In my last post, I explained a bit about what the NT2 exam is and where to go if you are living in the Netherlands and looking to learn the language.  In this post I’m going to give you some tips about the four sections of the exam: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Listening

One of the frustrating aspects of the listening exam is that it stops for no one.  You’re listening to a conversation or a radio program, and suddenly there is a beep.  Then there is a pause.  During that time you will be answering a multiple choice question, AND reading the next question to prepare for what you are listening for.  It’s a lot to do in a short amount of time.

To prepare for this section of the exam, I found it most useful to listen to radio programs online (because I don’t listen to the radio usually) and to watch the news.  Watching the Dutch news with Dutch subtitles also helps connect what I’m hearing with what I think they are saying.  Try to get used to hearing the language spoken with a variety of accents.  Although nothing particularly out off the ordinary shows up on the exam, it is not necessarily generic newscaster’s Dutch you will be hearing.  You might find yourself listening to someone with a soft “G” or a harsh “R” and you need to understand it anyway.

For a list of listening resources and how to use those resources, check out these posts:

Learn Dutch : Dutch Television and Radio Resources

Learn Dutch: Using Television and Radio as a Resource

Reading

My best advice for the reading is to know what type of reading you need to be doing.  You’ll be able to figure this out by looking at the reading material and looking at the questions before diving in.  If you are looking at a pamphlet about a new job agency, where to contact them for information and information about the jobs they provide, you are looking at extensive reading.  This means that it is NOT necessary to read every single sentence of the pamphlet to answer the questions.  Look at the questions on the exam.  They are probably more generic information questions.  Don’t spend unnecessary time reading every detail or you will run out of time.

Save your time for the intensive reading.  These are articles that ask very specific questions about a news article or other written piece.

The best practice with reading is…reading.  A lot.  As much reading as you can do.  The wonderful thing about the internet is that there are a lot of newspapers in Dutch online.  If you’re looking for resources, or help using those resources, check out our posts here:
Learn Dutch: Popular Dutch Newspapers

How to Use Newspapers to Help You Learn Dutch

Writing

The writing section of the exam can be quite tricky, if you make it tricky.  Maybe you’ve heard this one before, but the best advice here is: Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS).  I know you might be able to form really long elaborate sentences with multiple dependent clauses, but this is NOT required.  What the exam is testing for is 1. Did you understand the question and the context of the question. 2. Did you follow the directions.  3.  Was your answer correct in both grammar and vocabulary.

Now, KISS doesn’t mean you should be writing only the most basic sentences possible.  What KISS means is that you should write clear concise sentences that demonstrate that you can use the language.  The less complicated you make it, the less chance for errors you will have.  The longer and more convoluted your sentence becomes, the more likely you are to make a word order error.

For practice, try writing short letters, descriptions of events, completing sentences in a work book, and emails.

Speaking

Speaking was the most frustrating part of the exam for me (albeit not the section I got the lowest score on). (Ok, ok, if you’re curious, that was listening for me…)  Anyway, the frustrating part of this exam is that it goes quickly.  Very quickly.  If you’ve ever taken a course in Zen meditation, this is the time to use those breathing skills and breathe.  On the shorter answer section you only have about 20 seconds to respond, just enough time to cough out one or two sentences, and then you are on to the next question.

Again, use KISS.  Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.  And remember if you should be using a formal or informal tense!  If you are looking at a picture where a little old lady needs help crossing the street, you would most certainly ask her if she would like help in the most polite way possible.  That means using the formal “U”.

Of course, practice makes perfect.  Try thinking of little scenarios in your head, like…you’re standing on the train platform and are curious if the train is coming late.  What would you ask the gentleman next to you?  Your neighbor has been playing the drums at one in the morning and you get up for work at 7.  What might you say?

One more note on the speaking section.  Don’t be too informal, don’t use a lot of slang.  Of course, the language on the street is not always the same, but what the test is looking for is proper Dutch.  No swearing because you got mad at the computer, although it is tempting…

Overall:

The best tool you can have in your arsenal is vocabulary.  The more words you know, the less words you will have to look up in your dictionary (yes, you can use a dictionary on some sections of the exam) and the more comfortable you will feel in general.

All of these sections sort of tie in together.  Practicing one will help with another.  The more you read, the better you will write, the more you hear, the better you will speak, and all combinations in between.  Everyone has things they are better at, and things they are worse at, so find your strength and play to it, and find your weakness and work on it.

And of course, the best of luck.  Just remember that you CAN do this.  This exam is not impossible to pass, it simply takes an investment in time.