Your FREE Duolingo English Test Flashcards 2026 – 250+ Cards

A reading c-test: the second half of many words is deleted and you type the missing letters using spelling and context.

You see a list of real English words mixed with invented pseudowords and must select only the real words you know.

A multi-part block built on one passage: complete the sentence, complete the passage, highlight the answer, identify the idea, and title the passage.

A sentence is shown with one unfinished word; you type the missing letters to complete it, using context — a quick reading and vocabulary check.

A cloze variant where the second half of selected words is removed; you restore each word — the format of Read and Complete.

Read the full passage first, then fill each gap so the word fits both its given first letters and the sentence meaning.

Select only words you are sure are real English; invented words like 'plonish' or 'grummet' look plausible but are not real, so don't guess.

They ensure the score reflects genuine vocabulary knowledge rather than guessing by how a word looks.

Complete the Sentence, Complete the Passage, Highlight the Answer, Identify the Idea, and Title the Passage — all on one passage.

A gap in a sentence with multiple choices; pick the option that fits the logic and meaning, not just the grammar.

A gap (often near the end) where you choose the sentence that logically continues and fits the passage's flow.

You select the specific phrase in the passage that answers a question — highlight the exact text, not a whole paragraph.

You choose the statement that best captures the passage's main idea or overall point.

You pick the title that best summarizes what the whole passage is mainly about.

Ask what the passage is mostly about across all its sentences — not one detail; the main idea covers the whole text.

The main idea is the overall point; supporting details are specific facts, examples, or reasons that back it up.

A conclusion you draw from clues in the text that isn't stated directly but is strongly implied.

Hints in surrounding words or sentences that help you work out an unfamiliar word's meaning.

Look at nearby definitions, examples, contrasts, or the general sense of the sentence to infer the unknown word.

Reading quickly to get the general idea or gist of a passage without reading every word.

Reading quickly to locate a specific piece of information, like a name, number, or keyword.

Almost never — the task wants the precise phrase that answers the question, so highlighting everything is usually wrong.

How a passage is organized — e.g. cause/effect, compare/contrast, sequence, problem/solution, or description.

The writer's attitude toward the subject, shown through word choice — e.g. neutral, critical, enthusiastic, or formal.

Why the text was written — usually to inform, persuade, entertain, or describe.

A word part added to the front of a base word that changes its meaning, e.g. 'un-' in 'unhappy'.

A word part added to the end of a base word, often changing its part of speech, e.g. '- tion' in 'action'.

The core part of a word that carries its basic meaning, e.g. 'spect' (to look) in 'inspect'.

Again or back — e.g. 'rewrite' (write again), 'return' (turn back).

Before — e.g. 'preview' (view before), 'predict' (say before).

Wrongly or badly — e.g. 'misunderstand', 'misplace'.

Able to be — e.g. 'readable' (able to be read), 'comfortable'.

Without — e.g. 'careless' (without care), 'hopeless'.

It chains several reading sub-tasks around one passage and adjusts difficulty based on performance.

The underlying reading passage they are all built on stays the same; the sub-tasks change.

Read and Complete asks you to type missing letters within words; Complete the Sentence asks you to choose a whole word/phrase for a gap.

Usually the first sentence or two are complete; from there, the latter half of many words is deleted for you to restore.

When several Complete the Sentence options are grammatically fine, pick the one whose meaning fits the passage's logic and details.

Restating a passage's idea in your own words while keeping the original meaning.

Choose a title that captures the whole passage's main topic, not just one detail mentioned in it.

The sentence, often first in a paragraph, that states that paragraph's main point.

Important or large enough to matter or have an effect.

As a result; therefore — it signals an effect of what came before.

A contrast — it introduces an idea that opposes or qualifies the previous statement.

To show or prove clearly, often with evidence or an example.

A synonym has a similar meaning (big/large); an antonym has the opposite meaning (big/small).

Words that sound the same but differ in spelling and meaning, e.g. 'their / there / they're'.

'their' = possession; 'there' = a place; 'they're' = they are.

'its' shows possession (the dog wagged its tail); 'it's' = it is or it has.

'affect' is usually a verb (to influence); 'effect' is usually a noun (a result).

Reading tasks contribute to the Literacy and Comprehension subscores, so strong reading raises two of four subscores.

Later sentences give context that disambiguates earlier gaps, so reading fully prevents wrong guesses.

Its overall, general meaning — what it is mostly about — as opposed to specific details.

Yes — you must type the exact correct letters; a misspelled restoration is marked wrong.

It signals how ideas relate — addition, contrast, cause, sequence — helping you follow the logic.

Read efficiently but accurately; skim for structure first, then read closely where a question or gap demands precision.

Use context clues and word parts (prefix, root, suffix) to infer meaning rather than stalling.

The text suggests an idea indirectly; you infer it from clues rather than reading it stated outright.

Words like 'similarly', 'likewise', 'in contrast', 'whereas', and 'on the other hand'.

Words like 'because', 'since', 'therefore', 'as a result', and 'consequently'.

Whether you can locate and understand a specific fact stated in the passage.

Reading contributes to Literacy (with writing) and Comprehension (with listening).

Select only the exact phrase that answers the question — highlighting a whole paragraph or too little loses credit.

Reject titles that match only one detail; the right title fits every part of the passage.

A statement the writer asserts as true, which may be backed by reasons or evidence.

Facts, examples, data, or quotations a writer uses to support a claim.

Words like 'first', 'next', 'then', 'after', and 'finally' that show order of steps.

On a scale of 10 to 160 in 5-point increments, calculated from your performance across the adaptive tasks.

Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production — each reported on the same 10-160 scale.

Yes — each item's difficulty adjusts to your answers, so the test homes in on your true level.

No — because it's adaptive, the question count varies and every test is different.

The Common European Framework of Reference, which describes language levels from A1 to C2.

About 90-115 — upper-intermediate, accepted by many programs.

It's adaptive and every test draws different items, so building real skills beats trying to game it.

You see an image and type at least one sentence describing what you see, usually in about one minute.

You read a written prompt or passage, then type an extended response giving your own ideas or opinion about it.

A two-stage typed task: you respond to a first prompt, then a follow-up prompt builds on it; both connect to one topic.

An extended typed response to an open prompt; its raw text is sent to institutions to review directly.

It is sent to institutions for their own review; the graded adaptive tasks produce your 10-160 number.

Type a clear, accurate sentence describing the people, objects, and actions actually visible in the image.

Describing things that aren't in the image — accuracy matters, so describe only what you actually see.

About one minute — write a clear, correct sentence or two; don't leave it blank or write off-topic.

The task measures your own writing ability, so copying whole phrases verbatim doesn't demonstrate your skill.

A clear opinion or point that directly addresses the prompt, developed with reasons or details in your own words.

Each stage is scored on how well it addresses its prompt, so both responses must connect to the same topic.

Interactive Writing has two connected prompts that build on each other; Read Then Write is a single response to a passage.

Full sentences reveal grammar, structure, and vocabulary — the abilities being measured — better than word lists.

The sentence that states a paragraph's main idea, usually placed at the start of the paragraph.

A single sentence stating the main argument or position of an essay, guiding everything that follows.

Topic sentence, supporting sentences with details or evidence, and a concluding or linking sentence.

Linking words that connect ideas — 'however', 'therefore', 'in addition', 'for example', 'as a result'.

'In addition', 'moreover', 'furthermore', 'also'.

'However', 'on the other hand', 'in contrast', 'nevertheless', 'although'.

'For example', 'for instance', 'such as', 'to illustrate'.

'Therefore', 'as a result', 'consequently', 'thus'.

The verb must match its subject in number: singular subject takes a singular verb (She runs; They run).

'is' — the subject is 'list' (singular), not 'items', so it takes 'is'.

Use 'an' before a vowel sound (an apple, an hour); use 'a' before a consonant sound (a book, a university).

Use 'the' for a specific or already-known noun (the book I bought), not for general plurals or uncountables in general.

Present simple states facts/habits (She works); present continuous describes now/ongoing actions (She is working).

Past simple = a finished time (I visited in 2020); present perfect = unspecified time linked to now (I have visited).

Two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so), e.g. 'I read, and she wrote.'

An independent clause plus a dependent clause, e.g. 'Although it rained, we went out.'

Two independent clauses joined with no proper conjunction or punctuation; fix with a period, semicolon, or conjunction.

Joining two independent clauses with only a comma; fix it with a conjunction, semicolon, or period.

Formal writing avoids slang and contractions and uses precise vocabulary; informal is conversational and relaxed.

For opinion and argument prompts and the Writing Sample — schools read these, so write clear, formal English.

A word joining equal clauses or items: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS).

A word starting a dependent clause: because, although, since, while, if, when, unless.

Use a comma before for/and/nor/but/or/yet/so when it joins two independent clauses.

State a clear position, support it with specific reasons or examples, organize into paragraphs, and conclude.

Yes — a brief plan (position + 2-3 reasons) keeps your response organized and on topic.

Listing facts without ever stating an opinion or argument that answers the prompt.

An incomplete sentence missing a subject or verb (or a stranded dependent clause); avoid it in formal writing.

Capitalize the first word of a sentence, the pronoun 'I', and proper nouns (names, places, days, months).

Statements end with a period, questions with a question mark, strong exclamations with an exclamation mark.

Add 's to a singular noun (the dog's bone) and just an apostrophe to a plural ending in s (the dogs' bones).

'then' relates to time/sequence (first this, then that); 'than' is used for comparison (bigger than).

'your' shows possession (your book); 'you're' = you are.

Should be 'There are many books' — the verb agrees with the plural 'books'.

Writing tasks contribute to the Literacy and Production subscores, raising two of the four subscores.

Expressing ideas clearly without unnecessary words; tight, precise sentences read as more skilled.

State a clear opinion early, then back it with specific reasons, all in your own words and on topic.

Read the follow-up prompt carefully and connect your second answer to your first, staying on the same topic.

Using the same grammatical form for items in a series, e.g. 'reading, writing, and speaking' (all -ing).

A group of words with a subject and verb that can stand alone as a complete sentence.

A clause with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone, usually starting with a subordinating word.

Mixing simple, compound, and complex sentences demonstrates grammatical range, which raises the writing score.

They count — correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation are part of how writing tasks are graded.

If the prompt asks for a goal then steps, give concrete steps that clearly connect to the goal you described.

Your proposed solution should directly address the specific problem named in the prompt.

Introduce the topic and state the thesis (your position) so the reader knows what the essay will argue.

Restate your position and sum up the main points without adding brand-new arguments.

Use precise, varied word choices appropriate to the topic instead of repeating simple, vague words.

Sentences let the scorer assess grammar and structure; fragments and lists hide those abilities.

Writing contributes to Literacy (with reading) and Production (with speaking).

Take a clear yes/no position and support it with reasons; don't just list neutral facts.

How smoothly ideas connect through transitions, pronouns, and logical order so the text reads as one whole.

Scan for subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, spelling, and that you answered the prompt.

Treat collective nouns consistently; in standard American usage a team usually takes 'it/its'.

Your reading and writing ability combined.

Your writing and speaking ability combined.

Yes — you can send your certified results to institutions at no extra cost.

About 120-140 — advanced; the range many universities require.

Each task feeds two subscores, so improving any one skill lifts two of your four subscores.

You hear a spoken sentence and type it exactly; spelling, capitalization, and punctuation are checked.

Up to three times total before you submit your transcription.

A multi-part listening block: Listen and Complete, Listen and Respond, and Summarize the Conversation, built on one conversation.

Listen and Type and Interactive Listening — together they drive the listening side of your score.

You hear audio and type the missing words or short phrases that complete a written sentence.

You hear someone speak and choose the most appropriate reply, as in a real conversation turn.

After hearing a dialogue, you write a short summary capturing what the speakers discussed and decided.

Listen for the whole sentence, then replay if useful to verify exact wording, spelling, and punctuation before typing.

The exact words plus their spelling, capitalization, and punctuation — type the sentence verbatim.

It assesses whether you understood the conversation, so summarize the meaning rather than transcribing lines.

It adjusts the difficulty of the listening material to your performance as you work through the conversation.

They are sub-tasks within a single Interactive Listening conversation, in sequence.

Use the allowed replays to catch each word, focusing on chunks of meaning rather than single sounds.

In natural speech, words blend and sounds reduce (e.g. 'gonna', 'wanna', 'didja') — train your ear to parse them.

Note them immediately; listen for cues like 'on', 'at', 'by', and round numbers, and replay to confirm.

Jot key words, names, numbers, and the gist quickly so you can answer or summarize accurately.

The main idea is what the conversation is mostly about; details are specific facts within it — both can be asked.

Use context to choose between near-homophones (e.g. 'no/know', 'their/there') when typing what you hear.

Type the word that fits the spoken sentence's meaning; 'know' (verb) vs 'no' (negative) sound alike but differ.

A response that logically and politely fits what the speaker just said in the conversation.

Offer help, e.g. 'Would it help if I took over part of it?' — a relevant, cooperative response.

Accept or decline naturally, e.g. 'Sure, there's a sandwich place around the corner.'

Both speakers' main points and any decision reached, in a brief, accurate restatement.

The step rewards summarizing what the speakers said, not adding your own unrelated narrative.

Listen and Respond asks you to choose a reply in the moment; Summarize asks you to recap the whole conversation after.

You can hear individual sentences but struggle to follow conversational meaning and interaction — practice comprehension.

Type the word the audio gives, e.g. 'fog' — fill exactly what you hear.

Practice with varied accents and natural-speed English: podcasts, lectures, and conversations.

Listening for the overall meaning rather than every word — useful for summaries and main-idea questions.

Listening for specific information like a name, time, place, or reason.

Capitalize sentence starts and proper nouns; the transcription is checked for correct capitalization.

Add the correct end punctuation and internal commas as appropriate; punctuation is part of the score.

Listening tasks contribute to the Comprehension and Conversation subscores.

Listening contributes to Comprehension (with reading) and Conversation (with speaking).

Listen once for meaning, replay to lock exact words and spelling; don't waste all replays before understanding.

Use grammar and context to infer the most likely word, and replay to confirm before submitting.

It mirrors real conversation — understanding, responding, and summarizing — not just transcribing isolated lines.

Cue words like 'but', 'so', 'first', and 'then' signal how the speaker's points connect.

Capture both the manager's new schedule and the employee's response or concern in one concise summary.

Homophones and silent letters — choose the spelling that fits meaning (e.g. 'boarding pass', 'performance').

An accent is regional pronunciation; the DET uses varied English, so practicing many accents helps comprehension.

Recognize spoken contractions (I'll, didn't, we've) and expand or keep them correctly when typing.

Knowing what you need lets you target your replays at the exact words that matter.

Through Listen and Type items and Interactive Listening conversations that adapt to your level.

Set up and test your environment beforehand; during the test, use replays to catch the words.

Predict what comes next from context and confirm with the audio — anticipation aids comprehension.

An accommodating reply, e.g. "That's fine, I'll wait here until she's ready."

A good summary shows comprehension; copying exact wording shows transcription, which the summary step doesn't reward.

Identify why they're talking — to ask, agree, suggest, or decide — to summarize and respond well.

With three listens, budget them: gist first, then detail, then a final verification pass before submitting.

Watch 'thirteen' vs 'thirty', 'fifteen' vs 'fifty' — the stressed syllable distinguishes them.

The rise and fall of the voice that signals questions, emphasis, or attitude — it aids understanding meaning.

Listen and Complete fills specific missing words in a sentence; Listen and Type transcribes the whole sentence verbatim.

Practice typing full sentences from audio daily, then check spelling and punctuation against the source.

It lets you reconstruct words you didn't fully hear and choose the right homophone or number.

How well you understand spoken English in real time — vital for lectures and conversations at university.

Track who says what; note each speaker's main point so your summary and replies stay accurate.

'boarding pass' is correct; listen and apply correct spelling when you transcribe.

The task checks verbatim accuracy, so even small word or spelling changes lower the score.

Use replays, focus on meaning chunks, and don't panic over one missed word — context fills gaps.

A plausible-but-wrong answer choice; eliminate replies that don't fit the speaker's actual statement.

University lecture clips and everyday dialogues at natural speed build the comprehension the DET tests.

Hearing is perceiving sound; listening is actively understanding meaning — the DET tests the latter.

With a summary step that requires you to recap the conversation's content accurately.

Aim for an exact, correctly spelled and punctuated transcription, using replays to verify.

You can transcribe single sentences yet miss conversational flow; the DET tests both with different tasks.

Your reading and listening ability combined.

About one hour total, including setup, the adaptive graded test, and the writing and speaking samples.

Certified results are typically available within about 48 hours.

Reading, writing, listening, and speaking — integrated across adaptive task types.

You look at an image and immediately describe it aloud into the microphone.

You read a written prompt or question, get a short planning window, then give a spoken answer.

Two topic blocks, each with about three questions that build on the same topic; you answer aloud.

An extended spoken response to an open prompt, recorded and sent to institutions; it isn't counted in the number.

No — it's recorded for institutions to review; the graded adaptive tasks produce your 10-160 score.

Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak, Interactive Speaking, and the Speaking Sample.

Describe several visible elements — people, objects, setting, and actions — in clear spoken sentences.

Naming things not in the image; describe only what you actually see — accuracy is rewarded.

Plan your main idea and a couple of supporting details so your spoken answer is organized.

On pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, relevance, and coherence of the spoken response.

A fuller, detailed description gives the AI more language to evaluate, supporting a higher score.

Two topic blocks, with roughly three questions each, all connected to the same topic.

They build progressively on the same topic, so each answer should connect to the developing theme.

The section moves to a second topic with its own set of related questions.

A canned answer may not fit the actual prompt; responses are scored on relevance to what's asked.

A written prompt or question to read and then respond to aloud.

Speak About the Photo starts from an image; the Speaking Sample starts from an open written prompt.

Interactive Speaking is multi-question across two topics; the Speaking Sample is one extended open-prompt answer.

Relevance to each prompt is part of how each spoken answer is scored.

Speaking smoothly and at a natural pace with few long pauses or hesitations.

Producing English sounds, word stress, and intonation clearly enough to be easily understood.

State your main point, add a reason or detail or two, and finish with a brief wrap-up — clear structure.

Mention what is genuinely visible — people, their actions, objects, and the setting — not invented details.

Institutions hear your unscripted extended speech directly, giving them a real sense of your spoken English.

No — it's unscored toward the number; it's provided to institutions for their own review.

Give your opinion and support it with the requested reasons; omitting the reasons lowers relevance.

Describe multiple elements — cars, pedestrians, buildings, signs — in connected sentences.

How logically your ideas connect, so the listener can follow your spoken answer easily.

Connect it to your earlier answer and extend the same topic with new detail.

Pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, relevance, and coherence.

Use precise, varied words appropriate to the topic rather than repeating basic terms.

Use correct verb tenses and sentence structures naturally while speaking, avoiding frequent errors.

Self-correct briefly and keep going; fluency and continuing to speak matter more than perfection.

More relevant speech gives the scorer more language to assess, supporting a fuller evaluation.

Open with a general statement of the scene, then add specific details about people and actions.

Your main idea and supporting points or examples, so you speak in an organized way.

Speaking contributes to Conversation (with listening) and Production (with writing).

Speaking tasks contribute to the Conversation and Production subscores.

Drifting off the topic or ignoring the specific question asked in that block.

Describe the person and action, e.g. 'A woman is standing at the counter chopping vegetables.'

Speak at a steady, natural pace — not rushed, not halting — to maximize clarity and fluency.

Paraphrase or describe around it; keep speaking rather than freezing on one missing word.

Record yourself describing photos and answering prompts, then review for fluency, accuracy, and relevance.

Answering the actual prompt shows comprehension and communication, which is the point of the task.

Connectors like "because," "so," and "for example" join your ideas smoothly, so you sound more fluent and your answer is easier to follow.

Emphasizing the right syllable (PHOto vs phoTOGrapher) makes speech clearer and more native-like.

The rise and fall of your voice that conveys questions, emphasis, and meaning.

An extended, developed response — talk for as much of the allotted time as you can, on topic.

Describe accurately and fully; richer, correct description gives more for the scorer to reward.

You don't merge them — answer each topic's questions on its own theme, staying relevant to each.

Pauses reduce fluency scores and waste time you could use to add relevant content.

State your view clearly, then justify it with reasons or examples the prompt asks for.

Clear pronunciation, natural rhythm, correct stress, and well-organized ideas.

Speaking responses are graded by AI on the six dimensions; samples are also sent to schools.

Use it to outline 2-3 points; don't script every word, or you'll sound memorized and may go off-prompt.

Actions ('a man is pouring coffee') show verb and tense control, demonstrating more language skill.

Wrap up briefly if time remains; a short concluding sentence rounds out a coherent response.

The DET speaking tasks mirror academic and everyday speaking you'll do at an English-speaking institution.

Memorized responses often miss the specific prompt, hurting relevance — speak spontaneously instead.

Speak clearly and keep going; treat each task as a short, focused talk on the given prompt or image.

Detailed enough to cover the main people, actions, and setting in clear, correct sentences.

Shadow native audio, practice problem sounds and word stress, and record-and-compare your speech.

First describe a place you relax; the follow-up develops the same topic with a related question.

Your extended answer should stay focused on the single open prompt you were given.

Speaking pairs with listening for Conversation and with writing for Production — it counts twice.

Your listening and speaking ability combined.

Online, at home, on your own computer, under AI and human proctoring.

By AI monitoring plus human review of your recording to confirm the test was taken honestly.

Build all four skills, learn each task type's format and strategy, and practice under timed, no-pause conditions.