500+ Most Common Real Words on the Duolingo English Test

One of the common challenges faced by non-native English speakers is English Grammar. The English language comes with an extensive library of words, slang, phrases, idioms, etc. The foundation of being strong in your English vocabulary is your mastery of the words in the English language. 

It is estimated that there are over 1 million words in the English language. However, if you are taking an English language test such as the Duolingo English test – you don’t have the time and energy to learn and know all the words. Frankly, nobody can. 

The truth is you don’t need to learn every single word in the English dictionary. You need to familiarize yourself with the most common real words in the language. These common words are the building blocks of your language skills which you can apply to the various test sections of the DET. You can also confidently use these common words in your day-to-day life, whether you are a student, a career-minded professional, or someone visiting an English-speaking country. 

Here, in this article, we will share a Duolingo vocabulary list and some of the most common words in the English language that you need to learn and know to pass the Duolingo English test successfully.

We will also discuss the test sections where you will have the opportunity to use them. Finally, we’ll also share some sample practice questions to help you understand where they will appear on your Duolingo English test.

Which Duolingo English Test Sections Test Your English Vocabulary?

The variation on the “yes/no” vocabulary exam is very common in many English tests, including the Duolingo English Test. These exams have been used to measure vocabulary proficiency across the CEFR levels or other English Proficiency tests. 

The text variation of the “yes/no” question type requires you to distinguish between a collection of written English words and pseudo-words made to seem English-like. Studies show that the text yes/no vocabulary item type predicts listening, reading, and writing ability.

Traditional yes/no vocabulary exams concurrently provide a huge number of stimuli of varying degrees of difficulty. The format is made computer-adaptive by displaying many smaller sets, each containing a handful of stimuli of similar complexity.

This test activity is available in two formats: text and audio. These types of questions will appear in the following test sections of the DET:

• Read and Select
• Listen and Select

Read and Select

In this test section, you will work on a list of terms, some of which are genuine and others are pseudo-words, and you must choose just the proper ones.

Be cautious while selecting the right word, and double-check the spelling since some words seem accurate but are made up!

Listen and Select

Unlike Read and Select, you must listen to the words before picking the correct ones.

The same advice applies to this test problem as the previous one. The pronunciation may sound like a legitimate term, but it isn’t, so pay attention!

How to improve your Vocabulary and Spelling for the Duolingo English Test?

What Are the Common Real Words You Need to Learn for the Duolingo English Test?

Here is a list of real English words that you can get yourself familiar with:

Sample Practice Questions from the Duolingo English Test that Test Your “Yes/No” Vocabulary 

They’ve developed these activities to assist students like you in practicing for the Duolingo English Test for free. You may also prepare for the Duolingo English Test by going to Duolingo Test Free Practice – Exercises and Information.

Read and Select

Practice 1

Practice 2

Practice 3

Practice 4

Practice 5

Practice 6

Listen and Select

Level 1 

Level 2

Level 3

What English Spelling Skills Do You Need to Improve for the Duolingo English Test?

A common challenge for non-English speakers is that a few words in English sound and look familiar but have different meanings. On other occasions, a few words are commonly misspelled. And usually, the misspelling happens with a single alphabet, “i” or “e”. There are many nuances to the English language that confuse and lead to spelling mistakes.

The rarest form is extremely long multi-syllable words, and in some cases, these words are foreign even to native and fluent English speakers.

Let’s look at both these scenarios with multiple examples. 

Commonly Confused English Words

The difficulty with spellcheck is that it might misspell words. English is full of similar-sounding but differently written terms.

Usually, English learners misinterpret many words with similar (but not identical) meanings due to confusing structures or even multiple meanings. Here are some of the most frequently misunderstood English terms.

English Words with Troublesome Spelling 

The ever-evolving English language may be challenging to spell because of its quirks and exceptions.

It is only since the advent of the printing machine that they have standardized the terms in American English. While spellcheck apps are excellent, understanding and being competent in spelling are crucial both at school and at the workplace.

People will evaluate you based on your misspelled words, fair or not. That may harm your grades or professional growth. 

Silent Letter

When writing a word, don’t forget to spell it with its silent letter even though it is not spoken. In other words, more than half of the alphabet may occur as silent letters. 

At times, you may find them at the beginning, end, or center of the words, and you wouldn’t know they were there based on the word’s sound.

Common Misspelled English Words

Below is a list of commonly misspelled words. Get yourself familiar with it to avoid committing mistakes:

Additional FAQs – Duolingo Vocabulary List