Duolingo English Test Certificate Sample with Explanation
Have you already completed the Duolingo English Test and want to better understand your scorecard? Or perhaps you just want to gain insight into the scoring process before you take your upcoming test. Either way, it’s important to fully comprehend how the Duolingo English Test is scored.
In this article, we will break down an example Duolingo English Test score card, how the overall score and subscores are calculated, and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage when preparing for the test.
Table of Contents
- Duolingo English Test Certificate Sample
- The Duolingo English Test Overall Score
- The Duolingo English Test Subscores
- Frequently Asked Questions About Duolingo English Test Scoring
- How Understanding the Duolingo English Test Scorecard Can Improve Your Scores
Duolingo English Test Certificate Sample
Below is an example of a Duolingo score card:
It can be confusing to understand each part of the score chart, so we're going to break down this example step-by-step.
First up, it's all about you! At the top of your Duolingo score chart, you should see your first and last name, the photograph you took of yourself during the exam, and the date of your test. The score chart will also include a unique URL that can be used to verify your result.
🦉 Make sure to double-check that this information is all correct before you send your scores to your institutions of choice to avoid problems later.
The Duolingo English Test Overall Score
Next, you'll see your overall score. The overall score will fall between 10 and 160, with 10 being the lowest score you can get and 160 being the highest. These scores rise in 5-point increments and are the average of the four subscores that we will describe below.
In 2023, the average overall score of students was 108. Scores at or above 125 (like Beatrice's) are considered "advanced". For comparison, a score of 125 on the Duolingo English Test would be a 93-97 on the TOEFL and a 6.5 on the IELTS.
⭐ You can view the full conversion table for TOEFL and IELTS on the Duolingo English Test website.
The Duolingo English Test Subscores
As stated earlier, your overall Duolingo English Test score is the average of four subscores: Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production. Each subscore is equally weighted and counts for 25% of your overall score.
In general, the Duolingo English Test grading criteria assess your proficiency in writing, reading, listening, and speaking English. But, Duolingo doesn't use these categories. Instead, each subscore is made up of two of these components because Duolingo believes using multiple skills at once reflects how language is used in real life. For example, a proficient English speaker engages in both listening and speaking during a conversation!
The "Literacy" subscore combines scores from "Reading" and "Writing" questions.
⭐ The number bolded in black and indicated with a black arrow represents your actual score on this subscale. The orange lines on either side of the arrow indicate your range of scores on these questions.
Questions on the "Literacy" Subscore include:
- Read and Select
- Read and Complete
- Fill in the Blanks
- Listen and Type
- Interactive Writing
- Interactive Reading
- Writing Sample
- Write About the Photo
The average score for "Literacy" is 108.79, with the 25th percentile at 95 and the 75th at 125. As such, we can see that Beatrice scored much higher than the average, placing her in the 75th percentile (go Beatrice!)
2. The "Comprehension" subscore is composed of "Reading" and "Listening" questions. It is usually the subscore on which people perform the best.
Questions that contribute to the Comprehension subscore include:
- Read and Complete
- Read and Select
- Fill in the Blanks
- Listen and Type
- Read Aloud
- Interactive Reading
- Interactive Listening
The average score for "Comprehension" is 108, with the 25th percentile at 105 and the 75th percentile at 130. This means that Beatrice has scored above 75% of other students in this area (she must have joined Arno 😉).
3. "Conversation" subscores are made up of "Speaking" and "Listening" questions.
There are 7 questions types that count towards the "Conversation" subscore:
- Read Aloud
- Read, Then Speak
- Listen and Type
- Listen, Then Speak
- Speak About the Photo
- Interactive Listening
- Interactive Reading
- Speaking Sample
The average score for "Conversation" is 98.68, with the 25th and 75th percentiles being 85 and 115. Beatrice scored higher than the 75th percentile again, making us all look bad. Thanks, Beatrice!
4. Finally, "Production" subscores are composed of "Writing" and "Speaking" questions to test your ability to produce English.
The following questions make up the "Production" subscores:
- Interactive Writing
- Writing Sample
- Interactive Listening
- Read, Then Speak
- Write About The Photo
- Listen, Then Speak
- Speak About the Photo
"Production" tends to be the most challenging subscore for students, with an average score is 86.32 and the 25th and 75th percentiles ranging from 75 to 100. Of course, this isn't a problem for Beatrice (🙄), who scored 105.
Frequently Asked Questions About Duolingo English Test Scoring
- How do I know when my test has been scored?
After you complete your Duolingo English Test, you will receive an email informing you that your test has been scored. You will then need to log into your englishtest.duolingo.com account to access your score card.
You should receive your test scores back within 2 days of completing the test, although you can purchase a test with "faster results" that you will receive within 12 hours.
2. What is a good Duolingo English Test score?
Most universities that accept the Duolingo English Test require a score of between 110 and 130, but some schools have lower minimums or no minimum score at all! For this reason, it's best to base your desired score on the specific minimum requirement of the schools you are applying to.
⭐ To learn more about about what a good score is on the DET, check out our article: What is a Good Duolingo English Test Score?
3. How long are Duolingo English Test results valid?
The good news is that once you take the Duolingo English Test, your scores are valid for two years. As if you needed another reason to take a gap year 😉
4. How do I send out my Duolingo score chart?
Congratulations on successfully completing the Duolingo English Test!! After logging into your Duolingo account to view your scores, you can share them electronically by clicking "Send Results" and entering the schools that you wish to send your results to (for free 🎉). There should be a checkbox beside each school, so make sure to check off all the schools you wish to send your results to before clicking 'Send'. After you click 'Send', schools will automatically receive a copy of your overall score, subscores, writing sample, and speaking sample.
How Understanding the Duolingo English Test Scorecard Can Improve Your Scores
If you have already taken the official Duolingo English Test, it's wise to compare your overall scores and subscores to both your universities' minimum requirements and the average scores on the test. This can help you to determine whether you should retake the test.
When you are examining your scorecard, don't forget to pay attention to your subscores. If you are scoring lower in one area compared to another, it's best that you prioritize focusing on that area.
👉 How to Practice for the Duolingo English Test
One way to improve your lowest subscore is by practicing specific question types. For example, if your lowest subscore was "Comprehension," you may wish to practice "Reading" and "Listening" questions.
To help you with this, Arno provides unlimited, free practice questions for every question type on the Duolingo English Test.
Additionally, Arno provides scoring and instant feedback on your practice questions, which is particularly helpful for students who haven't taken the Duolingo English Test yet to get a better sense of how they would score.
In conclusion, understanding the Duolingo English Test scoring system can better enable you to get the score you deserve! If you find that you have a subscore where you are weaker, or are unsure if your scores will reach the requirements of the universities you are applying to, be sure to sign up for Arno by clicking the link below.
