A2 Spreken: how to answer each question type

You watch short films and answer questions in Dutch. The whole A2 speaking exam lasts 35 minutes, according to DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) (External site, opens in a new tab).

DUO scores how well your answer fits the question and how clear it is. Vocabulary, grammar, how smoothly you speak, how your ideas connect, and pronunciation also count. DUO gives 0 in every area for a missing answer or one people cannot understand. A reply also scores 0 in every area if it does not answer the question. Simple vocabulary can earn points when you use your own words correctly. The Beoordelingsmodel Spreken A2 (A2 speaking assessment model) (External site, opens in a new tab), dated 10 August 2026, sets these criteria.

The A2 speaking exam has 16 exercises. Each exercise can earn up to 12 points, for a maximum total of 192 points (16 × 12). This is the maximum available score, not the pass mark.

These four practice formats help you choose an answer plan. The question decides which details you need; the number of pictures alone does not tell you what to say.

Use these four steps to build your answer:

1. Listen to the whole question.
2. Look at the pictures if there are any.
3. Answer the main question in your first sentence.
4. Add each detail the prompt asks for, such as a reason, an opinion or a time.

Vertel ook… (Also say…) introduces another part of the question. For a question about work breaks, say how often you take a break. Then say what you do during the break.

A picture of traffic may ask why someone is late and what they should do next. Use the traffic in the picture to explain the delay. Then say what the person should do next.

A question about two drinks may ask when you drink your choice. Include that detail. For a cycling choice that asks why, you could say:

Ik kies het tweede plaatje. Ik zie een rustige straat. Ik fiets daar liever, want er zijn minder auto’s. (I choose the second picture. I see a quiet street. I prefer cycling there because there are fewer cars.)

The cycling answer gives a choice, a visible detail and a reason. A comparison can help explain your choice when the question asks why.

Three pictures may show a sequence of actions or three separate objects. For a handwashing sequence, one short sentence per picture can describe the actions. Add more if the prompt asks for it. For example:

Eerst gebruikt ze zeep. Daarna wast ze haar handen. Ten slotte droogt ze haar handen. (First she uses soap. Then she washes her hands. Finally she dries her hands.)

For three objects, name each object and explain its use when asked. A question about a board, a map and a clock in a classroom needs an answer about each object.

Start with DUO’s official A2 speaking practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab) to try the computer format. DUO lists three speaking practice exams. They do not work in Safari, so use another browser.

For extra practice, record 16 answers into a microphone: four for each prompt type. Use about one minute per answer as a practice limit. Listen back to each recording and check that you answered every part of the question. If you miss a detail, repeat that type. Include the missing detail in your next answer. If you answer every part, practise a mixed set. Choose your next exercise from the links below:

• Read the A2 Spreken exam guide for the format, scoring table and 16 original practice exercises.
• Use the free A2 speaking practice workbook for extra practice with original prompts and example answers.
• Use the free A2 speaking summary for answer patterns, phrases to correct yourself and scoring reminders.