# How the Schrijven exam works and how it is scored

URL: https://www.inburgeringklaar.nl/learn/schrijven/how-schrijven-is-scored
Course: Schrijven: the writing exam, step by step (https://www.inburgeringklaar.nl/learn/schrijven)
Level: A2 and B1
Publisher: Inburgeringklaar

> You will know what the A2 and B1 writing exams look like and exactly what the assessors reward.

## Goals
- Describe the format of the A2 and B1 writing exams
- Name the five criteria assessors use
- Plan your time so every task gets an answer

## Two different exams

The writing exam looks quite different at A2 and B1. Know which one you are taking before you practise, because the way you work on the day is not the same.

| | A2 (inburgeringsexamen) | B1 (Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I) |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks | **4 tasks** | **about 12 tasks** |
| Time | **40 minutes** | **100 minutes** |
| Medium | **Pen and paper** | **Computer, no spellcheck** |
| Typical tasks | 1 form + short texts (note, message, e-mail) | complete sentences, complete a form or letter, short and longer practical texts |

At A2 you have about **10 minutes per task**. At B1 you have about **8 minutes per task on average**, but the tasks are not equal: finishing a sentence takes one minute, a longer e-mail can take fifteen. Do the short ones quickly and save time for the long ones.

On the computer at B1 there is **no spellcheck and no red underline**. Whatever you type is what the assessor sees. Train yourself to reread every sentence once.

## The five criteria

Your texts are rated by trained assessors, not by a computer. They look at five things:

| Criterion (Dutch) | The question the assessor asks |
|---|---|
| **Adequaatheid / begrijpelijkheid** | Did you do what the task asked, and can a normal reader understand it? |
| **Samenhang** | Do the sentences connect, or is it a list of loose lines? |
| **Woordgebruik** | Are the words correct, varied enough and in the right register (*je* or *u*)? |
| **Grammaticale correctheid** | Verb forms, word order, plurals, articles |
| **Spelling** | Spelling, capitals and punctuation |

The first criterion is the gatekeeper. If you forget a point the task asks for, or the reader cannot tell what you mean, the rest cannot save you. A short, plain text that covers every point usually scores better than a long, beautiful text that misses one.

## Read the task like a checklist

Most tasks give you a situation and then two to four things to do. Underline the verbs in the instruction, because each verb is a point you must cover.

*Je collega Tom heeft een nieuwe baan. Schrijf hem een kaartje. **Feliciteer** hem, **vertel** wat je gaat missen en **wens** hem succes.*

That is three content points. Write three, and make sure each one is clearly there. Number them in the margin at A2 and tick them off when you have written them.

## Errors: which ones really matter?

Assessors expect mistakes at A2 and B1. What matters is whether a mistake **gets in the way of understanding**.

- *Ik heb gisteren naar de dokter geweest.* (should be *ben*): the reader still understands. Small loss.
- *Ik kom morgen niet.* when you meant *Ik kon gisteren niet komen*: the message changes. Big loss.

So when you reread, first check the meaning (who, what, when), then the verbs, then spelling.

## A simple time plan

**A2, per task (about 10 minutes):**
1. 1 minute: read and number the content points.
2. 6 minutes: write.
3. 2 minutes: check the points, verbs and capitals.
4. Keep a minute spare for the last task.

**B1 (100 minutes):**
1. Go through the short tasks first in one pass.
2. Give the longer texts most of your time.
3. Keep the last 10 minutes to reread everything without spellcheck.

## Register: je or u?

Getting the register right is part of *woordgebruik*. Use **je/jij** for friends, neighbours, colleagues you know well and classmates. Use **u** for the gemeente, a company, a landlord, a doctor, a school director or anyone you do not know. Do not switch in the middle of one text: *Beste meneer Jansen, kun je…* is a classic error.

## What this course covers

The next lessons go one level deeper than the general writing guide: forms, informal messages, formal letters, the grammar that costs most points, and (for B1) opinion and advice texts.

## Useful Dutch
- **de opdracht**: the task / assignment
- **het formulier**: the form
- **de aanhef**: the greeting / opening line of a letter
- **de afsluiting**: the closing of a letter
- **inhoudspunten**: content points (what the task asks you to cover)
- **begrijpelijk**: understandable
- **de samenhang**: coherence, how sentences connect
- **nalezen**: to reread / check
- **de spellingscontrole**: the spellcheck

## Worked example: Turning an instruction into a checklist

Je buurvrouw Ria gaat twee weken op vakantie. Zij vraagt of jij haar planten water wilt geven. Schrijf een briefje. Zeg dat je het wilt doen, vraag waar de sleutel is en vraag hoe vaak de planten water nodig hebben.

Number the verbs: (1) zeg dat je het wilt doen, (2) vraag waar de sleutel is, (3) vraag hoe vaak. A short answer that covers all three: 'Hoi Ria, Ik geef je planten graag water. Waar kan ik de sleutel ophalen? En hoe vaak moeten de planten water krijgen? Fijne vakantie! Groetjes, Amina.' It is short, it uses je (she is a neighbour you know), and every point is there. Adding 'Fijne vakantie!' is a friendly extra, not a requirement.

## Common mistakes
- Skipping one content point because you spent all your energy on another.
- Writing a very long text at A2 and running out of time for the fourth task.
- Trusting yourself to spot typos at B1, forgetting there is no spellcheck.
- Switching between je and u in the same text.

## Check yourself
1. How many tasks and how much time does the A2 writing exam have?
   A) 4 tasks in 40 minutes
   B) 12 tasks in 100 minutes
   C) 8 tasks in 25 minutes
   Answer: A. A2 Schrijven is 4 tasks in 40 minutes on paper. 12 tasks in 100 minutes is the B1 Staatsexamen.
2. Which criterion is hurt most if you forget one point the task asks for?
   A) Spelling
   B) Grammaticale correctheid
   C) Adequaatheid / begrijpelijkheid
   Answer: C. Adequaatheid checks whether you did what the task asked. A missing content point is the most expensive mistake.
3. You write to your landlord. Which opening fits?
   A) Hoi Peter, kun je…
   B) Geachte heer Bakker, kunt u…
   C) Beste meneer Bakker, kun je…
   Answer: B. A landlord gets u, and the verb must match: kunt u. Mixing meneer with je is an inconsistent register.