Hi, Teacher Luke here! 👋

A DET Ready VIP student recently asked me:

"What are the biggest mistakes students make before test day?"

There isn’t just one... Here are 4 common mistakes and how to avoid them.

👉 But first—some great news!

I’ve partnered with the Duolingo English Test to offer you an exclusive 10% discount on the official exam!

Grab your discount here 👉 https://www.detready.com/discount

I am the world’s most trusted DET teacher, and now I’m helping you save money too. 😀

Alright, let’s dive in. 👇

Mistake #1: Not focusing enough on speaking and writing

These are the most important parts of the test.

8 out of the 14 question types are speaking or writing, and they heavily affect your overall score.

If you don’t have templates or structure for your answers, it’s easy to get stuck or go off-topic.

✅ I teach all of this in my YouTube videos and VIP lessons—make sure you study those before test day!

Just like this student 👇

Mistake #2: Taking the test before you’re ready

If you feel nervous, it’s usually because you know you’re not fully prepared.

Deadlines and pressure from family or school can push you to book early—but if you fail, you’ll waste more time and money.

✅ Wait until you’ve practiced the full test, figured out your weak spots, and feel confident.

It’s worth it.

Mistake #3: Not understanding the rules

You’d be surprised how many students fail the test because they wore earphones or used Grammarly!

These are strictly against the rules.

You could get your score cancelled without warning.

✅ Make sure you read and understand all the rules on this page:

https://englishtest.duolingo.com/prepare/rules

Mistake #4: Ignoring your biggest weakness

Some students are this close to getting a higher score—but one issue holds them back:

• Grammar errors like missing articles
• Pronunciation problems
• Weak organization in writing
• Short speaking responses

✅ Often, you can fix these fast—if someone points them out and shows you how.

That’s exactly what I do inside DET Ready VIP's live lessons!

Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be in a much stronger position on test day.

— Teacher Luke 👨‍🏫

DET Ready | Helping 1,000+ students pass the DET every month