Onterra TutorDescribe a person who has had a strong influence on your life.
Duolingo English Test writing question in the official format, with a full model answer and notes on why it scores. Write your own version below it and get an instant rater-style score.
The question
Describe a person who has had a strong influence on your life. Explain who they are, what they did, and why their influence matters to you.
Model answer
The person who shaped me most was my secondary school chemistry teacher, Mrs. Adebayo. She had a rule that changed how I think: you were never allowed to say 'I don't understand' without naming exactly where the understanding stopped. At first this felt strict, but it taught me that confusion has an address, and once you find the address the problem is half solved. Years later, in jobs that have nothing to do with chemistry, I still debug problems, and myself, using her rule. Her influence matters to me because she did not hand me knowledge; she handed me a method, and methods outlive facts. I have forgotten most of the periodic table, but I use her question every single week.
Why this answer scores
- Focuses on one vivid, specific habit instead of listing generic virtues.
- 'Confusion has an address' shows the kind of fresh phrasing that lifts production scores.
- The final sentence ties influence to the present, answering 'why it matters' explicitly.
Do not memorise model answers; raters recognise recycled essays instantly. Study the moves, then make them with your own ideas, and check where you stand with a scored practice.
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