Exam part
The inburgering reading exam: how it works.
In the reading exam you read texts and answer questions. Each time you choose from a few answers. You do not have to write anything.
At A2 it takes 65 minutes, on a computer. At B1 it is an exam of the Staatsexamen NT2. That takes 110 minutes.
What it looks like
You read a text, such as an email, a leaflet or a table. Then you answer a question about that text. You choose from three or four answers.
At B1 the texts are longer. You may use a dictionary there, but only the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2.
Reading at A2 and at B1
These are two different exams, by two different exam makers. Which one you take depends on your law and your route.
Reading A2
You read short texts from daily life. The exam takes 65 minutes. The DUO practice exams had 25 questions per exam.
Reading B1
This is the reading exam of the Staatsexamen NT2, programme I. It takes 110 minutes. The exams from 2023 to 2025 had 6 texts with 35 questions in total.
Not sure which level you take? Read about the inburgering exam a2.
What the exams show
The Inburgeringscursus.nl team counted the reading questions. For A2 the DUO practice exams, for B1 the Staatsexamen NT2 exams. We do not put the levels side by side. They are two different exam makers.
41
out of 75
A2: the answer is almost word for word in the text
48
out of 75
A2: the question is about one detail
68
out of 105
B1: the answer is there in other words
39
out of 105
B1: a wrong answer is true, but does not answer the question
A2: three DUO practice exams. B1: the exams of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
How this was counted is in the Dutch exam research by Inburgeringscursus.nl.
How to approach it
- 1
Read the question first
Know what you are looking for before you read the text. In the A2 practice exams 48 of the 75 questions were about one detail. You find it faster when you know what to look for.
- 2
Watch the last text at B1
Above every text there is a short instruction. Above the last text it says: read the question first, then find the answer. So search there with a purpose. In six exams this held for 34 of the 34 questions on that text.
- 3
Check that the answer fits
Does the answer match the text? Then look at the question once more. Is it about the same person and the same moment?
- 4
Learn many words
The more words you know, the faster you read. Practise with real texts: letters, leaflets and gemeente websites.
Where it goes wrong
True, but not the answer
A wrong answer can be true according to the text. It just does not answer your question. In the B1 exams this was the trap in 39 of the 105 questions.
The wrong moment
The answer names something from the text, but from another moment. For example the old opening time instead of the new one. In the A2 practice exams: 17 of the 75 questions.
The wrong person
The answer is right, but it is about someone else in the text. In the A2 practice exams: 15 of the 75 questions.
Recognising words
Do not pick the answer with the same words as the text. In 288 reading questions that trick pointed at a single answer only 4 times. Usually the same words appear in two or three answers.
How it is marked
At A2 DUO does not publish how many questions you need to get right. You only hear whether you passed.
At B1 you get one point per correct answer. The computer turns your points into a score. With 500 or higher you pass. How many correct answers that takes differs per exam. In the 2024 and 2025 exams it was 24 out of 35.
Failed? Then you retake this part. You pay € 50 again.
Try a question
A short Dutch text with a question, like at A2. Two wrong answers show the traps above.
Reading · A2
Bibliotheek De Linde Vanaf 1 november gaan we op zaterdag eerder dicht. Nu zijn we open tot 17.00 uur. Vanaf november sluiten we om 16.00 uur. Boeken terugbrengen kan altijd, via de bus naast de deur.
Tot hoe laat is de bibliotheek in december op zaterdag open?
From November the library closes at 16.00 on Saturdays. 17.00 is the old time: the wrong moment. Returning books at any time is about the drop box, not the opening hours.
Questions about reading
How long does the reading exam take?
At A2 it takes 65 minutes. At B1 it takes 110 minutes.
How many mistakes can you make in Reading A2?
DUO does not publish this. You only hear whether you passed. A fixed number you see online is an estimate.
How many questions do you need right in Reading B1?
You need a score of 500. In the 2024 and 2025 exams that came down to 24 of the 35 questions. It can differ a little per exam.
Can I use a dictionary in the reading exam?
At B1 you can. Only the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands als tweede taal is allowed, with no notes inside. For A2 DUO says nothing about it. Ask if you are unsure.
What kind of texts do you get?
Texts from daily life. In the DUO practice exams these included emails, leaflets, messages and tables.