What the A2 writing exam asks
A2 Schrijven tests whether you can write short, clear Dutch for daily life. The topics are everyday ones: school, work, neighbours, the doctor, the gemeente (municipality), a sports club, the library and online shopping.
You write by hand, on paper, in 40 minutes. Every booklet has four tasks:
- a form (formulier)
- a short article (kort artikel), for example for the wijkkrant
- two messages: two e-mails, or one e-mail and a short note (briefje)
You do not choose the tasks. The booklet also prints the greeting and closing of every e-mail and note. Write a text that fits them: after Beste meneer Bakker, use u.
For the full format and the scoring model, read how the inburgering writing exam works.
A2 writing examples with answers
Below are four inburgering writing practice questions in the DUO style, one per task type. Each one is a Dutch A2 exam sample for the writing part. The Dutch task and a model answer come first. The English meaning is under each one. The names and details are made up.
Example 1: the form (formulier)
Opdracht: Vul het formulier in.
Aanmeldformulier sportclub
- Voornaam: Amir
- Achternaam: Rahimi
- Geboortedatum: 14-03-1991
- Telefoon: 06-12345678
- E-mailadres: amirrahimi@email.nl
- Adres: Laanstraat 12, 3512 AB Utrecht
- Reden van aanmelding: ...
Model answer for Reden van aanmelding:
Ik wil graag sporten en nieuwe mensen ontmoeten. Ik kies deze sportclub omdat ik in de buurt woon. Ik kan op dinsdagavond trainen.
I would like to exercise and meet new people. I choose this sports club because I live nearby. I can train on Tuesday evenings.
Example 2: a short note (briefje)
Opdracht: Schrijf het bericht. Schrijf in hele zinnen. Schrijf minimaal drie zinnen.
U schrijft een briefje aan uw buurvrouw.
- Schrijf dat u haar pakket hebt aangenomen.
- Schrijf dat zij het vanavond kan ophalen.
- Schrijf dat u na 19.00 uur thuis bent.
Model answer (the booklet prints the greeting and the closing):
Beste buurvrouw,
Ik heb vandaag uw pakket aangenomen. U kunt het vanavond ophalen. Ik ben na 19.00 uur thuis.
Groeten,
Amira
Dear neighbour, I took in your parcel today. You can pick it up this evening. I am home after 7 p.m. Regards, Amira
Example 3: an e-mail
Opdracht: Schrijf de e-mail. Schrijf in hele zinnen.
U schrijft een e-mail aan uw docent.
- Schrijf dat u ziek bent en morgen niet naar de les komt.
- Vraag welk huiswerk u moet maken.
- Vraag om een antwoord per e-mail.
Model answer (the booklet prints the greeting and the closing):
Beste meneer Visser,
Ik ben ziek. Daarom kom ik morgen niet naar de les. Welk huiswerk moet ik maken? Wilt u mij dat per e-mail laten weten?
Vriendelijke groet,
Samira Ali
Dear Mr Visser, I am ill. That is why I will not come to class tomorrow. Which homework should I do? Could you let me know by e-mail? Kind regards, Samira Ali
Example 4: a short article (kort artikel)
Opdracht: Schrijf een kort artikel. Schrijf in hele zinnen. Schrijf minimaal drie zinnen.
Schrijf voor de wijkkrant.
- Wat was er in de buurt?
- Wanneer was het?
- Waarom vond u het leuk?
Model answer:
Afgelopen zaterdag was er een buurtfeest in het park. Ik ben er met mijn kinderen naartoe gegaan. We hebben naar muziek geluisterd en lekker gegeten. Ik vond het leuk, want ik heb veel buren ontmoet.
Last Saturday there was a neighbourhood party in the park. I went there with my children. We listened to music and ate good food. I liked it, because I met many neighbours.
Why these answers work
Each answer does exactly what the task asks. It is short, clear and on topic.
- The form has correct personal details and answers the free-text box in whole sentences. That box carries points, so do not skip it.
- The note covers all three points and fits the printed Beste buurvrouw: it uses u.
- The e-mail keeps the register of the printed Beste meneer Visser: it uses u all the way through. It answers all three points.
- The article answers the three questions in one short paragraph. It reads like a small text, not a list of answers.
The language is simple, and that is fine at A2. You do not need long sentences or difficult words. You need Dutch that a reader understands and can act on.
Common mistakes in A2 Schrijven
Most lost points come from small, repeated problems:
- one point from the task is missing
- u and je mixed in one text
- a text that does not fit the printed greeting, such as je after Beste meneer Bakker
- fewer sentences than Schrijf minimaal drie zinnen asks for
- the verb in the wrong place in a main clause
- no capital at the start of a sentence, or ik instead of Ik at the start
- no full stops, so the text becomes one long sentence
- English words where a common Dutch word exists, such as shoppen instead of winkelen
One mistake can cost points in more than one area. A text without full stops hurts spelling and coherence. A missing point lowers the adequacy score, and that is the most important criterion.
How to practise A2 writing
Practise the format, not only vocabulary. Learn to see the task type fast: form, note, e-mail or article. Then use a simple routine:
- Read the task and underline every point.
- Look at the printed greeting and choose u or je.
- Write one short, whole sentence for each point.
- Check u or je, capitals and full stops.
DUO has three free A2 writing practice exams as PDFs. You can print them and write by hand. For ready-made sentences, use our A2 writing sentence templates. You can do more tasks in our writing practice. Because the real exam is on paper, copy at least some answers by hand against a timer.