The Duolingo English Test “Is It a Real Word?” exercise measures your ability to recognise genuine English words rather than define them. To succeed, learn common word forms, recognise borrowed words from other languages, read authentic English regularly, and practise distinguishing real words from convincing fake ones.
Imagine opening your Duolingo English Test and seeing a screen filled with random-looking letter combinations. Some of them look perfectly normal. Others seem completely ridiculous. Your task is surprisingly simple.
Is it a real English word or not?
It sounds easy until you actually try it.
Consider an example similar to what you might see on the exam.
Real or Not?
Could you confidently identify every genuine English word?
Many test takers hesitate because English contains thousands of unusual-looking words. Some come from French, Latin, Greek, Italian, German, Japanese and many other languages. Others are different grammatical forms of familiar words. Some simply look fake even though they appear in every major English dictionary.
The good news is that this task is not about memorising endless vocabulary lists. It is about recognising patterns and training your brain to notice what real English words look like.
This guide will show you exactly how.
Unlike traditional vocabulary questions that ask for definitions, this task measures something deeper.
It tests whether you have developed an intuitive feel for English after reading and listening to the language extensively.
Strong readers gradually build a mental dictionary. They may not know every word, but they can often recognise whether a word belongs to English.
That is exactly the skill the Duolingo English Test wants to assess.
One of the biggest mistakes candidates make is rejecting perfectly real words because they seem unfamiliar. The exam does not only use dictionary headwords. It can also include different grammatical forms.
For example, if you know the verb watch, all of these are genuine English words.
Similarly,
Notice something interesting. Words like referred or referring may look strange because they contain double consonants. However, they follow standard English spelling rules. The same applies to many other verbs.
Out of context, some of these words may look unusual, but they are completely correct.
Whenever you see a word ending in -ed, -ing, -s, -es, or -ies, do not dismiss it too quickly. Ask yourself whether it could simply be another grammatical form of a familiar word.
Some authentic English words look so bizarre that many native speakers smile when they hear them.
Here are some excellent examples.
If you encountered some of these on the exam without context, you might easily assume they were invented.
They are not.
Every one of them is a genuine English word.
English is famous for borrowing vocabulary from around the world.
That is why some words seem unusual.
Because English has borrowed words for centuries, the spelling of some words does not always follow typical English patterns.
That is perfectly normal.
The test writers are clever. Many fake words look almost real. Consider these examples.
The fake words often imitate common prefixes, suffixes and spelling patterns. Do not rely on guessing. Instead, ask yourself,
Have I actually seen this word while reading English?
If the answer is no, be cautious.
This exercise rewards exposure. Students who read regularly recognise thousands of words naturally.
Excellent sources include:
The more you read, the larger your mental dictionary becomes. Eventually, you begin recognising words instinctively.
Decide whether each item is a real English word or not a real English word.
Word Answer
referred ✅ Real
glimpify ❌ Fake
crepes ✅ Real
hullabaloo ✅ Real
scronkle ❌ Fake
kerfuffle ✅ Real
travelling ✅ Real (British spelling)
blontering ❌ Fake
bewildered ✅ Real
flabbergasted ✅ Real
nincompoop ✅ Real
rempting ❌ Fake
spaghetti ✅ Real
gobbledygook ✅ Real
bamboozled ✅ Real
One of the best ways to prepare for this exercise is to learn unusual vocabulary that appears in authentic English.
Here are some fascinating words worth knowing.
Learning these words will not only help with this exercise but will also improve your speaking, writing, reading and listening scores.
Whenever you practise this task, remember these golden rules.
The more authentic English you read, the easier this task becomes. Eventually, recognising real English words feels almost automatic, and what once looked like a random collection of letters begins to reveal familiar patterns.
Preparing for the DET is about much more than memorising vocabulary lists. You need smart strategies, targeted practice and expert feedback that focuses on the skills the test actually measures.
If you’re aiming for a top score, I can help. As an experienced English teacher and Duolingo English Test coach, I provide personalised lessons, realistic exam practice and proven techniques that help students build confidence and maximise their scores.
Whether you’re applying to university or pursuing new career opportunities, I’d be delighted to help you reach your target score. Feel free to explore my other DET resources on this blog or get in touch to discuss one-to-one coaching.
It asks you to identify genuine English words and distinguish them from invented ones. The task measures vocabulary recognition rather than definitions.
Read authentic English daily, learn advanced vocabulary, recognise common prefixes and suffixes, and practise with real and fake word lists.
Yes. Forms such as watched, referred, travelling, and cancelled are all genuine English words and may appear.
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