Spreken (speaking): formats and answer templates
How the computer speaking exam works at A2 and B1, and how to fill your seconds well.
7 min read
How it works
You sit at a computer with a headset. You see a short video or pictures, hear a question, and record your answer. There is no live examiner; trained assessors listen later.
A2 – four parts (about 35 minutes)
| Part | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Watch a short video of a daily situation and answer a question about it (e.g. a colleague asks what you did at the weekend). |
| 2 | Look at one picture and answer a question (describe, explain, or say what you would do). |
| 3 | Look at two pictures, choose one and explain why. |
| 4 | Look at three pictures that tell a story, and tell the story. |
B1 – Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I (about 25–30 minutes)
| Part | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Deel 1 | 8 short tasks: react to a situation, give information, ask something | About 20 seconds to answer |
| Deel 2 | 8 longer tasks: explain, compare, give your opinion with reasons, give advice | About 15 seconds preparation + 30 seconds speaking |
What the assessors look at
- Task completion – did you answer exactly what was asked, with all parts?
- Vocabulary and grammar at the right level
- Fluency and coherence – connected sentences, not single words
- Pronunciation – understandable, not perfect
Templates that fill 20–30 seconds
Opinion (B1):
Ik vind … beter / belangrijker, omdat … Bovendien … Een nadeel is wel dat … Maar toch kies ik voor …
Choose one of two pictures (A2):
Ik kies plaatje … omdat ik … leuk vind. Het andere plaatje vind ik minder leuk, want …
Advice:
Ik zou je aanraden om … Dan kun je … Je kunt ook …
Explain a problem:
Ik bel / ik kom omdat … Het probleem is dat … Kunt u mij helpen? / Wat moet ik doen?
Tell a story from three pictures (A2):
Eerst … Daarna … Toen … Uiteindelijk …
Tips
- Start immediately. Silence wastes your time.
- Answer the question in the first sentence, then add a reason or example.
- Use the politeness the situation needs: u to a doctor or manager, je to a friend.
- If you lose a word, describe it: dat ding om … mee te ….
- Practise out loud with a timer. Thinking an answer is not the same as saying it.
Practise in this app
In Practice → Spreken you can record your answer with your browser's Dutch speech recognition (or type it). The AI checks content, grammar and vocabulary from the transcript and suggests a better answer.