OET Online Preparation: How to Secure High Scores?

Preparing for competitive exams, like OET, needs a plan and basic knowledge of different sections. Understanding the structure and the scoring of the exam will be crucial for your success and to create a study plan.

OET Online: Everything you need to know about the exam

The Occupational English Test (OET) is to check the level of English proficiency of the test-taker but only for the healthcare sector. Recognised worldwide by different regulatory councils and healthcare bodies, it assesses your language skills in four areas – reading, writing, listening and speaking.

The four sections of the exam have different assessment criteria. Understanding the structure of the OET online sections along with the style of questions will help you prepare for your exam better.  Here is a breakdown of the four sections and their structure:

1. The sections of the test will be timed differently. The section for hearing is 50 minutes and writing is 45 minutes. For reading you will have 60 minutes and 20 minutes for speaking.
2. For the listening component, you will be assessed based on your ability to understand verbal communication. This will include listening to monologues between doctors, nurses, patients and more. Any domain of medical care can be included in this, so you should prepare accordingly. Familiarise yourself with medical terminology and be prepared to answer any questions.
3. In the writing section, your written command of the language will be tested. You will be marked on the clarity of the written word, conciseness, purpose and content. Overall, out of all the sections in this test, the writing section is usually the most challenging of all sections.
4. The reading section will have three subsections, A, B and C. For the first section, which is section A, you will have 15 minutes to finish the questions. The other two sections in MCQ format can be taken together, for which you will be given 45 minutes.
5. The speaking component will assess your speaking ability. Since this test is usually for the healthcare sector, expect to see questions related to the field. You may have to take the role of a professional, caregiver, etc. For this section, you will receive a card that will describe the setting, and you will have to roleplay the setting within 5 minutes.

Some Important Points to Remember:

1. You can appear for this exam online or in person. Some countries offer in-person exams. You will have to check if your country allows in-person exams or not.
2. For your OET exam scorecard to be valid, you will need a minimum score of 350. Any score below that will mean that you will have to take the exam again.
3. Once you appear for the exam, the results will be available within 14 business days for both in-person and online OET exams

OET Online: How to Pass the Exam Easily?

It is normal to feel overwhelmed before the exam but here are a few tips to help you prepare for the exam –

1. Always start by understanding the format of the exam. Familiarise yourself with the kind of questions you will be assessed on and the time slots for each subtest. This will help you plan how to tackle the exam.
2. The difficulty level of the exam depends on the different aspects, such as your proficiency with the English language and your understanding of the language. However, hard work and starting to pay attention to grammar will help greatly.
3. Make sure that you develop a study plan. Study plans divide your time and give you a chance to use your time judicially. As you progress through your studies, you can also tweak the plan to pay more attention to the weaker areas without losing your focus on other areas.
   Along with this, ensure that you’re reading and learning different healthcare terms, regardless of the field you’re in.
4. Make sure that you’re not skipping on learning and understanding medical terminology. Since OET exams are for the healthcare sector specifically, the exam does have areas where you’ll be assessed on your knowledge of the terms. Additionally, you may even have to write a letter to a patient or a caregiver as an assessment.
5. You should brush your skills up in every aspect. Since the OET exam will test reading, writing, speaking and listening skills, it is a good idea to start improving all of these skills. Ensure that you develop and improve all of these skills. This will help you score better.

Apart from this, always make it a point to seek feedback, you will improve faster if you have constructive suggestions. Also, stay informed about any updates or changes to the OET exam format. This will give you an idea of how to make your study plans and tackle your upcoming exams.

EnglishWise Your OET Success Partner

Preparing for OET or PTE online exams requires guidance and correct study sessions. From helping you improve your skills to giving you the right study materials, choosing the right trainer for your exams will impact your results.

There’s no better place than EnglishWise to help you prepare for these exams! EnglishWise makes prepping for the exam easier by providing you with updated study materials as per the current exam requirements and mock tests, helping you understand the structure of the exams, giving you information on how the exam is scored and giving you a live discussion platform with expert educators. What’s more, EnglishWise’s classes can be taken from the comfort of your home. You can get EnglishWise’s help to crack your upcoming OET exams by calling +971552419200 or +971585772241 to get information and book your classes.