Onterra TutorDescribe something you own that you would never sell.
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 something you own that you would never sell. What is it, and why does it matter to you?
Model answer
I would never sell my grandfather's wristwatch, which has not told the correct time since 2014. My father handed it to me when I finished university with no ceremony at all, across a table, mentioning only that it had already been repaired twice. It matters because of what it records rather than what it does. My grandfather wore it as a schoolteacher for thirty one years, in a town where arriving on time was treated as a form of respect, and the scratches across the glass came from that ordinary working life. Selling it would turn three generations into a price. I wear it perhaps twice a year, always slightly late, which I suspect he would have found funny.
Why this answer scores
- One object, one owner, one reason: the response resists the temptation to list possessions.
- The broken watch is a small paradox that holds the whole answer together.
- Closes with gentle humour, which reads as natural fluent English rather than test English.
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.
📚 All Duolingo English Test questions with model answers →
📖 About the Duolingo English Test →
Onterra Tutor is an independent practice tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Duolingo, which owns the Duolingo English Test trademark.