Time
20 mins
Marking
The Speaking sub-test is recorded and the audio is assessed by two official OET assessors using the official OET Linguistic and Clinical Communication Criteria.
Test structure
There are two role plays to complete. For each one, you have three minutes to prepare. Each role play lasts about five minutes.
This is your opportunity to build familiarity and
proficiency in the skills you’ll need when working
in an English-speaking workplace.
After passing the OET Speaking Test, you will feel confident that you have the knowledge to speak to patients and their relatives comfortably, about
a range of healthcare topics.
The Speaking sub-test consists of two profession specific role-plays and is delivered individually. It takes around 20 minutes to complete. In each role-play, you take your professional role (for example, as a nurse or as a pharmacist) while the interlocutor plays a patient, a client, or a patient’s relative or carer. For veterinary science, the interlocutor is the owner or carer of the animal. The Speaking sub-test has the following structure:
In each Speaking test, your identity and profession are checked by the interlocutor and there is a short warm-up conversation about your professional background. Then the role-plays are introduced one by one and you have 3 minutes to prepare for each. The role-plays take about five minutes each.
You receive information for each role-play on a card that you keep while you do the role-play. The card explains the situation and what you are required to do. You may write notes on the card if you want. If you have any questions about the content of the role-play or how a role-play works, you can ask them during the preparation time.
The role-plays are based on typical workplace situations and reflect the demands made on a health professional in those situations. The interlocutor follows a script so that the Speaking test structure is similar for each candidate. The interlocutor also has detailed information to use in each role-play. Different role-plays are used for different candidates at the same test administration
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