OET Reading Part A Overview
The OET is a language test for healthcare professionals who want to work in the UK. The OET Reading test assesses your ability to read and understand healthcare-related texts. Part A of the OET Reading test consists of 5 short texts, each followed by 5 multiple-choice questions. You will have 15 minutes to complete Part A.
Format of OET Reading Part A
Number of texts: 5
Text sources:
patient leaflets, clinical guidelines, letters, reports, and other healthcare-related documents
Question types:
multiple-choice
Time allocation:
15 minutes
Content of Texts:
The texts in OET Reading Part A are all healthcare-related. They may cover various topics, such as diagnosis, treatment, patient care, and research. The text messages are usually brief, consisting of around 200 words. The language used in the texts is clear and concise, but it may be specialized.
Question Types in OET Reading Part A
The questions in OET Reading Part A are multiple-choice. There are 5 questions for each text. The questions ask you to:
Find factual information in the text
Identify specific details in the text
Match statements to lead in the text
Strategies for Approaching OET Reading Part A
There are a few strategies that you can use to approach OET Reading Part A. These include:
Skimming and scanning:
Skimming quickly grasps the main idea of a text, while scanning helps locate specific information.
Identifying keywords:
Keywords are words or phrases important to a text’s meaning. Identifying keywords can help you focus your reading and answer questions more easily.
Active reading:
Active reading can help you understand the text better and answer questions more accurately.
Contextual understanding:
Contextual understanding is interpreting words or phrases based on the surrounding context. It’s especially helpful for unfamiliar vocabulary.
Tips for Success in OET Reading Part A
Here are a few tips for success in OET Reading Part A:
- Manage your time wisely.
- Eliminate incorrect answer choices.
- Review your answers.
- Practice and Preparation
Task Examples
In OET Reading Part A, you can expect to encounter various task examples that assess your ability to comprehend and extract information from healthcare-related texts. Here are some task examples you may encounter in OET Reading Part A:
Multiple-Choice Questions:
You’ll see a question and four answer choices. Your job is to pick the best answer using the information given in the text.
Matching Statements:
Your objective is to pair a list of statements with the most suitable option from a set provided to you.
True/False Questions:
Your objective is to determine whether a statement is accurate or not, based on the provided information.
Gap Fill Questions:
Your task is to complete a sentence or paragraph by selecting the most suitable words or phrases from a set of options provided to ensure accuracy.
Familiarize yourself with the types of questions in OET Reading Part A to improve your performance. Official materials and sample tests are recommended for practice.