DET Speaking Tasks: Photo Prompts, Follow-ups, and Conversation

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Speak with a visible line of thought

The current speaking tasks include Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak, Interactive Speaking, and a Speaking Sample. Each task changes the prompt or interaction, but every strong response makes the main idea easy to follow.

Interactive Speaking

Interactive Speaking is a set of six to eight questions. You hear a virtual interlocutor and usually have about 35 seconds for each answer. The task replaced Listen Then Speak in the 2025 format update.

What to practise

  • Describe the important people, actions, setting, and relationships in a photo before adding an interpretation.

  • For a read-and-speak prompt, identify the question, give a clear answer, and support it with one or two relevant reasons.

  • For an interactive exchange, answer the question you heard and let the previous turn guide the next one.

  • Record practice answers and listen for pace, unfinished words, repeated fillers, and pronunciation that changes meaning.

A short answer can still sound complete when it has a clear point, a reason, and a specific example.

Official Duolingo English Test sources