A2 Reading Exam Summary PDF
Download a concise A2 reading exam summary with the 65-minute plan, common question types, signal words, traps, and final checklist.
- Fact
- 65 minutes
- Fact
- 25 questions
- Fact
- 18/25 points to pass
Texts You Should Recognize Fast
A2 reading questions usually use practical Dutch texts from daily life, work, school, health, travel, and local services.
- E-mails from a boss, colleague, teacher, friend, or organizer.
- Folders from shops, courses, health practices, sport centers, or services.
- Schedules with dates, times, days, routes, departments, or prices.
- Short rules for work, school, illness, appointments, or public events.
- Invitations and announcements that explain what will happen and what someone must do.
- Website information where you need to match a person to the right option.
Question Types That Come Back Often
Most questions are not about difficult grammar. They test whether you can find the exact detail that answers the question.
- What must this person do?
- Who should they contact?
- When does something start, end, or need to be done?
- Where should someone go or where can they find something?
- How much does something cost?
- Why did someone write this text?
- Which option fits this person best?
- What is true according to the table, roster, or rule?
65-Minute Timing Plan
| Time | Phase | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 min | Scan the whole exam | Look at how many texts are long, how many have tables, and where the easy detail questions are. |
| 2-50 min | Answer steadily | Read the question first, then scan the text for names, dates, prices, places, and instruction words. |
| 50-60 min | Return to marked questions | Only change an answer when you find clear evidence in the Dutch text. |
| 60-65 min | Final check | Make sure every question has an answer. Guessing is better than leaving a question empty. |
Signal Words
- voor
- na
- vanaf
- tot
- uiterlijk
- alleen
- niet
- geen
- behalve
- ook
- daarom
- als
- moet
- mag
- kan
Tables, Prices, And Rosters
Many A2 reading questions are table questions. The mistake is usually reading the right row but the wrong column.
- Read the row label and the column label before choosing.
- For prices, check weight, floor, person type, age, and address rules.
- For rosters, match the person, day, department, and shift.
- For opening hours, check closed days and special evening hours.
- For routes, check start date, end date, bus line, stop name, and reason.
Common Traps
A2 traps are small. They often hide in one word: not, only, before, after, from, until, or except.
- Choosing an answer because it sounds logical, even when the text does not say it.
- Confusing the event date with the registration deadline.
- Reading a price for adults when the question asks about a child.
- Missing that a place is closed on one day but open on another day.
- Using outside knowledge instead of the sentence in the text.
- Changing an answer without finding new evidence.
Exam Example 1: E-mail From Work
Context: Nadia gets an e-mail about a staff outing.
Personeelsuitje naar het museum
Beste collega, op vrijdag 12 juni gaan we met het team naar het stadsmuseum. We verzamelen om 10.00 uur bij de ingang aan het Marktplein. Daarna krijgen we een rondleiding. Om 12.30 uur eten we samen in het museumcafe.
Wil je mee? Meld je dan uiterlijk maandag 8 juni aan bij Samira. Je hoeft geen lunch mee te nemen, maar neem wel je ov-kaart mee. We reizen samen met de tram vanaf het station.
Kun je niet de hele dag mee? Laat dat dan ook aan Samira weten. Zij maakt dinsdag de definitieve lijst.
Vraag 1
Nadia wil mee naar het museum. Wat moet zij doen?
“Meld je dan uiterlijk maandag 8 juni aan bij Samira.”Why B is correct
- Read the question first: it asks what Nadia must do to join, so look for an instruction.
- Scan for the signal word uiterlijk (at the latest): “Meld je dan uiterlijk maandag 8 juni aan bij Samira.”
- That gives the last day to sign up, so the answer is B. The other options reuse real words from the text in the wrong role.
Vraag 2
Wat moet Nadia meenemen?
“Neem wel je ov-kaart mee.”Why A is correct
- The question asks what Nadia must bring, so scan for meenemen, not for what she must do.
- The text says: “Je hoeft geen lunch mee te nemen, maar neem wel je ov-kaart mee.”
- She brings her ov-kaart — A. B is the trap: lunch is named, but with geen (no).
Exam Example 2: Opening Hours
Context: Amir reads opening hours for a sports center.
Sportcentrum De Brug
Openingstijden: maandag tot en met donderdag 08.00-22.00 uur. Vrijdag 08.00-18.00 uur. Zaterdag 09.00-13.00 uur. Zondag gesloten.
Abonnementen: Basis kost 18 euro per maand. Met Basis mag u altijd sporten als het centrum open is. Daluren kost 14 euro per maand. Met Daluren mag u alleen op werkdagen voor 17.00 uur sporten.
Wilt u een proefles? Bel dan naar 020 - 441 90 11. Een proefles kan alleen op dinsdag of donderdag.
Vraag 3
Amir werkt op vrijdag tot 18.00 uur. Wanneer kan hij sporten?
“Zaterdag 09.00-13.00 uur.”Why B is correct
- Note Amir’s limit: he works vrijdag tot 18.00 uur, and on Friday the centre also closes at 18.00.
- Check the hours: “Vrijdag 08.00-18.00 uur. Zaterdag 09.00-13.00 uur. Zondag gesloten.”
- Friday is blocked and Sunday is gesloten, so only zaterdagmorgen works — B.
Vraag 4
Lina heeft een Daluren-abonnement. Wanneer mag zij sporten?
“Met Daluren mag u alleen op werkdagen voor 17.00 uur sporten.”Why A is correct
- Find the rule for Daluren: “Met Daluren mag u alleen op werkdagen voor 17.00 uur sporten.”
- Test both conditions on each option: a werkdag and a time voor 17.00 uur.
- Only maandag om 16.00 uur meets both — A.
Final Checklist
- I read the question before the whole text.
- I know what detail I need: person, time, date, place, price, action, or reason.
- I check the sentence around the possible answer.
- I watch for not, only, before, after, from, until, and except.
- I use the row and column in tables.
- I answer every question before time is finished.
- I review mistakes by writing the evidence sentence.
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