How the Lezen exam works (A2 and B1)
Know the format, the clock and the dictionary rule so nothing on exam day surprises you.
A2 and B17 minLesson 1 of 6
After this lesson you can
- Describe the A2 and B1 reading exam formats
- Make a simple time plan for your level
- Use the paper dictionary without losing time
Two different exams
The reading exam you take depends on your route. Most people under the Wet inburgering 2013 take the A2 inburgeringsexamen from DUO. Most people under the Wet inburgering 2021 take B1, which is the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I. Your gemeente's plan (PIP) tells you which one applies to you.
| A2 Lezen | B1 Lezen (Staatsexamen NT2 I) | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 25 multiple choice | about 35 multiple choice |
| Texts | many short, practical texts | about 6 texts, some long |
| Time | 65 minutes | 110 minutes |
| Where | on the computer | texts in a paper booklet, answers on the computer |
| Pass mark | about 18 of 25 correct | scale score 500 |
Both exams test the same skill: can you get the information you need from a real Dutch text? You never have to write anything yourself. You only choose an answer.
The B1 paper booklet
At B1 the texts are printed in a booklet and you click your answers on screen. That is good news: you can keep a text open in front of you while you look at the question. Get used to this at home. Print a practice text, put the questions on your screen and practise looking back and forth.
A time plan that works
Running out of time is one of the most common reasons people fail reading. Do the sums before exam day.
A2: 65 minutes for 25 questions is about 2.5 minutes per question. Aim to be at question 12 or 13 after about 30 minutes. That leaves 5 minutes at the end to check questions you marked.
B1: 110 minutes for about 35 questions is about 3 minutes per question. But the texts are not equal. A short text with 4 questions goes faster than a long article with 8. A simple plan:
- Look through the booklet first (1–2 minutes). See how many texts there are and which ones are long.
- Give each text a rough deadline. Write the clock times on your scrap paper if you are allowed one, or just remember them.
- When a text has a zoektekst (a long text where you only search for details), do not read it from start to end. Search.
- Keep 5–10 minutes at the end.
The dictionary rule
For Lezen you may use a paper dictionary (a Van Dale NT2 dictionary is the standard choice). No phone, no app, no electronic dictionary. Check your invitation and the official rules before your exam, because the rules can change.
A dictionary is useful, but it is also a time trap. Looking up one word takes 30–60 seconds. Ten words is already a long text gone. Use it only when:
- the word is in the sentence that holds the answer, and
- you cannot guess it from the context.
Lesson 4 shows you how to guess words, so you need the dictionary less.
Guess, never leave blank
A wrong answer costs you nothing extra. An empty answer is always wrong. If you are stuck, remove the options you are sure about, pick one of the rest, mark the question and move on.
Exam-day checklist
- Bring your ID and your paper dictionary.
- Read the instructions on screen calmly; they are part of the time.
- Look at the clock at fixed moments (for example, every 15 minutes), not after every question.
- Do not let one hard question steal time from three easy ones.
Useful Dutch
- de tekstthe text
- de vraag / de vragenthe question / the questions
- het antwoordthe answer
- Kies het juiste antwoord.Choose the correct answer.
- Lees de tekst.Read the text.
- Welke zin is juist?Which sentence is correct?
- het woordenboekthe dictionary
- de tijd is omtime is up
- het tekstboekjethe text booklet
- volgende vraagnext question
Worked example
Planning a B1 booklet
Count the questions: 35. At about 3 minutes each, the short practical texts (1, 2, 4) can go a bit faster, around 2 minutes per question. That saves time for the two articles (3 and 5), which need careful reading. Text 6 is a search text: read the question, find the right heading in the guide, read only that part. A realistic plan: texts 1, 2 and 4 in about 30 minutes, the two articles in about 50, the search text in about 18, and roughly 10 minutes left to check marked questions.
Common mistakes
- Reading every text slowly from the first to the last word and running out of time at the end.
- Looking up every unknown word in the dictionary, even words that have nothing to do with the question.
- Leaving a question empty instead of making a smart guess.
- Spending five minutes on one hard question while easy questions are still waiting.
Check yourself
Answer all three to mark this lesson as done.
1. How long do you have for the A2 Lezen exam?
2. Which dictionary may you use during Lezen?
3. You are stuck on a question and the clock is running. What is the best move?