The Duolingo English Test is a globally recognized assessment that meets the admission requirements at many universities abroad for international students. You can appear for the test from your location at your convenience. The test is usually computer-scored but a human reviewer will watch your recording after you complete your test.
Duolingo Syllabus
The Duolingo syllabus is not very complicated or limited. You can take the help of any English material to practice. You should first understand what type of questions are asked and then prepare accordingly. Reading some, high-level material like international magazines, and newspapers, and practicing writing regularly will help you in honing your skills. Here are the complete details of the syllabus :
The Adaptive Test
The first part of the Duolingo exam is an adaptive test. This is a graded or scored section. This evaluates your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in the English language. You will have to complete different types of tests. Here are the details:
1. Type the missing letters of the sentences
In this section, you will see some letters missing in the words of the given paragraph on the screen. You will have to fill these gaps by inserting the correct letters to complete the sentences. 2. Speak aloud the written sentence
In this section, you will find a sentence on the screen. You have to speak that sentence aloud into the microphone and record yourself. This checks your speaking abilities. You must properly use punctuation while speaking, maintaining a natural pace and loud voice. 3. Describe the image in writing
In this task, you will find a random picture on the screen. You need to describe the image by writing at least one sentence about it in the given text box. There is no word limit in it. You can write more to justify your point of view in a better way about the picture. 4. Select the actual English words from the list
A small list of audio clips will appear on your screen. You have to listen to these audio clips very carefully and find English words among them. You need to select only those clips that you think contain actual English expressions. 5. Read the written words and select the actual English words
Here you will have to read the word instead of listening. Such questions check your literacy and comprehension skill set. Select all the words which you think are actual English words. 6. Type the sentence that you hear
This task evaluates your listening and writing skills in the English language. You will hear a clip and you need to give it in written form. These kinds of questions evaluate your depth in both conversation and comprehension. 7. Write the answer of a minimum of 50 words
Here you need to read the question on the screen and answer it in an expanded version with a minimum of 50 words. Write as much as you can. Also, cross-check for spelling errors or comprehension issues before submitting. This task evaluates your writing skills. 8. Listen to a question and speak out the answer
Here you have to answer the questions by speaking. You have to speak for at least 30 seconds. Try to keep your vocabulary diverse.
The video interview and writing test
After attempting the adaptive test, you will have to record a video interview and complete a writing test. You will not receive any grade points for this section of the test but will be available to any institutions that receive your score. 1. The video interview
For the video interview, you will be given 2 topics. You have to select one and talk about it for more than one minute but less than three minutes. 2. The writing test
For the writing test, you will be required to choose one out of two topics to write about for 3-5 minutes. The timer will start once you select your topic.
Duolingo checks all the 4 skills, writing, reading, listening, and speaking at the same time. You have to keep practicing your English language skills with whatever material you get. This is the most affordable English certification test. This is acceptable by many universities all over the world for admission purposes. Practice well and get through it.
