a test taker submits a completely blank response for a dictation question on the Duolingo English Test?

The question is repeated once more
The test is automatically invalidated
It receives the minimum possible score for that item (Correct answer)
The question is skipped without penalty

Correct answer: It receives the minimum possible score for that item

Submitting a blank response results in the minimum score for that item. The test does not skip or repeat questions, and a single blank response does not invalidate the entire test, though it negatively impacts the overall score.

Question 6: What reading strategy is most effective for the 'Interactive Reading' section of the Duolingo English Test?

Only reading the sentences with blanks
Skimming quickly and guessing all answers at once
Reading the full passage first to understand context, then addressing individual items (Correct answer)
Reading each word individually without considering context

Correct answer: Reading the full passage first to understand context, then addressing individual items

Reading the full passage first establishes context that helps with individual completions. Understanding the overall topic and tone makes it easier to predict appropriate words for blanks and missing letters.

Question 7: During an interactive listening scenario about making travel arrangements, a test taker hears conflicting information about departure times. What should they focus on?

The first time mentioned only
The last piece of information given, as it likely corrects earlier details (Correct answer)
Neither time, focusing instead on the destination
Both times equally without prioritizing either

Correct answer: The last piece of information given, as it likely corrects earlier details

In real conversations, speakers often correct themselves. The last piece of information typically represents the corrected or final detail. This tests the ability to track and update information as a conversation progresses.

Question 8: A DET passage uses words like 'unfortunately,' 'sadly,' and 'regrettably' throughout. What does this suggest about the author's tone?

Humorous and light-hearted
Optimistic and encouraging
Sorrowful or disappointed (Correct answer)
Neutral and objective

Correct answer: Sorrowful or disappointed

Words with negative emotional connotations like 'unfortunately' and 'sadly' consistently indicate a sorrowful or disappointed tone.

Question 9: A test taker encounters an unfamiliar word during a 'Read Aloud' task. What is the best approach?

Skip the word entirely
Spell out the individual letters
Stop and restart the entire sentence
Attempt to pronounce it using known phonetic rules (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Attempt to pronounce it using known phonetic rules

Attempting to pronounce an unfamiliar word using known English phonetic rules demonstrates language competence. Skipping words or stopping entirely disrupts fluency, which negatively impacts the score more than an imperfect pronunciation.

Question 10: During the speaking section, a test taker is asked to describe an image for at least 30 seconds. What structure produces the best score?

Providing an organized description covering main elements, details, and possible context (Correct answer)
Listing individual objects seen in the image
Speaking as fast as possible to include more content
Repeating the same observation multiple times to fill time

Correct answer: Providing an organized description covering main elements, details, and possible context

An organized description that covers the main subject, supporting details, and contextual observations demonstrates comprehensive language ability. This structured approach naturally fills the time requirement while showcasing vocabulary and coherence.

Question 11: Some electrical engineers focus solely on one of these subdi___________, most work with a combination of them.

subdisciplines (Correct answer)
subdivisions
subdirectors
subdiscipline

Correct answer: subdisciplines

The sentence discusses specialized areas within electrical engineering. 'Subdisciplines' refers to distinct branches or categories within a broader academic or professional discipline. The plural form is appropriate here as the sentence implies multiple such areas that engineers might focus on or combine in their work.

Question 12: Which sentence correctly uses the French partitive article?

Je bois du café le matin. (Correct answer)
Je bois de le café le matin.
Je bois le café le matin.
Je bois un café le matin.

Correct answer: Je bois du café le matin.

The partitive article 'du' (de + le) is used when referring to an unspecified quantity of something uncountable, like coffee. 'De le' is never contracted that way in normal usage, 'le café' implies a specific coffee, and 'un café' means a single cup of coffee as a countable object.

Question 13: A listening scenario presents a university professor explaining an assignment. Which listening strategy is most effective?

Focus only on dates and deadlines mentioned
Try to memorize every word spoken
Wait for the question before paying attention to the content
Listen for the main idea, key details, and any specific requirements (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Listen for the main idea, key details, and any specific requirements

Effective listening in academic scenarios involves identifying the main idea, noting key details and specific requirements. This comprehensive approach ensures you capture enough information to respond appropriately to any follow-up question.

Question 14: In standard North American English, a simple declarative statement such as 'They are going to the library' typically ends with what kind of intonation?

A rising-falling pattern
A flat intonation
A falling intonation (Correct answer)
A rising intonation

Correct answer: A falling intonation

Declarative statements (statements of fact) in English almost always conclude with a falling pitch. This signals to the listener that the speaker has finished their thought. A rising intonation, in contrast, is typically used for yes/no questions.

Question 15: For the 'Read Aloud' task, which of the following sentences would likely be most challenging for test takers?

She went to the store yesterday.
The archaeological excavation revealed unprecedented findings. (Correct answer)
The cat sat on the mat.
I like to read books.

Correct answer: The archaeological excavation revealed unprecedented findings.

Sentences with longer, multi-syllabic academic or technical words like 'archaeological,' 'excavation,' and 'unprecedented' present greater pronunciation challenges due to complex stress patterns and consonant clusters.

Question 16: The Italian word 'cane' corresponds to which English animal?

Dog (Correct answer)
Cat
Horse
Bird

Correct answer: Dog

'Cane' means dog in English.

Question 17: During a 'Listen, then Type' item, you hear the phrase '...its effects on the economy...' but are unsure if the word is 'its' or 'it's'. What should your approach be?

Choose 'it's' because it is more common.
Type your best guess based on the grammatical context and confirm during a replay. (Correct answer)
Leave the word out to avoid getting it wrong.
Write both words and decide at the very end.

Correct answer: Type your best guess based on the grammatical context and confirm during a replay.

Omitting a word is the most penalized error. Your best strategy is to make an educated guess based on the context ('its' is possessive, 'it's' means 'it is'). Then, use your remaining replays to listen carefully and confirm which form was spoken. It is better to have a misspelled or incorrect form of the word than to omit it entirely.

Question 18: In the Duolingo English Test, what is the purpose of including both easy and difficult interactive reading passages?

To adapt to the test taker's proficiency level through computer-adaptive testing (Correct answer)
Difficult passages are bonus questions
Easy passages are only for beginners
To make the test longer

Correct answer: To adapt to the test taker's proficiency level through computer-adaptive testing

The Duolingo English Test uses computer-adaptive technology, adjusting difficulty based on performance. Including passages of varying difficulty allows the algorithm to accurately pinpoint each test taker's proficiency level.

Question 19: What does the 'Listen and Type' (dictation) task require?

Writing an essay
Typing exactly what you hear in an audio clip (Correct answer)
Reading a passage aloud
Describing a picture

Correct answer: Typing exactly what you hear in an audio clip

You listen to a spoken statement and type it accurately, testing listening and spelling.

Question 20: Having a hobby is exciting. Hobbies are l_________ of fun.

look
lots (Correct answer)
long
lot

Correct answer: lots

The phrase 'lots of fun' is a common idiomatic expression in English that means a great deal of fun or much enjoyment. 'Lots' is the correct informal quantifier to use in this context, indicating an abundance of fun. The other options do not form a grammatically correct or idiomatic phrase.

Question 21: Which of the following best describes how the Duolingo English Test adapts during the exam?

All test-takers receive the exact same fixed set of questions
Test-takers can choose their own difficulty level at the start
Question difficulty adjusts based on the test-taker's performance as they progress (Correct answer)
The test only adapts during the speaking section

Correct answer: Question difficulty adjusts based on the test-taker's performance as they progress

The DET is a computer-adaptive test, meaning the algorithm adjusts question difficulty in real time based on how the test-taker answers previous items, allowing for a more precise score estimate.

Question 22: What is the meaning of 'salve'?

Hello (Correct answer)
Yes
Thank you
Of course

Correct answer: Hello

In Italian, "salve" is a versatile greeting that means "hello" or "hi." It is a polite and somewhat formal greeting that can be used at any time of day, making it a good general-purpose alternative to "buongiorno" or "buonasera."

Question 23: Which component of the Interactive Listening section allows for unlimited replays of the initial scenario audio?

Summarize the Conversation
Listen and Respond
The entire 7-minute section
Listen and Complete (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Listen and Complete

During the 'Listen and Complete' part, which involves filling in blanks about the initial scenario, the test-taker can replay the scenario audio as many times as needed. This feature is not available for the individual turns in the 'Listen and Respond' section.

Question 24: Which of the following is a common mistake that can negatively impact a test-taker's score on the Writing Sample?

Writing more than the suggested 130 words.
Including a personal example to support an argument.
Organizing the response with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Using repetitive vocabulary and simple sentence structures. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Using repetitive vocabulary and simple sentence structures.

To score well, test-takers should demonstrate a range of vocabulary and use varied sentence structures. Overusing basic words or writing only simple sentences will limit the score. A well-structured essay with personal examples and a sufficient word count is encouraged.

Question 25: The Italian verb 'andare' is best translated as which English phrase?

To eat
To stay
To work
To go (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To go

'Andare' means to go.

Question 26: Which sentence correctly uses a relative clause?

The book whom she recommended was excellent.
The book that she recommended was excellent. (Correct answer)
The book who she recommended was excellent.
The book which she recommended it was excellent.

Correct answer: The book that she recommended was excellent.

'That' correctly introduces a restrictive relative clause referring to an inanimate object.

Question 27: What role does word stress play in the pronunciation score of the Duolingo English Test?

Word stress only matters for words with more than four syllables
Correct word stress significantly contributes to intelligibility and score (Correct answer)
Only sentence stress matters, not individual word stress
Word stress is not evaluated

Correct answer: Correct word stress significantly contributes to intelligibility and score

Correct word stress is a crucial component of English pronunciation and intelligibility. Misplaced stress can change meaning (e.g., 'REcord' vs 'reCORD') or make speech difficult to understand, directly impacting the pronunciation score.

Question 28: Identify the correct possessive form.

The dog wagged it tail.
The dog wagged its' tail.
The dog wagged it's tail.
The dog wagged its tail. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The dog wagged its tail.

'Its' is the possessive; 'it's' means 'it is'.

Question 29: The team's project proposal was so well-researched and presented that it was immediately accepted; the board found it to be completely ______.

cogent (Correct answer)
tenuous
specious
fallacious

Correct answer: cogent

The word 'cogent' means 'clear, logical, and convincing,' which fits the context of a well-researched and immediately accepted proposal. The other options are antonyms: 'fallacious' and 'specious' mean misleading or based on a mistaken belief, and 'tenuous' means weak or slight.

Question 30: A DET passage uses the phrase 'on the other hand' in the middle of an argument. What does this signal to the reader?

A definition of an important term will follow
The author is about to conclude the passage
A contrasting viewpoint or idea is about to be presented (Correct answer)
A specific example supporting the main idea is coming next

Correct answer: A contrasting viewpoint or idea is about to be presented

'On the other hand' is a contrast transition that signals the author is introducing an opposing or different perspective.

Question 31: What happens if a test taker's microphone malfunctions during a speaking task on the Duolingo English Test?

The speaking section is simply skipped
The test taker receives full marks for the affected question
The test is immediately cancelled with a full refund
The test detects the issue and may prompt the test taker to check their equipment (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The test detects the issue and may prompt the test taker to check their equipment

The Duolingo English Test has equipment checks and may detect audio issues. If a microphone problem occurs, the system may prompt the test taker to verify their setup. This is why the pre-test equipment check is important.

Question 32: Choose the correct article usage: She is ___ honest person.

an (Correct answer)
a
No article needed
the

Correct answer: an

'An' is used before words beginning with a vowel sound; 'honest' starts with a silent 'h,' so the vowel sound is /ɒ/.

Question 33: Without strict laws, it is impossible to ________ a clean country.

keep (Correct answer)
know
known
keel

Correct answer: keep

The verb 'keep' in this context means to maintain a state or condition. To 'keep a clean country' implies ongoing efforts to preserve its cleanliness and prevent pollution. Strict laws are essential for enforcing the behaviors and standards required to maintain such a state.

Question 34: A test taker types 'The studnets went to the libary' when the audio said 'The students went to the library.' How would this likely be scored?

Partial credit for capturing all words despite misspellings (Correct answer)
The response would be flagged for review
Zero marks due to multiple spelling errors
Full marks because all words are present

Correct answer: Partial credit for capturing all words despite misspellings

The Duolingo English Test scoring prioritizes word capture over perfect spelling. While misspellings do reduce the score somewhat, having all words present with minor spelling errors receives partial credit, which is better than missing words entirely.

Question 35: Which option is the correctly spelled real word?

accommodate (Correct answer)
accomodate
acommodate
accommadate

Correct answer: accommodate

'Accommodate' has double 'c' and double 'm'.

Question 36: In the 'Listen, then Type' (Dictation) section of the Duolingo English Test, which of the following errors is penalized most heavily?

Typing a synonym instead of the exact word.
Omitting a word entirely. (Correct answer)
Incorrect punctuation.
A misspelled word.

Correct answer: Omitting a word entirely.

According to the official Duolingo English Test scoring information, you will be penalized more for missing a word than for misspelling a word. Therefore, it is always better to attempt to type the word you hear, even if you are unsure of the spelling.

Question 37: In Japanese, how do you translate "bank"?

Fu rue ru
Gi n ko u (Correct answer)
O sa ke
Ya sa i

Correct answer: Gi n ko u

"Ginkou" (銀行) is the Japanese word for "bank." This term is essential for practical communication related to finance and daily life. The other options are "sake" (Osake), "to tremble" (Furueru), and "vegetable" (Yasai).

Question 38: In the 'Read Aloud' section of the Duolingo English Test, what are the primary factors evaluated in the scoring?

Only speaking speed
Volume and microphone quality
Accent similarity to American English only
Pronunciation clarity, fluency, and intonation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Pronunciation clarity, fluency, and intonation

The Read Aloud section evaluates pronunciation clarity (how understandable the speech is), fluency (smooth delivery without excessive pauses), and intonation (appropriate stress and rhythm). No specific accent is required.

Question 39: In a listening scenario where two speakers are having a disagreement, what aspect of the conversation is most important to identify?

Which speaker talks more
The speed at which each person speaks
The grammatical structures used by each speaker
The specific point of disagreement and each person's position (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The specific point of disagreement and each person's position

Understanding the core point of disagreement and each speaker's position demonstrates high-level listening comprehension. This skill is essential for following complex conversations and formulating appropriate responses.

Question 40: Which spelling is correct?

Receive (Correct answer)
Receve
Recieve
Receeve

Correct answer: Receive

"Receive" follows the "i before e except after c" rule.

Question 41: In Spanish, how do you form a negative sentence?

Add '-n't' to the verb ending
Use 'sin' before the subject
Add 'not' before the verb
Place 'no' before the conjugated verb (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Place 'no' before the conjugated verb

Spanish negation is formed by placing 'no' directly before the conjugated verb: 'No hablo español' (I don't speak Spanish). Unlike English, no auxiliary verb is needed. Double negatives are also grammatically correct in Spanish: 'No tengo nada' (I don't have nothing/anything).

Question 42: A test taker realizes they made a grammatical error mid-sentence during a speaking task. What should they do?

Naturally self-correct and continue speaking (Correct answer)
Ignore it completely and keep going
Apologize for the error before continuing
Stop immediately and restart from the beginning

Correct answer: Naturally self-correct and continue speaking

Natural self-correction is a sign of language awareness and is viewed positively. It demonstrates that the speaker recognizes errors and can fix them, which is a higher-level language skill. Stopping entirely disrupts fluency.

Question 43: Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.

The number of applications has increased. (Correct answer)
The number of applications have increased.
The number of applications are increased.
The number of applications were increased.

Correct answer: The number of applications has increased.

'The number of' takes a singular verb because 'number' is the subject.

Question 44: During the 'Read, then Speak' task, what is the most effective use of the 20-second preparation time?

Identify the main topic and structure a brief 2-3 point response. (Correct answer)
Read the prompt aloud as quickly as possible.
Focus only on memorizing the first question in the prompt.
Write down a full, complex sentence to read when recording begins.

Correct answer: Identify the main topic and structure a brief 2-3 point response.

The 20-second preparation time is best used to understand the core question and organize your thoughts into a simple structure (e.g., introduction, main point 1, main point 2, conclusion). This allows for a more fluent and coherent response rather than trying to memorize a script or rush through the text.

Question 45: During an Interactive Listening scenario where you are a student talking to a professor about a group project, what is the most effective way to choose a response?

Always select the first option to move through the test faster.
Select the longest and most complex sentence to demonstrate vocabulary.
Choose the option that uses the most informal slang to sound natural.
Pick the response that is most polite and directly relevant to the professor's last statement. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Pick the response that is most polite and directly relevant to the professor's last statement.

Effective communication in this context requires responses that are contextually appropriate. A polite and relevant reply maintains the logical flow of a student-professor conversation and demonstrates strong conversational skills.

Question 46: To pronounce the word 'information' correctly, where should the primary stress be placed?

On the fifth syllable (in-for-ma-TION)
On the fourth syllable (in-for-MA-tion) (Correct answer)
On the first syllable (IN-for-ma-tion)
On the second syllable (in-FOR-ma-tion)

Correct answer: On the fourth syllable (in-for-MA-tion)

For English words ending in the suffix '-tion', the primary stress is placed on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix. In 'information', this is the fourth syllable, 'MA'.

Duolingo English Test

The Duolingo English Test is an adaptive online English proficiency exam scored 10-160, accepted by thousands of universities worldwide.

Questions

45 min

Time Limit

60%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds