OET Speaking Marking Criteria in Plain English
OET Speaking is marked against official criteria published by OET — confirm the current descriptors on the official website. This page explains the ideas in plain English: clear speech, appropriate language, and clinical communication that shows you listened. OET Practice is independent and not affiliated with OET. Our A–E bands are practice feedback, not official scores.
What each idea means
- Intelligibility — Can the listener understand you easily? Pace and pronunciation matter more than a perfect accent.
- Fluency — Smooth delivery without long, empty pauses. Fluency without listening still fails clinical communication.
- Appropriateness — Right tone and vocabulary for the relationship (patient, relative, colleague).
- Clinical communication — Elicit concerns, explain in chunks, check understanding, show empathy, agree next steps.
Official criterion groupings can change. Re-check
oet.com
before you sit the test. Do not treat community posts as official rules.
What fails even fluent speakers
- Advice before eliciting the full concern.
- No understanding checks.
- Scripted empathy that ignores what the patient just said.
Next step
Record a role-play in Speaking practice and review technique in the Speaking guide.
Related
Sources
- Official OET website — Speaking assessment criteria.
Written by OET Practice editorial. Reviewed by OET Practice training team. Last reviewed: September 2026.