TOEFL & Duolingo

TOEFL

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a standardized test used to measure the English language proficiency of non-native speakers. It’s often required for admission to English-speaking universities, especially in the USA, Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe.

TOEFL iBT Test Sections Overview: The TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) is structured to evaluate a test taker’s ability to use and understand English in an academic context. It consists of four main sections:

Reading: This section is 35 minutes long and includes two academic passages followed by questions that test comprehension, vocabulary understanding, and the ability to draw inferences. It is scored on a scale of 0 to 30.

Listening: Lasting approximately 36 minutes, this section involves listening to lectures and conversations typically found in academic settings. Test takers are then asked to answer related questions. The score range is also 0 to 30.

Speaking: The Speaking section takes about 16 minutes and includes four tasks that measure the ability to speak English effectively in various situations. Responses are scored between 0 and 30.

Writing: This section is 29 minutes long and consists of two tasks—one integrated task (which involves reading and listening, then writing a response) and one independent task (expressing an opinion on a given topic). The score range is 0 to 30.

Duolingo

The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an online, adaptive English proficiency exam designed to assess reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. It’s a popular alternative to TOEFL and IELTS, especially for international students applying to universities abroad.

Test Format and Structure: Unlike traditional tests, the Duolingo English Test is:

Fully online (can be taken from home)

Adaptive (questions get harder or easier depending on your responses)

Shorter (only about 1 hour total)

Sections Breakdown:

A mix of reading, writing, speaking, and listening questions in a random, adaptive order.

Includes tasks like reading aloud, describing images, answering questions, and writing short essays.

Writing & Speaking Sample (10 minutes):

One ungraded speaking response

One ungraded writing sample

These are sent to institutions for review.

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The Duolingo English Test (DET) is scored on a scale from 10 to 160, with higher scores indicating greater English proficiency. The overall score is a combination of four subscores: Literacy, which measures reading and writing skills; Comprehension, which assesses listening and reading ability; Conversation, which evaluates speaking and listening skills; and Production, which focuses on speaking and writing. In terms of comparison with other major English tests, a Duolingo score of 160 is considered equivalent to a TOEFL iBT score of 120 or an IELTS band score of 9.0. A score of 120 on Duolingo roughly matches a TOEFL iBT score of 95–100 or IELTS 7.0. Similarly, a score of 105 equates to TOEFL 80–85 or IELTS 6.5, while a score of 90 is approximately equivalent to TOEFL 65–70 or IELTS 6.0. These equivalencies help institutions interpret Duolingo scores in relation to more traditional tests.