How to Prepare for OET Reading
OET Reading takes 60 minutes and has three parts, with 42 questions in total. Part A is a fast search task with its own 15-minute limit. Parts B and C share 45 minutes and test how well you understand workplace and longer texts. To do well, practise each part under time pressure and copy Part A answers exactly as they appear in the text.
On this page
Key facts about OET Reading
Based on the official OET Reading information. Check oet.com before your test, as details can change.
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Time
60 minutes
Part A 15 minutes, then Parts B and C 45 minutes
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Questions
42 in total
Part A 20, Part B 6, Part C 16
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Spelling
Must be correct
Misspelled Part A answers get no marks
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Grade B
About 30 out of 42
Changes slightly by test version
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Checking time
None
Check as you go
Do this today (30 minutes)
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Do one Part A with the standard 15-minute timer
Answer every question, even if you have to guess the last few.
Open Reading practice -
Check how each wrong answer went wrong
Was it the wrong text, the wrong word, a spelling mistake or a missing word? Write the reason next to each one.
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Redo the questions you got wrong without a timer
Find the exact words in the text that give the answer. This trains your eye for the next timed attempt.
The three parts of OET Reading
Reading is the same for every profession. All texts are about healthcare topics, but you don't need specialist knowledge to answer the questions. Everything you need is in the texts.
| Part | What you read | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Four short texts on one healthcare topic, such as extracts from reference materials | 20: matching, short answer and sentence completion | 15 minutes |
| Part B | Six short workplace texts of about 100–140 words, such as policies, memos, emails, notices or guidelines | 6: one multiple-choice question per text, three options each | 45 minutes for Parts B and C together |
| Part C | Two longer texts on healthcare topics | 16: multiple choice | 45 minutes for Parts B and C together |
Part A: the 15-minute task
OET calls Part A the expeditious reading task. It tests how quickly you can find specific information in four short texts on the same topic. You don't need to read every word. You need to know where to look.
The 20 questions come in three types, and OET advises doing them in order:
- Matching questions ask which text (A, B, C or D) contains a piece of information. Your answer is one letter.
- Short-answer questions ask for a word or short phrase from one of the texts. Don't write full sentences.
- Sentence-completion questions ask you to complete a sentence with words from the texts.
Before you start the questions, spend about a minute looking at each text's title, layout and type. A table, a patient leaflet and a policy extract look different, and knowing what each text is helps you find answers faster, especially for the matching questions.
Part A worked example
These four short texts and questions are fictional and written by our team. They are much shorter than real Part A texts, but they show how each question type works. The clinical details are for practice only.
Four texts on hypoglycaemia (shortened)
The numbers match the questions and answers below the texts.
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Question 1 (matching): Which text gives results from a review of ward practice? Answer: D
Text D is the only text that reports what happened on the wards. Recognising the type of each text makes matching faster.
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Question 2 (matching): Which text is written for patients? Answer: C
Text C talks to the reader as "you" and gives advice for daily life, which shows it is for patients.
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Question 3 (short answer): How long should staff wait before rechecking blood glucose? Answer: 15 minutes
Copy the exact words from text B. Writing "a quarter of an hour" would lose the mark, because it is not the wording in the text.
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Question 4 (sentence completion): Hypoglycaemia is a blood glucose level below ______. Answer: 4.0 mmol/L
Include the unit, and copy the number in the same form as the text.
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Question 5 (short answer): What should a conscious patient be given first? Answer: fast-acting carbohydrate
The answer is a short phrase from text B. You don't need to add the amount unless the question asks for it.
Rules for Part A answers
OET is strict about Part A answers. A correct idea in the wrong form does not get the mark.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Copy the text exactly | Use the same words and word forms as the text. Don't paraphrase. |
| Spelling must be correct | A misspelled answer gets no marks, so copy letter by letter. |
| Keep answers short | Answers are usually 1–3 words. Extra words or extra information make an answer wrong. |
| Abbreviations | Use one only if it appears in the text. |
| Spelling variants | American and British spellings are both accepted. |
| Write clearly | On the paper test, people mark your answers, so make every letter readable. |
Part B: short workplace texts
Part B has six short texts of the kind you read at work: a policy, a memo, an email, a notice or a guideline. Each text has one multiple-choice question with three options. OET says the questions test whether you understand the main idea, the purpose of the text or an important detail.
Read the question before the text, so that you know what to look for. Then check every part of an option against the text. An option is wrong if even one part of it does not match. If you meet a word you don't know, focus on the overall meaning of the sentence instead.
Part C: two long texts
Part C has two longer texts on healthcare topics, with 16 multiple-choice questions in total. The questions follow the order of the text. Many ask what the writer thinks, why they mention something, or what a word or phrase refers to, so you need to follow the writer's argument as well as find facts.
For each question, find the paragraph it refers to and read it carefully. Pay attention to words that show the writer's view, such as however, surprisingly, it is unclear whether or there is strong evidence. Our guide to common OET Reading mistakes covers the traps in Part C in more detail.
Managing your time
There is no extra time at the end of the Reading test to check your answers, so check as you go. This plan keeps you on track:
| Part | Suggested time | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | 15 minutes (fixed) | About 1 minute looking at the four texts, then roughly 40 seconds per question. Guess any you can't finish. |
| Part B | About 10–12 minutes | About 2 minutes per text. Don't spend longer on one question if you are stuck. |
| Part C | About 33–35 minutes | About 16–17 minutes per text, including the questions. |
Common OET Reading mistakes
Changing the word form
Before
Recheck after a quarter of an hour
After
15 minutes
Part A answers must use the words in the text.
Writing too much
Before
Give 15–20 g of fast-acting carbohydrate such as glucose tablets
After
fast-acting carbohydrate
Extra words or information make a Part A answer wrong. Answer only what the question asks.
Leaving questions blank
Before
Leaving the last three Part A questions empty when time runs out
After
Writing a quick guess for each one
Wrong answers do not lose marks, so a guess can only help.
Choosing the option with the same words
Before
Choosing "Training will start on 1 March" because the notice mentions 1 March
After
Choosing "Training is now required every year"
In Parts B and C, the correct option has the same meaning as the text, not the same words.
OET Reading checklist
- I looked at all four Part A texts before answering.
- I answered the Part A questions in order, starting with matching.
- My Part A answers are copied exactly, with correct spelling.
- My Part A answers are short and contain nothing extra.
- In Parts B and C, I checked every part of the option against the text.
- I answered every question, even when I had to guess.
- I kept to my time plan for Parts B and C.
Practise on OET Practice
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Practise one part at a time
Open a Reading test and choose Practice mode. Select Part A, B or C and choose a time limit. Start with extra time if you need it, then move to the standard time, and try 75% of the time to build speed.
Open the exam library -
Check your answers straight away
Reading is marked instantly. Open your result to see each question with your answer and the correct answer. Note whether each mistake was the wrong text, the wrong words or a spelling error.
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Review your wrong answers
Your dashboard keeps a list of wrong answers to review. Go through it before your next Reading session.
Go to your dashboard -
Take the full sub-test under exam conditions
When each part feels comfortable, choose Simulation test mode. Part A has its own 15-minute timer, followed by 45 minutes for Parts B and C, as in the real test.
For a full study routine across all four sub-tests, read how to prepare for OET.
Sources
- OET Reading sub-test (opens in a new tab) — OET (oet.com)
- Reading Part A: the complete guide (opens in a new tab) — OET (oet.com)
- Reading Part B: the complete guide (opens in a new tab) — OET (oet.com)
Written by OET Practice team. Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. Read our editorial policy .