The A2 writing exam, explained

How it works

You take Schrijven A2 at a DUO exam location, with pen and paper. At the start you get a booklet with the tasks, and you write your answers in the same booklet. It is the only A2 language exam that is not on a computer.

You get 4 writing tasks. inburgeren.nl gives two examples: you write a short letter, or you fill in a form.

• What the inburgering exam looks like on the computer →

Time

First a DUO staff member gives 15 minutes of explanation. Then you have at most 40 minutes for all 4 tasks. If you split the time evenly, that is about 10 minutes per task.

The kinds of tasks

The official Regeling inburgering says the exam tests writing with forms and short writing tasks. DUO's three practice exams show what that can look like:

• An email, for example to a teacher, a boss or a colleague. The task gives you points to write about, like why you write and what you want.
• A form, for example to sign up for a course. Some details you make up yourself.
• A short text for a neighborhood newspaper (wijkkrant), of at least three sentences.
• In one practice exam: a short note for a colleague, based on pictures.

Greetings, closings and full sentences

In DUO's practice exams, the email page often already shows the greeting and the closing. To a teacher or a boss it says something like Beste meneer Jansen and Vriendelijke groet. To a colleague it says Hallo and Groetjes. You write the part in between.

If a task leaves the greeting open, choose one that fits the person. DUO's published marking models do not give separate points for the greeting. What counts most is that you do what the task asks.

The practice exams also say: Schrijf in hele zinnen (write in full sentences). Useful greetings and closings:

• To someone you know well: Hallo Sara, ... Groetjes,
• To a teacher, a boss or a neighbor you do not know well: Beste meneer Jansen, or Beste mevrouw De Vries, ... Vriendelijke groet,
• Very formal, for example to an organization when you do not know a name: Geachte heer of mevrouw, ... Met vriendelijke groet,
• Use u for a teacher or a boss, and je for a colleague or a friend. Keep it the same in the whole email.

How it is marked

People mark Schrijven, not a computer. DUO calls them certified assessors. You get a grade, and the result is pass (geslaagd) or fail (niet geslaagd). DUO's rules say not every answer has to be right to pass, and DUO does not publish the pass mark.

DUO publishes its marking models (beoordelingsmodellen) for Schrijven A2. One rule in them matters a lot: if a text cannot be recognized as an answer to the task, every other point gets 0 too. So first make sure you write about every point the task asks for.

The models score each answer on a few points:

• Does the text do what the task asks, and is it clear?
• Spelling. On a form, your own details must be spelled correctly.
• Word use. Simple words are fine, but use your own words, not only the words from the task.
• For emails and free writing also: grammar, and whether the sentences hang together, for example with en, maar, want and omdat.

Rules on the day

Bring a valid ID and arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts. Your coat, bag, watch, phone and other things go into a locker. You may not take your own paper, pens or study books into the exam room. The exam is secret: you may not take photos or copy the tasks.

• What happens on your exam day →

Tips that help

These tips are about how you write, not about the content of the real exam.

• Read the task twice. Tick off each point in your head when you have written about it.
• Write short, full sentences. One or two sentences per point is a good start.
• When a task says Bedenk zelf (make it up yourself), invent a simple reason, day or date. Do not lose time looking for the perfect one.
• Join sentences with en, maar, want and omdat.
• Write clearly. Someone has to read your handwriting.
• Leave a minute at the end to check verbs and spelling, like ik ben gegaan, not ik heb gegaan.

• Ik ben gegaan or ik heb gegaan? Hebben or zijn →
• Dutch word order: where does the verb go? →

How to practice

DUO has three free Schrijven practice exams on inburgeren.nl, as PDFs you can print. Print one, set a timer for 40 minutes and write by hand, like on the day.

Kora's writing practice has the same four kinds of tasks. You type your answer, and Kora checks it against the points the task asks for, with feedback in your own language. Because the real exam is on paper, also practice writing by hand. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise a result.

• inburgeren.nl: official practice exams ↗

Results and retakes

inburgeren.nl says marking Schrijven A2 takes about 16 weeks, and the result comes by letter. If that makes you nearly late for your integration deadline, DUO gives you 6 months extra. You do not have to do anything for this.

If you do not pass, you only take Schrijven again, not the other parts. A new attempt is a new booking, and usually a new fee.

• Your exam results and what comes next →
• What a retake costs →

The B1 Staatsexamen is different

If you are on the B1 route, your writing exam is part of the Staatsexamen NT2, set by CvTE. inburgeren.nl says Schrijven at B1 takes 100 minutes.

• The B1 writing exam, explained →