TYPES OF READING TASKS
In the reading part of the OET test, short answer questions and sentence completion questions are asked mostly. There are three parts for the reading section. All the three parts take a total of 60 minutes to complete. For OET, you have a separate question paper and text booklet. In Part A of the OET reading test, you have to answer 20 questions on 4 separate texts. You have fifteen minutes to do this on the test day. The texts in this section will be labelled Text A to Text D, and present information in different ways, but all relate to one health condition or type of treatment.
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TIPS FOR SKIMMING AND SCANNING TEXTS
Skimming a text means, to quickly grasp the main idea without losing Important details. Whereas Scanning is a method of searching more precisely for particular data in a text. For effective skimming, read the title, headings, and the first sentence of each paragraph.
HOW TO USE SKIMMING AND SCANNING TIPS 2024
- Start by previewing the text.
- Read the first and last paragraphs.
- Read keywords and phrases.
- Let your eyes move rapidly across the lines.
While Scanning, check if there is any particular question or detail you need to inquire about. Look for visual clues or cues. Do practice exercise for both skimming and scanning.
PRACTICE EXERCISE FOR THE READING SECTION
Quizzes, practice exams and worksheets are available for reading practice. While taking the quiz or so, the candidates are expected to select the topic of a given reading passage. Select the primary keyword of a given passage. Ability to comprehend, to develop critical thinking and information recall are the expected skills required.
OET WRITING SUB TEST 2024
In the OET Writing test, you will be asked to write one letter. You will have 40 minutes to plan, write and review your letter, with an additional 5 minutes at the start to read the letter writing task and patient case notes.
The writing test will be specific to your healthcare profession. It is assessed using five criteria’s. To receive good marks in this session, you are supposed to score well in each section. A letter should be between 180 to 200 words. Word count matters. Tone of the letter should be taken care of. It should be appropriate to the task. Only formal language can be used. It is suitable to use medical language and explain technical words. Avoid spelling mistakes and use proper punctuation.
Write the letter with the necessary information from the case notes only and there is absolutely no need to use unnecessary points as this is very formal. To achieve a good score, you should make sure you use all of the information that is only relevant to the task. Correct grammar should be used. There should be a logical order in the letter.
Before giving importance to the letter, your writing skill should be polished. In the letter writing task, you should aim to spend at least 30 seconds to determine what information is important, the reason for writing the letter etc.
Each time you write a practice letter, you should assess it based on the official OET criteria. If possible, you could also ask a friend with good English skills to assess your response. Allot time for yourself each time. Rote learning or memorization is not required for letter writing.
The more you practice writing within the word count, the easier it will become. Time saving is a necessity.
CONCLUSION
The aim behind the letter writing is actually, writing with a purpose. Use yours sincerely if you know the recipient ‘s name and yours faithfully if you don’t know the recipient. The most important idea in OET writing is to understand the task, respond logically, use proper language, editing and use the correct format.