VWO Engels case studies

VWO Engels · Put your knowledge to work in context.

VWO Engels is the English component of the Dutch vwo school-exam programme, examined under the responsibility of the College voor Toetsen en Examens (CvTE). It is taken by vwo candidates in the Netherlands who need English as part of their diploma profile; the programme is described by the domains listed on this page: leesvaardigheid (reading comprehension), kijk- en luistervaardigheid (listening/viewing), schrijfvaardigheid (writing), gespreksvaardigheid (speaking) and literatuur (literature). The exam combines centrally set components with school-exam components, so your own school's programme (PTO) determines part of what you are assessed on. Preparation should be built around sustained exposure to authentic English: read long-form journalism and literary texts, listen to interviews and lectures at natural speed, and practise writing structured argumentative and informative texts with a clear register. The VWO Engels case studies are 5 cases and about 2,634 words.

Reading an Op-Ed on Pedestrian Zones: Stance, Source, and Anecdote

You are taking the VWO Engels reading exam. Text 3 is a 700-word op-ed from a British newspaper arguing that city councils should remove pedestrian zones to make room for e-bikes.

556 words, about 3 min 2

Listening to a Coastal Documentary: Irony, Sourcing, and a Missed Segment

You are watching a 5-minute documentary clip for the listening exam. The clip is about a coastal town's fight against a proposed mega-farm.

533 words, about 3 min 3

Writing to the School Board: Register, Evidence, and Generalisation

You are writing a formal letter to the school board at your Dutch secondary school. The board plans to cut the annual Book Week budget from €4,000 to €1,000.

522 words, about 3 min 4

Paired Speaking Test: Disagreeing Without Data

You are in a paired speaking test. The examiner gives you this prompt: 'Some schools should ban smartphones during breaks.' Your partner says immediately: 'I totally agree - phones destroy social skills, and that's a fact.' You have 30 seconds to prepare a response.

522 words, about 3 min 5

Unseen Fiction: Perspective, Repetition, and the Torn Net

You are analysing an unseen excerpt from a fictional novel, The Salt Harvest (imaginary author). The excerpt is 400 words.

501 words, about 3 min