Hello everyone! I’m Naoya from GO AND SEE. I recently met with Duolingo representatives to organize the latest information, so today I’ll introduce you to the Duolingo English Test. Canada has increasingly adopted Duolingo for college and university admissions, making it easier than ever to meet English proficiency requirements. Having personally taken other tests like IELTS, I highly recommend Duolingo for anyone needing an English test!
Table of Contents
- Why Choose Duolingo Over Other Tests?
- What is the Duolingo Test Format?
- How is the Test Scored?
- Who Can Take the Test & Requirements
- Common Errors and How to Avoid Them
- Setting Up Your Test Environment
- Official Preparation Tips
- Effective Practice Methods
- Test Preparation Resources
- Our Official Counselor Services
Why Choose Duolingo Over Other Tests?
Traditional English Tests
Before Duolingo, common English tests required booking months in advance, with limited dates and times. You had to travel to test centers, and exams often took half a day. Results typically took several weeks to arrive. I’ve personally taken IELTS in Japan – starting early in the morning, traveling to distant venues… I even had to stay overnight near the test center once. It was quite expensive and labor-intensive!
The Duolingo Advantage
Duolingo allows you to choose your test time freely and take it from any room with internet access. The test takes about 1 hour, and results arrive within 2 days. Online testing is becoming the standard, so don’t be bound by traditional methods. Embrace the convenience and affordability that works best for you!
Duolingo’s Key Advantages!
- ✅ Take the test online from home
- ✅ Complete in about 1 hour, get results in days
- ✅ $65 USD (as of July 2024) – much cheaper than other tests
- ✅ Research-based design for accurate results
What is the Duolingo Test Format?
Before the test, there’s a 5-minute setup period including ID verification. Then follows 45 minutes of computer-based reading and listening tests, plus 10 minutes of writing and speaking tests.
That’s it? Compared to traditional English tests, it’s remarkably short. You can maintain focus throughout!
The Duolingo test uses an Adaptive Test system where AI assesses your English level based on your answers and adjusts the difficulty of subsequent questions. It primarily evaluates four key skills:
Literacy
The ability to read and write
Comprehension
The ability to read and listen
Production
The ability to write and speak
Conversation
The ability to listen and speak
Key Insight: English skills aren’t neatly separated like the traditional “reading, listening, writing, speaking” categories often taught in Japan. You can’t understand something through listening that you couldn’t comprehend through reading. You can’t speak well what you can’t write. Japanese learners often focus heavily on “conversation,” but reading and writing skills play crucial roles in developing conversational ability.
How is the Test Scored?
Duolingo uses both human and AI evaluation. The AI primarily assesses these criteria. While studying, focus on areas where you feel weak or haven’t paid much attention before:
- Content
- Discourse Coherence
- Lexis (Vocabulary)
- Grammar
- Fluency
- Pronunciation
Who Can Take the Test & Requirements
Duolingo has no age restrictions – anyone can take it. As long as you have the proper environment, it’s an accessible English test for everyone. This accessibility is something Duolingo values highly. Here’s what you need:
- ID (identification, passport)
- Quiet private room (a room where you’re alone)
- 60 minutes of available time (if you’re busy, you can usually find 60 minutes!)
- Internet (stable connection like home WiFi is recommended)
- Computer with camera, microphone, and speakers (tablets and smartphones are not allowed)
Common Errors and How to Avoid Them
We’ve supported many Duolingo test-takers, and sometimes hear “I couldn’t complete the test properly, I need to retake it” or “I got an error and need to restart.” Small details often cause errors, so keep these points in mind:
- Don’t look away from your screen
- Don’t open or use other software/apps during the test
- Prevent others from entering the room
- Don’t copy test content, even for checking answers
- Don’t copy prepared writing samples
Setting Up Your Test Environment
- Quiet location where you can test for 1 hour without interruption
- Close windows in your room
- Keep phones/tablets in another room (to avoid notifications)
- Location with fast, stable internet
- Close all other programs on your computer (restarting before the test is recommended)
- Ensure your computer won’t run out of battery, or keep it plugged in
- Clean your camera lens for clear visibility
- Ensure the room is well-lit so you’re clearly visible on camera
Official Preparation Tips
General Test Strategy
Take the test when you’re in good condition, and research shows 8 AM is optimal (practice waking up early!). Studies also show that taking a 20-30 minute break before the test can improve scores. Generally, the later in the day you test, the worse your results tend to be. While we tend to procrastinate on tests, completing it quickly in the morning is better for both results and mindset!
Grammar Strength (Japanese Learners’ Advantage)
The key is understanding sentence structure, paying attention to punctuation, and ensuring accuracy. For writing, re-read your work for 30 seconds to 1 minute to check for mistakes. When you have multiple ideas, practice combining them into more complex sentences rather than many simple ones – this helps achieve higher scores. Also, vary your sentence structures instead of using the same patterns repeatedly!
Vocabulary Development
For higher scores, learn to express the same content using different words and phrases. Instead of repeating the same vocabulary, ask yourself if there are alternative expressions. You could practice with ChatGPT while shadowing – it often teaches expressions and words you don’t typically use, which is very helpful.
→ English Learning Apps & Websites Guide
Improving Difficult Pronunciation
Many people struggle with how to practice speaking and pronunciation. Effective methods include:
- Record yourself speaking (both speaking practice and reading aloud)
- Use speech-to-text (your phone’s dictation feature) to transcribe what you said, then compare with your intended text – differences indicate pronunciation issues
- Shadowing – imitate native speakers by speaking along with them
Effective Practice Methods
Practice Makes Perfect!
- Find conversation partners: While possible in Japan, studying abroad gives you an advantage. Talking daily with school friends, host families, or roommates dramatically improves your conversation skills!
- Immerse in English media: Find English TV shows, YouTube, or dramas you love and get hooked! I often meet people who learned Japanese through anime and manga without ever visiting Japan. Their Japanese is so good that I ask if they’ve lived in Japan, and many say they’ve never been. If you can become fluent in a language just by loving anime and manga, it proves how powerful immersion is!
- Listen to podcasts: Effective like radio! Find channels you enjoy. But be careful – the danger with radio/podcasts is “just listening.” Apps and services claiming you can improve just by listening were popular, but based on my personal experience, study abroad support experience, and stories from people I’ve met, nobody has improved by just listening. You need to shadow while listening and practice speaking aloud to make progress!
- Adjust listening speed: If listening is too difficult, slow it down to understand better. On YouTube, you could start at 0.75x speed. The most effective level for improvement is challenging but slightly comprehensible, not completely incomprehensible.
Test Preparation Resources
The Duolingo website offers free practice tests. They’re slightly shorter than the real test but can be taken unlimited times and give you a score estimate to gauge your current English level. The format matches the actual test, so taking it once helps you get familiar with the experience. The test guide on their website and YouTube channel are also helpful!
We’re Official Duolingo Counselors!
GO AND SEE is registered as an official Duolingo counselor, which means we can help with test registration and share your results. For those considering college or university study abroad, English test results are crucial. We can review your Duolingo results together while planning your study abroad and create the best study plan based on your scores.
If you’d like to take the Duolingo test with our guidance, proceed with registration through the link below:
🎯 Register for Duolingo Test with Our Support:
Ready to Take the Duolingo Test?
Contact us for free consultation with no pressure or mailing list subscriptions. We’re here to help you achieve your target score and study abroad goals!