A2 Reading Exam Summary PDF

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.

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.

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.

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.

Exam Example 2: Opening Hours

Context: Amir reads opening hours for a sports center.

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.

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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A2 Reading Exam Summary PDF

Texts You Should Recognize Fast

Question Types That Come Back Often

Practise this skill in the app

65-Minute Timing Plan

Signal Words

Tables, Prices, And Rosters

Common Traps

Exam Example 1: E-mail From Work

Personeelsuitje naar het museum

Exam Example 2: Opening Hours

Sportcentrum De Brug

Final Checklist