Duolingo English Test (DET) Speaking Skills Syllabus

Speaking Skills syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Speaking Skills in Duolingo English Test (DET), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Read Aloud and Listen Then Speak

   3 topics

   • Read the sentence aloud
     • Accurate pronunciation of each word
     • Natural phrasing and pausing
   • Listen, then speak (prompted response)
     • Quick planning within preparation time
     • Sustaining speech for the full duration
   • Avoiding long silences and excessive fillers
2. 2

   Speak About the Photo / Read Then Speak

   3 topics

   • Describing an image in detail
     • Naming objects, actions, and setting
     • Sequencing description logically
   • Speaking on a written prompt/question
   • Organizing a spoken response with structure
3. 3

   Pronunciation and Fluency

   3 topics

   • Individual sound accuracy
     • Vowel and consonant clarity
     • Word and sentence stress
   • Pace, rhythm, and intonation
   • Intelligibility over native-like accent
4. 4

   Video Interview (Open Speaking)

   4 topics

   • Responding to a selected open-ended prompt
   • Developing ideas with examples and reasons
   • Maintaining eye contact and composure on camera
   • Note: graded portion vs. unscored sample shared with schools

Speaking Skills flashcards for Duolingo English Test (DET)

22 of 51 cards from the Speaking Skills deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In the DET "Read Aloud" task, what is the student's job and how long do they have?

   To read a sentence shown on screen out loud, clearly and accurately. You get about 20 seconds to view and read the sentence aloud.

2. Which two oral-reading skills does the DET "Read the sentence aloud" task primarily measure?

   Pronunciation/intelligibility and fluency (smooth, accurate decoding of written text into speech without stumbling).

3. Why is it important to read the whole sentence silently before reading it aloud in the Read Aloud task?

   Previewing lets you anticipate hard words, phrasing, and intonation so you read smoothly without unexpected pauses or mispronunciations.

4. In Read Aloud, what should you do if you misread a word partway through the sentence?

   Keep going and finish fluently; a single slip matters less than stopping, restarting, or freezing, which hurts the fluency score more.

5. What is the "Listen, then speak" (prompted response) task in the DET?

   You hear a spoken question or prompt, then must speak your own spoken answer aloud about that topic for a set time.

6. How long do test-takers typically get to prepare and to speak in the DET "Listen, then speak" task?

   Roughly 20 seconds to prepare after listening, then about 30 to 90 seconds to give a spoken response.

7. In the "Listen, then speak" task, why should you keep talking for the full allotted time?

   Longer, sustained speech gives the scoring more language to evaluate; stopping early limits demonstrated fluency, vocabulary, and development.

8. What is a good first step right after hearing the prompt in "Listen, then speak"?

   Quickly identify the question's focus and pick one clear position or main idea so you can start speaking without long hesitation.

9. Why are long silences penalized in DET speaking tasks?

   They signal weak fluency and automaticity; the test rewards continuous, connected speech, so dead air lowers the fluency component of the score.

10. What are "fillers," and why should they be limited in DET speaking?

    Fillers are sounds/words like "um," "uh," "like," and "you know"; overusing them disrupts flow and signals hesitation, reducing perceived fluency.

11. Name a strategy to avoid long silences when you lose your train of thought mid-response.

    Use a short connective phrase (e.g., "What I mean is..." or "For example...") to bridge while you organize the next idea, instead of going silent.

12. Is it better to pause briefly or to fill every gap with "um" in a DET spoken answer?

    A short natural pause is better; brief silences read as thinking, while repeated fillers actively lower the fluency impression.

13. What is the DET "Describe the image" speaking task?

    A photo appears and you must speak aloud describing it in detail, usually with a short prep time and about 30 to 90 seconds of speaking.

14. When describing an image in detail, what should you cover beyond just naming objects?

    Setting/location, the people and what they are doing, relationships, foreground vs. background, and inferences about mood, purpose, or context.

15. What spatial vocabulary helps organize a detailed image description?

    Prepositional and positional phrases: in the foreground/background, on the left/right, in the center, behind, next to, above/below.

16. Why should you keep speaking even after listing the obvious elements of an image?

    To fill the time and show range, add inferences, descriptions of actions, possible context, and details about colors, expressions, or atmosphere.

17. What is the DET "Speak about the photo" preparation strategy in the few seconds before recording?

    Scan top-to-bottom or left-to-right and note the main subject plus 2-3 supporting details so you describe systematically rather than randomly.

18. What is the "Speak on a written prompt/question" task in the DET?

    You read a written question or statement on screen, then deliver a spoken answer expressing and supporting your view for the allotted time.

19. How does "Speak on a written prompt" differ from "Listen, then speak"?

    The prompt is read (text) rather than heard (audio); both require an organized spoken response, but the input modality (reading vs. listening) differs.

20. In a written-prompt speaking response, what should the first sentence usually do?

    State your main idea or position directly so the response has a clear thesis the rest of your speech supports.

21. What is a reliable structure for organizing a spoken DET response?

    Main point (thesis) → reason/explanation → specific example or detail → brief concluding/wrap-up statement.

22. What signposting phrases help structure a spoken DET answer?

    "First... / Second... / For example... / Another reason is... / In conclusion..." — these signal organization and improve coherence scores.

See more Speaking Skills flashcards →

Planning Speaking Skills for Duolingo English Test (DET)

Speaking Skills (Duolingo English Test (DET)) FAQ