Duolingo English Test Subscores are provided to the candidates based on their proficiency level in the language test. The Duolingo English Test subscores allows candidates willing to study or work abroad to precisely understand their English language abilities from the scores. The Duolingo subscores measures candidates’ language skills in specific areas and ensures accuracy to certify their English level. The goal of the Duolingo English Test is to measure how well candidates are able to communicate their ideas in the English language. Duolingo subscores help in reporting the candidates’ proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

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Why Duolingo Subscores? 

Duolingo English Test Subscores ensures that candidates are provided with more detailed information about their English Language proficiency and skills. The Duolingo subscores, ensures that candidates are able to know their abilities without having to opt for another test. Candidates are able to know about their strengths and weaknesses in the English language.

The Duolingo English Test Subscores are important to understand their language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening which are common grounds for assessing skills. The Duolingo Subscores allows them to focus more on these areas while studying the language in the future.

Moreover, the Duolingo subscores allows the admission offices of universities or even workplaces to assess the candidature of the applicants. It hence, helps them make informed decisions.

Scale of the Duolingo Subscores 

The Duolingo Subscores use the same scale as the overall Duolingo Score. The Duolingo English Test subscores are measured at the scale of 160 in 5-point increments. Each of the Duolingo subscore certificates has a unique and secure link. Candidates can follow application advice to find key points and tips for acing their Duolingo English Test. While the overall Duolingo score includes a general description of the candidates’ abilities, the Duolingo subscores are measured in specific areas as follows:

• Literacy- candidates’ ability to read and write
• Comprehension- candidates’ ability to listen and read
• Conversation- candidates’ ability to speak and listen
• Production- candidates’ ability to write and speak

How are the Duolingo Subscores Chosen? 

The development of the Duolingo subscores are focused on the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening skills of the candidates in English Language. The candidates need to be assessed on these language skills in practice as stated by the applied research in linguistics.

Accordingly, there are three criteria that needs to be fulfilled by candidates to create Duolingo English subscores:

• Reflect the Internal Structure of the test: To measure different components in the language proficiency of candidates, the Duolingo subscores should reflect the questions candidates are asked in the test.
• Reliability: the Duolingo English Test Subscores are required to be consistent
• Added Value: The information given for each Duolingo subscore needs to be different. It should be able to add value to the above and beyond measurement of the total Duolingo Score.

Duolingo Subscores- Internal Structure 

The Duolingo English Test pattern includes seven types of questions that are used to measure the different aspects of language proficiency. Each of the seven types of questions contribute two Duolingo subscores. The questions are based on the four specific areas as follows:

• Literacy- C-test, writing, yes/no (text)
• Conversation: Speaking, dictation, elicited speech, yes/no (audio)
• Comprehension: C-test, dictation, elicited speech, yes/no (text), yes/no (audio)
• Production: Speaking and Writing

Duolingo Subscores- Reliability 

The reliability of the Duolingo English Test subscores are assessed after the internal structure is determined and the Duolingo subscores are created. The reliability or consistency is assessed based on two different aspects including- internal consistency and test-retest reliability:

• Internal consistency- it measures how well the questions work with each other to assess the proficiency of each component of the language
• Test-Retest Reliability- it represents the correlation between two different Duolingo subscores within a span of 30 days.

The following table presents the Reliability table for Duolingo English Test subscore:

Duolingo Subscores- Added Value 

The criteria of Duolingo Subscores for Added value is determined with the measurement of the added value. Accordingly, the variation in the Duolingo English Test subscore is compared by the total Duolingo score with the variation accounted for the Duolingo Subscores alone. Thus, assessing the reliability of each Duolingo subscore. This measure is known as proportional Reduction in Mean Squared Error (PRMSE). The following table shows that the Duolingo subscores are higher than the total scores providing meaningful added value beyond the overall score.

Can the Duolingo Subscores be Superscored? 

The Duolingo English Test subscore cannot be superscored in any manner. The Duolingo subscores are only utilised to make informed decisions about the applicant’s abilities in English language in all the four components of language.

Is the Overall Score an Average of the Subscore? 

The overall Duolingo Score is not an average of the Duolingo Subscore. The estimation of the Duolingo scores in each of the four areas is conducted independently. These scores are the weighted combination of the Duolingo English Test questions that eventually contribute to the overall score.

Do Duolingo Practice Papers give estimated Duolingo Subscores? 

The Duolingo Practice Tests does not provide the candidates any estimate of the Duolingo Subscores. The Duolingo English Test subscores are given only for certified Duolingo English Test. Candidates can however, improve their language skills and abilities using the Duolingo English Practice Papers.

Thus, Duolingo English Test subscores are essential for providing candidates an informed information on their level of English language skills to work or study abroad.