English language: fluent, native, ...

[Ramon B]

Thanks for the help, but think I'll leave it there then. My last few attempts with customer service have been more gruelling than enlightening and clients often view my profile on acedemia.edu, so I suppose it's not essential. I expect paid odesk certificates are just around the corner anyway...

[Preston H]

Isabelle, the Duolingo test is very difficult for people who don't speak English well. You are very proficient with English and you are a native speaker, and your score reflects that. That is the point of the test. The Duolingo test is actually a very good, accurste test for doing what it claims to do, which is to certify English proficiency.

[Isabelle Anne A]

Good point Preston, perhaps "isn't very difficult" is the wrong choice of words. But I noticed that there seems to be no difference in levels between fluent and native - that's actually what I was referring to. Unless I missed something?

@Ramon: Yeah, CS is a last-resort approach these days.

[Kelly D]

This test is now $49. I think that is an outrageous scam and I don't want to encourage that kind of rip-off.

[Nichola L]

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@Kelly D wrote:

This test is now $49. I think that is an outrageous scam and I don't want to encourage that kind of rip-off.

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 It's business.

Do you really need to take the duolingo test,Kelly? I would have thought you were 'native/bilingual' rather than 'fluent'.  Upwork has always had a problem with this. Were you around when one's mother tongue (whatever language) was marked 'masterful'!

[Kelly D]

When I apply to jobs, it says I don't meet all qualifications because I am not a native english speaker.

[Ela K]

Maybe that's a stupid question: but why don't you set your settings to 'native/bilingual'?

You sure seem to be one or the other.

Edited to add: you don't mention any other language on your profile. So, if English isn't your mother tongue, what is?

And why don't you list it?

[Kelly D]

Not a stupid question, I have searched for that setting, but haven't been able to locate it. So, maybe I am the stupid one! I joined this service a few years back when it was Odesk, but some settings have changed.

[Kelly D]

Well, it does show in my settings I speak native english, so not sure what the deal is.

[Kelly D]

Ok, my mistake. After much hunting and pecking, I found I selected "fluent" instead of "native". Geez.