Download a concise A1 speaking summary for the Basisexamen abroad with the 30-minute format, 10 answer questions, 12 sentence completions, 60-second recording rhythm, scoring model, answer frames, and short example answers.
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Spreken A1 is the spoken half of the Basisexamen abroad: 22 short recordings in 30 minutes, with up to a minute for each. The exam does not ask for opinions or long stories — it checks that you can answer a basic question and finish a simple sentence so a trained listener understands you. The points below set the format; the rest of this guide turns it into a method you can rehearse before exam day.
A person on screen asks a short everyday question and you reply yourself in simple Dutch. The usual slip is starting with a long pause or answering a different question because the key word slipped past. Catch the question word first (wat, waar, wanneer, hoe, wie, waarom) and let it shape your opening sentence.
You see a picture, hear a first sentence, then a second sentence that breaks off — and you finish that second sentence aloud. The common mistake is starting a new sentence instead of continuing the one that began, which makes the completion sound off. Read the start once, look at the picture for the missing word group, then add one short logical ending such as warm, naar school, or met de bus.
| Time | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 0-5 sec | Find the main word in the question or the missing idea in the sentence. | Understand the task before speaking. |
| 5-20 sec | Say the direct answer or completion. Do not wait for a perfect sentence. | Adequacy points require any fitting Dutch answer. |
| 20-45 sec | For question-answer tasks, add one simple detail. For sentence completions, stop if the completion is already clear. | Extra detail shows vocabulary range. |
| 45-60 sec | Repeat or repair only if needed. A clear short answer is better than a confused long answer. | Clarity earns the pronunciation point. |
Two tiny criteria scored per item: adequacy (1 point) and pronunciation (1 point). Adequacy is the gatekeeper — if the answer is not a real answer or completion, pronunciation also drops to zero, so getting any fitting Dutch out matters more than saying it beautifully.
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The answer is missing, not intelligible, not an answer to the question, or not a real completion of the sentence. |
| 1 | The answer or completion is imaginable and adequate for the task. |
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The trained listener can understand the answer only with great effort. |
| 1 | The trained listener can understand the answer with some effort. |
If adequacy scores 0, pronunciation also scores 0 for that item.
U krijgt bezoek. Wat zet u op tafel?
U krijgt bezoek. Wat zet u op tafel?
Answer plan
Self-check
Example answer
Ik zet thee en koekjes op tafel. Mijn bezoek vindt dat lekker.
Het regent. Wat doet u dan?
Answer plan
Self-check
Example answer
Ik neem een paraplu. Soms blijf ik thuis.
Noor zet thee op tafel. De thee is...
Answer plan
Self-check
Example answer
warm.
Ivan koopt postzegels. Hij wil een brief...
Answer plan
Self-check
Example answer
sturen.
