Which test should I choose?
In this article, we are not telling you which test to choose. We believe that every student has a more suitable option for them. Instead, we are highlighting the differences between the tests through a group of comparisons including:
1. Comparison of formats of IELTS and Duolingo
2. Comparison of Features of Each Test
3. Comparison of Test Sections
4. Comparison of Scores Indication of Each Test
So, prepare your notes to save the most important points for you!
Both IELTS and DET assess your Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills. However, the Duolingo English Test takes an adaptive approach, accurately gauging your language proficiency level. As you answer questions correctly, the difficulty increases; conversely, wrong answers lower the difficulty. This adaptive method is a vital component of the Duolingo English Test, ensuring an accurate assessment.
Additionally, the exams differ in format. IELTS offers two formats – Academic and General Training. While the Listening and Reading sections are standard for all, the Speaking test may be scheduled separately, within a week before or after the other tests. The IELTS exam spans 2 hours and 45 minutes, while the Duolingo English Test can be completed within just 1 hour.
Let's delve deeper into the distinctions between these exams!
| Section | No. of Questions | Duration |
| Listening | 40 | 30 mins |
| Reading | 40 | 60 mins |
| Writing | 2 | 60 mins |
| Speaking | 3 (divided into 3 parts) | 11-14 mins |
| Section | No. of Questions | Duration |
| Adaptive test (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking) | Evaluates your Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking skills | 45 mins |
| Video interview | Records your answers to open-ended questions | 10 mins |
| Feature | IELTS | Duolingo |
| Duration | 2 hours and 45 minutes | 1 hour |
| Cost | The cost varies based on your location. You can check the cost in your country from the IELTS website. |
The DET costs just $65 USD in every country. You can also buy a package of 2 tests for $98 USD, which comes out to $55 USD per test. |
| Results Time |
Onsite test: 13 Online test: 3-5 days |
Within 48 hours If you need them faster, you can pay $40 more to get them within 12 hours. |
| Sending Results |
You can send your results to 5 schools for free. After that, it’s $3.75 USD plus $19 USD to send your results to a school outside of the country where you took the test. |
You can send your DET results to as many schools as you would like for free. |
| Location | The IELTS Academic Test can be taken online at home, but this option is limited to specific countries and requires a passport. Otherwise, you must take the test at a designated testing center. | You can take it from home. |
| Who Accepts It | The IELTS test is accepted in thousands of universities around the world. You can check the ones you are targeting from the IELTS website. | The DET is accepted by over 5000 universities and institutions worldwide. You can check them out here. |
| Scoring Range | (0-9) | (10-160) |
| Section | IELTS | Duolingo |
| Listening | The questions come in the form of completing sentences, MCQs, maps, table questions, ... etc. |
Students listen to some specific words with the wrong ones in English, then they are asked to choose the right ones. |
| Writing | The questions include bar charts, tables, pie charts, formal letters, informal letters, ... etc. | Students are given a list of pseudowords from which they choose the right ones and fill out the missing text. |
| Reading | The questions come in the form of MCQs, Sentence Completion, table, note short answer questions, ... etc. | Students fill up the words by reading all the sentences. |
| Speaking |
There are 3 types of questions:
2. You are given a topic to talk about 3. A discussion about a topic |
The student is given topics to talk about for 3 minutes each. |
IELTS Test
| Proficiency Level | Score |
| Expert | 9 |
| Very Good | 8.5 |
| Very Good | 8 |
| Good | 7.5 |
| Good | 7 |
| Competent | 6.5 |
| Competent | 6 |
| Modest | 5.5 |
| Modest | 5 |
| Limited | 4.5 |
| Extremely Limited | 4 |
| Score | Score Description |
| 10-55 |
Basic The candidate understands basic language and can express views in familiar contexts. |
| 60-85 |
Intermediate The candidate grasps typical topics in school and work settings but shows hesitation in sharing viewpoints and opinions. |
| 90-115 |
Upper-intermediate The candidate understands ideas and converses on unfamiliar topics with proficient speakers easily. |
| 125-160 |
Advanced The candidate easily understands written and spoken language and expresses themselves seamlessly in academic, work, and social environments. |
Now that you know the main differences, tell us in the comments which one you are considering and why.
Yasmeen Abas
Content Writer