DET · SAMPLES
Duolingo English Test Practice Test
One hour, one sitting, thirteen question types and no breaks. This page walks the whole test in the order it actually arrives, with the clock against each step, so you can rehearse the sitting rather than just the questions. Each section links to the full practice set for that skill.
How to Use This Page
Work it in one go, with a timer running and the page scrolled so you cannot see what is coming. The questions themselves are not the hard part of the DET — the pace is. Most people who score below what they expected ran out of clock on the adaptive stage, not out of English.
- Set aside a full hour and put the phone out of reach. The real test does not let you pause.
- Work down this page in order, giving each item the time in the table below and not a second more.
- Open the answer key only after the whole run, not after each item.
- Then drill the two question types that cost you most, on the skill pages linked from each section.
This is a practice run, not a scored test. For a score estimate with all eight subscores, sit the DET mock test, which is graded the way the real one is.
The Sitting, in Order
Every question type on the live test, in the order you meet it, with what it gives you and whether it adapts to your performance.
| Question type | How many | Time | Preparation | Adaptive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read and Select | 15-18 words, one set | 5 seconds per word | None | Yes |
| Fill in the Blanks | 6-9 sentences, one set | 20 seconds per sentence | None | Yes |
| Read and Complete | 3-6 passages | 3 minutes per passage | None | Yes |
| Interactive Reading | 2-3 passages, 6 questions each | 7 or 8 minutes per passage | None | Yes |
| Listen and Type | 6-9 items | 1 minute per item | None | Yes |
| Interactive Listening | 2-3 scenarios | 6 min 30 s, then 75 seconds | None | Yes |
| Write About the Photo | 3 | 1 minute | None | No |
| Interactive Writing | 1 (two parts) | 5 minutes, then 3 minutes | 30 seconds before part 1 | No |
| Writing Sample | 1 | 5 minutes | 30 seconds | No |
| Speak About the Photo | 1 | 90 seconds | 20 seconds | No |
| Read, Then Speak | 1 | 90 seconds | 20 seconds | No |
| Interactive Speaking | 6-8 questions | 35 seconds per answer | None | Yes |
| Speaking Sample | 1 | 3 minutes | 30 seconds | No |
There is no break and no going back. A question you leave is scored as it stands, and the next one is already running.
Reading: Try One of Each
Four question types feed the Reading subscore: Read and Select, Fill in the Blanks, Read and Complete and Interactive Reading. Between them they take roughly 28 to 38 minutes of the sitting and they are the fastest subscore to move, because three of the four reward drilling rather than knowledge.
Full sets of all four, with answer keys, are on the Duolingo English Test reading practice page. Give each one the time in the table above before you check anything.
Listening: Try One of Each
Listen and Type is dictation under a one-minute clock, and Interactive Listening is a conversation you take part in and then summarise in writing — the only task on the test that feeds two subscores at once.
Both, with audio and full transcripts, are on the Duolingo English Test listening practice page. Play each clip the number of times the task allows and no more.
Writing: Try One of Each
Write About the Photo appears three times and gives you one minute each. Interactive Writing runs five minutes and then three. Writing Sample is the long one at the end, and it is sent to the universities you apply to.
Prompts for all three, with model answers at more than one score range, are on the Duolingo English Test writing practice page.
Speaking: Try One of Each
Speak About the Photo and Read, Then Speak give you ninety seconds each. Interactive Speaking is an adaptive conversation at thirty-five seconds a turn. Speaking Sample is three minutes on video, and universities watch it.
All four, with model answers written the way they would be spoken, are on the Duolingo English Test speaking practice page. Record yourself; on this test, listening back is the feedback loop.
What to Do With the Result
A practice run tells you two things: which question types you are losing time on, and which you are losing marks on. They are rarely the same, and the fix differs.
| What went wrong | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Ran out of time on Read and Complete | Reading the passage twice before typing | Fill the obvious words first, then re-read once with the gaps in place. |
| Blanked on Speak About the Photo | No structure decided in the preparation window | Use the twenty seconds for three nouns, not a sentence. |
| Summary after Interactive Listening was thin | Listening without taking notes | Note names, numbers and the decision as you go. The summary is graded for writing, not recall. |
| Score felt lower than your English | Time, almost always | Rehearse the sitting, not the questions. Two full runs beat ten loose drills. |
When the run feels steady, sit the graded DET mock test for an estimate across all eight subscores, and read the full DET format guide for the rules that invalidate a sitting.
Common Questions
How long is the Duolingo English Test?
About an hour in total: roughly 5 minutes of onboarding, 45 minutes of adaptive questions and 10 minutes of the writing and speaking samples. There is no break.
Is this practice test free?
Yes, and there is no sign-up. Every question type on this page links to a full practice set with answers.
Can I take the real test more than once?
You may buy up to three tests in any 30-day period. Each purchase has to be used within 21 days.
What is a good DET score?
Most undergraduate admissions sit between 105 and 120; competitive and postgraduate programmes usually want 120 to 130. Check the programme rather than a general list.
Does practice actually move the score?
On the mechanical question types, quickly. Read and Select, Fill in the Blanks and Read and Complete respond to volume within a week. The spoken and written samples move slowly and only with feedback.
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