International Exams · Entrance Exams

Duolingo English Test Syllabus

There is no topic list. There are thirteen question types, and the adaptive engine decides how many of each you meet.

Take a Free Duolingo English Test MockDuolingo English Test Syllabus

Duolingo English Test · checked 19 September 2026

Duolingo English Test at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

Free Duolingo English Test mock testDuolingo English Test syllabusToday’s current affairs
19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

Duolingo English Test: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    Duolingo, online at home with computer, webcam and a phone as a second camera

    Administered by

  2. 02

    University admission at 6,500+ institutions; not generally accepted for visas

    Used for

  3. 03

    About one hour — 5 minutes of setup, 45 minutes of adaptive questions, 10 minutes of writing and speaking samples

    Format

  4. 04

    10–160 in steps of 5, with subscores for Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production

    Scoring

Syllabus

Duolingo English Test — What the syllabus covers

Question types and frequency, as Duolingo publishes them for the current test.
Question typeHow manyWhat it asks
Read and Select15–18Decide whether each displayed word is a real English word
Fill in the Blanks6–9Complete a sentence with the missing word
Read and Complete3–6Type the missing letters to restore a damaged text
Listen and Type6–9Type an utterance you hear
Interactive Reading2 sets of 6Complete the Sentences, Complete the Passage, Highlight the Answer, Identify the Idea, Title the Passage
Interactive Listening2 conversations of 8–10Listen and Complete, Listen and Respond, Summarize the Conversation
Write About the Photo3A one-minute written description of an image
Interactive Writing1 set of 2A response and a follow-up on one topic
Speak About the Photo1A spoken description of an image
Read, Then Speak1A spoken response to a written prompt
Interactive Speaking1 set of 6–8A simulated conversation; 35 seconds per answer; questions follow from your answers
Writing Sample1Five minutes on a topic; unscored, shared with institutions
Speaking Sample1One to three minutes on a topic; unscored, shared with institutions
Interactive Listening, since 1 July 2025
Each conversation opens with a spoken scenario and three or four Listen and Complete gap questions, then five or six Listen and Respond turns in which the other speaker’s audio plays once only, and ends with a written summary. One timer of 6 minutes 30 seconds covers everything before the summary; the summary has 75 seconds. Minor spelling and grammar slips are not penalised where meaning is clear.
Interactive Speaking, since 1 July 2025
Six to eight questions asked one at a time by an animated character, each answered in 35 seconds, with later questions chosen from what you said earlier. It counts towards the overall score and the speaking subscore, replaced Listen Then Speak, and Read Aloud was removed at the same time to keep the test to an hour.

Official pages

Duolingo — test structure and question types Duolingo — 2025 test updates Duolingo — free practice test

Exam resources

Everything for Duolingo English Test

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

Duolingo English Test SyllabusDuolingo English Test syllabus — every question type in the adaptive test, how often each appears, and what the 2025 changes added and removed.Duolingo English Test Exam PatternDuolingo English Test pattern — the adaptive hour, the 10–160 scale and subscores, the IELTS and TOEFL comparison, proctoring and results.Duolingo English Test Previous PapersDuolingo English Test practice — the free official practice test, why it is the only reliable mirror of the adaptive format, and what to take from it.Duolingo English Test Mock TestsDuolingo English Test mock tests — rehearsing the home setup and proctoring rules as well as the questions, and reading the estimated score.Duolingo English Test PreparationDuolingo English Test preparation — reading widely for the vocabulary items, dictation practice, conversational speaking, and the rules that void a test.Duolingo English Test Study MaterialDuolingo English Test study material — the official practice and guides, and general reading, listening and speaking sources for an adaptive test.

Related

More International Exams preparation

All International Exams examsEvery exam in this categoryPrevious-year papersPast papers with solutionsCurrent affairsDaily, weekly and monthlyExam updatesNotifications and results

Start your Duolingo English Test preparation today

Read the syllabus, attempt a free mock, then fix the section that costs you the most marks.

Take Free Mock TestExplore Exams

Already practising? Create Free Account to track your preparation.

Explore ExamsTake Free Mock Test