How the A2 writing exam works
The A2 Schrijven exam is on paper: you write by hand with a pen. You get 4 writing tasks and 40 minutes. A typical booklet has a form, two short messages (an e-mail or a note) and a short text, for example for the neighbourhood newsletter.
Trained assessors mark each task. For an e-mail or note, they score five things: adequaatheid (does the text do what the task asks), grammar, spelling, coherence and vocabulary. Adequaatheid comes first. If a text scores 0 there because it does not answer the task, every other criterion gets 0 too. So a template only helps when you fill it with the content of the task.
Openings and closings that match the register
The greeting and the closing show who you are writing to. Both must use the same register. The safe pairs are:
| Who you write to | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher, manager, doctor, gemeente, office | Beste meneer/mevrouw [naam], | Met vriendelijke groet, |
| More formal | Geachte meneer/mevrouw [naam], | Met vriendelijke groet, |
| Friend, neighbour, close colleague | Hoi [naam], | Groetjes, or Groeten, |
For example: Beste mevrouw De Vries, ... Met vriendelijke groet, or Hoi Fatima, ... Groetjes,.
Do not mix registers. Hoi with u, or Groetjes at the end of a formal e-mail, costs points. A missing greeting or closing also costs points, so always write both. For a full example, see how to structure a formal A2 e-mail.
Frames for the four jobs in a message
Most A2 messages ask you to do one of four things: say why you write, give information, ask for something, or explain a problem. Each frame below has a gap that only the task can fill.
1. Say why you write
Ik schrijf omdat [reden].
I am writing because [reason].
Ik schrijf omdat ik morgen niet naar de les kan komen.
I am writing because I cannot come to class tomorrow.
2. Give practical information
[Onderwerp] is op [dag] om [tijd].
[Subject] is on [day] at [time].
De afspraak is op maandag om 10.00 uur.
The appointment is on Monday at 10.00.
3. Ask for something
Kunt u [actie]?
Could you [action]?
Kunt u mij terugbellen?
Could you call me back?
4. Explain a problem
Ik kan [wanneer] niet [actie], want [reden].
I cannot [action] [when], because [reason].
Ik kan vandaag niet werken, want ik ben ziek.
I cannot work today, because I am ill.
A weak frame is one you could write in every exam, such as Ik schrijf u deze e-mail. It is correct Dutch, but it says nothing about the task.
Linking words that earn the coherence point
At A2, coherence comes from simple linking words: en, maar, want and omdat. One clear link between two ideas is enough. Coherence is worth 1 point per message.
Ik woon in Amsterdam en ik werk in Haarlem.
I live in Amsterdam and I work in Haarlem.
Ik wil graag komen, maar ik moet werken.
I would like to come, but I have to work.
Ik wil de afspraak veranderen, omdat ik naar de dokter moet.
I want to change the appointment because I have to go to the doctor.
Be careful with word order after omdat: the verb goes to the end. Want keeps normal order, so it is often easier: Ik kom niet, want ik ben ziek. Our guide to Dutch word order for A2 explains both.
Write a full stop at the end of each sentence. Long sentences without punctuation lose points for coherence and spelling.
Filling in the form: the free-text box
The form starts with personal details such as your name, address and date of birth. Spell them correctly. Most forms also have one box like Waarom? or Toelichting. Answer that box in full sentences, like a short message.
Ik meld mij aan voor [activiteit], omdat [reden].
I am signing up for [activity] because [reason].
Ik meld mij aan voor de taalcursus, omdat ik beter Nederlands wil leren.
I am signing up for the language course because I want to learn Dutch better.
Mijn klacht is dat [probleem].
My complaint is that [problem].
Mijn klacht is dat de verwarming niet werkt.
My complaint is that the heating does not work.
The short text: answer all three questions
In the short text, for example for the neighbourhood newsletter, you get three questions. Answer all three in one connected paragraph, not as a list. You write about your own experience, not an opinion essay.
Vorige week ben ik naar ___ geweest.
Last week I went to ___.
Het was ___, want ___.
It was ___, because ___.
Vorige week ben ik naar het buurtfeest geweest. Het was gezellig, want ik heb veel buren ontmoet.
Last week I went to the neighbourhood party. It was fun, because I met a lot of neighbours.
Where a template stops and your content starts
Use these inburgering Schrijven standaardzinnen as tools, not as ready-made answers. Only the task can tell you who the person is, what happened, when, what you want and why. Cover every point the task asks for: a missing point is a direct loss on adequaatheid. You also get credit for using words from the task itself.
Practise each frame with different content, and write by hand so you are fast on paper. Before the exam, run through our A2 writing exam checklist and try DUO's official practice exams on inburgeren.nl.