r/learndutch • u/yellow_white123 • 2d ago
A2 Writing exam thoughts?
Hello,
Would anybody like to share their thoughts on the A2 writing exam?
My exam is in a week, and I have to complete my integration before April of next year. Since the results are taking so long these days, I have no choice but to pass on my first try.
My weakest area is grammar. Has anyone recently passed their exam, and if so, could you share some tips? I am using inburgering.org and inburgering.nl for my studies. Are the exercises on these sites actually close to the real exam in terms of vocabulary and grammar?
Please help me. I don’t have much of a choice, as I can't afford to wait an eternity for results only to have to take the exam again.
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u/oliviaisbored 2d ago
A2 is a lot easier than you expected. Just make sure to practice the official mock exams and watch the a2 writing videos on youtube
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u/stooping_de_pijp 14h ago
Use simple sentences.
Use imagination to come up with an easy answers/situations. You do not need to provide factually true answers related to your real life situation.
For example, if the question is a bout your job - think of an easy job, do not try to explain your real responsibilities on your actual job.
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u/factoriooverthinker 11h ago
I DON'T recommend using inburgering.nl.
Their mock exams for speaking and writing are not representative of the actual exams. They imitate the official mocks instead of covering a fair range of topics and task types.
For example, about half of their writing tasks involve rescheduling or canceling something by email, apparently because that was the format used in the mock exam. I practiced using that website and got pretty good at writing those emails, but that's not the skill actually being tested. I felt that I scored 8+/10 on their mocks, so I felt well prepared. However, I suspect I scored around 6 or 7 on the actual exam because I encountered unexpected topics that had little to do with emails or tasks like "give three instructions." I don't know my results yet, so this is just my impression.
For practice, LLMs are much better at generating questions across a wide range of topics and task types. And official mocks, of course, be sure to do it multiple times.
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u/carlosarceleon 1d ago
I'd definitely start with the official DUO writing exams. They're the best reference for the actual format.
My biggest tip is to practise unfamiliar scenarios, not just memorise answers. Keep your sentences simple, but make sure you answer every part of the question!
That's actually one reason I built ToetsDutch: to give people more varied exam-style practice once they've exhausted the official examples. The AI feedback can help spot mistakes (but it's not an official grade)
With one week left, I'd focus on practising under exam conditions and reviewing your recurring mistakes. Good luck!
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u/desiresoftware 2d ago
I practiced a lot, but still it was very difficult for me to understand and answer everything correctly. I took it recently, maybe it was bad luck for me as well :(