Hi friends in this lesson, we're gonna take a look at the writing sample, which comes at the end of the
Duolingo English Test, this writing sample is ungraded. So you don't get scored on it, but your university the
one you're applying to can read your sample. So even though it's ungraded, it is very important you do it
well. And in case you don't know on the test, it looks like this.
And in this lesson, we're going to take a look at the key points of this question, then I'm going to give you
some writing tips. And at the end, I'll show you have a sample answer. And then I'm going to give you a
question which you can write your answer below in the comments. But before we start that, if you're new to
this channel, Hi, I'm Teacher Luke from DETREADY.COM . Visit our website to get information about this
Duolingo English test. We have some really useful online courses, and a very helpful practice platform.
Our practice platform allows you to practice all of the different questions on the Duolingo English test, and
you can check your answers immediately. I think this is one of the best ways to study for this exam. Okay,
then, well, let's get back to this lesson. Let's take a look at the key points of the writing sample.
Okay, so overall, this writing question, the writing sample is quite similar to the read then write
question, the one where you have to write 50 words or more, you simply have to read a prompt and write for
three to five minutes. And you are given two options. So two different prompts. And you have to choose one to
write about. Okay, so overall, I think this question type is quite similar to the other writing question,
the one where you have to write 50 words or more, because the time limit is roughly the same. And to be
honest, the prompts that I have seen are quite similar to but for this question type, there isn't a word
limit, and you have to write for between three to five minutes. After three minutes, the next button will
light up an orange, and you can click that to finish the test. So like I said, there isn't a word limit. So
that's good. But you still, I think, should be writing around 50 to 100 words, one full paragraph. And of
course, if you can write more, yeah, go ahead and do so. And one of the main differences between this
writing sample and the write about a topic question is that you're actually given two prompts, and you get to
choose which one you want to write about. So that's different. Alright, there are some more key points.
Okay, so for this question type, you actually get 30 seconds to choose a prompt and prepare mentally.
Luckily, you can see the question as you're writing, and you only have this once on the test, it is
ungraded. But the university can see your answer. So using good grammar, spelling, and punctuation is
important. This is a really good opportunity to show the university how good you are at writing and what
some of your ideas are based on the prompt you're given. Even though this is ungraded, it is still
important. So you must actually write an answer. Don't skip it, I think you will get disqualified if you skip
this question. Okay, so those were the key points. Now let me give you some ideas of what to write when you
are actually writing your answer.
Okay, so what to write? Well, in my opinion, you should try your best to answer all of the questions in the
prompt. So let's take a look at this example. The prompt says, describe the last time you enjoyed being
out in nature. Do you think people should spend more time outdoors? How would this affect people's quality
of life? So as you can see, from this prompt, it actually has three parts to it. It has part one, which
is describe the last time you enjoyed being outdoors in nature. Part two, then is Do you think people should
spend more time being outdoors? And part three is how would this affect people's quality of life? So my first
tip is to actually answer those three sections. If you do that, then your answer will be sufficiently long
enough. And of course, it'll make sure that you write for at least three minutes.
And as you're writing your paragraph, make sure you write in detail about each question. So always try to
develop your answer. I mean, try to write more than you normally would. So if you say something, give an
example or give a reason or give your opinion anything to develop your ideas.
Next up, use this as an opportunity to show the university who you are. So use examples from your own
life. And like I mentioned, you should try to elaborate and develop your ideas. Use words like because, for
example, in my opinion, or anything like that to elaborate and develop your ideas. Okay, so those are
some tips on how you can tackle this question. If you want some more tips on actually how to write a good
paragraph, then I recommend you take my writing course in this course I show you how to write a good paragraph
I mean what is a good structure going from topic sentence supporting ideas to concluding sentence I give
you lots of vocabulary and phrases
As you can use and I show you how to write simple to complex sentences, all of which are great for English
exams like the Duolingo English test. So if you're interested in this, you can find links to it below in
the description. Okay, now let's take a look at a sample question with a sample answer.
Okay, so here is a question. Describe a friend who has played an important part in your life. How did you meet
this person? What kind of things have you done together?
And here is a sample answer. Friends play a hugely important role in our lives. And I do my best to
maintain good friendships. I have met many amazing people in my life. However, one friend in particular
has played a bigger role in my life than others, and has helped me over many years. We met while studying
abroad in Germany and immediately bonded over our love of football. We played on the same local team in
Germany every weekend for at least nine months. We later traveled together, live together and helped each
other to get jobs. Although we can't see each other as often as we'd like to these days. Because we live in
different countries, we are always chatting online and helping each other with work and other personal issues.
I don't know where I would be in my life without the love and support of this great friend. As you can see
from here, I actually did answer all parts of the prompt. So I described my friends, I talked about how
we met. And then I'd wrote about all the things we have done together by answering each part of the prompt and
developing ideas. It was easy to write for three minutes in a good organized paragraph like this. Okay,
now it's your turn. So I prepared another question. I strongly suggest that you do write your answer, you
should write it below in the comments, because it will be great practice for you. And like I said after it,
I'm going to show you another sample answer. So I'll give you three minutes from now.
So here is the prompt I want you to write for three to five minutes, write your answer below in the comments.
Okay, guys, that's it for this lesson. I hope this was helpful. If you want more practice with writing, I do
have a writing course. There's a link to that below in the description, or you can watch one of these YouTube
videos here. Okay, thank you very much, and I'll see you soon. Bye.