Welcome to our guide for the OET writing sub-test! This guide will provide you with detailed instructions and tips on how to excel in the writing sub-test. You’ll find links to each section of the writing guide, covering essential aspects such as writing with purpose, selecting the right content, and writing concisely.
Overview of assessment criteria
Each section of this guide aligns with the assessment criteria used to score the letter that you’ll write as part of the Writing sub-test. The criteria include:
- Purpose (0-3 band score)
- Content (0-7 band score)
- Conciseness & clarity (0-7 band score)
- Genre & style (0-7 band score)
- Organisation & layout (0-7 band score)
- Language (0-7 band score)
To achieve a score of 350 (grade B) in Writing, you need to score high across all six criteria. We’ve created six comprehensive guides to help you understand and master each criterion.
You can also download the OET writing guide as a PDF for easy reference and as a companion resource while you prepare for the OET Test.
Writing with purpose
A key component of the OET writing sub-test is the ability to identify and clearly convey your letter's purpose.
Understanding purpose
The purpose can be divided into two aspects:
- Immediately apparent purpose: This involves quickly identifying the main goal of your letter from the writing task and case notes.
- Sufficiently expanding purpose: This requires a deeper understanding of the purpose to effectively communicate it throughout the letter.
Demonstrating purpose
Once you understand the purpose, you need to clearly show it in your letter. This includes:
- Creating an introductory sentence: Start your letter with a sentence that clearly states the purpose.
- Using the right verbs: Choose verbs that accurately signal the purpose to the reader.
For detailed instructions and tips, read the guide to purpose: Ultimate guide to writing: purpose
Choosing the right content
Selecting the appropriate content for your OET letter is crucial to effectively convey the necessary information.
Understanding content
Choosing the right content involves:
- Identifying relevant information: Determine what the reader needs to continue caring for the patient from the information provided in the case notes.
- Representing case notes accurately: Transform the case notes into complete sentences while maintaining their original meaning.
Implementing content
To accurately represent the case notes:
- Transform case notes: Convert the notes into clear, complete sentences.
- Maintain meaning: Ensure that the meaning of the original case notes remains unchanged.
For a comprehensive guide on how to choose and implement the right content, read: Ultimate guide to writing: content
Writing with conciseness and clarity
Conciseness and clarity are essential to ensure your OET letter is easy to read and understand.
Understanding conciseness and clarity
Conciseness and clarity are closely linked with content, as many skills needed to score highly are similar.
Implementing conciseness and clarity
Focus on excluding unnecessary details, while clearly summarising the information the reader needs:
- Identify irrelevant information: Recognise and omit information already familiar to the reader and any content that does not aid the reader in providing ongoing care to the patient.
- Maintain clarity: Combine details from the case notes to provide an effective summary of the patient’s needs.
For a comprehensive guide, read: Ultimate guide to writing: conciseness and clarity
Understanding the genre and style of your OET letter
Writing a formal letter to another professional in a suitable style is a key requirement in the OET writing sub-test.
Understanding genre and style
To write effectively, you need to:
- Understand formal writing: Recognise what formal writing looks like and how to use it.
- Use the right register and tone: Ensure your writing matches the professional context and audience.
Implementing genre and style
The following aspects are crucial for achieving the correct genre and style:
- Formality: Use technical terms that are appropriate for the reader and avoid informal language choices such as contractions or abbreviated forms. .
- Facts over judgements: Rely on factual information rather than personal judgements.
- Appropriate greetings: Start and end your letter appropriately to reflect a formal style.
For detailed steps on mastering genre and style, read: Ultimate guide to writing: genre and style
Organising and laying out your letter in the OET writing sub-test
The structure of your letter greatly influences how well your reader can understand and retain the information.
Understanding organisation and layout
Each writing task is unique, requiring a tailored approach to organising your letter. Common methods include:
- Chronological organisation: Arranging information in the order it occurred.
- Thematic organisation: Grouping information by themes or topics.
Implementing organisation and layout
To ensure your letter is well-organised:
- Prioritise information: Place the most important information where it is easily noticeable.
- Avoid burying key details: Do not hide critical information under less significant details.
For a comprehensive guide on structuring your letter, read: Ultimate guide to writing: organisation and layout
Using the right language in the OET writing sub-test
Each of the previously mentioned criteria incorporates aspects of language use. This section focuses on the accuracy of your language.
Key elements of language
To ensure your language use is accurate, pay attention to:
- Grammar: Use a range of grammar correctly to maintain clarity and formality.
- Vocabulary: Choose appropriate and precise vocabulary for a professional context.
- Punctuation: Apply correct punctuation to enhance readability.
- Spelling: Ensure all words are spelled correctly to avoid misunderstandings.
For a quick guide on using language accurately, read: Ultimate guide to writing: language