Checked 13 October 2026. We found no official source that publishes which KNM questions candidates get wrong. The rules are from DUO’s inburgeren.nl pages read on 13 October 2026; the wording is from the end terms (Staatscourant 2024, 15802), in force for exams since 1 July 2025. Which mistakes are "common" is our judgement.
We found no published list of KNM exam mistakes. The DUO pages we read give no results per question or per theme, no pass mark and no question count, so a page that claims "the five most common mistakes" with percentages is using figures we could not find on DUO’s pages. What can be said honestly comes from three texts that are public. DUO’s exam rules show how an attempt is lost before the first question. The published format shows what a candidate who prepared the wrong way will meet. And the end terms, the list of what the exam may ask, are written in sentences whose small words (verplicht, in principe, vanaf) decide the answer. This page works through all three, then gives you ten new trap questions in Dutch with English underneath. Where we call a mistake common, that is our judgement, and we say so. ProSyllabus is an independent study site. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DUO, the IND or the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment; every rule below is quoted or summarised from their published pages and regulations, and DUO or the IND decides every individual case.
Change and cancel rule: DUO, Registering for an exam (read 13 October 2026). The trap questions and the grouping are ours.
Is there data on KNM exam mistakes? None that we found, and what we use instead
We looked for it. DUO’s pages on the knowledge exams, on practising and on results say how long the exam is (45 minutes), that there are several themes with questions for each, and that the result comes by letter within eight weeks. They give no breakdown of wrong answers. The regulation fixes the end terms and says the exam is scored automatically; it prints no statistics either. So this page does not rank mistakes by how often they happen.
| Source of a mistake | What we rely on | Status | What it can cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breaking an exam rule | DUO’s pages: examination rules, registering, results, practising | official | The attempt, before any question is answered: DUO says you cannot take the exam and must register again |
| Preparing for the wrong format | DUO’s description of the exam; the end terms (level A2, pictures, everyday situations); the regulation’s explanatory annex (multiple choice, video, headphones) | official facts, our conclusions | Knowing the answer in English and not recognising the question |
| Misreading the wording | The sentences of the end terms themselves | official text, our grouping into traps | Choosing the neighbouring fact |
| How often each happens | Nothing: no figures in the sources we read | not found | We give no frequencies |
Sources: DUO (inburgeren.nl), pages read on 13 October 2026; Staatscourant 2024, 15802; Regeling inburgering 2021, explanatory annex.
Mistakes before the first question: DUO’s own rules
These are the KNM mistakes whose consequence DUO states in writing on the pages we read. None of them is about knowledge.
| Mistake | What DUO says | Page |
|---|---|---|
| No valid ID, or a damaged one | “Did you not bring a valid ID to the exam? Or is your ID damaged? If so, you cannot take the exam. You need to register again.” | Examination rules |
| Bringing someone with you | “Come to the exam alone. Other people need to stay outside.” | Examination rules |
| Cancelling or moving the exam too late | You can change the date or the location until 1 week before the exam; if you cancel until 1 week before, you receive a refund. A letter asking for a new date must be received at least 7 days before the exam | Registering for an exam |
| Registering late | “Register in time for your exams. It may take more than 6 weeks before you can take the exam.” | Registering for an exam |
| Counting on a quick result | For a knowledge exam you get the result by letter within 8 weeks; you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering | Exam results |
| Not reading the invitation letter | For A2 exams the main rules are stated in your letter of invitation; the examenreglement contains all the rules | Examination rules |
| Sharing the questions afterwards | You promise to keep the exam secret and agree to this by signing a form | Examination rules |
| Showing a false ID | “If you show a false ID, DUO may report you to the police.” | Examination rules |
| Practising only on a phone | A desktop computer is the preferred device for the practice exams; on a phone or tablet it is best to tilt the device | Practising for the exam |
Source: DUO, inburgeren.nl (English pages), read on 13 October 2026. Words in quotation marks are DUO’s; the left-hand column is our wording. We have not read the full examenreglement, so rules that appear only there are not listed.
Two of these rows add up. A seat can take more than six weeks and a result up to eight, so someone who needs the diploma for an application has to count back about fourteen weeks from the date they need it; that sum is ours. Fees, the refund rule and retakes are set out in our guide to fee, booking, cancelling and retakes.
Check your own risks
Mistakes the format invites
The format is published, so preparing against it is a choice. The left-hand column is official; the mistake and the remedy are our judgement.
| What is published | The mistake (our judgement) | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| The exam is in Dutch; questions are built at level A2 | Studying only in English and meeting the Dutch words for the first time in the exam room | Attach the Dutch key word to every fact; the <a href="/hub/knm-practice-exam-english-explanations" style="color:#255a45;font-weight:600">10-question KNM practice exam with explanations</a> has a 48-word trainer |
| Questions are shown on screen and also heard through headphones | Never having heard the words spoken | Say the key words aloud; say the key words aloud and rehearse on DUO’s practice exams (DUO’s page does not say whether they play sound) |
| The exam uses a lot of pictures, and video fragments | Practising only with text, as on this page | Sit both DUO practice exams on a computer before the day |
| The questions are about everyday, recognisable situations | Answering from what is usual in your own country, or from what you think is fair | Answer from what the end terms say is true in the Netherlands |
| The new end terms ask for knowledge more than for desired behaviour | Choosing the option that sounds most polite | Look for the option that states the rule |
| 45 minutes; the number of questions is not published | Planning seconds per question from a number found on a commercial site | Learn your pace from DUO’s two practice exams |
| The exam follows the end terms in force since 1 July 2025 | Using material written for the 2015 end terms | Check that the publisher says the material was updated for the exam from 1 July 2025 |
Sources for the left-hand column: DUO, content of the knowledge exams; Staatscourant 2024, 15802 (level A2, everyday situations, pictures, less emphasis on desired behaviour); Regeling inburgering 2021, explanatory annex (video, headphones); DUO news of 2025 on the new exam.
One thing we could not establish: how the automatic scoring treats a wrong answer compared with an open one. The regulation says the exam is scored automatically and no page we read says more. We therefore give no advice on guessing beyond the obvious: an unanswered practice question teaches you nothing.
KNM examen fouten in the wording: seven traps from the end terms
The end terms are short sentences, and many of them carry a condition. A question writer who wants one right answer and two plausible wrong ones can take the wrong ones from the same sentence. We do not know how DUO’s questions are written and have not seen them. What we can show is where the source text itself offers a near miss, which is where a careful candidate should slow down.
| Trap (our name) | How it works | In the end terms (Dutch, verbatim) | End term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obligatory versus advisable | The end terms put a duty and a recommendation in the same breath. A question asks which one applies. | niet verplicht is maar wel zeer wenselijk | 6.6.1 |
| The words “in principe” | A rule with exceptions. An option that says "always" or "never" goes further than the text. | in principe geen dubbele nationaliteit mag hebben | 6.2.3 |
| Two numbers in one sentence | One sentence holds two ages or two dates. The situation in the question decides which one is asked. | van 14 jaar en ouder in de openbare ruimte (in het openbaar vervoer vanaf 12 jaar) | 6.4.1 |
| Right fact, wrong body or person | Two bodies sit in one end term, each with its own task. The wrong option names the neighbour. | weet dat hij kinderbijslag kan aanvragen bij de Sociale Verzekeringsbank | 6.3.3 |
| An absolute word (always, everything, never) | A freedom or a right is stated with its limit. The wrong option keeps the freedom and drops the limit. | maar dat men niet iets mag zeggen of schrijven dat volgens de wet verboden is | 7.2.2 |
| A custom is not a law | The end terms describe what many people do. The wrong option turns the habit into a law, or into an offence. | Weet dat veel mensen in Nederland zich direct kunnen uiten | 2.1.2 |
| Sounds unfair, is allowed | Something that feels like unequal treatment is expressly allowed. The wrong option calls it discrimination. | Weet dat werkgevers eisen aan de taal- en communicatievaardigheden kunnen stellen | 1.1.6 |
Source for the Dutch: Staatscourant 2024, 15802, Bijlage 2, at the end term shown. The seven names and descriptions are ours. Some of these wordings, such as “in principe”, recur in other end terms than the one quoted.
Ten KNM trap questions
Each question below is built on one of those traps. Read the Dutch first; the English line is there to check your reading, and the theme number is a study aid. They are new: none repeats our 10-question KNM practice exam with explanations, our 20 KNM questions across the eight themes, the weak-topic quiz in the two-week KNM plan built on the end terms or the self-check questions in the kit. Two of them, questions 4 and 9, deliberately ask the other half of a pair that the ten-question page asks, because the pair is the trap.
Answers, the trap in each, and the end term
| # | Question (Dutch) | Correct answer | The trap | Why | End term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Een collega zegt in een overleg heel direct dat hij jouw idee niet goed vindt. Wat is waar? | A. Veel mensen in Nederland uiten zich direct (Many people in the Netherlands express themselves directly) | A custom is not a law | End term 2.1.2 says many people in the Netherlands can express themselves directly. It describes a habit; it is not a rule that someone broke. | 2.1.2 (theme 2) |
| 2 | Je moet het eigen risico van je zorgverzekering betalen, maar je kunt dat niet in één keer. Wat is waar? | C. Je kunt het eigen risico gespreid betalen (You can pay the excess in instalments) | An absolute word (always, everything, never) | The end terms say the eigen risico can be paid spread over time. The option with “altijd” goes further than the text. | 4.4.1 (theme 4) |
| 3 | Je hebt geen auto en geen eigen huis. Is een wettelijke aansprakelijkheidsverzekering (WA) voor jou verplicht? | B. Nee, niet verplicht, maar wel zeer wenselijk (No, not obligatory, but highly advisable) | Obligatory versus advisable | End term 6.6.1 says a WA insurance is not obligatory but highly advisable. The same end term makes WA obligatory for owners of motor vehicles, which is why “yes” is tempting. | 6.6.1 (theme 6) |
| 4 | De politie vraagt in de trein om je identiteitsbewijs. Vanaf welke leeftijd ben je in het openbaar vervoer verplicht dit te laten zien? | A. Vanaf 12 jaar (From age 12) | Two numbers in one sentence | One sentence of the end terms holds two ages: 14 and over in public space, and from 12 on public transport. The question is set on a train, so 12. | 6.4.1 (theme 6) |
| 5 | Amir wordt Nederlander door naturalisatie. Mag hij daarna ook zijn oude nationaliteit houden? | A. In principe niet (In principle not) | The words “in principe” | The end terms: after naturalisation a person may in principle not hold dual nationality. “In principe” means there are exceptions, so neither “always” nor a flat “never” matches the text. | 6.2.3 (theme 6) |
| 6 | Je krijgt huurtoeslag. Je gaat meer verdienen. Aan wie moet je dit op tijd doorgeven? | C. Aan de Belastingdienst (The Tax Administration) | Right fact, wrong body or person | The end terms say a change of income can affect allowances and must be passed on in good time to the Belastingdienst. The SVB is in the same end term, but for child benefit. | 6.3.3 (theme 6) |
| 7 | In Nederland is er vrijheid van meningsuiting. Wat betekent dat? | B. Je mag je mening geven, maar niet iets zeggen of schrijven dat de wet verbiedt (You may give your opinion, but not say or write something the law prohibits) | An absolute word (always, everything, never) | The end terms: the law protects freedom of expression, but you may not say or write something that the law prohibits. | 7.2.2 (theme 7) |
| 8 | Wie geeft in Nederland leiding aan de ministers? | C. De minister-president (The prime minister) | Right fact, wrong body or person | The end terms say the prime minister leads the ministers, and that the King mainly fulfils a ceremonial function. | 7.1.1 (theme 7) |
| 9 | Je zoon is 16 jaar. Hij zegt: "De leerplicht is voorbij, ik hoef niet meer naar school." Wat is waar? | B. Tussen 16 en 18 jaar is hij kwalificatieplichtig (Between 16 and 18 he is subject to the qualification duty (kwalificatieplicht)) | Two numbers in one sentence | The end terms: children between 5 and 16 are leerplichtig and between 16 and 18 kwalificatieplichtig. The end term itself speaks of a legal obligation to have children from 5 to 18 follow education. | 8.1.3 (theme 8) |
| 10 | In een vacature staat: "Je spreekt goed Nederlands." Mag een werkgever zo’n eis stellen? | C. Ja, werkgevers kunnen eisen stellen aan taal- en communicatievaardigheden (Yes, employers can set requirements for language and communication skills) | Sounds unfair, is allowed | The end terms say employers can set requirements for language and communication skills. Discrimination at work is prohibited under another end term (1.3.1); a language requirement is not named there. | 1.1.6 (theme 1) |
Source for every reason: Staatscourant 2024, 15802, Bijlage 2, at the end term shown. The questions, the English wording and the trap labels are ours; three answer options is our choice, because no official page states the number of options.
Reading your result
| If you missed | What it suggests (our reading) | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Questions 3 or 5 (obligatory; in principe) | You know the topic and lose the qualifier | Learn the signal words in the table below, in Dutch |
| Questions 4 or 9 (two numbers) | You learned one number of a pair | Write every age and time limit with its partner: 12 and 14, 5 to 16 and 16 to 18, 4 May and 5 May |
| Questions 6 or 8 (wrong body or person) | The bodies run together | Make one line per body: what it does, in which end term |
| Questions 2 or 7 (absolute words) | You pick the strongest statement | Distrust "altijd", "alles" and "nooit" unless the end term uses them |
| Questions 1 or 10 (custom; sounds unfair) | You answer from feeling, not from the text | Reread themes 1 and 2 in the end terms for what is described and what is required |
| None | The wording does not trip you | Use the per-theme score of the <a href="/hub/knm-examen-oefenen-a2-questions-eight-themes" style="color:#255a45;font-weight:600">20 KNM questions across the eight themes</a> to find knowledge gaps instead |
Our reading of our own questions. A score here is a learning score: the DUO pages we read give no pass mark for KNM.
The Dutch signal words that change an answer
Twelve small words do most of the work in the traps above. All twelve are in the end terms. Learn to see them in a Dutch sentence, because in the exam nobody translates them for you.
| Dutch | English (our gloss) | Where the end terms use it (verbatim) | End term |
|---|---|---|---|
| verplicht | obligatory | Weet dat een zorgverzekering verplicht is | 6.6.1 |
| vrijwillig | voluntary | waarbij vrijwillig aanvullend bijverzekerd kan worden | 4.4.1 |
| in principe | as a rule; there are exceptions | in principe aangeboden werk moet accepteren | 1.1.8 |
| doorgaans | usually | tijdens een sollicitatiegesprek doorgaans waarderen | 1.1.2 |
| vaak | often | weet dat ongehuwd samenwonen in Nederland vaak voorkomt | 2.1.4 |
| tenzij | unless | tenzij hij vastlegt hier niet of slechts ten dele aan te willen meewerken | 7.2.7 |
| tenminste | at least | weet dat hij de jaaropgave tenminste vijf jaren moet bewaren | 6.3.1 |
| alleen | only | informatie alleen na toestemming van de cliënt met anderen gedeeld mag worden | 4.1.1 |
| vanaf | from (an age or a date) | in het openbaar vervoer vanaf 12 jaar | 6.4.1 |
| tot | until, up to | tot het zestiende levensjaar van hun kind | 8.2.1 |
| langer dan | longer than | niet-Nederlanders die langer dan vijf jaar in Nederland wonen | 7.1.4 |
| maar | but (the limit follows) | weet dat hij een uitspraak van een rechter moet accepteren, maar dat hij in hoger beroep kan gaan | 7.1.3 |
Source: Staatscourant 2024, 15802, Bijlage 2; each phrase is quoted from the end term shown. The selection and the English glosses are ours.
Mistakes in preparation
Four that the official texts let us name
- Old material. The end terms were replaced on 1 July 2025, and the regulation itself says the differences between the old and the new end terms affect teaching material and textbooks. The explanatory note to the regulation names two points added at the ministry’s wish: that the laws of the state stand above religion and tradition (7.2.3) and women’s right to self-determination (7.2.8).
- Using DUO’s practice exams as a first step. DUO lists two KNM practice exams. Sit them late, when a miss tells you something.
- Learning names too early, or not at all. The end terms expect the name of the King and of the prime minister and the names and location of the provinces. Office-holders change, so check the current names on the government’s own site in the last days; we do not print them.
- Trusting a pass mark from a commercial site. DUO’s pages give none. A practice score is useful question by question, not as a forecast.
Sources: Staatscourant 2024, 15802 (Voorwoord, Toelichting, end terms 5.2.1 and 7.1.1); DUO, Practising for the exam. The advice is ours.
Where the eight themes and their weights come from is in the eight themes and 78 eindtermen. If you are choosing between a book and the official material, see the Ad Appel book compared with DUO’s practice exams; if you want the themes laid out over fourteen days, see the two-week KNM plan built on the end terms. Whether you have to sit KNM at all is a separate question: KNM for Indian knowledge migrants and partners and exemptions and which law applies to you.
What we could not support, and left out
No frequencies, because we found none published. No claim that any trap on this page appears in the real exam: we have not seen DUO’s questions, and candidates sign a promise to keep them secret. No number of questions, no pass mark and no scoring rule for wrong answers. No rules from the examenreglement beyond what DUO’s web pages repeat. And no names of office-holders.
Preview the KNM revision kit
The traps on this page sit in the small print of the end terms, and the kit restates that small print theme by theme. The kit is a seven-page PDF that restates all eight themes of the official end terms in plain English with the Dutch words the exam uses. Page 1 is free to read in full, so look at it before you decide anything. It is a revision aid from an independent site, not an official document and not a substitute for DUO’s practice exams.
See the kit’s free first page and contentsFrequently asked questions
What are the most common mistakes in the KNM exam?
We found no published figures. The DUO pages we read give no results per question. The mistakes that can be shown from official texts are of three kinds: breaking an exam rule (no valid ID, cancelling late), preparing for the wrong format (English only, text only, old material) and misreading the wording of the end terms. Which of these is most common is our judgement, not a statistic.
Can I take the KNM exam if I forget my ID?
No. DUO says that without a valid ID, or with a damaged one, you cannot take the exam and need to register again.
Until when can I cancel the KNM exam and get my money back?
Until 1 week before the exam, according to DUO’s Registering page. A written request for a new date must be received at least 7 days before the exam.
Are these trap questions from the real KNM exam?
No. They are our own questions, written from the end terms to train careful reading. The real questions are confidential, and we have not seen them.
What does "in principe" mean in a KNM answer?
As a rule, with exceptions. The end terms use it, for example, for dual nationality after naturalisation and for accepting offered work while on a benefit. An option that says "always" or "never" goes further than the text.
Is a WA-verzekering obligatory in the Netherlands?
According to end term 6.6.1, a liability insurance (WA) is not obligatory but highly advisable; owners of motor vehicles are obliged to have WA insurance; home owners are obliged to have buildings insurance; and health insurance is obligatory.
Does a wrong answer cost more than a blank in the KNM exam?
We could not find the scoring rule. The regulation says only that the exam is scored automatically.
How long do I wait for the KNM result?
DUO says you get the result of a knowledge exam by letter within 8 weeks, and that you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering.
More in this series
- KNM syllabus: the 8 themes and 78 eindtermen of the new exam
- KNM for Indian knowledge migrants and partners: permanent residence and citizenship
- KNM fee, booking, cancellation and retakes
- KNM exemptions and which integration law applies
- Inburgering deadline and fines: why family migrants are still fined
- KNM practice exam in English: 10 questions with explanations
- KNM-examen oefenen A2: 20 questions across the 8 themes
- Ad Appel KNM book vs DUO’s practice exams: what is enough
- Basisexamen inburgering buitenland: who needs it, parts, fee, validity
- KNM exam preparation: a two-week plan built on the end terms
- Netherlands KNM notice board — official updates
Sources
- official — Staatscourant 2024, 15802 — Regeling of 7 May 2024 replacing Bijlage 2 (KNM eindtermen), in force 1 July 2025
- official — DUO — Examination rules and valid ID
- official — DUO — Registering for the exam (EN; NL "Aanmelden examen")
- official — DUO — Exam results
- official — DUO — Practising for the exam
- official — DUO — Content of the knowledge exams (KNM, MAP, ONA, PVT)
- official — Regeling inburgering 2021 (BWBR0045574), art 3.4-3.8 and the explanatory annex on the exams
- official — DUO news — Ander examen KNM vanaf 1 juli 2025 (April 2025)
- official — DUO news — Examen KNM aangepast (1 July 2025)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
