Unit 1: Read and Select — Real English Word or Not
The first question type on the Duolingo English Test is called Read and Select. This question appears in the adaptive portion of the exam, which means its difficulty changes depending on how well you perform. If you answer correctly, the test will gradually present more challenging vocabulary. If you make several mistakes, it will become easier.
In this task, you will see a series of 15 to 18 words, one word at a time. For each word, you have only five seconds to decide whether it is a real English word or a fake word that simply looks like English.
When the word appears, you'll see the question:
"Is this a real English word?"
If you know the word is a legitimate English word, click Yes. If it is not a real English word, click No. As soon as you make your choice, the next word immediately appears. There is no way to go back, so you must make quick, confident decisions.
One important point is that there is no fixed number of real or fake words. You should evaluate each word independently rather than trying to guess a pattern.
Now, here's what makes this question particularly challenging.
If you are aiming for a C1 or C2 score, don't expect to see only everyday vocabulary. Because the test is adaptive, students who perform well may encounter very advanced words—sometimes words that are comparable to GRE-level vocabulary. In other words, the vocabulary itself becomes another way for the test to measure your English proficiency.
For example, you might encounter words such as:
consultation
reckless
immune
intolerable
disruptive
conclusively
offspring
strive
thereafter
scramble
blunt
trousers
burial
At even higher levels, you may see words li ke:
heinous
totalitarian
remorse
complimentary
Or even more advanced vocabulary such as:
alabaster
pensive
lozenge
pristine
swarthy
zealous
And for the strongest English users, you could encounter words like:
castigate
quaint
burble
obfuscate
prevaricate
eloquent
Notice that some of these words are extremely uncommon in everyday conversation. In fact, many native English speakers would not know every one of them. That's perfectly normal. The goal of this question is to distinguish between different proficiency levels, especially at the advanced end of the scale.
Of course, not every student will receive these difficult words. Because the test is adaptive, only those demonstrating stronger English ability are likely to encounter the most advanced vocabulary.
Strategies for the Read and Select Question
So, what is the best strategy for preparing for this section?
The first thing to understand is that English is not a phonetic language. In many languages, you can correctly identify a word simply by sounding it out. English doesn't work that way. Many words are not pronounced the way they are spelled, and many words look very similar even though they have different meanings.
For example:
complimentary — meaning free of charge or expressing praise.
complementary — meaning completing or enhancing something else.
Or consider another common pair:
principal — meaning the head of a school or most important.
principle — meaning a rule, law, or fundamental belief.
These are all real English words. The challenge is recognizing the correct spelling quickly.
If your exam is only a few weeks away, focus on studying high-frequency academic vocabulary. Review common prefixes, suffixes, and word roots, such as inter-, pre-, -tion, -able, and -ity. These patterns will help you recognize many unfamiliar words, even if you don't know their exact meanings.
Also, practice distinguishing real words from convincing fake words. Duolingo often creates nonwords by changing just one or two letters of a real word. Training your eyes to notice these small spelling differences can significantly improve your accuracy.
Finally, don't panic when you see an unfamiliar word. Remember, because the test is adaptive, seeing very difficult vocabulary often means you're performing well.
Unit 2: Fill in the Blanks
The second question type on the Duolingo English Test is called Fill in the Bl anks. Like the previous question, this task appears in the adaptive portion of the exam. As your performance improves, the vocabulary and sentence complexity become more challenging.
In this task, you will complete an unfinished word in a sentence. The first few letters of the word are already provided, and your job is to type the rest of the word correctly.
You will receive 6 to 9 sentences in a row, and you have 20 seconds to complete each one.
The unfinished word can appear anywhere in the sentence, so don't immediately focus on the blank. Instead, read the entire sentence first. The surrounding words provide important clues about what the missing word should be.
The answer is not based solely on vocabulary. Sometimes the sentence gives you clues through its meaning. Other times, the clue comes from grammar. The missing word may be a synonym, an antonym, part of a common collocation, or a word that logically completes the sentence.
Both American and British spellings are accepted whenever appropriate. For example, both summarize and summarise would receive full credit.
So, how do you prepare for this question?
Strategies for Fill in the blanks
Strategy 1: Identify the Part of Speech
First, determine what part of speech the missing word must be. English has eight parts of speech, and each follows its own grammatical rules.
Nouns: Check whether the noun should be singular or plural. Ask yourself whether the sentence requires -s or -es.
Pronouns: Make sure the correct case is used, such as he versus him, they versus them, or whose versus who's.
Verbs: Identify the tense of the sentence. Does the context require the present tense, past tense, past participle, or -ing form?
Adjectives and adverbs: Watch for comparative and superlative forms such as -er and -est, and determine whether an -ly adverb is needed.
Determiners, prepositions, and conjunctions: These generally do not change form, so recognizing them is often easier.
If you correctly identify the part of speech, you've already eliminated many possible answers.
Strategy 2: Understand English Sentence Structure
The second strategy is understanding English word order.
A basic English sentence follows this pattern:
Subject + Verb + Complement
For example:
The scientist published the results.
Also recognize common phrase structures.
A typical noun phrase looks like this:
Determiner + Adjective + Noun
For example:
the new restaurant
Or:
several difficult questions
Verb phrases also follow predictable patterns:
Modal + Base Verb
will study
Have + Past Participle
has completed
Be + Present Participle
is studying
Recognizing these patterns helps you predict what kind of word should appear in the blank.
Strategy 3: Look for Fixed Expressions and Collocations
Finally, pay close attention to the words immediately before and after the blank. English contains thousands of common word combinations, known as collocations or fixed expressions.
For example:
issue a recall
launch a spacecraft
express yourself musically
criminal justice system
The more familiar you become with these natural word combinations, the easier this question becomes.
Sample exercise questions for Fill in the blanks
Let's look at a few examples of advanced vocabulary that may appear at the C1 and C2 levels.
The course offers an in-depth look at the challenges and reforms within the cri_ _ _ _ _ _ justice system to ensure fairness and efficiency.
The pastor coun_ _ _ _ _ the members of his church on personal and spiritual matters.
The kittens looked healthy and pl_ _ _, with round bellies and shiny coats.
She is talented enough to express herself mus_ _ _ _ _ _ with any instrument she picks up.
The spac_ _ _ _ _ _ was launched last night to explore the distant planets in our solar system.
She simplified the process, ther_ _ _ making it easier for everyone to understand.
The company issued a re_ _ _ _on the defective product due to safety concerns.
Lack of sleep can make people feel irr_ _ _ _ _ _, causing them to snap at others.
The course offers an in-depth look at the challenges and reforms within the cri_ _ _ _ _ _ justice system to ensure fairness and efficiency.
When you see justice system, think about common fixed expressions. Criminal justice system is a frequently used collocation.
The pastor coun_ _ _ _ _ the members of his church on personal and spiritual matters. The sentence needs a verb meaning to give advice. Because the subject pastor is singular, counsel needs either -s or -ed. Since there are two blanks, the correct form is counseled. Notice that counseled is the American spelling, while the British spelling is counselled.
The kittens looked healthy and pl_ _ _, with round bellies and shiny coats.
After looked, we need an adjective describing the kittens. A synonym for having a healthy, round appearance is plump.She is talented enough to express herself mus_ _ _ _ _ _ with any instrument she picks up. The missing word modifies the verb express, so we need an adverb. Since the sentence describes expressing herself through instruments, the word should relate to music, so musically fits the context.
The spac_ _ _ _ _ _ was launched last night to explore the distant planets in our solar system. The missing word is a noun describing something that can be launched. A vehicle designed to explore planets is called a spacecraft.
She simplified the process, ther_ _ _ making it easier for everyone to understand.
The first part is a complete clause, and making it easier... is a participle phrase. A conjunctive adverb is needed to connect the two ideas and show a result, so thereby is the correct choice.The company issued a re_ _ _ _ on the defective product due to safety concerns.
Issue a recall is a fixed expression used when a company asks customers to return a defective product.Lack of sleep can make people feel irr_ _ _ _ _ _, causing them to snap at others.
After feel, we need an adjective describing a person's condition. An adjective meaning easily annoyed or likely to snap at others is irritable.
As you can see, this question tests much more than vocabulary. It measures your understanding of grammar, sentence structure, collocations, and context. The stronger your overall command of English, the easier it becomes to predict the missing word accurately and quickly.
Unit 3.Read and Complete
The third question type on the Duolingo English Test is called Read and Complete. Like the previous Fill in the Blanks task, you must complete unfinished words by typing the missing letters. However, instead of working with individual sentences, you will work with an entire short passage.
This question is very similar to the 2026 TOEFL Reading "Complete the Words" task because success depends on using context, grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary to reconstruct the missing letters.
During the test, you will receive 3 to 6 passages. For each passage, the first and last sentences are fully intact, while some words in the middle sentences have missing letters. Your job is to complete those unfinished words by typing the missing letters.
You have 3 minutes to complete each passage. Because you are working with a connected passage rather than isolated sentences, understanding the overall meaning of the text is just as important as recognizing individual words.
Strategies for Read and Complete
Strategy 1: Understand the Overall Context First
Before focusing on the missing letters, read the entire passage.
If the passage has a title, read the title carefully. The title gives you a major clue about the topic.
Then use the first and last sentences. These sentences are usually complete, so they provide the main idea and the direction of the passage.
For example, if the title is:
"Daily Weather Report"
You can immediately predict that the missing words will probably relate to:
temperature
weather conditions
outdoor activities
seasons
Understanding the topic creates a mental framework that makes guessing missing words much easier.
Strategy 2: Identify the Part of Speech
Just like the previous question type, grammar is your biggest clue.
Ask yourself:
What type of word belongs here?
Is it a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, or conjunction?
For example:
The tempe_ _ _ _ _ _ will be warm.
The word begins with tempe-. Because it follows The and functions as the subject of the sentence, we know it must be a noun.
The answer is:
temperature
Strategy 3: Use the Words Around the Blank
Pay attention to the words immediately before and after the unfinished word.
English follows predictable patterns.
For example:
Adjective + noun
important ethical and safety concerns
The adjective comes before the noun.
Understanding word order helps you predict the missing letters.
Strategy 4: Use Word Roots and Affixes
Advanced vocabulary often becomes easier when you recognize common prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
For example:
develop + ment → development
manage + ment → management
international → inter + nation + al
biological → bio + logical
At the C1 and C2 levels, many missing words are academic words built from common roots.
The more familiar you are with these word families, the faster you can complete the missing letters.
Strategy 7: Pay Attention to Spelling Conventions
For this question, Duolingo uses American spelling only.
Be careful with common differences between American and British English:
traveling ✓ (American)
travelling (British)
center ✓ (American)
centre (British)
color ✓ (American)
colour (British)
Knowing these differences can prevent unnecessary mistakes.
Sample exercise questions for Read and Complete
This is a C2 level passage.
The Forgotten Souls
Writer Gamini Silva has aptly titled his novel The Forgotten Souls. It examines the li_ _ _ of two orphaned sib-----, a brother and a sister, wh--- childhood was shat_ _ _ _ by the Sri Lankan civil war. Neit--- accepted by the rebel forces nor protected by the government, they nav_ _ _ _ a world shaped by loss, displa_ _ _ _ , and uncertainties. Yet, am-- adversity, they gradually discover resi------, compa_ _ _ _, and hope. Through its nuanced portrayal of survival and human dignity, the novel has earned widespread critical acclaim and deservedly appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.
Let's walk through this passage together. Remember, don't solve one blank at a time. First, read the entire passage to understand the overall story.
From the title, The Forgotten Souls, and the first complete sentence, we know this passage is about a novel describing two orphaned children during the Sri Lankan civil war. Once you understand the topic, the missing words become much easier to predict.
Now let's solve each blank.
Blank 1: It examines the li_ _ _ of two orphaned...
Since the missing word comes between the and of, it must be a noun. The phrase the life of someone is common, but because it refers to two orphaned children, the noun must be plural. So we need lives.
Blank 2: ...two orphaned sib_ _ _ _ _ _...
The missing word is a noun because it follows the + adjective. The phrase a brother and a sister explains exactly what the missing noun means. This grammar pattern is called an appositive—a word or phrase that explains or renames the noun before it. Appositives are very useful because they often tell you exactly what synonym to look for.
Blank 3: ..., wh_ _ _ childhood was shat...
The phrase childhood was... is a dependent clause modifying siblings, so we need a relative pronoun. Because the clause shows possession—the siblings' childhood—the correct relative pronoun is whose.
Blank 4: ...childhood was shat_ _ _ _ by the civil war.
The words was and by signal the passive voice, so the missing word must be a past participle. Since wars destroy lives, a verb meaning broken into pieces fits the context. The correct past participle is shattered.
Blank 5: Neit_ _ _ accepted by the rebel forces nor protected by the government...
The word nor appears later in the sentence. Whenever you see nor, immediately look for its partner: Neither ... nor ... This is a fixed correlative conjunction.
Blank 6: They nav_ _ _ _ a world shaped by loss...
The sentence needs a verb meaning to manage or find your way through a difficult situation. This verb is often used metaphorically to describe dealing with challenges.
So, the missing word is navigate. The word navigate is related to the word navy. Both come from the Latin root navis, meaning "ship" or "boat." Originally, navigate meant to steer or direct a ship across the sea. Today, it also means to find your way or move successfully through a place or situation.
Blank 7: ...loss, displa_ _ _ _, and uncertainties.
Notice the pattern: loss, ___, and uncertainties. This is a list of nouns, so the missing word must also be a noun. This grammar rule is called parallelism, meaning items in a list should have the same grammatical form. Since the siblings lost their home and had to leave where they lived, the idea is displacement. Also notice that the suffix -ment often forms nouns. Knowing common suffixes is extremely helpful for solving difficult vocabulary questions.
Blank 8: Yet, am_ _ adversity...
Because adversity is a noun, the missing word must be a preposition. The only preposition that begins with “am” is amid.
Blanks 9 and 10: ...they gradually discover resi_ _ _ _ _ , compa _ _ _ _, and hope.
Again, we have parallel structure. The two missing words must be nouns because they are the objects of discover and appear in a list with hope, which is also a noun. Think about qualities that help people survive hardship and move forward.The two missing words are resilience and compassion.
Notice something important.
We didn't solve these blanks simply because we knew the vocabulary. We solved them by combining grammar, sentence structure, collocations, parallel structure, word formation, and the overall meaning of the passage. That's exactly how strong readers approach this question.
Unit 4. Interactive Reading
You will complete 2 Interactive Reading sets.
Unlike the earlier Reading questions, you will not see the entire passage at once. Instead, the passage is revealed gradually. As you answer each question, more of the passage becomes available.
Each passage is approximately 70 to 140 words long, depending on its difficulty.
You will read two different types of passages:
Narrative passages, which tell a story or describe a sequence of events.
Expository passages, which explain information or ideas.
You will receive one narrative passage and one expository passage.
You have approximately 7 to 8 minutes to complete each six-question set. Since there are six questions, you should spend about one minute per question.
The Five Interactive Reading Tasks
Each Interactive Reading set consists of five different task types:
Complete the Sentences
Complete the Passage
Highlight the Answer
Identify the Idea
Title the Passage
Let's examine each task one by one.
Task 1: Complete the Sentences
In the first task, you will see the first half of the passage with five to ten missing words.
Your job is to choose the word that best completes each blank.
This task is similar to the earlier Fill in the Blanks question because you are completing missing words. However, there is one important difference. Earlier, you had to type the missing word yourself. This time, you are given several answer choices and simply select the correct one.
You can answer the blanks in any order. If you immediately know an answer, fill it in first and return to the more difficult blanks later.
You cannot click NEXT until every blank has been completed.
Do not focus on each blank by itself. Instead, read the entire sentence and use the surrounding context to determine which word fits best.
Sample exercise questions
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have not yet been [1____] used in the business [2____], but may soon be. However, new technology will likely usher in the first wave of business UAVs. Already, [3____] are using inexpensive battery operated UAVs to deliver packages. UAVs have also been [4____] to deliver aid in emergency [5____] and to collect environmental data.
Select the best option for each missing word:
1. widely / further / heard / to / recently
2. quarter / world / years / fields / expansion
3. students / celebrities / companies / citizens / public
4. made / implemented / hired / proven / used
5. order / category / situations / work / units
This is a sample question from the Complete the Sentences task.
Let's solve each blank one at a time.
Blank 1: "Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have not yet been ___ used in the business..."
The missing word must be an adverb because it modifies the verb used. Looking at the answer choices, only widely, further, and recently are adverbs.
To choose the correct one, let's read the next sentence: "However, new technology will likely usher in the first wave of business UAVs." The word however signals a contrast. It tells us that although UAVs are not yet common in business, new technology will soon change that. In other words, they are not yet widely used. Therefore, the best answer is widely.
Blank 2: "used in the business ___"
The missing word must be a noun.
Let's examine the choices.
quarter usually refers to a three-month period or a section of a city, so it doesn't fit.
years refers to time, so we can eliminate it.
expansion means growth, not an area of business.
fields means industries or areas of business. At first glance, it seems reasonable. However, notice the phrase the business fields. The article the suggests we are talking about specific fields, but the passage is discussing business in general, so this expression sounds unnatural.
world gives us the common collocation the business world, which refers to business in general.
Therefore, the answer is world.
Blank 3: "Already, ___ are using inexpensive battery-operated UAVs to deliver packages."
The passage is discussing businesses adopting UAV technology. Among the choices, companies best matches the context. Companies are the ones that deliver packages, so companies is the correct answer.
Blank 4: "UAVs have also been ___ to deliver aid..."
The structure have been + past participle requires a past participle verb.
made means created.
implemented is normally used for plans, policies, or systems.
hired is used for people, not machines.
proven means shown to be true.
used means utilized for a purpose, which fits the sentence perfectly.
Therefore, the answer is used.
Blank 5: "deliver aid in emergency ___"
The missing word must complete a common expression. The phrase emergency situations is a standard collocation. Notice there is no article before emergency, so the sentence refers to emergency situations in general, not one specific emergency.
Therefore, the answer is situations.
As you can see, the best strategy is to check grammar first, then use context clues and common collocations to eliminate the wrong answers until only one natural choice remains.
Task 2: Complete the Passage
Next, you will see the second half of the passage.
One sentence in the middle has been removed.
Your job is to choose the sentence that best completes the passage.
As you move your mouse over each answer choice, you can preview how it fits into the passage.
The first half of the passage will already be familiar because you completed it in the previous task. Now, carefully read the newly revealed second half.
Pay special attention to the sentences immediately before and after the blank. They usually provide the strongest clues to the correct answer.
Sample exercise questions
Let’s examine sample question;
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have not yet been widely used in the business world, but may soon be. However, new technology will likely usher in the first wave of business UAVs. Already, companies are using inexpensive battery operated UAVs to deliver packages. UAVs have also been used to deliver aid in emergency situations and to collect environmental data.
[ _________________________]
There are already businesses that specialize in the sale and operation of UAVs. These businesses sell the equipment and provide instruction for its safe use. Other businesses are developing their own drones for their own customized purposes.
Select the best sentence to fill in the blank in the passage:
A. Drone technologies have been available, but their potential applications have not been well understood.
B. These vehicles are used to inspect buildings that are too dangerous for human hands.
C. They may also be used to perform data collection or to survey forested areas for signs of fires.
D. Avionics refers to the science and technology of air, space, and ground vehicles.
Let's think about the flow of ideas. The previous sentences talk about how UAVs are currently being used. They are used to deliver packages, provide aid in emergency situations, and collect environmental data.
The sentence after the blank shifts to a different topic—it begins talking about businesses that sell and operate UAVs.
So, the missing sentence should serve as a bridge by continuing the discussion of other possible uses of UAVs before the topic changes.
Choice A doesn't fit because it talks about people's understanding of drone technology rather than their applications.
Choice B is too specific. It gives just one concrete example, while the paragraph is discussing UAV uses more generally.
Choice C is the best answer. Notice the change in tense. The previous sentences describe current uses with phrases like are using and have been used. Choice C shifts to future or potential uses with may also be used. This naturally expands the discussion before the passage transitions to businesses that develop and operate UAVs.
Task 3: Highlight the Answer
Now the passage is complete. You will answer two questions by highlighting information directly in the passage. After you highlight the text, it will automatically appear in the answer box below the question. If you want to change your answer, simply highlight a different section before clicking NEXT.
Be as precise as possible. You do not need to highlight an entire sentence if only part of it answers the question.
Pay close attention to keywords in the question. Those same words—or close synonyms—often appear near the correct answer in the passage.
Sample exercise questions
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have not yet been widely used in the business world, but may soon be. However, new technology will likely usher in the first wave of business UAVs. Already, companies are using inexpensive battery operated UAVs to deliver packages. UAVs have also been used to deliver aid in emergency situations and to collect environmental data. They may also be used to perform data collection or to survey forested areas for signs of fires. There are already businesses that specialize in the sale and operation of UAVs. These businesses sell the equipment and provide instruction for its safe use. Other businesses are developing their own drones for their own customized purposes.
Click and drag text to answer the questions below:
What does a business that specializes in UAVs do?
sell the equipment and provide instruction for its safe use.
What specific feature allows the current generation of package-delivering UAVs to function cost-effectively?
inexpensive battery operated
Task 4: Identify the Idea
This question measures your global comprehension by asking you to select the single best summary sentence of an entire academic passage. Because it appears after you have already interacted with the text, the secret to acing it at a C1/C2 level is avoiding Duolingo’s clever "distractor" traps, which include options that are factually true but too specific to a single paragraph, or choices that use extreme language to distort the main point. To secure a top score, quickly check the first and last sentences of the text for the core thesis, eliminate overly narrow details, and choose the comprehensive option that encapsulates the overall narrative arc.
Sample exercise question
This is a sample question.
Select the idea that is expressed in the passage.
UAVs are unmanned vehicles that can be used for applications such as delivering packages or collecting data.
Commercial drones are likely to become the next big tech investment, with many firms racing to be the primary provider.
Computer models can also be used to help robots plan surgeries and deliver packages while avoiding obstacles.
UAVs are currently being evaluated and reviewed for potential regulation in order to avoid and punish misuse.
Correct answer: A. UAVs are unmanned vehicles that can be used for applications such as delivering packages
Task 5: Title the Passage
The final task asks you to choose the best title for the passage. The correct title should describe the entire passage, not just one section.
This task is closely related to the previous one. If you correctly identified the main idea, choosing the best title becomes much easier.
Look for the title that best captures the overall topic and purpose of the passage rather than focusing on a single detail.
Sample exercise question
Select the best title for the passage.
A. The Commercial History of the Airplane
B. The Business Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
C. Experiments in Aerodynamics and Flight
D. Investments in Drone Technology
Answer: B. The Business Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
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