DET Speaking and Writing: Open Responses and Samples

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Communicate, do not recite

Open responses ask you to communicate an idea from a photo, a reading prompt, an interactive exchange, or a sample question. The scoring engine considers the substance and organisation of the response together with vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and pronunciation where relevant.

Response area

Current tasks

Writing

Write About the Photo; Interactive Writing; Writing Sample

Speaking

Speak About the Photo; Read, Then Speak; Interactive Speaking; Speaking Sample

A three-part response check

  1. Answer the prompt directly and include enough specific detail to make the idea clear.

  2. Connect sentences with a simple structure: point, support, and a brief conclusion or consequence.

  3. Leave a moment to check tense, agreement, word choice, and whether the recording captures your voice clearly.

Writing and speaking samples are shared with institutions but are not part of the certified score. Treat them as real communication because an admissions reader may use them alongside your result.

Official Duolingo English Test sources