Duolingo is perhaps the most popular language learning app in the world. The popularity of the app has increased so much that it has even started administering its exams. In this post, we will take a look at the Duolingo English test and help you figure out if it’s a viable option for you. Let’s get started.
Duolingo English Test: All You Need To Know
What is Duolingo?
While learning a new language and getting help from books or dictionaries in the past, these tools have been replaced by digital platforms as we enter the age of technology. Duolingo is one of the world’s most popular language teaching platforms that helps you learn new languages. So, what’s the main reason we’ve been hearing about Duolingo a lot lately?
Students who will receive undergraduate or graduate education abroad must present an internationally valid language certificate to be accepted for final acceptance. Since Covid-19 entered our lives and the curfews in many countries forced people to stay away from public places. For these reasons, students who receive higher education abroad could not easily reach the exams demanded by universities. For this reason, major universities abroad introduced the Duolingo English test to help their students.
What is the Duolingo English Test?
It’s an English proficiency test created by Duolingo, the popular language learning platform you’ve heard of often before. It is accepted by about 3,000 educational institutions in countries such as the USA, England, and Canada. The Duolingo exam fee is $49. You can find more detailed information below, Duolingo English test results are shared with the universities you want within 48 hours after you finish the exam. The test, which you can complete in less than an hour, is designed so that if you answer one question correctly, the next question gets harder.
Why should you take the Duolingo English test?
You can take Duolingo’s English test, which is currently designed for English education on the online platform, anywhere, anytime, online. You can finish the exam in one hour. You will have the results in two days and you can share them with the school you want at the same speed. It is accepted by about 3,000 educational institutions around the world. Most importantly, it is more affordable than other exams such as IELTS and TOEFL.
What Are Duolingo Scores? What Level Does It Represent?
| Duolingo Score | What Does It Mean? |
| 10 – 55 | Can understand basic English words and phrases.Can understand simple information and express himself simply. |
| 60 – 85 | Can understand important aspects of speaking and writing that are considered routine such as school and work.Can describe thoughts, plans, experiences, and wishes, even in a clumsy way. |
| 90 – 115 | You can communicate well and understand the information given, even on unfamiliar topics.You can understand the main idea of both concrete and abstract writing.You can easily interact with people who speak competently. |
| 120 – 160 | Can understand difficult written and spoken language, including specialized topics.You can understand figurative, experiential, suggestive, and pragmatic language.You can use English effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. |
Differences Between Duolingo English Test and TOEFL
TOEFL
One of the biggest differences between Duolingo and TOEFL is that TOEFL exam questions are divided into sections. Unlike the TOEFL, which consists of different sections such as reading, writing, listening and speaking, the questions in the Duolingo exam are not divided into sections. In Duolingo, one question that tests your reading skills is followed by another that tests your listening skills. This requires you to adapt quickly to solve the next question. The TOEFL test questions progress regardless of whether the answer you gave in the previous question is correct. However, if the answer you gave in the previous question in the Duolingo exam is correct, the difficulty level of the next question is adjusted accordingly.
IELTS
In the IELTS exam, which has a separate speaking test in addition to the listening, reading and writing test, you may not always have the chance to take the test on the same day. Although both tests evaluate the English language in 4 different categories, you will not see long texts like IELTS in the Duolingo test. IELTS exam questions test candidates with essay questions, short answers, and multiple choice questions, while Duolingo tests test takers’ intonation and idiomatic skills.
Duolingo – TOEFL – IELTS Score Comparison
| IELTS | TOEFL | Duolingo | CEFR |
| 2,5 | 0 | between 15 – 25 | A1 |
| 3.0 | 1 to 8 | 30 to 40 | A2 |
| 3,5 | 9 to 19 | between 40 and 50 | A2 |
| 4.0 | from 20 to 31 | 50 to 60 | B1 |
| 4.5 | 32 to 43 | 60 to 70 | B1 |
| 5.0 | 44 to 55 | 70 to 80 | B1 |
| 5.5 | 56 to 67 | 80 to 90 | B2 |
| 6.0 | 68 to 79 | 90 to 100 | B2 |
| 6.5 | 80 to 91 | 100 to 110 | B2 |
| 7.0 | 92 to 102 | 110 to 120 | B2 |
| 7.5 | between 103 and 112 | 120 to 130 | C1 |
| 8.0 | 113 to 118 | 130 to 140 | C1 |
| 8.5 | 119 | 140 – 150 | C2 |
| 9.0 | 120 | 150 to 160 | C2 |
How much does the Duolingo test cost?
As we mentioned above, you can take the Duolingo exam at a much more affordable price than other exams you can take for your other English language proficiency, such as IELTS and TOEFL. With the effect of the coronavirus, you can take this exam, which is accepted by 3,000 schools around the world, for only 49 USD.
When are the dates of the Duolingo test?
You can complete the Duolingo English placement test online whenever and wherever you want, without the need to go to a test center. You can take as many practice tests as you want to increase your familiarity with the test before you pay and register.
What do you need to take the Duolingo English Test?
- Official identification documents such as the passport..
- A reliable internet connection.
- Your laptop or desktop computer. Your computer should have a front camera, microphone and speaker.
- A quiet environment where you can focus on the test.
What is on the Duolingo test?
The first part of the two-part English test assesses your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The total time given to complete the first part is 45 minutes. In this section, we can list what is requested from you as follows:
- Write down the sentences that are read to you,
- Write down what you see in a given picture,
- Answer a short essay question aloud,
- Choose the right English words among real and unreal English words,
- Complete the missing letters in a sentence,
- Read the sentence aloud,
- It consists of questions that you must answer in writing.
The score of the test is determined by a computer-based scoring system. However, after you complete the test, an official will monitor your test record.
After completing the first part of the Duolingo English test, you can move on to the second 10-minute part, where you complete a video interview and a writing sample. The second part of the test records your answers to open-ended questions and there is no grading in this part. In the video interview section, you are asked two questions that you need to talk about for 1-3 minutes. In the remaining part of the time, you need to determine the topic you want to write about and write an article within 3-5 minutes.
How is the Duolingo English Test Scored?
A computer-based test, the Duolingo English test, is designed to assess your real-world language ability by measuring your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. When you complete the exam, you can get a complete breakdown of your total score between 10-160 within 48 hours, as well as your score according to the sections. The section where you record the video of the exam and your writing test score is also shared with the universities you want to share.