The Duolingo English Test is a globally accepted English proficiency test trusted by thousands of universities worldwide. One of the biggest advantages is that it is completely online and can be taken from the comfort of your home, making it a convenient and affordable alternative to traditional tests like IELTS and TOEFL.
However, many test-takers face a common and frustrating issue: cancellation of the DET exam or its results. In most cases, this happens not merely because of misconduct but also because of other factors, such as small mistakes, misunderstood rules, or common myths about the test environment and monitoring process.
If you are planning to take the Duolingo English Test, or if you have already experienced a cancelled or invalidated result, you are in the right place. This complete guide will walk through everything you need to know about DET result cancellations: why they happen, what does not cause cancellation, how to avoid them, and what steps to take if your result is cancelled.
There are a few major reasons we observed over the past year for the cancellation of the Duolingo English Test.
Your Identity must exactly match the information on your government-issued ID, and your face must remain clearly visible throughout the test. If your face is covered by hair, hands, a mask, sunglasses, or a cap, if your appearance does not match your ID photo, or if you are using someone else's identification document, your result may be cancelled. It’s important to note that Duolingo English Test accepts only an original passport as proof of Identity for a few nationalities, including India and China.
To avoid these issues, ensure you have good lighting, keep your face centred in the frame, tie back long hair, and remove face masks or caps. If there is an issue with ID Verification during the evaluation, they will ask you to upload a scanned copy of an acceptable ID after the test. They will hold your result till you submit a copy.
Many test-takers unknowingly whisper answers during the writing tasks, read questions aloud, or talk to themselves while thinking. These actions can lead to cancellation because speaking is allowed only in the speaking section.
To avoid these issues, you should be completely silent unless the test clearly instructs you to speak and train yourself to think quietly.
Another main reason for cancellation is repeatedly looking away from the screen. The system flags suspicious activity when it detects you looking at a second monitor or device, looking down at your keyboard for an extended period, reading from nearby notes or books, or checking your phone.
To prevent this, remove all distractions, keep your eyes on the screen, practice typing without looking at the keyboard, and familiarise yourself with the test format in advance.
Using external help or communicating with others during the test is strictly prohibited. This includes having someone else in the room, receiving help through messages or phone calls, using translation tools or dictionaries, or having someone else take the test for you.
To prevent this, take the test alone in a closed, private room where no one can enter. Close all communication apps and browser tabs. Disable all browser extensions, including helpful ones like grammar checkers, and use only the official DET test browser.
In addition to visual monitoring, the AI analyses your behaviour and response patterns throughout the process. Extremely fast or unusually perfect responses, copying and pasting tests, repeating identical answers from previous attempts, or typing behaviour that suggests external assistance may raise red flags.
To avoid these flags, answer naturally, take your time, and rely on your own language skills without copying content from other external sources. Answer naturally without trying to be perfect, since minor mistakes are expected and normal, and type authentically in your own words and style.
Many test-takers worry about factors that don't actually cause cancellations. Understanding what is actually a violation versus what is just normal life can reduce your stress and help you take the test more naturally, which is key to avoiding real flags.
The DET AI is designed for real homes. Normal household sounds are completely fine. For example, if you are taking the test at home, and your mom calls from the kitchen, “Jack, dinner is ready!” Will your result be cancelled? No, absolutely not. As long as you do not respond, do not enter the room, and remain focused on the screen, background noise is acceptable. The AI can still clearly hear your responses; you were alone, and no external help was involved.
Other common sounds, such as a dog barking, A doorbell ringing, or traffic noise outside, are generally acceptable - as long as you do not interact with them. As long as you're alone in the room and nobody is helping you, background household noise won't cause problems.
The system looks for suspicious patterns, not normal human behavior. Natural eye movements are fine and will not cancel your test. Blinking, glancing at different parts of the screen, briefly glancing down while typing, and natural eye movements while thinking are all acceptable.
What is not allowed is staring away from the screen for long periods, repeatedly looking at something off-screen, or reading from notes or books. Be natural, not robotic.
Many test-takers also believe they need a completely silent, professional room. But this is not true. You need a private room, not a soundproof studio. Your room should be private so that you are alone, have good lighting so your face is clearly visible, be reasonably quiet so your voice can be recorded, and have a clean desk area.
However, you do not need professional soundproofing, complete silence, expensive lighting equipment, or a specific background. Your desk should be clean and free of clutter. A normal home setup is sufficient.
Step 1: Understand Why it Happened - Duolingo will email you explaining the reason. Common messages include:
Read this carefully to understand what went wrong.
Step 2: Decide if You Should Appeal - An appeal is recommended only if you genuinely followed all the rules, experienced a technical issue, or believe the cancellation reason is incorrect.
How to appeal:
Step 3: Plan Your Retake - If your result is cancelled, you will need to purchase and retake the test. Duolingo allows one test purchase every 30 days.
Do You Have to Pay for a Retake? Yes, you will need to pay for the test again. If your test gets cancelled due to a rule violation, you will not receive a refund for your original test.
The only exception - if your test was cancelled due to a technical error on Duolingo's end (server issues, software bugs, or system problems), you may be eligible for a free retake or refund. However, you need to contact support and have them verify that the issue was indeed on their side, not yours.
Most test-takers never face a ban. It only happens with repeated or serious violations. A ban is more serious than a single cancellation. Let's understand the difference.
Cancellation: Your one test result is invalidated. You can retake after 30 days.
Ban: Your account is blocked from taking the test for a set period or permanently.
1. Multiple cancellations - If you've had three or more tests cancelled, Duolingo may ban your account
2. Serious cheating - Having someone else take the test for you
3. Fraud - Using fake IDs or creating multiple accounts
4. Sharing test content - Posting test questions online
If you receive a ban notice:
It’s important to note that if your DET account gets banned, you are not allowed to reappear for DET again for the set period. Even if you try to attempt the test by creating a new account, the system will catch during ID Verification and block your new account too. The DET does not offer refunds in such scenarios.
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