Duolingo English Test vs IELTS: Which One To Choose?
The discussion of Duolingo English Test vs IELTS always draws the attention of many candidates.
It’s important to know their differences, including acceptance, availability, and price, so that you can choose the suitable exam to sit.
In this article, LUME Test will compare the two tests in detail.
So, scroll down to see which one suits you best!
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DET is developed by a private language learning company named Duolingo.
IELTS is a well-known English proficiency test.
It is developed, administered, and managed by IDP: IELTS Australia, British Council, and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
Duolingo first created the app to help learners learn a language through exercises, tests, and games.
Since more and more people use it, the company developed the Duolingo English test to evaluate candidates’ language ability.
It’s now getting more and more popular.
Meanwhile, IELTS means the International English Language Testing System, an old and reputable proficiency test for non-native speakers.
It’s usually used for studying, professional, and immigration visa applications.
More than 12,000 institutions or organizations accept IELTS as a criterion for applying to universities, employers, and immigration departments.
It’s especially an ideal choice for high-stakes scenarios.
Meanwhile, DET is not as widely accepted as IELTS.
However, it’s gaining popularity.
If you still can’t decide between the Duolingo English Test and IELTS, you can also go for the DET when your desired institutions recognize it.
Duolingo English Test is computer-based, which means you can take it online.
The exam consists of various question types that test your listening, reading, writing, and speaking abilities.
However, Duolingo focuses on integrated skills, so they make the format under 4 criteria/ modules: Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production.
Moreover, it’s an adaptive test, meaning the difficulty levels of questions will be adjusted based on candidates’ performance.
On the other hand, there are 2 types of IELTS tests: Academic and General Training.
Each is separated into 4 sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
Listening and Speaking are the same for both types, but Writing and Reading modules are different.
DET consists of 19 question types.
Each can appear once or more than once during the exam.
Your performance on each task will affect different subscores (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production).
Meanwhile, candidates need to face 40 Listening questions, 40 Reading questions, 2 Writing tasks, and 3 Speaking parts.
Moreover, the topics in IELTS are more academic, while those in the DET are simpler and less in-depth.
DET is 100% online, which means it requires a stable Internet and a properly working computer with a camera, headphones, and a microphone.
Besides, you need to ensure a quiet environment to proceed with the exam.
On the other hand, IELTS requires you to come to a center to sit the exam and have an in-person speaking assessment with a judge.
Its 3 modules (Listening, Reading, and Writing) take place in 1 day, while the Speaking module is on another day.
Though it’s possible to take IELTS Academic online, this option is only available in some countries and requires candidates to have a passport.
Both assess 4 language skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking.
However, IELTS evaluates each skill separately, while DET focuses on integrated skills.
Furthermore, DET features shorter and less academic questions.
Questions in IELTS, for example, speaking, are more detailed and evaluated by humans, indicating a more thorough evaluation.
It takes around 1 hour to complete the DET, while candidates need to sit the IELTS exam for 2 hours and 45 minutes.
You’ll get a score for each correct answer in DET, which will contribute to your subscores.
DET has 4 subscores (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production,) and each’s maximum is 160.
The overall result you have is the average of the 4 subscores with a maximum of 160 points.
IELTS score ranges from 0 to 9 for each skill and for the overall result.
It also uses 0.5-point increments, which means your result can be 5.5, 6.5, or 7.5, etc.
Here’s the Duolingo English Test and IELTS score comparison:
| Duolingo | IELTS |
| 160 | 8.5 – 9 |
| 150 – 155 | 8 |
| 140 – 145 | 7.5 |
| 130 – 135 | 7 |
| 120 – 125 | 6.5 |
| 105 – 115 | 6 |
| 95 – 100 | 5.5 |
| 80 – 90 | 5 |
| 65 – 75 | 4.5 |
| 10 – 60 | 4 |
You can take DET any time you want within 21 days after purchasing.
You only need to ensure a stable Internet and a quiet environment to proceed with the exam.
In contrast, there are a maximum of 4 test times per month for IELTS (usually on Thursdays and Saturdays).
Furthermore, the available dates are often easily filled up.
Thus, early booking is highly recommended.
Plus, though everybody wants to have a Speaking section on the same day as other sections, it’s almost impossible.
It usually happens 7 days before or after the other parts of the IELTS exam.
It means you need to get ready for a long period until you have completed all the sections.
At the start of the DET, you only need to use a computer webcam to capture your ID.
On the other hand, IELTS asks candidates to submit a color photocopy of their identification.
Both tests are valid for 2 years.
You need to pay $70 for one DET.
A package of 2 tests is also available at the price of $118 ($59 for each).
IELTS costs from $150 to $325, depending on the country.
Duolingo allows you to share your results with as many institutions as you want for free.
Meanwhile, you can only send your IELTS result to 5 schools without paying.
Then, you need to pay $3.75 plus $19 to send your score to a university that is not in the same country where the exam took place.
DET releases results within 48 hours.
You can receive it faster, within 12 hours, if you pay $40 for Fast Result service.
For IELTS, you need to wait 13 days.
The official Test Report Form (TRF) will be sent to your email only after 23 days.
Unfortunately, we can’t have a clear answer to this issue.
Many people said that IELTS is more academic, and they felt more tension while taking the test.
Some do better on the DET thanks to its more relaxed format and cost-effectiveness.
It all depends on your personal level and how familiar you are with the tests.
The comparison between the Duolingo English Test and IELTS has come to an end.
These two English proficiency tests have a distinguished format, structure, and scoring system.
IELTS is said to be more academic, while DET is shorter and faster.
Depending on your desired institution, you may choose one over the other.
If they accept both, DET is a cheaper and more convenient option.
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