Speaking Sample - Duolingo English Test
The "Speaking Sample" is one of the most difficult questions on the Duolingo English Test. In this post, you will learn everything you need to know to do well on it!
Table of Contents
- What is the Speaking Sample question type?
- Tips to do well on the Speaking Sample
- Example Speaking Sample answer
- How to practice the Speaking Sample question type
What is the Speaking Sample question type?
The Speaking Sample looks like this:
You will be given a prompt. You have 30 seconds to read it and prepare your answer. Then, you will have 3 minutes to respond to it.
Your response to the Speaking Sample is graded, and it is sent along with your scores. Schools and other institutions where you send your DET results will also be able to watch a recording of your Speaking Sample so that they can evaluate your English for themselves.
The Speaking Sample counts toward your Production and Conversation subscores.
Tips to do well on the Speaking Sample
👉 For general tips for speaking questions, check out video:
Read the prompt carefully
When we are taking a test, we become tense and stressed, which makes it easy to misunderstand the prompt. Remember to slow down and reread it multiple times so that you fully understand it. You are given 30 seconds to do this, which is plenty of time. You will be able to see the prompt once you start answering.
Plan your response
During those first 30 seconds, you should also plan your response. Decide on your main ideas so that while you are responding, you can focus on using the right words and avoiding grammatical mistakes instead of having to think of what to talk about.
Keep your response organized
An organized response will get more points. Keeping your response organized also makes it easier to think of things to talk about and to speak for the entire time.
Example Speaking Sample answer
Below is a high-scoring response to the prompt in the example we looked at above:
Information comes from many sources, including people around us, the media, and even our own thoughts. How do you decide which information is most important to focus on? Describe a time you filtered out some sources information to give other sources your full attention. Include details and examples in your answer.
I decide which information is most important to me based on my goals at that point in time. For example, I recently decided to really focus on becoming a better businessperson. To support that goal, I changed the information that I consumed.
First, I stopped using social media as much. I realized that social media was just a distraction, and it did not teach me anything useful. I subscribed to several business blogs. Now, instead of opening Instagram, I read those blogs, and I’m learning so many skills that are helping me in business.
Second, I am watching less TV. Like social media, TV was not helpful to me. In the evenings, I now read books, specifically books about things like marketing and building software, which I can apply to my business.
Third, I read less general news and spend more time reading news about technology companies and related areas. This helps me stay current on the latest trends, which helps me to be an innovative businessperson.
👉 If you want to see even more high-scoring responses to Speaking Sample questions, check out this article: 50 Speaking Sample Questions with High-Scoring Answers
How to practice the Speaking Sample question type
In order to improve, you not only need to practice but you need to also get feedback. This is why we built Arno 😁 In Arno, you can answer unlimited practice questions for every question type – including the Speaking Sample – for free. And when you purchase credits, you can get instant scores and feedback on your grammar and vocabulary!
Just head to duolingo.goarno.io and create your free account.
After you answer a Speaking Sample question, you will get a bunch of helpful feedback:
Now that you know all about the Speaking Sample, just click below to start practicing it!
