A2 Speaking Exam Summary PDF
Download a concise A2 speaking summary for the inburgering exam: the 36-minute Spreken format, the four video and picture question types, the 12-point scoring rubric, answer frames, repair phrases, timer strategy, and short example answers.
- Fact
- 36 minutes
- Fact
- 16 questions
- Fact
- 129/192 points to pass.
Spreken A2 is the spoken exam for inburgering: 16 short recordings in 36 minutes, with up to a minute for each answer. Unlike A1, A2 asks you to do more than name a word — you answer a question, describe a picture, choose between options, and tell a short three-step story, usually with a reason. The points below set the format; the rest of this guide turns it into a method you can rehearse before exam day.
Overview
- The A2 speaking exam has 16 spoken answers in four parts.
- Onderdeel 1 has four video questions: a person asks something and you answer about yourself.
- Onderdeel 2 has four questions with one picture to describe or use.
- Onderdeel 3 has four questions with two pictures, where you choose one and explain why.
- Onderdeel 4 has four questions with three pictures, where you say something about each.
- You have up to 60 seconds to record each answer.
- Each answer is worth 12 points across six criteria, for 192 points in total.
- A practical target is about 129 out of 192 points.
Question types
Onderdeel 1 — Vragen met een video
A person on screen tells you something and then asks you a question, often with a second part that begins with Vertel ook ... You answer about yourself in a few simple sentences. The common slip is answering only the first question and forgetting the Vertel ook part, which costs execution points. Catch both parts, then give a direct answer and one reason or example.
- Answer the main question first: Ik ..., Mijn ...
- Then cover the Vertel ook ... part with a reason or example.
- Use want or omdat to give your reason.
Onderdeel 2 — Vragen met 1 plaatje
You see one picture and a short line such as Dit is Karin. You describe what you see or answer a question about it, and some tasks ask you to Noem drie dingen (name three things). The common slip is giving one short sentence when the task wants three clear details. Look at the picture for the person, place, action, and objects, then say one simple sentence about each.
- Name what you see: person, place, action, object.
- For Noem drie dingen, give three separate sentences.
- Add a short opinion when the question asks Wat vindt u ...
Onderdeel 3 — Vragen met 2 plaatjes
You see two pictures and choose one: the task says Kies een van de plaatjes or asks Welke ... liever? You state your choice and explain why. The common slip is describing both pictures without ever choosing, so the answer never really answers the question. Choose in your first sentence, then give one or two reasons.
- Choose in sentence one: Ik kies plaatje 1 ... or Ik ... liever ...
- Give a reason with want or omdat.
- Add one personal detail to fill the minute.
Onderdeel 4 — Vragen met 3 plaatjes
You see three pictures that tell a small story and you say something about each, in order. The task says Vertel iets over alle plaatjes. The common slip is talking about only the first picture and running out of things to say. Use the order words eerst, daarna, and ten slotte to give one sentence per picture.
- Say one sentence for each of the three pictures.
- Link them with eerst, daarna, ten slotte.
- End with a short reason or result when you can.
Timing plan
| Time | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 sec | Catch the question and the Vertel ook part. Look at the picture or pictures. | You cannot answer well what you did not understand. |
| 10-20 sec | Plan two or three points: answer, detail, reason. For three-picture tasks, fix your order words. | A short plan stops long silences. |
| 20-50 sec | Speak in simple complete sentences and cover each required part. | Execution and structure points come from a full, ordered answer. |
| 50-60 sec | Add one detail or repair a word, then finish with a clear last sentence. | A calm ending helps fluency and pronunciation. |
Rubric
Each answer is scored on six criteria for a total of 12 points: execution (0-3), vocabulary (0-2), grammar (0-2), fluency (0-2), structure (0-1), and pronunciation (0-2). Execution is the gatekeeper — if it scores 0, every other criterion also scores 0 for that answer, so giving a real, on-topic answer matters more than saying it perfectly.
Execution (0-3)
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The answer is missing, unintelligible, or not an answer to the question. |
| 1 | The answer is imaginable but not logical, or it is incomplete or not fully clear. |
| 2 | The answer is understandable and an adequate answer to the question. |
| 3 | The answer is clear and an excellent answer to the question. |
Vocabulary (0-2)
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The words stay within a few basic routines and are not enough for a fully understandable answer. |
| 1 | The word choice is simple and standard but fits the question. |
| 2 | The word choice is strong and fits the question well. |
Grammar (0-2)
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The answer contains many grammatical mistakes. |
| 1 | The answer contains quite a few grammatical mistakes. |
| 2 | The answer contains hardly any or no grammatical mistakes. |
Fluency (0-2)
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The answer is not fluent, with many long pauses and restarts. |
| 1 | The answer is reasonably fluent, with some pauses and restarts. |
| 2 | The answer is fluent; pauses and restarts appear only in longer stretches. |
Structure (0-1)
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | The answer shows no structure. |
| 1 | The answer shows some structure, often through simple linking words (en, maar, want, omdat) or reference words (hij, zij, die, dat). |
Pronunciation (0-2)
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | An experienced listener can understand the answer only with effort. |
| 1 | An experienced listener can understand the answer without much effort. |
| 2 | Even an inexperienced listener can understand the answer, despite an accent or an occasional mispronounced word. |
If execution scores 0, every other criterion is also scored 0 for that answer.
Answer frames
- Ik ... meestal ...
- Ik vind ... omdat ...
- ..., want ...
- Op het plaatje zie ik ...
- Ik kies plaatje 1, want ...
- Ik ... liever ... dan ...
- Eerst ..., daarna ..., ten slotte ...
- Hij/Zij ... en daarna ...
- Soms ... / Vaak ... / Elke dag ...
- Ik denk dat ...
Repair phrases
- Sorry, ik bedoel ...
- Even denken.
- Ik begin opnieuw.
- Hoe zeg je dat ... ?
- Dat is alles.
Common mistakes
- Answering only the first question and forgetting the Vertel ook part.
- Describing a picture but never answering the actual question.
- Not clearly choosing one picture in the two-picture tasks.
- Talking about only one of the three pictures in the last part.
- Giving a one-word answer when the task wants a few full sentences with a reason.
- Staying silent at the start instead of beginning with a simple sentence.
Example answers
Record your own answer for up to a minute, then compare. Here is one worked example for each part.
Opgave 1: Hoe vaak sport u?
Ik sport twee keer per week. Hoe vaak sport u? Vertel ook wat u dan doet.
Geef antwoord op de vraag.
Answer plan
- Say how often you do sport.
- Say what sport or activity you do.
- Add one reason or detail.
Self-check
- Did I answer how often?
- Did I say what I do?
- Did I add a reason?
Example answer
Ik sport ongeveer twee keer per week. Meestal ga ik hardlopen in het park, want dat is dichtbij en gratis. In de winter ga ik soms naar de sportschool. Sporten helpt mij om fit te blijven.
Opgave 2: Vertel over Yusuf
Dit is Yusuf.
Vertel wat over Yusuf. Noem drie dingen.
Gebruik het plaatje.
Answer plan
- Say what Yusuf is doing.
- Name two visible details.
- Use three short sentences.
Self-check
- Did I name three things?
- Did I use the picture?
- Were my sentences short and clear?
Example answer
Yusuf is aan het klussen. Hij verft de muur van de woonkamer met een roller. De muur wordt lichtblauw. Ik denk dat hij zijn huis mooier wil maken.
Opgave 3: Thuis of in een restaurant?
Plaatje 1
Plaatje 2
Waar eet u liever, thuis of in een restaurant? Vertel ook waarom.
Kies een van de plaatjes.
Answer plan
- Choose the home meal or the restaurant.
- Say your choice in the first sentence.
- Give a reason with want or omdat.
Self-check
- Did I choose one option?
- Did I give a reason?
- Did I speak in complete sentences?
Example answer
Ik eet liever thuis. Thuis kan ik koken wat ik lekker vind, en het is goedkoper. In een restaurant is het soms te druk voor mij. Maar voor een feest ga ik graag uit eten.
Opgave 4: De ochtend van Omar
Plaatje 1
Plaatje 2
Plaatje 3
Vertel wat Omar doet. Vertel iets over alle plaatjes.
Gebruik alle plaatjes.
Answer plan
- You see three pictures: Omar makes coffee, reads the newspaper, then cycles to work.
- Use eerst, daarna, ten slotte.
- Say one sentence for each picture.
Self-check
- Did I mention all three pictures?
- Did I use order words?
- Did I keep a logical order?
Example answer
Eerst maakt Omar een kop koffie in de keuken. Daarna leest hij de krant aan tafel. Ten slotte pakt hij zijn fiets en gaat hij naar zijn werk. Zo begint hij rustig zijn dag.
Final checklist
- I answered the question and the Vertel ook part.
- I used the picture or all the pictures when the task asked.
- I clearly chose one picture in the two-picture tasks.
- I used eerst, daarna, ten slotte for the three-picture task.
- I gave reasons with want or omdat.
- I continued in simple sentences after a small mistake.
Practise this skill in the app
Download the PDF, then jump into interactive practice for grading and feedback.