Books To Prepare For Duolingo English Test 2023: Check books for Grammar and Vocabulary Practice Tests

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Samarpita Goswami
Updated on Feb 03, 2023 11:54 AM IST

Given that there is no planned or established syllabus for the Duolingo English Test, the preparation material and approach are entirely dependent on the test taker's decision and knowledge. While preparing for an exam or test, good study material, be it an online practice paper or book is all that you need to score well on the test.

While there is a lot of study material available online, most students prefer the traditional way of learning from a book. A candidate studying for the Duolingo English Test might purchase books made expressly for it. They will improve their English skills and competency with thorough preparation with these Duolingo best books. Find out which is the best book for you to prepare for Duolingo English Test here.

Are Duolingo English Test Best Books Important?

Duolingo English Test is becoming more advanced in its proficiency testing process as its acceptability spreads across top global universities. Test takers are not required to prepare extensively, however, a good language foundation can be built up using books. Hence it is recommended to test takers use the guidance of certain books to prepare for DET.

The format of DET focuses on testing the following abilities in a candidate:

  • Vocabulary

  • Grammar

  • Speaking and Conversational abilities

  • Reading and Understanding abilities

To ensure fluency in these areas following must be practised:

  • Grammar exercises especially for voices and word types.

  • Subject-verb agreement and related exercises for proper sentence formation.

  • Word forms (participles, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, etc.) and degrees.

  • Passage and related exercises, such as summary, notes, title, etc.

  • Spoken language practice through phonetics and pronunciation exercises.

The Duolingo English Test Book

Duolingo English Test might not have any specific book or syllabus, however, there is a book that can act as an answer to the preparation matter for the test takers.

The Duolingo English Test Book is a comprehensive book to prepare for the Duolingo English Test by Ashok Kumar. It is the first-ever book published for Duolingo English Test preparation. It is a complete guide that helps students prepare for the DET strategically and effectively.  

The Duolingo English Test Book is not only a good book to polish your English language skills, but, also suitable study material for non-English speaking candidates, and someone who is not well versed in the language. 

The book content covers the following topics:

  • Essential tips to prepare for DET

  • Practice Papers 

  • Grammar, spelling check & sentence formation questions 

  • Tips to enhance English vocabulary

The Duolingo English Test Book can be purchased from a bookstore or online through an e-commerce website 

Know How to Prepare for Duolingo English Test!

Best Books to Practice Grammar for Duolingo English Test 2023

While grammatical questions are not directly asked by Duolingo English Test the element is easily recognizable in almost all the questions and specifically in sentence completion ones. While practising test papers are a lot of help to understand the basic rather than just an idea following books are recommended:

Oxford English Grammar

Authored by Sidney Greenbaum (British Linguist) in 1996 the book is recognized and reputed. It contains detailed grammar lessons for the language as well as multiple exercises to practice those lessons.

Gain Control Over English Writing

Authored by Prof. Shrikant Prasoon, Gain Control Over English Writing is an English workbook with numerous exercises for the practice of English grammar in it. The book can be used alone or as collateral to a lesson book. There are also available answer keys within the book.

English Grammar In Use

Authored by Raymond Murphy it is amongst the reputed practice and grammar books of English. It has been published under the banner of Cambridge University Press and is regularly updated to suit the trends and resolve printing mistakes.

Practical English Usage

The book was authored by Michael Swan in 1860 and is running in its 4th edition. The book has been published by Oxford University Press and is recognized as an amazing practice book for common English usage.

Cobuild English Grammar

Modern English grammar is presented in a simplistic manner in this book by Collin Corpus. It is written in a user-friendly manner and captures the essential differences between American and English grammar with examples. You can improve your writing and speaking skills.

Oxford Practice Grammar with Answers

This book by J. Eastwood is designed for students who have a basic understanding of grammar. So if you are at the intermediate or upper-intermediate stage then you should practice from this book. Grammatical structures are explained in detail and practice exercises are provided for students. 

You can check out these articles on Duolingo:

Duolingo Practice Test - Benefits, How to Attempt Duolingo English Test: Speaking Interview Questions
Minimum Duolingo Score Accepted in Top US Universities Benefits of Taking the Duolingo English Test

Best Books to Practice Vocabulary for Duolingo English Test 2023

Vocabulary is the knowledge of words of a language and the ease at which they can be put to use by any person. To be able to use the language with ease, building a solid vocabulary is extremely important. The following books are recommended:

The Dictionary

A Dictionary is a collection of words, phrases, and clauses, recognized by the language to date, and their meanings. Every language learner must own at least one dictionary of that language as there is no way better than to build a vocabulary. It is chronologically set up and is therefore easy to refer to as well.

The Thesaurus

A Thesaurus is a kind of dictionary but for a special category of words, such as synonyms, antonyms, idioms, proverbs, homonyms, etc. Each word has some other connection to many words of the language, what is this connection decides the nature of their usage together. Owning a thesaurus is as important as owning a dictionary.

Word Power Made Easy

Originally published in 1949 by the author Norman Lewis the book contains the most commonly used words, their descriptive meanings, formulations (noun, verb, and adjective), related words (synonyms, antonyms, etc.), and usage. It is like a combined dictionary and thesaurus for the most common terms of the English language.

Best Books to Practice Text Exercises for Duolingo English Test 2023

DET as an exam shall be dominated by passage-based questions. To easily and speedily understand the test-related question proper practice is required. In this case following books on reading comprehension can be of great help:

A Complete Book Of Reading Comprehension

The book is filled with unseen passages and varying kinds of exercises are based on these passages. The exercises include short answer questions, matching exercises, in-text phrases, one-three word answers, note-making, summarizing, title exercises, etc.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

This book contains advanced-level exercises in the format of multiple-choice questions and is, therefore, a very good book to practice reading comprehension abilities. The book’s uniqueness is in the factor of multiple-choice questions as DET 2023 also has a similar format.

Know Which is the Best Study Material for Proficiency Tests!

FAQs on Duolingo English Test Best Books

Which is the best book to prepare for Duolingo?

The best book to prepare for Duolingo is the Duolingo Book by Ashok Kumar. The book is comprehensive and covers all topics asked in the Duolingo English Test. It contains practice sets, sample questions, and guidelines to help you perform well in the test. The book can be purchased either online or from a bookstore.

Which English Language Books should I refer to prepare for Duolingo?

The English Language books which you should refer to to prepare for Duolingo are exercise-oriented. There are many good books to improve the English language skills like Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, Everyday English for Grown-Ups By Michelle Finlay, Spoken English for My World by Sabina Pillai, and Common Errors in Everyday English by Saumya Sharma, etc.

Can I refer to IELTS books to prepare for Duolingo?

You can refer to IELTS books to prepare for Duolingo, but it is not advisable. The exam pattern and format of Duolingo are completely different from the IELTS exam. It is best to refer to the books and practice sets specifically designed for the Duolingo English Test.

What is the Duolingo - Official Guide to Test Taker?

The Duolingo - Official Guide to Test Taker is designed by Duolingo for test-takers to learn about Duolingo. It is a complete guide to help candidates understand the test format, types of questions asked and level of difficulty of the test. It can be downloaded online after creating an official Duolingo account.

Which books should I study for Duolingo?

Books which you should study for Duolingo are described are Duolingo English Test Book, Oxford English Grammar, Cobuild English Grammar and Gain Control Over English Writing. These books are based on different target topics, such as vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, etc. Theybooks not only educate you on the topical material but also help practice them.

Is it necessary to use books to prepare for Duolingo?

It is not necessary to use books to prepare for Duolingo. Books are good and recommended preparation material for candidates who are not quite fluent in a language. Moreover, to use books as preparation material, you need to have at least 2 months before you sit for the exam.

I have registered for Duolingo and will attempt it in 2 weeks. Which books must I refer to?

If you have registered for Duolingo and will attempt it in 2 weeks, then you must not refer to the books. Books are good preparation material, but their information is huge to grasp in 2 weeks. Instead, you must go for practice and question papers. However, if you still want to consult books, then exercise books are good.

When is the right time to use books to prepare for Duolingo?

The right time to use books to prepare for Duolingo is when you have ample time before sitting for the exam. If your admission deadlines are still months away and you can afford to consult wide course materials, only then must you choose books. It is advisable to use books with at least 2 months in your hands before the exam.

Can I prepare for Duolingo from the books alone?

You can prepare for Duolingo from the books alone, however, it is not advisable. Books shall strengthen your base, knowledge, and fluency in the language, however, practice papers and question papers are the best mediums to grow familiar with the test format. Hence, it is advisable to use them along with books, especially in the later stages of preparation.

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