Duolingo English Test study plan
Duolingo English Test · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Literacy
Diagnose baseline accuracy on a timed 20-minute literacy set and record the score
Build a 60-item academic word log with part of speech and one original sentence per entry
Classify 40 real and 40 invented words in a self-made sorting drill, targeting 90% accuracy
Read three 400-word nonfiction passages and underline the main claim in every paragraph
Your checkpoint
A one-page baseline scorecard listing per-task accuracy plus a 60-item vocabulary log
Literacy & Comprehension
Complete four timed fill-in-the-blank passages and log every wrong blank with the reason
Annotate four passages for main idea, supporting evidence, and author attitude
Write one-sentence summaries of six texts without reusing source phrasing
Expand the vocabulary log to 100 items, adding collocations for the 20 hardest entries
Your checkpoint
An annotated passage portfolio with six one-sentence summaries and a 100-item word log
Comprehension
Separate literal statements from inferences across five texts, scoring each judgement
Complete three timed reading sets under eight minutes each and chart accuracy
Paraphrase ten dense sentences aloud, then in writing, keeping the original meaning
Identify the function of five transition words per passage in three passages
Your checkpoint
A timed reading log showing at least 80% accuracy across three sets, with inference errors tagged
Literacy & Comprehension
Sit one full-length adaptive practice test under real timing conditions
Rank the five most frequent error types from that test in order of lost points
Rewrite each missed literacy item with corrected reasoning written out in full
Re-test the vocabulary log and retire every item answered correctly twice
Your checkpoint
A full mock test report with a ranked error log and written corrections for every miss
Conversation
Record thirty 30-second spoken answers to opinion prompts and rate each against a 3-point fluency rubric
Shadow five short audio clips for pronunciation, stress, and connected speech
Answer ten follow-up questions in interactive listening scenarios without long pauses
Transcribe three of your own recordings and mark filler words and false starts
Your checkpoint
A folder of ten retained recordings with rubric scores and a list of recurring fluency flaws
Conversation & Production
Describe ten images aloud in 30 seconds each, covering what, where, and why it matters
Type five dictated 12-word sentences with at least 90% word accuracy
Deliver three 90-second structured monologues using a claim-evidence-example frame
Draft five photo-based written descriptions of 50-70 words with varied sentence openers
Your checkpoint
A portfolio of three monologue outlines plus five written descriptions scored on a 4-point content rubric
Production
Write four timed 5-minute essays of 150+ words and self-score for task relevance and grammar range
Revise two earlier essays, cutting repetition and upgrading weak verbs
Produce three 3-minute speaking samples recorded in one take with no notes
Build a personal list of twelve high-frequency grammar slips and drill each five times
Your checkpoint
Four timed essays plus three one-take speaking samples, each with a written self-assessment
Literacy & Comprehension & Conversation & Production
Sit a second full-length practice test and compare section results with week 4
Review the error log and confirm every week-4 error type has dropped
Run two 30-minute mixed drills covering all four domains back to back
Rehearse the speaking and writing samples under strict timing to lock pacing
Your checkpoint
A week-4 versus week-8 comparison table plus a final one-page review sheet of recurring fixes
Milestones
Week 2: Vocabulary log holds 100 items and unaided accuracy on real-versus-invented word sorting reaches 90%
Week 4: Full-length practice test completed under timing with a ranked error log; reading accuracy at or above 80%
Week 6: Ten recorded speaking tasks scored on the rubric, with at least seven at or above the midpoint score
Week 8: Second full practice test shows measurable gain over week 4 in at least three of the four domains