Duolingo English Test Writing Sample — Practice and Examples
You read a question and write a longer answer giving and supporting your view.
What it tests
Extended writing: a clear position, reasons that actually support it, and control of grammar over several sentences.
Worked example
Prompt: Some employers let staff choose their own working hours. Others set the same hours for everyone. Which arrangement works better for a small business? Give reasons and an example.
Model answer
For a small business I think fixed hours work better, even though staff prefer to choose. A small team cannot cover a gap: if two people out of five decide to start late on the same morning, the shop opens late and customers go elsewhere. My cousin runs a repair workshop with four employees and tried flexible hours for a year. Jobs were started and then left half finished because the person who began them was not there the next day. He now sets the hours but allows swaps if the two people agree in advance, which gives most of the freedom without the confusion.
How to do well
- State your view in the first sentence. Do not spend your time restating the question.
- One well-explained reason with an example is better than three listed reasons.
- Leave a minute to reread: missing words and agreement slips are easy marks to recover.
Practice at three levels
Our practice for this task comes in three levels you choose yourself: Foundation teaches the format, Standard is 12 sessions plus 12 full tests at the level most candidates aim for, and Hard is another 12 + 12 with academic topics and tighter wording. Progress is kept per level, so you can move up when the current one feels easy.
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