How to practice: This set collects only the Speaking Sample question type from the real DET (Duolingo English Test), covering DET Speaking questions. No grading and no timer, so solve it yourself, then tap each question to reveal the answer or model response.
Q1
Describe how you use technology in your daily life. Include specific examples and explain how it affects you.
30s to prepare · 3:00 to speak · 1 take only
Useful Expressions
Technology plays a huge role in... · For example... · It also helps me... · On the other hand... · Overall, I'd say...
Show Model Response
Technology plays a huge role in almost every part of my daily life at this point, honestly to the extent that it's sometimes hard to imagine what a normal day would even look like without it. From the moment I wake up, I'm relying on some kind of device, whether it's my phone's alarm, a weather app, or checking messages before I even get out of bed.
For example, I use my laptop for the vast majority of my work, whether that's writing documents, joining video calls with colleagues who live in completely different time zones, or managing tasks through project management apps. Without these tools, coordinating with a team spread across different countries would honestly be almost impossible, or at the very least, incredibly slow and inefficient compared to how things work now.
It also helps me stay connected with friends and family who live far away. I regularly video call my parents, who live in a different city, and it genuinely makes the distance feel much smaller than it actually is. We can share photos instantly, plan visits together, and just check in on each other's lives in a way that simply wasn't possible for previous generations separated by that same distance.
On the other hand, I have noticed that technology affects me in some less positive ways too. I sometimes catch myself scrolling through social media for far longer than I intended, which eats into time I could be spending on more meaningful activities, like reading or actually meeting people in person. There's also a certain mental fatigue that comes from constantly being reachable and available through notifications at every hour of the day.
Overall, I'd say technology has made my life significantly more efficient and connected, but I'm also becoming more intentional about setting boundaries, like turning off notifications in the evening, so that I can actually benefit from it without letting it completely take over my time and attention.
For example, I use my laptop for the vast majority of my work, whether that's writing documents, joining video calls with colleagues who live in completely different time zones, or managing tasks through project management apps. Without these tools, coordinating with a team spread across different countries would honestly be almost impossible, or at the very least, incredibly slow and inefficient compared to how things work now.
It also helps me stay connected with friends and family who live far away. I regularly video call my parents, who live in a different city, and it genuinely makes the distance feel much smaller than it actually is. We can share photos instantly, plan visits together, and just check in on each other's lives in a way that simply wasn't possible for previous generations separated by that same distance.
On the other hand, I have noticed that technology affects me in some less positive ways too. I sometimes catch myself scrolling through social media for far longer than I intended, which eats into time I could be spending on more meaningful activities, like reading or actually meeting people in person. There's also a certain mental fatigue that comes from constantly being reachable and available through notifications at every hour of the day.
Overall, I'd say technology has made my life significantly more efficient and connected, but I'm also becoming more intentional about setting boundaries, like turning off notifications in the evening, so that I can actually benefit from it without letting it completely take over my time and attention.