Common mistakes on the integration exam

Most of the points lost at A2 are not lost to grammar. They are lost to the exam itself: the clock, the format, and instructions that are slightly different from what people expect.

These are the ones that come back most often.

1. Too few words in Writing

Every writing task states a minimum number of words. Miss it and the task does not count — not even if the sentences are correct, the greeting is right and you covered every point.

This is the most expensive mistake on the whole exam, and the easiest to avoid. Count your words, or learn roughly how many words a line of your handwriting holds so you can judge it by eye.

2. Not covering every required point

The task usually names three or four things your text must contain. Miss one and you lose points that have nothing to do with language.

Tick them off as you write. One sentence per point is enough — at A2 it does not need to be elegant, it needs to be there.

3. Waiting before you speak

Your answer time starts at the beep. Think for three seconds first and you have given away three seconds — with a 20-second answer window, that is a lot.

Open with a sentence you can always say, even before you know where you are going: "Ik denk dat…", "Bij mij is dat…", "Pardon, mag ik iets vragen?" While you say it, you work out the rest.

4. Stopping because a word escapes you

This costs more than using the wrong word. Silence is nothing; a description is communication — and communication is what is being assessed.

Lost the word huurcontract? Say "the paper of the house". That is exactly what an A2 speaker is supposed to be able to do.

5. Not reading the question before listening

The fragment plays once. Read the question afterwards and you are guessing.

Use the time before the fragment to read what is being asked. Then you listen for one thing instead of trying to remember everything.

6. Getting stuck on a word in Reading

You do not need to understand every word to answer. Often the answer sits in a sentence that also contains three words you do not know.

Read the question, find the part of the text about it, and accept that the rest stays unclear. You get no points for complete comprehension.

7. Studying KNM like a language exam

KNM tests knowledge, not language. Learning word lists barely helps; knowing how things practically work here does. See the explanation of KNM.

8. Not bringing valid photo ID

Without valid ID you cannot take part. Check the expiry date too — an expired document does not count, and you lose your registration.

What to do next

• Test yourself with a practice exam under real conditions
• Practise writing and speaking with instant feedback
• Read how to use the practice exams

Official source: inburgeren.nl — exam rules.