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Norskprøven B2 writing: a full example with commentary

Publisher: NorskMentor. Original practice material and editorial commentary; not an official examiner assessment.

Here is a complete original practice text with commentary on structure, reasoning and language choices. It is intended for practice towards B2, but has not been assessed by an official examiner and does not certify a level or test outcome.

The task: take a position and support it

Practice task: Should more people use public transport to get to work? Explain your view and support it with reasons and examples. Write your own answer first if you want to practise without being influenced by the sample.

HK-dir’s writing practice page provides official task types and assessed sample answers. The argumentative task asks you to support a viewpoint. Counterarguments are not required; this sample uses a practical limitation to clarify its main position.

Complete sample text in Norwegian

Read once to understand the main position. Then examine how each paragraph contributes a reason, an explanation or a practical consequence.

Flere bør velge kollektivtransport til jobb

Hver morgen fylles veiene inn til de store byene av biler med bare én person i hver. Samtidig ønsker mange å redusere både utslipp og tiden de bruker i kø. Jeg mener derfor at flere bør reise kollektivt til jobb, men at myndighetene og arbeidsgiverne må gjøre dette til et praktisk alternativ.

For det første kan et godt kollektivtilbud gjøre arbeidsreisen enklere. På en buss eller et tog kan passasjerene lese, slappe av eller forberede dagen i stedet for å konsentrere seg om trafikken. Dersom flere lar bilen stå, blir det dessuten bedre plass på veiene for dem som faktisk er avhengige av å kjøre.

Miljøet er en annen grunn til å velge kollektivtransport. Når mange deler ett kjøretøy, kan behovet for privatbil bli mindre. Det er likevel viktig å se på hele tilbudet: En buss som går sjelden og ikke passer arbeidstidene, vil neppe få folk til å endre vaner. Gode forbindelser og forutsigbare avganger er derfor avgjørende.

Ikke alle har de samme mulighetene. En sykepleier som begynner tidlig, eller en håndverker som må frakte utstyr, kan ha god grunn til å bruke bil. Det ville være urimelig å kreve at alle reiser på samme måte. Målet bør heller være at de som har et realistisk alternativ, velger det oftere.

For å få til dette må flere bidra. Kommunen kan prioritere forbindelser til store arbeidsplasser, også utenfor vanlig kontortid. Arbeidsgivere kan legge møter slik at ansatte rekker buss eller tog, og undersøke om fleksibel arbeidstid er mulig. Slike tiltak løser ikke alle problemer, men kan gjøre valget lettere i hverdagen.

Etter min mening bør vi altså oppmuntre flere til å reise kollektivt, samtidig som vi tar hensyn til ulike behov. Det viktigste er ikke å kritisere dem som kjører, men å bygge et tilbud som folk ønsker og har mulighet til å bruke. Da kan en endring i arbeidsreisen bli en vane som varer.

How the argument fits together

The introduction answers the question directly and adds a condition: the service must work in practice. Paragraphs two and three develop two reasons, the commute and the environment. Claims are followed by explanations rather than presented as a list.

Paragraph four defines the limits of the position through two specific situations. The text maintains that more people should use public transport while explaining why the advice does not suit everyone. Paragraph five connects practical measures to the condition in the introduction. The conclusion brings the argument together without introducing a new main topic.

Language choices to learn from

Connectors show the relationship between ideas. «For det første» introduces a reason, «dersom» expresses a condition, and «likevel» marks a limitation. Notice the verb before the subject after «samtidig»: «Samtidig ønsker mange …».

Words such as «arbeidsreisen», «forbindelser» and «forutsigbare avganger» make the text more precise. Variation helps when the word fits the meaning. You do not need to replace a common word with a difficult one just to display vocabulary.

What could be improved?

The examples are relevant but general. A more specific original example of a commute could make the explanation clearer. The environmental argument could also be developed further. These observations concern this text, not a calculated B2 score.

Before submitting your own answer, check that you have addressed the question, supported your main view, organised logical paragraphs and checked verb placement and inflection. Follow the instructions of the actual task you receive.

Your turn: write and revise

New practice task: Should employers offer more flexible working hours? Choose one main position, note two reasons and find a specific example for each. Write the text, read it aloud and revise one paragraph before requesting feedback.

Continue with writing tasks and AI-generated feedback in NorskMentor’s writing module. Feedback is guidance and can contain mistakes. Module access requires an account and the relevant subscription.

Sources and official examples

Frequently asked questions

Is this an official B2 answer?
No. NorskMentor created the task, text and commentary for practice. See HK-dir’s assessed sample answers for official examiner comments.
Must I always include counterarguments?
No. HK-dir states that counterarguments are not required in the task asking you to argue for a viewpoint. Prioritise a clear position and relevant reasons.
Can I read the example without a subscription?
Yes. The complete text and commentary on this page are open without an account. The writing module has separate access requirements.

How to practise this in NorskMentor

  • Writing

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  • Grammar

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NorskMentor is a practice tool and is not affiliated with the organiser of Norskprøven. Level requirements for residence and citizenship are set by UDI and can change — check udi.no for the current rules.