Lezen (reading) is the part most candidates think is “the easiest” but struggle with in the exam because of time. The texts are at A1 level, so they are short and simple. But for someone who tries to understand every word, 35 minutes fly by. In this article we explain, with examples, 9 tactics that will make you both fast and accurate in Lezen.

Lezen at Dutch Daily Online: Our reading practice exams are built in the real exam format, with 19 questions and a timer. In our practice exams, 14 correct answers count as a pass.

What kinds of texts appear in Lezen?

Lezen texts come from everyday life. These are what you will see most often:

Signs and warnings: Verboden te roken, Gesloten, Ingang
Advertisements: discounts, a house for rent, a job advertisement
Short messages and e-mails: from a friend, the school, an employer
Announcements: from the municipality, the building management, the school
Tables and schedules: opening hours, train times, a class timetable
Forms: documents asking for details like name, address and date of birth

Tactic 1: Read the question first, then the text

This is the most important tactic in Lezen. If you read the text from start to finish and then look at the question, you have to read the text twice. Instead:

First read the question. What is being asked for? A time, a place, a person?
Then look for only that information in the text.

Example: If the question is “Hoe laat gaat de bibliotheek op zaterdag open?” (What time does the library open on Saturday?), you only look for the word zaterdag in the text and the time next to it. You do not need to read the rest.

Tactic 2: Know the question words very well

The key to understanding the question is the question words. You should be able to recognize these automatically:

Dutch	English	What do you look for in the text?
Wat	What	A thing, an action
Wie	Who	A person, a name
Waar	Where	A place, an address
Wanneer	When	A day, a date
Hoe laat	What time	A clock time
Hoeveel	How much / how many	A price, a number
Waarom	Why	An explanation starting with omdat, want
Hoe	How	A method, a way

Tactic 3: Scan the text, do not translate every word

You do not have to know every word in the text. When you meet a word you do not know, do not stop; focus on the general meaning of the sentence. Very often the unknown word has nothing to do with the answer to the question anyway.

Tip: In practice exams, underline the words you do not know, but learn them after the exam, not during it. That way you build your vocabulary and get used to the exam pace at the same time.

Tactic 4: Watch for signal words

Some small words completely change the meaning of a sentence. Questions are very often built around exactly these words:

niet / geen (not / no): De winkel is niet open op zondag. (The shop is not open on Sunday.)
maar (but): Het is goedkoop, maar het is ver. (It is cheap but far away.)
alleen (only): Alleen op maandag. (Only on Monday.)
ook (also): Kinderen mogen ook komen. (Children may come too.)
omdat / want (because): explain the reason; the answer to waarom questions is usually here.
dus (so): explains the result.

Tactic 5: Look especially at numbers, dates and times

A large share of Lezen questions ask for numerical information: a price, a date, a time, a phone number. In Dutch:

Times can also be written with the 24-hour clock: 14.00 uur = 2 p.m.
Half drie = 2:30 (half an hour before three), not “half past three”: one of the expressions English speakers get wrong most often!
Prices are written with a comma: € 4,50 = four euros fifty.
Dates are written day-month: 3 mei or 03-05.

Tactic 6: Eliminate the wrong options

In multiple-choice questions, if you cannot find the right answer straight away, eliminate the ones that are definitely wrong. When two options are left, go back to the text and look for the difference. Wrong options usually:

Use a word from the text in the wrong context,
Reverse the meaning with a word like niet / geen,
Add information that is not in the text at all.

Tactic 7: Divide your time

If you have about 35 minutes for 19 questions, that is 1.5–2 minutes per question. Set yourself this rule:

If you have spent more than 2 minutes on a question, mark the most logical answer and move on.
If there is time left at the end, go back to the questions you marked.
Never leave a question blank.

Tactic 8: Memorize the words on signs and advertisements

In short texts the same words come up again and again. Learning this list will save you a lot of time:

Dutch	English
open / gesloten	open / closed
ingang / uitgang	entrance / exit
openingstijden	opening hours
verboden	forbidden
korting / aanbieding	discount / offer
gratis	free
te huur / te koop	for rent / for sale
afspraak	appointment
aanmelden	to register
spoed	urgent
let op!	attention!
vol	full

You can make these words stick in a few days with the word games.

Tactic 9: Do timed practice exams

Knowing the tactics is not enough; you have to learn to use them under time pressure. Do a timed Lezen practice exam at least twice a week. After every practice exam:

Write down the reason for your mistakes: did you not know the word, did you misread the question, did you run out of time?
Group the mistakes made for the same reason. You will usually see a few recurring types of mistake.

Example: let's work through a text together

Bibliotheek Centrum

Openingstijden: maandag t/m vrijdag: 10.00 – 18.00 uur zaterdag: 10.00 – 14.00 uur zondag: gesloten

Let op! Op woensdag is er van 14.00 tot 15.00 uur voorlezen voor kinderen. Dit is gratis.

Question: Wanneer kunnen kinderen naar het voorlezen?

Read the question: Wanneer → we are looking for a day/time. voorlezen → look for this word in the text.
Find the word voorlezen in the text: “Op woensdag ... van 14.00 tot 15.00 uur”.
Answer: Wednesday, between 14:00 and 15:00.

As you can see, you did not need to read all the opening hours.

Frequently asked questions

How many words do I need to know for Lezen?

For A1 level, 500–1000 basic words are usually enough. Knowing the most important words of everyday life is enough to understand the great majority of the texts. Our article on the Dutch words of everyday life is a good starting point.

What should I do if I don't understand the text at all?

Do not panic. Look at the question first, then look in the text for words that resemble the words in the question. Very often the answer is right next to the sentence where the words from the question appear.

Can I use a dictionary in Lezen?

No. No dictionary or other aids may be used in the exam. So make a habit of doing the practice exams without a dictionary too.

You have learned the tactics; now it is time to apply them: do a Lezen practice exam and see how well you manage your time using the methods in this article.