EFL Students’ Duolingo English Practice Test Difficulties - A Comparative Study between High and Low Digital Language Test Achievers

Aug 29, 2026

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This study investigates the difficulties encountered by high- and low-achieving EFL students when completing the free practice version of the Duolingo English Test (DET). Using a qualitative, descriptive-comparative design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with five students. Results show that, despite generally perceived accessibility and clear instructions, learners face linguistic, technical, and psychological challenges. Limited vocabulary and grammar, time pressure, spontaneous speaking/writing demands, and unstable internet connections are especially common among low-achievers. High-achievers display greater confidence and use more effective strategies to adapt to the adaptive format, indicating achievement level shapes coping with digital language assessment demands.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Duolingo English Test free practice version

Challenges faced by EFL students

Theoretical Framework and Research Focus

EFL Students’ Duolingo English Practice Test Difficulties: A Comparative Study between High and Low Digital Language Test Achievers [https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i1.1835](https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i1.1835) Nurlian,*Maulina, Syarif Amin abc 123Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari, Indonesia [Corresponding Author:](Corresponding Author: maulina@umkendari.ac.id)[ ](Corresponding Author: maulina@umkendari.ac.id)[maulina@umkendari.ac.id](Corresponding Author: maulina@umkendari.ac.id) | A B S T R A C T | | | --- | --- | | This study investigates the difficulties encountered by both high- and low-achieving EFL students when completing the free practice version of the Duolingo English Test (DET). A qualitative, descriptive-comparative design was employed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five students. The findings reveal that although the DET platform is generally perceived as accessible and supported by clear instructions, students still experience various linguistic, technical, and psychological challenges. Limited vocabulary and grammatical competence, time pressure, demands for spontaneous responses in speaking and writing tasks, and unstable internet connections were among the most frequently reported difficulties, particularly among low-achieving students. In contrast, high-achieving students demonstrated greater confidence and employed more effective strategies, which enabled them to adapt better to the adaptive test format. These findings suggest that students’ achievement levels influence how they cope with the demands of digital language assessments. Therefore, this study highlights the need for targeted preparation and improved instructional support to help EFL learners better navigate the tasks in the free practice version of the DET.
Keywords: uolingo English Test, EFL Learners, Test Difficulties, Language Testing, Digital Assessmen | | | Article History:
Received 12th December 2025
Accepted 07th January 2026
Published 09th January 2026 | | INTRODUCTION In the 21st century, technological developments and globalization have strengthened international relations, facilitated access to information, and increased cross-cultural interaction. In this context, English serves as a widely accepted global communication tool, despite persistent linguistic and regional differences (Rao, 2019; Syarif et al., 2025; Aksam et al., 2025). As emphasized by Maulina and Sari (2022), English is now recognized as the dominant international language in various fields. In line with advances in digital technology, online English proficiency tests are gaining popularity, particularly among EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners seeking to practically measure and prove their language skills (Zou et al., 2021; Faisa et al., 2025; Petriani et al., 2025). One innovation in this area is the Duolingo English Test (DET), which offers a modern solution with advantages in flexibility, affordability, and ease of access compared to conventional tests. Today, this type of digital assessment is gaining popularity, especially among students who require fast, accessible certification from anywhere (Sadaf, 2023) . The development of educational technology has also shifted from being merely a medium for entertainment to an inclusive and interactive learning platform (Maulina et al., 2022; Nufus et al., 2025) Digital-based approaches enable learners to evaluate their English skills independently, according to their individual readiness and needs, without being tied to time and location (Cao et al., 2024; Sakina et al., 2025). One of the most recognized technology based proficiency assessments is the English test from Duolingo (DET). DET is a web-based, adaptive, and time efficient test that assesses the four fundamental linguistic abilities Speaking, writing, listening, and reading through interactive tasks (Wagner, 2020). It has been increasingly accepted by global universities due to its a

FAQs

What difficulties do EFL students report when completing the Duolingo English Test free practice version?

Students report linguistic, technical, and psychological challenges, including limited vocabulary and grammar, time pressure, spontaneous response demands in speaking and writing, and unstable internet connections.

How do low-achieving and high-achieving students differ in coping with the DET free practice format?

Low-achieving students experience difficulties more frequently, while high-achieving students show greater confidence and use more effective strategies to adapt to the adaptive test format.

Why does the study suggest student achievement level matters in digital language assessments?

The findings indicate that achievement level influences how students cope with task demands, including linguistic skills, test pacing, and platform-related constraints.

Aug 29, 2026

Upload by Paura