Reading comprehension
What the reading section asks
Reading tasks in the exam use short authentic-style Estonian texts: notices, advertisements, timetables, forms, personal emails, short articles and instructions. Questions may ask you to match headings, choose true/false/not stated, complete gaps, order events or find specific details. This foundation practises explicit information, reference and contextual inference; it does not establish a calibrated proficiency level.
Core reading cues
- Track case endings to see who does what: Jüri saatis Marile kirja 'Jüri sent a letter to Mari' (-le = to). Maril is adessive and can participate in location or possession-related constructions; its function depends on the sentence.
- Watch connectors: ja 'and', kuid/aga 'but', sest 'because', seetõttu 'therefore', samas 'at the same time', näiteks 'for example'. They signal contrast, cause and example.
- Follow pronouns: tema/ta 'he/she', see 'this/it', need 'these/those'. Estonian has no grammatical gender, so ta can mean he or she; the text must tell you.
- Use word formation: -mine makes an action noun (lugemine 'reading'), -ja makes an agent (lugeja 'reader'), -lik makes an adjective (sõbralik 'friendly'), -us makes a noun (võimalus 'possibility').
- For 'not stated', check whether the text actually says it; do not use general knowledge.
Worked example
Text: „Esmaspäeviti on raamatukogu avatud kella 10-18, laupäeval ainult kella 14-ni.“ Statement: Raamatukogu on esmaspäeval suletud. The adverb esmaspäeviti means 'on Mondays' (habitual), and avatud means 'open'; Monday opening is 10-18. The statement says 'closed on Monday', so it is false, not 'not stated'. The trap is reading esmaspäeviti as a single Monday or missing that avatud is positive.
Traps that cost marks
- Marking 'false' when the text simply does not mention the detail; in true/false/not stated tasks, absence is 'not stated'.
- Confusing similar-looking words: aktuaalne 'current', not 'actual'; check other possible lookalikes in a reliable contextual dictionary instead of assuming an English gloss is always misleading.
- Ignoring the question word: kes 'who', mis 'what', kus 'where', millal 'when', miks 'why'.
- Spending too long on one unknown word; use the sentence and paragraph context.
Follow the stated conditions
A short notice can combine opening hours, exceptions and registration requirements. Read each option as a complete claim, not a list of familiar words. If one detail is absent, distinguish uncertainty from contradiction. Written dialogue can also test a changed plan, but it does not provide audio; actual listening practice is needed for sound quantity, pace and intonation.