Breakdown of Schrijf je antwoorden zo duidelijk mogelijk op één bladzijde.
schrijven
to write
één
one
op
on
je
your
het antwoord
the answer
zo
so
duidelijk
clear
mogelijk
possible
de bladzijde
the page
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Schrijf je antwoorden zo duidelijk mogelijk op één bladzijde.
Why is Schrijf appropriate for giving this instruction?
Schrijf is the informal singular imperative of schrijven (“to write”), used when you tell one person (jij) what to do. If you addressed someone formally (u), you’d use Schrijft u.
Why is je (weak form) used instead of the stressed jouw?
In Dutch, je is the unstressed (clitic) possessive pronoun meaning your, used routinely before a noun. jouw is the stressed form, used only for emphasis or contrast (e.g. jouw antwoorden when you really mean your answers, not someone else’s).
Why isn’t there an article like de before je antwoorden?
A possessive pronoun (je) replaces the need for an article. You can’t say de je antwoorden; je already marks “your” and makes the noun definite. Without a possessive you’d say de antwoorden (“the answers”).
What does zo duidelijk mogelijk mean, and why is mogelijk placed after duidelijk?
The construction zo + adjective + mogelijk means “as … as possible.” Here zo duidelijk mogelijk = “as clear as possible.” In Dutch you always put zo before the adjective and mogelijk immediately after it to express that idea.
Can we drop mogelijk and just say zo duidelijk?
No. zo duidelijk on its own means “so clear” (indicating degree). To convey “as clear as you can manage,” you need mogelijk. Omitting it loses the sense of “doing your best to be clear.”
Why is the preposition op used with één bladzijde?
When you write on a surface in Dutch, you use op (“on”). Schrijf … op één bladzijde literally means “write … on one page/sheet.” Using in would imply writing inside something (like a book or a box).
What’s the purpose of the accent in één?
The accent on één distinguishes the numeral “one, exactly one” from the indefinite article een (“a/an”). It emphasizes that you must fit everything on precisely one sheet.
Could pagina be used instead of bladzijde?
Yes. pagina and bladzijde both mean “page.” pagina is very common; bladzijde literally means “leaf side” and can sound slightly more formal or precise. Both work here.