Duolingo English Test: Writing

Unit 7: Write About the Photo

After completing the Interactive Reading and Interactive Listening sections, it is time to describe photographs. This part of the test is divided into two separate sections: Write About the Photo and Speak About the Photo.

In this unit, we will focus on Write About the Photo.

On test day, you will answer three Write About the Photo questions, which appear one after another immediately after the Interactive Listening section. For each question, you have 60 seconds to write your response. There is no preparation time—the timer begins the moment the picture appears.

The Speaking version is similar because it also asks you to describe a photograph, but the format is different. In Speak About the Photo, you complete one task, receive preparation time, and then speak for 90 seconds. Although the timing differs, the fundamental skill is the same: accurately describing what you see.

Let's review how the Write About the Photo task works.

For each question:

• A photograph appears on the screen.

• The timer starts immediately.

• You have 60 seconds to write your response.

• There is no preparation time.

You will repeat this process three times, for a total of three photo descriptions.

Because you have no time to think before writing, you must already have a clear strategy. The moment the picture appears, the clock starts counting down.

How Is This Question Scored?

The Duolingo English Test uses AI to evaluate your writing.

The scoring focuses on several areas:

• Grammar

• Vocabulary

• Sentence variety

• Relevance to the image

• Overall writing quality

The AI evaluates whether you can accurately describe the image using natural, well-organized English. It is not enough to simply list the objects you see. Instead, write complete sentences that include as much relevant detail as possible. In general, the more important details you accurately include, the stronger your response will be.

Sometimes the image is unclear, especially when it comes to a person's emotions or the overall atmosphere. In these cases, it is perfectly acceptable to make reasonable interpretations or inferences, provided they are supported by visual evidence in the picture.

Although the instructions say that you only need to write one complete sentence, that is almost never enough for a high score. A strong response typically contains 35 to 50 words, or about two to three complete sentences. This length allows you to demonstrate a wider range of grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures. Word count matters only if the additional words meaningfully describe the image, so do not become obsessed with writing as many words as possible.

Three-Step Writing Strategy

To write a strong response, follow this simple three-step strategy:

1. Write an overview.

2. Add specific details and reasonable inferences.

3. Proofread.

Let's examine each step in detail.

Step 1: Identify the Main Idea and Write an Overview

When the picture first appears, resist the temptation to start typing immediately. Instead, spend the first few seconds studying the image.

Ask yourself three simple questions:

• Who or what is the main subject?

• What is happening?

• Where is it happening?

These three questions provide the basic framework for your response.

For example, suppose you see a photograph of a man holding a large fish beside a lake with a wooden dock. You might quickly identify:

• Who? A man.

• What? He is holding a large fish.

• Where? At a lake near a dock.

Within a few seconds, you already know what your response will be about.

Now write one overview sentence that summarizes the image. 

This picture shows a man proudly holding a large fish at a lake.

This immediately tells the reader what the photograph is about and provides a strong foundation for the rest of your description.

Useful sentence starters include:

• This picture shows...

• In this picture, I see...

• This photograph depicts...

• There is...

• There are...

You can also begin more naturally without these expressions.

For example: 

A man proudly holds a large fish beside a peaceful lake.

Step 2: Add Specific Details and Make Reasonable Inferences

After introducing the main idea, expand your description with important details.

Describe the people, their clothing, the objects, the actions, and the setting. Use descriptive adjectives and adverbs, participle phrases, relative clauses, and subordinate clauses to create more varied sentence structures.

For example: 

This picture shows a man proudly holding a large fish at a lake. Dressed in a red shirt, blue overalls, and black boots, he appears to be showing off his impressive catch. Behind him, a wooden dock extends into the calm blue lake, creating a peaceful atmosphere that seems perfect for a day of fishing.

Sometimes you cannot be completely certain about what you see. Perhaps the object is unclear, or you are trying to describe someone's emotions or the mood of the scene.

In these situations, indicate that you are making a reasonable inference by using expressions such as:

• appears to

• seems to

• looks like

• probably

• may

• might

• could

These expressions show that you are making a logical interpretation rather than stating something as a fact.

Notice how they are used in the example:

• He appears to be proudly showing off his impressive catch.

• The calm surroundings seem perfect for a day of fishing.

These cautious expressions make your writing sound more natural and accurate.

However, do not overuse them. If every sentence contains appears to, seems to, or looks like, your writing will sound hesitant and repetitive. Use them only when you are making an inference that cannot be known with certainty.

Step 3: Proofread Your Response

Try to finish writing with five to ten seconds remaining. Use the remaining time to carefully proofread your response. Check for spelling mistakes, missing words, grammar errors, capitalization, and punctuation. Correcting even one or two small mistakes can noticeably improve the overall quality of your response and help you earn a higher score.

DET Sample Response and Feedback

C1  Response

Now let's look at an official C1-level response published by the Duolingo English Test and see what we can learn from the examiner's comments.

The response is:

“There are four people in this photo, hiking up a mountain on a bright day. All of them are carrying backpacks. The path uphill is strewn with broken boulders and stones, and it looks like a steep climb. I can see several spiky green trees all around, and snow covered peaks in background, to the left.” 

DET rater’s feedback

The response achieves the task requirements and is written in an appropriate style. The test taker describes the image clearly and effectively. The response is coherent and cohesive, and information is logically organized - beginning with the subject of the photograph, describing the people and then the surroundings from foreground to background. Adjectival and prepositional phrases are used accurately and appropriately and a range of grammatical structures are used, with no noticeable errors except for a missing article in the final sentence [in (the) background…]. Vocabulary, including collocations and idiomatic language, is accurate, appropriate, and demonstrates a broad range [strewn | steep | a bright day | snow covered peaks].

Dr. Byrne’s feedback on why the level is C1 instead of C2

The only grammatical error noted by the DET rater is the missing article in in the background instead of in background. There are also a few punctuation issues that were not mentioned: the comma after photo is unnecessary, snow-covered should be hyphenated because it is a compound adjective, and the comma after background is unnecessary. These small errors may explain why the response received a C1 rather than a C2 score, despite its strong vocabulary and overall grammatical accuracy.

Although in the background, to the left is understandable, to the left is not the most natural choice when describing the location of objects in a picture. The difference is that to the left usually indicates direction or movement toward a place, while on the left describes a fixed position or location on the left side of something.

For example:

• Turn to the left means move in the left direction.

• The mountains are to the left of the lake means the mountains are located in that direction relative to the lake.

• There are mountains on the left means the mountains are positioned on the left side of the image.

Since you are describing where something appears in a photo, on the left is more appropriate. A more natural C1/C2-level description would be:

• In the background on the left, snow-covered peaks rise above the trees.

• Snow-covered peaks can be seen in the background on the left.

Using on the left makes your image description sound more precise and natural because you are describing the position of an object rather than movement or direction.

And finally, the response lacks sentence variety because almost every sentence begins with a subject + verb structure:

• There are...

• All of them are...

• The path...

• I can see...

A C2-level writer typically varies sentence openings to create a more natural and sophisticated flow. For example, instead of saying “The path is strewn with...”, a writer can begin with a participial phrase:

• Strewn with broken boulders and loose stones, the path appears to be quite steep.

Instead of beginning with “I can see...”, a writer can use a location phrase to introduce visual information:

• In the background on the left, snow-covered peaks rise above clusters of spiky green trees.

This is a C2-level response because it uses different sentence structures and avoids repetitive subject + verb openings:

There are four people in this photo, hiking up a mountain on a bright day. Each of them is carrying a backpack as they make their way up the rocky trail. Strewn with broken boulders and loose stones, the path appears to be quite steep. In the background on the left, snow-covered peaks rise above clusters of spiky green trees, creating a breathtaking alpine landscape.

Unit 8 Interactive Writing 

Interactive Writing is a writing task, and it is called interactive because you need to write a follow-up response. So, you actually need to write two responses. You will have 5 minutes for the first response and 3 minutes for the follow-up response. The task is divided into two steps.

Step 1: Write About a Topic (5 minutes)

The questions are usually either argumentative or narrative/descriptive. Argumentative writing means presenting an argument. These questions ask whether you agree or disagree with a statement. You need to take a clear position and explain why you hold that position using reasons and examples. Narrative or descriptive writing asks you to describe a situation, experience, or person. Questions might ask you to describe someone you admire the most. There is no need for a formal thesis statement. Simply introduce the person or situation and explain your reasons with supporting details.

Duolingo recommends writing about 120–130 words, or as much as you can write accurately and relevantly.

Step 2: Write a Follow-up Response (3 minutes)

After five minutes, the screen changes automatically. You will now see the original question, your first response, and a new follow-up question. There is no preparation time, but you may use part of the three minutes to think before you begin writing. Duolingo recommends writing about 70–80 words.

How the Follow-up Question Works

The second question is not a completely new topic. Instead, it asks you to expand your original discussion. For example, it may ask you to consider another viewpoint, explain an exception, discuss another consequence, provide another example, or examine a different aspect of the same issue.

The important point is this: the follow-up question asks you to extend your discussion, not repeat it. You may briefly refer to your original answer, but your follow-up response should contribute new information or present a new perspective.

A formal writing style is expected throughout the task. Like the other writing tasks on the DET, do not use slang, text-message abbreviations, or overly casual language.

DET Sample response and DET feedback

C1 Sample

Question (Part 1): Museums are visited by many people, including tourists, children, students, and community residents. What do you think are some reasons that people visit museums?

Answer: I think that a lot of people like visiting museums because it is a great opportunity to learn about the topic of one’s interest in the most convenient way. All the information about the subject is presented in a very structured manner, it is  well-explained and has great visual components to it, which makes it easier to process the information. Let’s say you want to learn about the life and art of Gabriel Garcia Marques, of course, you can google everything you want about it, but if you go to the museum, all information is already prepared and stored for you and all you have to do is just to follow the exhibition guidelines. In other words, I believe that the main reason why museums are so popular is that they allow you to research the topic that fascinates you in a detailed and interactive way.

Question (Part 2): How do you think advancements in technology, such as virtual tours and interactive exhibits, impact the reasons people choose to visit museums?

Answer: Improvements in technology like virtual tours and interactive exhibits let more people access museum content. Now people can explore exhibits and learn about topics remotely from home. This means people do not need to travel to visit museums just to see the information. But technology cannot fully replace seeing artifacts and exhibits in person. While virtual tours are informative, they lack the immersive, multi-sensory experience of being there. Technology may reduce visits from people who only want the information. However, people looking for experiences will still be drawn to visit museums in person.

DET Rater Comments 

In responding to the first prompt, the test taker fully answers the question by giving two reasons why people visit museums.

The second answer also answers the second prompt, focusing on technology and the reasons people visit museums. The answer follows a logical structure, first stating reasons, then giving an example. The answers are coherent and cohesive. Transition phrases like “In other words’’ and “however” are used to connect ideas. Pronouns (“it”, “you” “they”) are also used to create cohesion. The answer includes a variety of grammar structures such as complex, compound, and simple sentences. Although the answer includes errors (such as “all [the] information” and “Marque[z]”), these do not impact meaning. Overall, the vocabulary used is appropriate for the topic. The response includes some collocations, such as “exhibition guidelines”, “visual components”, and “multi-sensory experience”. Overall, the answer is well-structured, and easy to understand.

Score: 140

C2 Sample

Now let’s examine a sample provided by the DET that received a C2-level score (155–160). 

This is the question.

Agree or disagree with the following statement: “Celebrities should not use their influence to sway political opinions.” Explain your position.

Step 1 (Initial answer):

I disagree with the statement. In fact, celebrities should definitely use their influence to sway political opinions. The most obvious reason is their platform which allows them to reach a wide audience, so they can bring attention to important social and political issues. When celebrities express opinions, public discourse follows, leading to a more engaged society. For instance, when actor Emma Watson promoted gender equality and women's rights through her HeForShe campaign, her advocacy sparked discussions and inspired people worldwide to join the movement. Moreover, celebrities can mobilize people to participate in civic activities, such as voting. Political awareness today is crucial, and celebrities can play a vital role in raising awareness and inspiring positive change. Therefore, I strongly believe that celebrities should use their fame to influence political opinions.

This is a follow-up questions:

Analyze the ethical considerations of celebrities influencing political opinions.

One important ethical consideration of celebrities influencing political opinions is transparency. While celebrities have the right to express their views, they should disclose any conflicts of interest to maintain transparency. They should openly declare any biases or affiliations so the public is not misled. For example, a celebrity may freely endorse his uncle as a political candidate, so long as the public is aware of their relationship. All things considered, celebrities should use their influence responsibly and ethically.

C2 Sample Feedback

Now let's analyze why this response received a C2 score.

The first thing to notice is that the writer immediately answers the question with a clear thesis: I disagree with the statement.

This is exactly what you should do. The reader immediately understands the writer's position, so there is no confusion about the main argument. You don't want to spend several sentences introducing the topic before stating your opinion. Get to your point right away.

Next, notice how the writer develops the thesis. The writer presents two different supporting reasons for this position. The first reason is that celebrities have large platforms and can bring attention to important political and social issues. The second reason is that celebrities can encourage civic participation by motivating people to vote. These are two separate ideas, so the discussion feels well developed rather than repetitive.

The writer also supports the first reason with a specific example using Emma Watson's case. Specific examples make your arguments more convincing because they show your ideas in action instead of leaving them as general claims.

Notice the overall organization as well. The response follows a very simple academic structure. It begins with a thesis, presents the first reason with an example, adds a second reason, and finishes with a brief conclusion. There is nothing complicated about the organization, but everything flows logically from one idea to the next. That's exactly what examiners want to see.

Now let's look at the follow-up question. Instead of asking the writer to repeat the first response, it asks the writer to analyze the ethical considerations of celebrities influencing political opinions.

The writer understands that the purpose of Step 2 is to expand the discussion. Rather than talking about raising awareness or encouraging people to vote again, the writer introduces a completely new idea: transparency. This is the kind of expansion Duolingo is looking for. The discussion stays connected to the original topic, but it moves in a new direction.

The writer explains that celebrities should disclose any conflicts of interest so that the public understands possible biases. Then the writer gives an example of a celebrity supporting a family member in an election. Once again, the response follows a clear pattern. It introduces a new idea, explains it, provides an example, and ends with a short conclusion.

There are several important lessons you can learn from this response. First, answer the question directly with a clear thesis. Next, develop your argument thoroughly. In this example, two reasons are given, each with a brief example. However, you can also provide one strong reason with a more fully developed example, or even multiple examples, if they support your argument effectively. Organize your response logically so that each sentence naturally leads to the next.

Finally, remember that Step 2 is not a chance to repeat your first answer. Instead, introduce a new idea and expand the discussion by considering another perspective, an ethical issue, a consequence, or another example. If you consistently follow these strategies, your responses will become more organized, better developed, and much closer to the C2 level on the Duolingo English Test.