Duolingo Exam Syllabus (Section-wise) in 2024: Latest & Updated

India had the maximum number of Duolingo exam takers in 2023. That was not the first time it happened; it was the second time. In a row.

This proves how popular the DET is among Indian students planning to study abroad. But why is that? Are traditional tests like IELTS and TOEFL not good enough? Not really, but Duolingo’s English proficiency test certainly seems to be better. 

Here’s why it’s better

1. Takes less time to give the test.
2. Costs less than traditional tests.
3. You get your results faster

However, that doesn’t mean it is any easier to pass the test. You still need to know the Duolingo exam pattern and syllabus to pass it.

So what is the syllabus of Duolingo?

We’ll find that and more in this blog right here.

Overview of the Duolingo English Test

Duolingo English Test or DET is an up-and-coming choice for study abroad aspirants. Just like IELTS and TOEFL, the DET assesses an applicant’s English proficiency.

What makes DET stand out is its low cost, fast results, and adaptive nature. This makes it a convenient option for many students.

Knowing the Duolingo exam pattern and syllabus is crucial for effective preparation. Let’s find out why understanding the syllabus is so important.

Why is knowing the Duolingo exam syllabus important?

First things first: Are you confident in your English proficiency? If yes, you don’t need to know what questions would be on the DET. It is not a theoretical exam, but a proficiency test. So you’d do fine even without knowing the Duolingo exam syllabus.

Also, there is no Duolingo exam syllabus as such. It just has questions/tasks that assess your English skills.

But not knowing what to expect on a test can be stressful or anxiety-inducing for many. That’s one reason you’d want to know the Duolingo general test syllabus.

Here’s how knowing the syllabus or exam pattern can help you:

1. Strategic preparation

Knowing the Duolingo exam syllabus allows you to prepare strategically. When you know the Duolingo exam pattern and syllabus, you know what to expect. You can then tailor efforts to strengthen areas of weakness and hone relevant skills.

2. Realistic score goals

English proficiency can’t be achieved overnight. By knowing the Duolingo exam syllabus, you can set a realistic score goal for yourself.

This also helps you find the right colleges

When you know how much you can score, you can select colleges that have Duolingo score requirements you can meet.

Important: Duolingo score requirement isn’t the only college selection criteria to use. There are several other factors to consider when selecting an international college. With plenty of choices available, this can be hard.

That’s where platforms like SelectRight come in. Unlike regular educational counseling platforms, SelectRight is free for students. Plus, SelectRight considers factors like your academic capabilities and goals to give suggestions. 

Find your best university match from 40,000+ programs across 4,000+ universities worldwide. Start exploring now.

Duolingo exam pattern and syllabus 2024 (Section-wise)

Duolingo English Exam is a 60-minute online exam. It has 3 main parts:

• Introduction & Onboarding
• Adaptive Test
• Writing & Speaking Sample

The exam assesses your reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills. You are scored on a scale from 10 to 160.

Important: Duolingo added new question types to its English Test in 2023. So make sure you aren’t relying on the old Duolingo exam syllabus to guide your prep.

Now let us check out the section-wise Duolingo exam syllabus.

Part 1. Introduction & Onboarding

Duration: 5 minutes

The introductory section is designed to prepare you for the test. You do not need to prepare for this section beforehand. All you need to do is:

• Review your exam details on the screen.
• Carefully read all the rules to avoid any confusion during the test.

Pro Tip: Learn about and ensure that technical requirements are met. You can find this information on the Duolingo website.

Part 2. Adaptive Test

Duration: 45 minutes

This is the main section of the Duolingo exam, which adapts in real time based on your performance. This means that the difficulty of the questions is adapted to match your skill level. There is no specific book, guide, or Duolingo verbal syllabus for this section.

However, you can find out what you need to study or prepare for by understanding the question types. 

Let us take a look at the question types and key areas that you need to prepare for:

Part 3 – Writing and Speaking Sample

Duration: 10 minutes

This is an ungraded section on the Duolingo English Test. It is still important because your writing and speaking samples are sent to your selected universities.

There is no Duolingo exam syllabus for this section as you never know what topic you’d be told to write/speak about.

You may be prompted to describe an image or discuss a provided situation. Or you may be asked to speak on a given topic for several minutes. 

Updates to Duolingo exam syllabus for 2024

In 2024, there were no changes to the Duolingo English Test (DET) pattern. However, several updates were introduced in 2023 to enhance the test’s effectiveness. Here are the key additions made in 2023:

Extended Speaking:

• Respond to five speaking prompts: one picture description task and four independent speaking tasks, with written and aural prompts.
• Changed task instructions leading to longer responses.

Extended Writing:

• Respond to five writing prompts requiring extended responses: three picture description tasks and two independent tasks based on a written prompt.

Changed task instructions leading to longer responses.

Interactive Listening Summarization:

• Write a summary of the conversation you had in the Interactive Listening task.
• This is a direct measure of higher-level mediation skills.

Interactive Listening:

• Participate in a situationally driven conversation in a university setting; each interlocutor’s turn is presented in an audio format.
• This is a direct measure of listening and conversation ability.
• It replaces the Yes/No vocabulary test (audio-based).

These updates from 2023 were designed to better assess candidates’ English proficiency, and continue to be a part of the test structure in 2024. 

Now that you are aware of the Duolingo exam pattern and syllabus, let us take a look at some general prep tips.

DET Preparation Tips

1. Understand the test pattern and types of questions. This will not only help manage time but also reduce anxiety levels during the exam. 
2. Regular reading, listening, speaking & writing is essential. Resources for this can be found in books or online.
3. Improve your vocabulary by learning new words. Also, learn their pronunciation and proper usage.
4. Study sentence constructions and good grammar. Start by knowing these rules, then use them repeatedly until they start coming naturally to you.
5. Watch movies, listen to podcasts, and read books to expose yourself to many kinds of English accents and writing styles.
6. Take timed mock exams regularly before the actual test day. This way you will get accustomed to both the conditions of the exam and the format

With that, you now know the Duolingo general test syllabus. Plus, you have some preparation tips to help you get started.  So don’t wait. Start learning and practicing so you can fulfill your foreign education dream. 

An important thing to note is that the fee for the DET is only $59 (₹ 4,900), which is a lot less than the fee for TOEFL and IELTS. Considering how expensive studying abroad can be, it helps to save a few thousand at every step. 

The good thing is that students can even save in lakhs when they get a favorable education loan. That’s where FundRight helps. If you’re looking for a study abroad loan, you must check out FundRight.

Here’s how it works and why it’s beneficial for you:

1. Register on FundRight:

Start by creating your account on FundRight. This is your first step to accessing multiple loan options without visiting different banks.

1. Unlock Loan Offers:

Get access to loan offers from over 15 top lenders, both Indian and international. This gives you a wide range of options to choose from, ensuring you get the best terms.

1. Upload Your Documents:

Submit the necessary documents online. This secure process saves you the hassle of repeatedly visiting branches and submitting paperwork.

1. Get Assistance:

Work with FundRight’s expert financial advisors to customize your loan offer according to your needs. Personalized guidance helps you find the most suitable loan options and terms.

1. Take Your Loan Disbursement:

Once everything is set, receive your loan disbursement quickly and efficiently. This ensures you have the funds you need in time for your studies.

Using FundRight means you can compare loan offers, secure the best rates, and save money, all while focusing on your education. It’s a smart way to finance your study-abroad journey, much like taking the DET exam to prove your English proficiency. 

FAQs

Is there a specific Duolingo syllabus for studying an MS program?

No. Unlike certain other entrance exams, there is no unique Duolingo syllabus for an MS in engineering program.

The Duolingo engineering syllabus would be the same as the Duolingo syllabus for Computer Science. This is because the DET tests your language proficiency, not subject matter expertise. 

Is the Duolingo English Test accepted by universities?

Your Duolingo English Test (DET) scores are accepted by 5,000 universities worldwide. Make sure you check your preferred uni’s score requirement before applying.

Can I reattempt the DET?

Yes, there is no limit to how many times you take the Duolingo exam. But remember that you can purchase the exam only 3 times in a 30-day period. Once you purchase a test, you have to take it within 21 days of purchasing.