DET Fill in the Blanks Practice (Set 1)
25 Realistic Questions for 120–130 Scores
By Sam | DETnTedu.com
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| 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
© 2026 DETnT (DETntedu.com). All rights reserved. Written by Sam.
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