Common OET Reading Mistakes and How to Fix Them
In OET Reading, marks are often lost on answers you could have got right. In Part A that means a misspelled word, a changed word form or extra words. In Parts B and C it means choosing an option that repeats the text's words but changes its meaning. This guide goes through the mistakes part by part, with a fix for each one.
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Part A mistakes
Part A asks you to find information in four short texts in 15 minutes. OET marks Part A answers strictly, so small differences from the text cost the mark.
Misspelling a word you copied
Before
paracetemol
After
paracetamol
OET says misspelled Part A answers get no marks. Copy letter by letter, and check drug names twice.
Changing the word form
Before
The text says "inflammation", and you write "inflamed".
After
inflammation
Use the word as it appears in the text. A different form of the same word can lose the mark.
Adding extra information
Before
oral amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily for 5 days
After
oral amoxicillin
The question asked which antibiotic. Extra words or information can make an answer wrong.
Using an abbreviation that isn't in the text
Before
BP
After
blood pressure
OET accepts an abbreviation only if it appears in the text.
Answering a matching question with the wrong text
Before
Choosing text A because it mentions the same drug as the question.
After
Choosing text C, the only text that gives dosage for children.
Several texts mention the same topic. Match the type of information the question asks for, not a shared word.
Part B mistakes
Part B has six short workplace texts, each with one question and three options. OET says the questions test the main idea, the purpose of the text or an important detail.
Choosing the option with the same words
A wrong option often reuses words from the text in a way that changes the meaning. Look for the option that means the same as the text, even when it uses different words.
Choosing a true statement that doesn't answer the question
An option can be true according to the text and still be wrong, because it answers a different question. If the question asks about the purpose of a notice, a detail from the notice is not its purpose.
Missing small limiting words
Words such as only, unless, all, before and after change who or what a rule applies to. Read them carefully in both the text and the options.
Part C mistakes
Part C has two long texts with 16 multiple-choice questions. Many questions ask about the writer's opinion, the reason for a detail, or what a word refers to.
Answering from your clinical knowledge
You may know more about the topic than the text says. The answer still comes from the text. If an option is true in your experience but the text doesn't say it, it is wrong.
Mixing up the writer's view with other people's views
Writers often report what researchers or other experts think, then give their own view. Watch for phrases such as some argue, critics claim, however and in my view, which show whose opinion you are reading.
Guessing what a word refers to
For questions such as "What does this approach refer to?", read the sentence before. The answer is usually there, not in the sentence that contains the word.
Choosing an option that goes further than the text
If the text says a treatment "may reduce" symptoms, an option saying it "prevents" them goes too far. Match the strength of the option to the strength of the text.
Time mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Reading every word of the Part A texts | Spend about a minute looking at each text's title and layout, then read only to find each answer. |
| Staying too long on one hard question | Make your best guess, mark it and move on. Come back if you have time. |
| Running out of time in Part C | Keep Part B to about 10–12 minutes, so you have about 33–35 minutes for Part C. |
| Leaving questions blank | Write a guess for every question. Wrong answers don't lose marks. |
| Planning to check at the end | There is no extra checking time in Reading, so check each answer as you go. |
Find your own mistakes
The mistakes above are general. Your own are what matter. After each practice test, label every wrong answer with one reason, and count them after three or four tests.
| Label | What it means | What to practise |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling | Right word, wrong spelling | Copy answers letter by letter and check drug names twice. |
| Form | Right idea, different word or word form | Copy the words exactly as they appear in the text. |
| Too much | Extra words or details | Answer only what the question asks. |
| Wrong place | Answer from the wrong text or paragraph | Read the question's key words again before you search. |
| Same words | Chose the option that repeats the text | Check every part of the option against the text. |
| Opinion | Mixed up whose view it was | Find the phrase that shows who holds the view. |
| Time | Ran out of time or rushed | Practise the part with a time limit, and move on from hard questions. |
The label that appears most often is what to work on next. Our error-tracking study plan shows how to keep this log over several weeks.
OET Reading mistakes checklist
- Part A answers are spelled correctly and copied in the same form as the text.
- Part A answers contain nothing extra.
- I used abbreviations only where they appear in the text.
- In Parts B and C, every part of my chosen option matches the text.
- My chosen option answers the question that was asked.
- I answered from the text, not from what I know.
- I answered every question.
Practise on OET Practice
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Practise one part at a time
Open a Reading test in Practice mode and choose Part A, B or C with a time limit.
Open Reading practice -
Review each wrong answer
Reading is marked instantly. Open your result to see each question with your answer and the correct answer, and use Show in text to see where the answer is. Give each wrong answer a label from the table above.
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Go back to your wrong answers
Your dashboard keeps a list of wrong answers. Review it before your next Reading session.
Go to your dashboard
For how each part works and a timing plan, read our OET Reading guide.
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 .