What do you need to do?
Look at a photo, prepare for 20 seconds, then describe it aloud. The photo stays on screen while you speak.
Keep in mindPlan in your head during preparation, then use the speaking time to add detail.
What should your answer do?
Help a listener picture the scene. Explain who or what is there, what is happening, and where things are. Use details you can see.
How to answer
- During preparation, identify the place, the main people or objects, and the main action.
- Begin with one sentence about the whole scene, such as a group of people working in a garden.
- Add details in a clear order: for example, describe the front of the photo, then the background.
Use words such as beside, behind, and on the left.
- If you do not know an exact word, use simpler words to describe it.
Keep speaking at a comfortable pace.
- Add another visible detail if you have time.
Avoid inventing names, jobs, or reasons that the photo cannot show.
Connect the details
An original PrepEx teaching example.
Imagine a photo of a person watering plants on a balcony. Several small pots stand beside a chair.
Show answer and explanation
Example answer
A person is watering plants on a balcony. Beside the chair, several small pots are arranged in a row.
Why this works
The first sentence gives the main action and place. The next sentence adds a detail and shows where it is. This is easier to picture than a list: person, plants, chair.
This is an example opening for an imagined scene. In practice, continue with details from the photo you see.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Listing objects without sentences. Explain what people are doing and how things are placed.
- Making up a story. Describe what is visible and make any guesses clear with words such as seems.
- Stopping after a small mistake. Correct it briefly if needed and continue your description.
How to improve your next answer
- Listen to your recording. Did you explain the main scene before the small details?
- Choose one unclear sentence and say it again more simply. Then describe a different photo using the same order.
Use your result to choose what to practise next
Look at the answers and feedback as well as the number. Choose one thing to work on, then try a new question.
A PrepEx score is a practice estimate, not an official DET score. Only Duolingo can give you an official test result.
Check the rules before test day
Read the official Speak About the Photo guide and the current DET Test Structure. If the test changes, follow Duolingo's latest instructions.
Task instructions and timing checked September 21, 2026. The examples and study tips on this page were written by PrepEx.