Duolingo English Test Score Calculator

Reading and writing at the word and sentence level — vocabulary knowledge, spelling, reading comprehension of shorter texts.

Ability to understand spoken and written English — listening comprehension and reading comprehension of longer texts.

Ability to engage in spoken interaction — speaking fluency and interactive listening.

Ability to create spoken and written language — speaking production and writing production.

Video Interview (10 min — unscored)

Three open-ended questions on personal and academic topics. Responses are recorded (video and audio) and sent to universities alongside your score report. Does not affect the numerical score but is reviewed by admissions officers and can significantly influence admission decisions.

Score Certification

Every score undergoes an AI and human review process for integrity before certification. Scores are typically certified within 48 hours but may take up to 5 days if additional review is needed. Common flagging triggers include looking away from the screen repeatedly, background noise suggesting assistance, or another person appearing on camera. An invalidated test produces no certified score.

• + Dramatically lower cost than IELTS or TOEFL
• + Taken at home any time — no test centre booking weeks ahead
• + Results certified within 48 hours — fastest of all major tests
• + Unlimited free score sending to any accepting institution
• + Video interview gives admissions officers qualitative insight beyond the number

• – Not accepted for UK, Australian, or Canadian visa/immigration
• – Fewer accepting institutions than IELTS or TOEFL
• – No face-to-face speaking component — some institutions prefer human-assessed speaking
• – AI-only proctoring — some institutions have integrity concerns vs. human-proctored tests
• – Less established track record than IELTS (since 1989) or TOEFL (since 1964)

Vocabulary and Word Recognition

Read and Select, Read and Complete

• 1.Build a strong academic vocabulary — Read and Select directly tests real vs. invented words, so breadth matters
• 2.Practice Read and Select with Duolingo's official free practice test to learn less common but real English words
• 3.Read and Complete tests spelling accuracy in context — focus on common spelling patterns and academic vocabulary

Listening

Listen and Type, Repeat the Sentence, Interactive Listening

• 1.Listen and Type requires perfect transcription — practice with clear academic audio then increase difficulty
• 2.Repeat the Sentence is scored on pronunciation and accuracy — practice repeating sentences with correct stress and natural rhythm
• 3.Train with university-level academic audio: TED-Ed, MIT OpenCourseWare, news podcasts

Speaking

Read Aloud, Answer Questions, Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak

• 1.DET speaking is AI-scored — focus on clarity, pronunciation, and fluency rather than accent
• 2.Use all available time — responses that end early lose potential score; aim to fill the full time
• 3.For Speak About the Photo: describe systematically (what you see → what is happening → contextual inference)
• 4.Record yourself on practice tasks and listen for filler words, unnatural pauses, and word stress errors

Writing

Write About the Photo, Read Then Write

• 1.Aim for well above the 50-word minimum — longer, well-organised responses score higher
• 2.Demonstrate a range of vocabulary and sentence structures — avoid simple repetitive sentences
• 3.For Read Then Write: engage directly with the prompt ideas rather than restating them — show critical thinking
• 4.Proof-read for grammar and spelling — word-level errors affect your Literacy subscore directly