New OET Writing Criteria
New OET Writing Criteria 2020
OET2.0 writing exam overview
1) You need to write one letter in 45 minutes.
2) You are not allowed to write/mark anything on the case note in the first 5 minutes as this is the reading time only.
3) Three types of the letter might come: Referral/Discharge/Transfer.
4) Referral letter is the most common one, but discharge letters are becoming common too nowadays.
5) You should write using a pencil and make sure your writing is dark and neat as your paper will be scanned and forwarded for evaluation.
OET Writing Criteria
New OET 2.0 Writing assessment Criteria 2020
| Criteria | Explanation | Dos |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Purpose (Marks – 3) | The purpose should be easily and immediately identifiable to the reader, so there is no need to search for it. | The introduction should include: 1) Pt’s background details (Name/ age/ occupation) 2) Diagnosis if mentioned otherwise the presenting complaints for which you are writing the letter. 3) TASK for the reader 4) Special action to be taken by the reader (if any) |
| 2. Content (Marks – 7) | key information is included; no important details missing); (audience awareness: what does the reader need to know to continue care?) | Word limit is important here (approximately 180-200 words), and only relevant information should be mentioned. |
| 3. Conciseness and Clarity (Marks – 7) | no irrelevant information included); information is summarized effectively and presented clearly. | As irrelevant information will distract the reader, this will impact your clarity. In case you are confused about whether the information is important or not, I would recommend to include it as missing important information is more penalizing than including irrelevant information |
| 4. Genre and Style (Marks – 7) | appropriateness of your letter based on your reader. Your register and tone should be professional and appropriate to the document’s purpose and audience | 1) Keep the letter clinical/factual. 2) Do not imply your judgment/personal feelings. 3) Minimize the use of abbreviations unless it is relevant to the reader. 4) Do not use any contractions (Don’t/Won’t/Can’t) 5) Always keep your audience in mind. |
| 5. Organization and Layout (Marks – 7) | key information is highlighted and subsections are well organized such that the reader can retrieve information quickly and easily. | 1) Arrange the letter according to the degree of importance and relevancy. 2) Put important information first. 3) Logical sequencing of the paragraphs is vital. 4) Do not put a lot of information in a single sentence using complex structures. 5) Use passive sentences for investigation/medications where the action/result needs to be highlighted. |
| 6. Language (Marks – 7) | (spelling/punctuation/vocabulary/ grammar/sentence structure) are accurate and do not interfere with meaning | 1) Make sure your use of tenses/punctuation is correct and does not distract the reader or hamper the clarity of your letter. 2) Unlike IELTS, you are not required to vary your sentence structure greatly, just make sure your language is accurate and convey the information. |
How many points you need to score Grade B in oet writing?
Total marks you can get is 38 points. You need to score the following for grade B:
1) Purpose – 2/3
2) Content – 5/7
3) Conciseness and Clarity – 5/7
4) Genre and Style – 5/7
5) Organization and Layout – 5/7
6) Language – 5/7
Total 27/38 for Grade B (350/500)
Tips for OET writing exam
1) Time management is imperative; hence you should practice using a stopwatch. Try to finish within 35 minutes allowing the last 5 minutes to proof-read your letter. During your preparation, if necessary, you can use this tool for proof-reading
2) Practice using the writing booklet with a pencil as this will make you accustomed.
3) Always type your letter on Microsoft word and use the Grammarly app to proof-read your letter during practice and make a checklist of your common mistakes.
4) You need to write approximately 180-200 words, so count the number of words in each sentence and the number of lines that you need to write for the desired word count using the writing booklet sample. This way you do not need to count your words in the main exam. For example, if I write 7 words in a sentence, I need to write 28/29 lines for 200 words.
5) Read the task (at the bottom of each case note FIRST). This will give you the idea regarding your reader and the purpose.
6) Read the entire case note first. Then, read again and look for relevant information.
7) When you are allowed to write, highlight/mark relevant info. This way you are reading the letter thrice, and this will help you to understand the letter properly.
OET Writing Answer Booklet For All Professions
You can download the oet writing paper answer booklet sample for all professions to be familiar with it.
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