DET Fill in the Blanks Practice (Set 1) | 25 Realistic Questions for 120–130 Scores

DET Fill in the Blanks Practice (Set 1)

25 Realistic Questions for 120–130 Scores

By Sam | DETnTedu.com

Duolingo English Test Fill in the Blanks Practice Questions Set 1

💡 Why This Question Type Matters More Than You Think

Fill in the Blanks is one of the most underestimated question types on the Duolingo English Test. Many test-takers think it's just a simple vocabulary test, but it actually evaluates three core skills simultaneously: vocabulary range, grammatical instincts, and reading structure under time pressure.

6 to 9 questions per test.
AI Adaptive system: The more correct answers you give, the harder the questions become.
Direct impact: Heavily influences your Literacy and Comprehension subscores.
⚠️ No partial credit: One typo or wrong letter, and you lose the entire point.

📊 Your Score Benchmark

Questions Correct	Estimated DET Range
22 – 25	120 – 130+ (Advanced)
18 – 21	105 – 115 (Intermediate)
17 or below	Below 100

Duolingo English Test Fill in the Blanks real screen sample

📝 Practice Questions — Set 1

⏱ Time limit: 20 seconds per question

The number of blanks equals the number of missing letters. Try answering before looking at the key!

🏠 Daily Life

1. The doctor advised him to stay hydr_ _ _ _ by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day.
2. She set her al_ _ _ for 6 a.m. so she wouldn't miss her morning flight.
3. After a long week at work, he looked forward to rel_ _ _ _ _ at home with a good book.
4. He forgot to renew his prescrip_ _ _ _ and had to visit the pharmacy again.
5. He was too nerv_ _ _ to speak in front of such a large audience.

📚 Academic / Education

6. The professor urged students to think criti_ _ _ _ _ rather than simply memorizing facts.
7. The curriculum was redesigned to reflect more contemp_ _ _ _ _ topics in modern society.
8. Students are expected to submit original work and avoid plagi_ _ _ _ _ at all costs.
9. He enrolled in an online certif_ _ _ _ _ _ program to enhance his credentials.
10. The teacher asked students to underl_ _ _ the key terms in the reading passage.

💼 Work / Business

11. The manager scheduled a brief_ _ _ session before the client presentation to align the team.
12. She was recognized for her ability to ne_ _ _ _ _ _ _ complex contracts under pressure.
13. The annual budget was revised to accomm_ _ _ _ _ the unexpected rise in operating costs.
14. The CEO emphasized the importance of trans_ _ _ _ _ _ _ in all financial reporting practices.
15. She handed him a bri_ _ form to fill out at the reception desk.

🔬 Science / Medicine

16. The vaccine was found to be highly eff_ _ _ _ _ _ against the new strain of the virus.
17. The patient was placed under obs_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to monitor for any post-surgical complications.
18. The clinical trial confirmed that the drug reduces inflam_ _ _ _ _ _ in affected tissue.
19. A chr_ _ _ _ lack of sleep has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
20. The road was sl_ _ _ _ _ _ after the freezing rain, making driving dangerous.

🌍 Society / Culture

21. The government launched a campaign to raise aware_ _ _ _ about mental health issues.
22. Critics argued that the new policy would widen the existing social inequ_ _ _ _ _.
23. The documentary explored the social implic_ _ _ _ _ _ _ of widespread automation in the workforce.
24. The cat hid bene_ _ _ the bed when it heard the loud thunder.
25. The report revealed a sharp increase in cybercr_ _ _ targeting elderly individuals online.

🔑 Answer Key & Pattern Analysis

🏠 Daily Life Answers

1. hydrated (Adjective)
• Pattern: stay + adjective complement
• Collocation: stay hydrated / keep hydrated
• Example: Athletes are advised to stay hydrated throughout training to maintain peak performance.

2. alarm (Noun)
• Pattern: set + noun (object of the verb)
• Collocation: set an alarm / alarm clock
• Example: He forgot to set his alarm and ended up missing the early morning meeting.

3. relaxing (Gerund)
• Pattern: look forward to + -ing
• Collocation: look forward to relaxing
• Example: After months of intense preparation, she looked forward to relaxing by the beach.

4. prescription (Noun)
• Pattern: possessive pronoun (his) + noun
• Collocation: renew a prescription / fill a prescription
• Example: The pharmacist reminded her that her prescription would expire at the end of the month.

5. nervous (Adjective)
• Pattern: too + adjective
• Collocation: feel nervous / nervous about
• Example: She felt nervous before the presentation but quickly gained confidence once she began speaking.

📚 Academic / Education Answers

6. critically (Adverb) — Modifies the verb think. Pattern: think + adverb. Collocation: think critically / critically analyze

7. contemporary (Adjective) — more + adjective + noun pattern. Collocation: contemporary topics / contemporary issues

8. plagiarism (Noun) — Object of the verb avoid. Collocation: avoid plagiarism / academic plagiarism

9. certification (Noun) — Part of a compound noun. Collocation: certification program / earn a certification

10. underline (Verb — Infinitive) — asked + someone + to + verb pattern. Collocation: underline key terms / underline the importance of

💼 Work / Business Answers

11. briefing (Noun) — Compound noun. Collocation: briefing session / press briefing / attend a briefing

12. negotiate (Verb — Infinitive) — ability to + verb pattern. Collocation: negotiate contracts / negotiate terms

13. accommodate (Verb — Infinitive) — Infinitive of purpose. revised to + verb. Collocation: accommodate changes / accommodate needs

14. transparency (Noun) — importance of + noun. Collocation: financial transparency / promote transparency

15. brief (Adjective) — a + adjective + noun pattern. Collocation: brief form / brief summary / in brief

🔬 Science / Medicine Answers

16. effective (Adjective) — be verb + adjective complement. Collocation: highly effective / prove effective

17. observation (Noun) — under + noun. Collocation: under observation / close observation

18. inflammation (Noun) — Object of the verb reduces. Collocation: reduce inflammation / chronic inflammation

19. chronic (Adjective) — A + adjective + noun. Collocation: chronic lack of sleep / chronic illness / chronic pain

20. slippery (Adjective) — was + adjective complement. Collocation: slippery road / slippery surface

🌍 Society / Culture Answers

21. awareness (Noun) — Object of the verb raise. Collocation: raise awareness / public awareness / awareness campaign

22. inequality (Noun) — social + noun pattern. Collocation: social inequality / income inequality / growing inequality

23. implications (Noun — Plural) — social + noun pattern. Collocation: social implications / broader implications / far-reaching implications

24. beneath (Preposition) — Indicates physical location. Collocation: beneath the surface / hidden beneath

25. cybercrime (Noun) — increase in + noun. Collocation: sharp increase in cybercrime / cybercrime prevention

🧠 Key Patterns to Lock In

These collocations appeared in this set. Review them until they feel automatic:

stay hydrated / set an alarm / look forward to relaxing
renew a prescription / avoid plagiarism / under observation
reduce inflammation / raise awareness / widen inequality

🎯 How to Study This Effectively

Self-test first: Always attempt the questions before reading the answers. The struggle of retrieval is what builds memory.
Review by pattern, not by word: When you check your answers, focus on the grammatical pattern, not just the missing word. Ask yourself: Why does this slot need an adjective here?
Track your mistakes: Keep a dedicated list of every word you got wrong. Those are your score gaps — address them directly.
Revisit in 48 hours: Spaced repetition is the most reliable way to move vocabulary from short-term recall to automatic recognition.

📄 Free Practice Worksheet

A printable worksheet for this question set is available for download below. Use it to reinforce what you've learned through active writing practice.

📎 Free Practice Worksheet Download:

[DETnTedu.com] Teacher Sam — Fill in the Blanks Worksheet Set 1.pdf

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💬 One Final Thought

Fill in the Blanks is not a vocabulary quiz. It is a pattern recognition test with a 20-second clock.

The test-takers who score in the 120 to 130 range are not the ones who studied the most words. They are the ones who trained themselves to read a sentence, identify the slot, and produce the correct word — automatically, accurately, and fast.

That is the skill this series is designed to build.

📌 Every question in this set was carefully developed based on analysis of real DET-style sentences. That said, errors can slip through even the most careful review. If you spot a typo or anything that looks off, please leave a comment below — it's genuinely appreciated and helps make this resource better for everyone.

See you in Set 2.

— Teacher Sam | DETnTedu.com

DETnT | DET Tactics & Prep

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