👇Introduction
Struggling with DET's new 2024 'Read & Select' vocabulary question? This definitive guide reveals:
📌 How It Works: Identify real English words among fakes (15-18 words, 5 seconds each) under partial scoring – 1-2 mistakes won't zero your score
✅ 5 Battle-Tested Strategies
🔥 Critical Insight: Fake words often follow English morphology (e.g., 'glarify' looks real but isn't)
📥 Free Resources: Interactive practice platform with 1,000+ word pairs
⚠️ Avoid These Traps: Don't stress over single mistakes – focus on literacy & comprehension subscores
🤔Understanding the 2024 'Read & Select' Format
This adaptive question tests lexical precision through rapid-fire judgments
Task
Determine if a word is real (e.g., 'ambiguous') or fake (e.g., 'glarify')
Time Pressure
5 seconds per word – no option to skip or return
Scoring
- Partial credit system (2-3 errors won't fail you)
- Impacts Literacy (40%) and Comprehension (30%) subscores
Key Changes in 2025
- Fake words now more deceptive (e.g., 'subliscious' vs. pre-2024's obvious 'faketion')
- Increased emphasis on academic vocabulary (B2-C1 level)
✍️5 Strategies to Outsmart Fake Words
Strategy 1: The 100% Rule
- Only click 'Yes' if you've used the word yourself or seen it in authentic contexts (books/news)
- Example:✅ Real: 'ephemeral' (B2 adjective meaning short-lived)❌ Fake: 'ephemoric' (plausible suffix but nonexistent)
Strategy 2: Morphology Red Flags
Fake words often:
- Combine real prefixes/suffixes unnaturally (e.g., 'glarify' = 'glare' + '-ify')
- Use obscure Latin/Greek roots incorrectly (e.g., 'aquatudinous' from 'aqua')
Strategy 3: Instinct Over Analysis
- Your first impression is usually correct – overthinking leads to errors
- Data: 72% of incorrect answers come from changed decisions
Strategy 4: Vocabulary Level Targeting
- Focus on B2-C1 words from the Oxford 3000 list
- High-Yield Categories:Academic terms (e.g., 'hypothesis,' 'quantitative')Common false friends (e.g., 'actual' ≠ 'aktuell' in German)
Strategy 5: Error-Prone Word Patterns
- Endings: '-ify' (real: 'clarify'; fake: 'glarify')
- Prefixes: 'sub-' (real: 'submerge'; fake: 'subliscious')
Resources to Break Through Plateaus: Dreamy DET 2025 latest & real-test Question Bank for the 'Read & Select' question types.
👀Examiner's Perspective
- First 5 Words: Checks if you're rushing or hesitating
- Middle Section: Assesses vocabulary band (B1 vs. C1)
- Final Words: Tests consistency under fatigue
See the scores students get after using Dreamy DET strategy：
Additional Resources
By understanding all the new question types, utilizing the provided templates, and practicing with sample questions, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle this new challenge in the Duolingo English Test 2024. Good luck with your exam!
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