Format at a glance
The four subtests get separate scores; when an organisation asks for an overall score, it is the sum of the four. The test is taken on paper or on computer.
| Subtest | Duration | Questions or tasks | Is it nursing-specific? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | about 40 min | 42 questions in 3 parts | No. It is the same for all twelve professions. |
| Reading | 60 min | 42 questions in 3 parts | No. It is the same for all twelve professions. |
| Writing | 45 min | 1 letter | Yes. The case is a nursing case. |
| Speaking | about 20 min | 2 role-plays | Yes. You play the role of the nurse. |
Listening
Recordings from everyday healthcare, from consultations to presentations. You answer while you listen, and the parts follow a professional's path: the patient, the team and keeping up to date on topics in the field.
| Part | What you hear | Questions | How you answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Two consultations between a health professional and a patient. | 24 | Complete the case notes with what is said. |
| Part B | Six short extracts from the workplace, such as a shift handover or a conversation between colleagues. | 6 | One multiple-choice question per extract. |
| Part C | Two presentations or interviews on health topics. | 12 | Multiple choice, six questions per extract. |
What each part tests
- Specific detail
- Part A: symptoms, medication, history and what the patient reports.
- Purpose and main idea
- Part B: the aim of an instruction, a notice or a short conversation.
- Opinion and attitude
- Part C: the speaker's point of view and how the arguments are organised.
Reading
Part A tests fast reading to find information; Parts B and C test careful reading. At the end of Part A's 15 minutes, the booklet is collected on paper, and on computer your answers are submitted. The rest of the time is for B and C.
| Part | Texts | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Four short texts on the same clinical topic, read quickly. | 20 | 15 min |
| Part B | Six short texts from healthcare settings, such as policies, manuals and internal memos. | 6 | 45 min for B and C |
| Part C | Two long texts on health topics, for detailed reading. | 16 | 45 min for B and C |
Question types
- Find the textMatching
- Part A: say which of the four texts contains a given piece of information.
- Fill in the sentenceSentence completion
- Part A: complete it with words taken from the texts.
- Brief replyShort answer
- Part A: answer with a few words from the texts.
- Pick an optionMultiple choice
- Parts B and C: three options in Part B and four in Part C.
Writing
You receive a patient's case notes and write a letter to another professional or a carer, such as a referral, a discharge or a transfer letter.
How the 45 minutes are split
Read the notes
Reading time only. You can read the case notes, but you cannot write.
Write the letter
Choose what matters to the reader, organise it and write. You still have the notes.
How it is scored
The letter is not a summary of everything: part of the score comes from choosing only the information the recipient needs.
Practice Writing on the platformSpeaking
An interlocutor plays the patient or a relative, and you take on your own role as the health professional. Before the role-plays there is a short warm-up conversation, which is not scored.
A conversation about your professional background. It is not assessed.
Three minutes to read the card and about five minutes of conversation.
A new card with a different situation, with the same timing.
How it is scored
The interlocutor does not give the score. The conversation is recorded and scored later by trained assessors.
Practice Speaking on the platformFrequently asked questions
Are Listening and Reading nursing-specific?
No. They are the same for all twelve professions, with general healthcare topics.
Does OET have an overall score?
Each subtest has its own score from 0 to 500, and the organisation that receives it sets the minimum for each one. Some organisations also ask for an overall score, which is the sum of the four.
Can I take it on computer?
Yes. OET is offered on paper and on computer.
Who scores the Speaking?
The conversation is recorded and scored by trained assessors, not by the person playing the patient.