You: Teacher Elena, how long will it take for me to get the score I need?
Teacher Elena: Ah, the question I get the most! 😄
I completely understand why you’re asking — when you’re preparing for something as important as the Duolingo English Test, you want to know how long the road is.
But here’s the truth: every student is unique, and every progress story is unique.
There’s no single, one-size-fits-all timeline because everyone starts from a different level, learns at a different pace, and studies under different circumstances.
That said, I’ve had some truly inspiring success stories. For example, one of my students improved 10 points overall, and another boosted their Production score by 20 points, a third one jumped 15 points in Listening — all in just two weeks of intensive lessons!
You: Is that common progress?!
Teacher Elena: Now, that’s not common, I have to say. Moreover, those lessons were very focused.
We had 10 lessons and each lesson lasted 2 hours; we met once a day, and we had classes from Monday to Friday – meaning we had 20 hours of personalized training overall, on top of the fact that they also did the required homework. It was a challenging schedule, but they were fully committed, and their progress showed it!
For most students, though, the realistic pace looks like this:
➡️ About one month of learning
➡️ Around 8 -12 hours of private lessons (usually 2 or 3 times a week)
➡️ Plus consistent homework, practice, and feedback
With that level of dedication, students generally see an improvement between 5 and 10 points overall.
Of course, every case is different; some learners need a bit more time, some move faster.
You: Okay, tnx. So, how many hours of learning is this?
Teacher Elena: The most realistic average time in terms of hours: between 70 and 90 hours of total focused work (lessons + practice + feedback combined) per month. This is the required dedication generally needed if you want to improve by at least 5 points in every single skill.
And that’s where I come in. Before you even book a lesson, you can always contact me directly. I’ll ask you a few short questions to get a sense of your current level, your goals, and your study habits. Based on that, I’ll create a realistic, personalized study plan that helps you reach your target score efficiently — and with a little fun along the way!
Because no two learners are the same, but every learner can succeed with the right strategy.
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Want to start improving your DET score right away?
Check out the Study Program — it’s extremely effective and gives you all the tools you need
💬 Prefer a custom plan made just for you?
Contact Teacher Elena for private lessons, so you can reach your goal even faster!