Duolingo Vs TOEFL: Which One Is Better?

Duolingo Vs TOEFL: Wherever you go, language will always play a quintessential role in binding you to the people around you. It helps in exploring cultures that are waiting to be discovered. That’s why many universities require you to take an English Proficiency test which measures your grasp on English. These tests are also needed while trying to get a Visa for migration or an extension of a Visa. 

Some English Proficiency Tests are IELTS, TOEFL, Duloingo, PTE etc, which have a bit of difference between each of them and you can choose which works for you best by understanding their structure, marking scheme, pricing, mode of exam and so on. You can access all this information on Admissify blogs where we deep dive into the details head-on so that you don’t have to wander around to get the right information. 

In this blog, we will be discussing which of the following is the better option: Duolingo vs TOEFL. Let’s get started.

What is TOEFL?

Test of English as a Foreign Language also known as TOEFL was founded by Educational Testing Services, a non-profit organization which conducts and regulates tests, in 1964. It is accepted across 1100+ universities and over 150 countries. Thus, the test is quite popular, especially in the United States, Canada and Europe. The scores are sent individually to institutions after the results are announced.

Pricing

The price required to give a TOEFL is Rs. 16,000.

Structure

TOEFL is divided into four sections and those are reading, listening, speaking and writing. 

1. Reading

Here, 3-4 paragraphs will be given to you, and you will have to read them and answer a few questions related to them. This section is 54-72 minutes long. 

2. Listening

In this section, you will have to listen to a few audio clips and 28-39 questions will be asked based on those clips. This part is 41-57 minutes long

3. Speaking 

This portion requires you to do 4 tasks. You will be asked to speak on 1 topic of your choice and give your opinion on it. You will be given 30 seconds to think. The other three tasks will be based on listening and reading. This is the shortest part and is 17 minutes long

4. Writing

The writing section involves you writing a structured and well-formatted essay based on what is read and heard. This section is 50 minutes long where firstly, you will be given content to interpret. For the interpretation, you will get 20 minutes. And then, after you have to write a 200-300 word essay for which you will get 30 minutes. 

Duration and Scoring

The test is 3 hours long. It has a total score of 120 marks. So, every section has a weightage of 30 marks. 

Difficulty level

The TOEFL has more fact-based and nonfiction-related paragraphs. So, if you like fact-oriented content, then you can definitely give it a try. 

Centres and mode of exam

TOEFL has 4,500 centres across the world in over 150 countries. It is paper-based as well as computer-based. So, if you are not comfortable with giving the test on the computer, a pen-paper exam option is also available for you.

Registration

The admission window for TOEFL is a bit short and closes within a few weeks of opening. The online registration closes 7 days prior to the test. However, it would be wise to register 2-3 months earlier for the test and schedule your exam.

Results 

Results are announced 6–10 days after the examination. Generally, a score above 70 is considered an average for students applying for universities. But depending on the university, this can vary. 

How to prepare for TOEFL?

Solve TOEFL practice papers and refer to past year questions to understand what kind of questions appear in the exam. You can get a self-paced course for TOEFL. You can also buy books and guides to clear your concepts, be it grammar or vocabulary. 

Duolingo English Test

This test has been recently included in the list of various other English tests. It started in 2016 and is conducted by Duolingo, a language learning platform. The test is gaining popularity rapidly and is recognised in over 3000+ educational institutions. Countries like Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Qatar, and Thailand and European countries like France, Spain, Hungary etc. 

Pricing

The registration fee is 3600 INR

Structure

The Duolingo test has 3 sections: Introduction, Reading, Writing and Speaking (combined)

Introduction

The intro segment of the test will involve verification of whether your microphone, speaker, and camera are working properly or not.

Then, you will be required to submit your IDs (Government ID, passport, driver’s license)

And in the end, guidelines and regulations will be laid out for you for the test. 

This part is 5 minutes long 

Adaptive test

This section consists of objective and descriptive-type questions. Questions like the following, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), and fill-ups usually come up. 

There is no fixed limit on how many questions will be presented to you. The AI will determine how many questions are enough for the assessment. 

This portion is 45 minutes long. 

Writing and Speaking (combined)

This will involve a video interview to understand the level of your speaking and writing prowess.

30 seconds will be allotted to you choosing your question to answer. You can expect questions where you will be asked to describe an image presented to you, or you will be given a situation where you are based in which you will give your response. 

3 minutes will be allotted for a video interview and 5 minutes will be given for a writing sample. 

Duration and Scoring

The Duolingo test is a 1-hour test. The whole test is of 120 marks and there are no subdivisions of marks as such.  A good test score for Duolingo will be 120. The minimum core is 10. The AI determines scores based on subscores like literacy, grammar, comprehension etc. 

Difficulty Level

The Duolingo test is equally difficult, if not easier, than the TOEFL test. 

Centres and Mode of Exam 

There are no testing centres as such for the Duolingo English Test because it is conducted entirely online, through computer only. All the procedures will take place via the Internet. 

Registration

This test has no particular registration date and one can register whenever one feels ready. The candidate will be given a 21-day window through which he/she will have to give the test. 

Results 

Results are announced within 48 hours of taking the test. The test is checked by AI, so the scope of bias while evaluating the test is quite low. 

How to prepare for the Duolingo English Test?

You can go to the Duolingo English test’s website where you can take a mock test to gauge the difficulty level of the test. This mock test is similar to the one you will give on the exam day. So, the same types of questions will appear in mock tests as of the day of the examination. Apart from that, watch English movies or listen to English songs to further sharpen your skills. 

Conclusion

If you want a quick and less expensive alternative, then Duolingo can be the right fit for you. However, TOEFL is a much more recognised and accepted test at the moment. 

Both the tests have their own pros and cons. It will depend on the university that you are applying to, and whether they prefer TOEFL test scores or Duolingo English test scores.

FAQs

Which is better, Duolingo, TOEFL or IELTS?

Duolingo English Test is a shorter and cheaper option while TOEFL is a much more popular and widely accepted course. IELTS is also a quite renowned test and is accepted in around 1400+ universities and 140+ countries. TOEFL and IELTS can be taken via paper and computer medium. However, both are somewhat lengthy and on the pricier end. The difficulty level also varies. TOEFL and IELTS are much more detail-oriented with a proper structure. Both measure you at the academic level while Duolingo is quite simpler compared to them. 

What is the 120 score of Duolingo equivalent to in TOEFL?

The 120 score of Duolingo is equivalent to 97-102 of TOEFL. In TOEFL, a score above 100 is considered good. 

Duolingo Vs. IELTS, which is easier?

IELTS has a much more complex format and one requires in-depth knowledge to pass with good marks while Duolingo is based on basic vocabulary and grammar. Therefore, Duolingo is the easier one. 

How much is a 115 Duolingo score in TOEFL?

115 Duolingo score is equivalent to a 92-96 TOEFL score. The highest score in Duolingo is 120.

Which is easier, TOEFL or Duolingo?

Duolingo English test is much easier than TOEFL because TOEFL demands much more expertise and knowledge of English and has a bit of a complicated structure. Duolingo does not have that much complexity and does not demand a lot of linguistic expertise.