What is the 'Listen and Type' (Dictation) task on the Duolingo English Test?

The 'Listen and Type' task, formerly known as 'Write from Dictation', is a question type on the Duolingo English Test that evaluates your listening and writing skills. You will hear a sentence spoken and must accurately transcribe what you hear by typing it.

How can these dictation exercises improve my score?

Regular dictation practice improves your ability to comprehend spoken English, enhances your short-term memory, and sharpens your spelling and punctuation accuracy. Mastering this skill directly contributes to higher Literacy and Comprehension subscores on the DET.

Are these 'Listen and Type' practice questions similar to the real test?

Yes, these exercises are designed to simulate the real Duolingo English Test 'Listen and Type' questions. They feature native speakers with different accents and cover a range of vocabulary and sentence structures you are likely to encounter on the actual test.

What are the key skills for the Duolingo audio transcription task?

The key skills for the audio transcription task include active listening, phonetic recognition, quick and accurate typing, and knowledge of English grammar and punctuation. Our free dictation practice helps you develop all of these skills.

Free Dictation Practice (Listen and Type) for the Duolingo English Test

Enhance your listening and writing skills with our free Duolingo dictation practice. Complete these 5 exercises recorded by native speakers to prepare for the “Write from Dictation” task and boost your score.

A person practicing for the Duolingo English Test on a laptop.

What is the Dictation Task?

The Dictation Practice Task is one of the exercises in which Duolingo evaluates your listening and writing skills. In this exercise, you have to listen to a sentence or short passage and transcribe it using the computer keyboard.

You can play the passage three times, so take advantage of that and don’t rush. Check and double-check what you have written before pressing next. And be careful with spelling mistakes!

This exercise examines your ability to recognize words and memorize them to then accurately reproduce them. It is focussed on how you perceive speech and what you understand from a given sentence.

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For this reason, I’ve created 5 Dictation Tasks for you to practice at home. They have all been recorded by native speakers from different countries in the world. At the end of this post you will find the key and if you want some further practice, check Dictation Items #2. Also, you can also check Duolingo Test Free Practice – Exercises and Information for further practice for the Duolingo English Test.

5 Dictation Practice Exercises

Each exercise below is designed to help you master listening and typing skills for the Duolingo English Test. All recordings are made by native speakers from different parts of the world, ensuring a variety of accents and pronunciations.

Dictation Exercise #1

Dictation Exercise #2

Dictation Exercise #3

Dictation Exercise #4

Dictation Exercise #5

Answer Key

In order to study at university students are required to pay expensive tuition fees
The days are longer in summertime
I didn’t hear the phone when you last called me
Do you think there’s life on another planet?
Most families enjoy eating dinner together

Additional Resources for DET Prep

After completing the dictation exercises, check out these additional resources to continue your Duolingo English Test preparation:

Duolingo Test Free Practice – More exercises to help you get ready for the Duolingo test.
Duolingo English Test – Tips and Tricks – Key strategies to maximize your test score.

External Resources:

Duolingo English Test Guide
Learn everything you need to know about the Duolingo English Test, including test structure, scoring, and how to prepare effectively.
Duolingo English Test Sample Questions
Get access to free sample questions to better understand the types of tasks, including dictation, that appear in the Duolingo test.
Duolingo Practice Tests
Take free practice tests to assess your readiness and improve your listening and writing skills for the Duolingo English Test.
Duolingo English Test Tips & Strategies
A collection of practical tips and strategies directly from Duolingo to help you succeed in the test, including dictation tasks.
How to Prepare for Duolingo English Test
Comprehensive preparation resources offered by Duolingo, including detailed guides on improving dictation and other test skills.
Test Takers Forum – Duolingo
A community forum where current and past test-takers discuss experiences, share tips, and provide insights into Duolingo’s dictation tasks.
Duolingo YouTube Channel
Official Duolingo YouTube channel featuring tutorials, tips, and insights into various aspects of the Duolingo English Test.
Duolingo Test Registration
A direct link to register for the Duolingo English Test, offering detailed instructions on how to sign up.

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