Can Templates Be Used in the Duolingo English Test?

Many students preparing for the Duolingo English Test (DET) often wonder whether it’s acceptable to use templates during the exam. The short answer is yes — you can use templates, but there are important rules you must follow. Your responses must always be original and reflect your true English ability. It’s fine to use memorized words, useful expressions, and short phrases, but you should never repeat entire sentences or long chunks of text, as this could cause your Duolingo English Test results not to be certified.

What Is a Template in the Duolingo English Test?

A template is a practical framework that helps you organize your ideas in both the speaking and writing sections of the Duolingo English Test. Templates don’t tell you exactly what to say or write — they simply guide you on how to build your response logically. Think of a template as a blueprint that helps structure your ideas without limiting creativity.

For example, many students use the popular three-sentence template for the “Write About the Photo” task:

1. General Description – Describe the main subject or overall scene in the picture.

2. Focus on a Detail – Choose one specific detail and describe it in more depth.

3. Speculate or Infer – Share your thoughts about what might be happening or why things appear this way.

This structure helps you stay organized and ensures your response is complete, clear, and natural. However, it’s crucial that you create your own content. The vocabulary, grammar, and ideas must come from you — that’s what makes your Duolingo English Test answer original and acceptable.

Templates vs. Memorized Responses

The main difference between templates and memorized responses in the Duolingo English Test lies in originality and flexibility. When using a template, you’re still generating your own sentences — only the structure is pre-learned. A memorized response, however, means repeating someone else’s sentences or paragraphs word for word. This eliminates your creativity and prevents the test from evaluating your real English proficiency.

Memorized responses are strictly prohibited in the Duolingo English Test because they fail to demonstrate your authentic language ability. The purpose of the exam is to measure how well you can use English spontaneously, not how well you can recall pre-written text.

Unfortunately, many test-takers mistake memorized answers for templates. Some “templates” shared online are full, pre-written essays — and using them can result in your Duolingo English Test scores not being certified. That’s why it’s essential to distinguish between genuine templates and memorized responses.

To help you practice effectively and respond more naturally in real exam conditions, you can use platforms like DETPractice. It offers AI-guided training where you can practice thousands of real-style Duolingo English Test questions, apply flexible templates, and receive instant feedback. Through repeated practice, you’ll learn to adapt your responses smoothly in the test environment — making your performance both confident and authentic.

How the Duolingo English Test Detects Memorized Responses

The Duolingo English Test uses advanced AI detection systems to identify memorized content. It compares every test taker’s responses to a large database of previous answers. If your Duolingo English Test response is too similar to others — even partially — the system may flag it as memorized. When this happens, your test may not be certified.

To avoid this, make sure your language and phrasing are always unique. Even if you follow a familiar structure, use your own vocabulary, examples, and sentence patterns to ensure that your response stands out as genuinely yours.

Can You Memorize Vocabulary for the Duolingo English Test?

Absolutely — and in fact, you should! Memorizing advanced vocabulary is one of the most effective ways to improve your Duolingo English Test score. Strong vocabulary can make your responses sound fluent, precise, and natural. However, memorizing entire sentences or paragraphs can make your answers sound artificial and repetitive.

Instead, focus on learning useful academic words, collocations, and short expressions that you can flexibly use in different contexts. Phrases like “peaceful atmosphere,” “crowded marketplace,” or “it seems that…” can make your Duolingo English Test answers more polished without sounding memorized.

Final Thoughts

In summary, you can use templates in the Duolingo English Test, but you must use them wisely. Templates are organizational tools that help you present your ideas clearly, not scripts to memorize. They make your responses more structured and confident — but the content must always come from you.

The Duolingo English Test is designed to assess your real English proficiency, not your memorization skills. Use Duolingo English Test templates as a guide, build your vocabulary, and practice expressing ideas naturally.

If you want to strengthen your preparation, consider joining DETPractice — where you can now register for 3 days of free VIP access and enjoy unlimited practice with over 18,000 real-style Duolingo English Test questions. Regular practice with authentic templates will help you adapt flexibly in the test and perform confidently on exam day.