OET Writing Criteria and Expert Tips To Ace the Exam

Introduction to OET Writing Sub-Test

The OET writing sub-test examines healthcare officials’ skills to communicate professionally in writing within a specific field. Moreover, it requires applicants to answer a scenario that is based on a healthcare issue by writing an official letter, such as a transfer, discharge, or referral letter, using case notes.

In addition, applicants are offered specific writing work or case notes, which they are required to read first and then write a letter based on the information written in the case notes. Also, the letter needs to be clear, concise, and adhere to proper genre while signifying the organisation. These are the key writing criteria that every aspirant should follow to achieve a good score.

In-Depth Breakdown of Each Criteria

By now, you already know that six key criteria help examiners to assess your OET writing section. But do you know how exactly these OET writing criteria function and how you can attain them? If not, then below is a detailed breakdown of each factor that might help you identify what the examiner expects from the test-takers while writing the exam.

1. Purpose

This writing criterion gauges whether the real purpose of your letter is adequately explained in the entire letter and if it is clearly understandable to the reader. For instance:

In both above examples, the first one is correct because it directly addresses what should be done without including any vague information.

2. Content

This criterion of the OET exam can be met by ensuring all relevant information is included within the case notes, which support the key purpose, and excluding irrelevant information. Now, see the examples below to learn how to make the content relevant.

In the above examples, the right one shows appropriately the issue and medication history of the patient, making it clearer to understand. However, the wrong one includes details about his family, which has nothing to do with the treatment process.

3. Conciseness & Clarity

This criterion of the OET writing sub-test demands information that is clear and presented efficiently without including any unnecessary information. You can understand this by reading the examples below that show correct and incorrect sentences.>

The above-given sentences clearly define why they are correct or wrong because the right example is direct and includes clinical information, but in the incorrect example, you can observe a lot of unnecessary information.

4. Genre & Style

According to the writing criteria OET, the letter should follow a formal and professional writing style with a decent tone. The following examples can help you understand this criterion of the exam.

As you can see, the right example only includes formal and professional language, but on the other hand, the wrong one includes casual and informal language.

5. Organization & Layout

The organization and layout criterion demands a letter that is logically structured and has clear paragraphs with a natural flow of information. See the table below to find out how you can make your letter look organized.

The right example shows logical and smooth information flow, but the wrong one shows cultural details which are hard to navigate.

6. Language

It is the most crucial criterion and is required in every English proficiency test, regardless of its purpose. In this, you need to write exact grammar with the right spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation that are appropriate for healthcare communication. Read the examples below to find out how you can meet this writing criterion.

The right example includes grammatically correct sentences with a formal tone, and incorrect sentences have grammar issues with awkward phrasing. Now, you know all six writing criteria that can help you secure a strong score in the OET writing section. All these criteria remain the same for each profession, including the OET exam for nurses, doctors or pharmacists.

OET Writing Criteria Band Score Table

As we have already discussed above, this test has six OET writing assessment criteria, which are used to award scores to applicants. Each criterion of the writing sub-test is scored on a scale of 0 to 7, except purpose, which is scored from 0 to 3. You need to perform effectively across every criterion to achieve high scores. For this, you can also use the OET writing sample papers to know how these scores are awarded.

Now, read the table below to understand how your letter is assessed and what you should avoid or include to secure a strong score.

Tips to Excel on Each Writing Criteria

To ace the Writing sub-test of the OET exam, the candidate should learn to focus on accuracy and clarity to make the letter look formal and to the point. Further, make sure that the purpose of your letter is visible to the grader and use a professional tone to make it look more formal. In addition, make sure to prepare with the right resources, such as if you are a nurse, then search specifically for OET writing sample for nurses, it will make your preparation more effective.

However, there are a few more tips that might help you to excel in writing sub-tests. Read below.

• Clarity in Purpose – Clarity is the prominent key that can help you ace the exam. Hence, make a letter that includes the obvious purpose of the letter to the reader. Also, be specific by clearly stating the need to write the letter, whether it is for discharge or referral. Besides, don’t forget to mention sufficient details about the main issue, as it can lead to incomplete information.
• Relevant Content – While writing the letter, be sure to select the vital case notes that directly relate to the purpose and avoid repetitive or irrelevant information. Further, use precise words to define the condition or history of patients. Also, to make the letter precise, try to group similar information in a single paragraph.
• Summarize Data – As we have mentioned above, the OET writing assessment criteria focus on clarity and conciseness, so omit unnecessary data. Focus on including details that the reader needs to know. Moreover, write the details in a systematic flow by using transitions between paragraphs.
• Use Formal Language – As this test is specifically designed for a reputed profession, make sure you write in formal language with a professional tone. For this, select phrases and vocabulary that are appropriate for the context. In addition, avoid using short forms like won’t or can’t.
• Logical Structure – This advice will make your content look organised and systematic. Thus, for framing a logical structure, organise the letter in a coherent flow with clear information and consider making a plan before writing the letter to make it more structured and logical.
• Language Accuracy – Lastly, ensure that you use correct punctuation and grammar rules to enhance the clarity and accuracy of the details provided in the letter. In addition, use a diverse range of vocabulary, which is appropriate to demonstrate the patient’s condition as it shows your knowledge of English, and you can also make use of medical terminology to look more professional.

Conclusion

This OET writing criteria offered you key insights about what examiners expect from applicants. Thus, this blog includes detailed information regarding the criteria for OET writing and provides tips that will help you ace the writing sub-test of the OET exam.

However, if you still struggle to understand how to attempt the writing section correctly, then connect with our experts at Gradding.com. We will offer you effective resources and tailored guidance to boost your overall score. Connect today!

FAQs

1. What Are The Criteria For OET Writing?

The writing section of the OET exam is evaluated based on six key criteria, which include Purpose, Genre & Style, Language, Conciseness & Clarity, Content, and Organisation. Each criterion of this writing sub-test is scored, but Purpose follows a different marking criterion, so it is scored separately. Moreover, these criteria examine the applicant’s ability to communicate effectively by writing their message in a healthcare profession.

2. What Is The Format Of Writing In OET Exam?

The writing sub-test requires you to write a concise, profession-specific letter by using case notes. You need to complete the letter in 40 minutes by writing 180 to 200 words. Moreover, you will get an extra 5 minutes in which you can read the case notes. In addition, the letter should be in a formal format and include the address of the recipient, greetings, an introductory paragraph, main text, and a short closing.

3. Is OET Harder Than IELTS?

Both OET and IELTS exams examine English proficiency, but the OET exam is much easier for people from healthcare backgrounds because it stresses specific communication and language abilities, which are vital for healthcare professionals. However, a few people say both exams are equally challenging, and OET requires more practice and preparation.

4. Which Is The Hardest Part Of OET?

The hardest part of the OET exam is the writing sub-test. This section is challenging because it requires applicants to demonstrate strong medical communication skills in English within a proper structure and formal letter-writing pattern. Moreover, selecting significant details from case notes and conveying those details accurately in a letter is quite challenging for test-takers.

5. Which Countries Accept OET?

OET Exam is accepted by many countries for people who desire to study or work in English-speaking countries in the healthcare profession. The major countries that recognise this exam include Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, the USA, the UK, and Singapore. There are a few more countries that accept OET scores, including Namibia, the Philippines, Spain, India, Egypt, Qatar, and Malta.