Two kinds of work
DET tasks broadly fall into questions with a correct answer and open responses that ask you to communicate an idea. Correct-answer tasks can award partial credit where the scoring rules allow it. Open responses are evaluated for qualities such as content, coherence, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and pronunciation.
Task family | Examples | Useful practice |
|---|---|---|
Read or listen for an answer | Read and Select; Fill in the Blanks; Read and Complete; Listen and Type | Notice spelling, word boundaries, sentence meaning, and detail in audio. |
Interactive comprehension | Interactive Reading; Interactive Listening | Read or listen across linked prompts and carry information forward. |
Open writing | Write About the Photo; Interactive Writing; Writing Sample | Describe, explain, organise, and edit ideas within the response time. |
Open speaking | Speak About the Photo; Read, Then Speak; Interactive Speaking; Speaking Sample | Plan quickly, speak clearly, and keep the response connected to the prompt. |
Check the current format
Duolingo updates the question catalogue when it changes the test. Interactive Speaking was introduced in 2025 and replaced Listen Then Speak, while Read Aloud was removed. Use the official Test Center pages when you build a new study plan.
Practise the response action, not just the task name: select, complete, type, describe, summarise, write, or speak.