OET Study Plan: Track Your Mistakes Each Week
A mistake log is a simple table of the mistakes you make in practice tests, with a label for each type. After a few tests, the labels that come up most show you what to practise next. This page shows how to set up a log, the labels to use for each sub-test and a weekly routine built around it.
On this page
Why track your mistakes
Your score tells you how you did. Your mistakes tell you why. Two learners with the same Reading score can need completely different practice: one loses marks on Part A spelling, the other on Part C opinion questions.
Without a log, it is easy to practise what feels comfortable and repeat the same mistakes. A log makes your pattern visible, so your study time goes where it changes your score.
OET gives the same advice for its sample tests: analyse the questions you got wrong and work out why, then practise the skills behind those mistakes.
Set up your log
Use a notebook, a spreadsheet or a notes app. Keep the columns the same every time, so you can compare weeks.
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Date | The day you took the test. |
| Sub-test and part | For example, Reading Part A or Writing. |
| Question or section | The question number, or the paragraph of your letter. |
| What happened | Your answer and the correct one, or a short note on the problem. |
| Label | One short label from the lists below. |
| Fix | What you will do differently next time, in one line. |
Labels for each sub-test
Use a small set of labels and stick to them. These lists are a good start. Add your own if a mistake doesn't fit.
| Sub-test | Labels |
|---|---|
| Listening | Spelling, missed the answer, wrong word form, too much written, distractor, lost my place |
| Reading | Spelling, wrong word form, too much written, wrong text, same words, used my own knowledge, opinion, ran out of time |
| Writing | Purpose late, vague request, missing key note, irrelevant note, wrong dose or date, informal tone, poor order, grammar, over or under length |
| Speaking | No introduction, advice too early, ignored a concern, jargon, no check of understanding, jumped between topics, long pauses |
An example log
This is one learner's log after a Reading test and a Writing task. The learner is fictional.
| Date | Sub-test and part | What happened | Label | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Nov | Reading Part A, Q4 | Wrote "haemorhage". Text says "haemorrhage". | Spelling | Copy letter by letter, then check again. |
| 3 Nov | Reading Part A, Q11 | Wrote "every 4 hours as needed". Answer: "every 4 hours". | Too much written | Answer only what the question asks. |
| 3 Nov | Reading Part C, Q38 | Chose what the researchers believed, not the writer. | Opinion | Find the phrase that shows whose view it is. |
| 5 Nov | Writing | Feedback: purpose not clear until paragraph 2. | Purpose late | Write the purpose sentence first, before anything else. |
| 5 Nov | Writing | Included old knee surgery the reader didn't need. | Irrelevant note | Check each note against the reader before writing. |
The weekly loop
Use your log to decide what to practise each week. This loop fits around a normal study week of three to five sessions.
One week with a mistake log
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Practise and log
Take timed practice in the skills you are working on. Log every mistake straight after each test, while you remember why you made it.
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Count your labels
At the end of the week, count how often each label appears. Choose the two that cost you the most marks.
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Target those two
Spend most of next week's practice on the parts of the test where those mistakes happen. For example, practise Reading Part A for spelling, or write only opening paragraphs for a late purpose.
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Check again
After a week, count again. If a label is falling, keep going. If it isn't, change how you practise it.
End-of-week review
- I logged every mistake from this week's practice.
- I counted my labels and chose the top two.
- I wrote down which parts of the test I will practise next week.
- I checked whether last week's top labels have gone down.
Videos and other resources
Videos, blogs and books are useful for learning how a part of the test works. They can't show you where you lose marks. Use them to learn a method, then practise under time and log the result.
Be careful with materials from social media. OET recommends caution, because unofficial materials might misrepresent the test. Our guide to official samples and other mock tests explains how to choose and use practice materials.
Use OET Practice for your log
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Review every Listening and Reading answer
After you submit, your result shows each question with your answer and the correct answer. Use it to fill in your log.
Open the exam library -
Use your wrong answers list
Your dashboard keeps a list of your wrong answers, so you can go back to them before your weekly review.
Go to your dashboard -
Log your Writing and Speaking feedback
Match each comment in your feedback to a criterion and a label. For Speaking, listen to your recordings and log what you notice too.
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Practise the part behind your top label
In Practice mode, choose just the part where your top mistake happens, such as Reading Part A, and set a time limit.
For a complete study routine, read how to prepare for OET.
Sources
- Study skills: assessment criteria (opens in a new tab) — OET (oet.com)
- 5 things to do with your OET sample test answers (opens in a new tab) — OET (oet.com)
Written by OET Practice team. Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. Read our editorial policy .