Exam tip Lezen B1: opinions, signal words and instructions

1. What does the writer want? Ask this first. There are four common purposes:

• informeren (news, leaflets): facts, no "ik vind";
• overtuigen (opinion pieces, letters to the editor, adverts): "ik vind", "moet", "het is tijd voor", a clear choice;
• instructie geven (procedures, manuals): imperatives and steps;
• vertellen / amuseren (columns, stories).

2. Where is the opinion? Usually in the first and last paragraph. Read those twice.

• Words like kortom, dus and daarom often introduce the conclusion.
• A fact can be checked (Van de zes kassa's waren er twee open).
• An opinion is a judgement (Een supermarkt is meer dan een machine).

3. Follow the signal words. They show how sentences are related:

Function · Signal words

• reden / oorzaak · want, omdat, namelijk
• gevolg · dus, daarom, daardoor
• tegenstelling · maar, toch, echter
• aanvulling · ook, daarnaast, bovendien, ten eerste, ten slotte
• voorbeeld · bijvoorbeeld, zoals
• conclusie · kortom, dus

4. Instructions: order and conditions. Underline mentally words like als, alleen, pas, niet and binnen … dagen.

Component · Lezen

• Task type · Betogende teksten (opinion pieces, letters to the editor): text purpose, the writer's opinion, fact vs opinion, signal words and the relation between parts. Instructieve teksten (procedures, rules, manuals): order of steps, conditions, what to do in a situation.
• What the real task looks like · Same Lezen exam as EX-B1.2: 110 minutes, 36 multiple-choice questions on 6 texts, booklet + computer, pocket dictionary allowed. Questions about the purpose of a text and about relations between sentences and paragraphs sit beside the gist and detail questions.

Most common mistakes

1. Taking what other people in the text think (winkeliers, ouders) for the writer's own opinion.
2. Reading past echter / toch / maar: the part after a contrast word is usually the writer's real point.
3. Treating an opinion as a fact, or the other way round.
4. Mixing up text purpose: a text full of facts can still be written to convince.
5. In instructions, missing a condition (alleen als…, pas…, niet…) or doing the steps in the wrong order.