OET Strategies, Speaking
The Complete OET Speaking Guide: Communicate Clearly, Calm Patients, and Lead the Role-Play
Nov
Overview of the OET Speaking Test Format
The OET Speaking sub-test is very different from general English exams.
Instead of answering interview-style questions, you communicate through role-plays that mirror real clinical encounters. The goal is not only to evaluate your language proficiency, but also your ability to interact professionally, reassure patients, and guide them safely through a consultation.
Unlike IELTS Speaking—where your personal opinions or experiences are tested—OET Speaking focuses on clinical interaction skills, empathy, and patient-centred communication.
Below is the overall structure of the test:
OET Speaking Test Structure (Summary)
- Introduction (2 minutes): Light conversation to reduce anxiety; not scored.
- Preparation Time (3 minutes): You receive a Role-Play Card describing the scenario. You may take notes during this time.
- Two Role-Plays (5 minutes × 2):
The interlocutor plays the role of a patient or a family member.
The candidate plays the healthcare professional (doctor, nurse, etc.).
You are expected to explain, reassure, gather information, respond to concerns, and offer management options.
This format closely replicates communication in a real consultation room.
What Is a Role-Play Card?
At the start of each role-play, the interlocutor hands you a card containing:
- The patient’s situation
- Background context
- Your clinical tasks (e.g., explain a condition, give instructions, explore concerns)
- Specific points to cover if possible
You do not need to complete every task perfectly.
OET does not score you based on task completion. Instead, the scoring focuses on:
- Language quality
- Clinical communication behaviour (empathy, structure, explanation, checking understanding, etc.)
Although the tasks themselves are not graded, they are strongly connected to the Clinical Communication Criteria, so covering them naturally throughout the two role-plays is an effective strategy.
How OET Speaking Is Assessed
One major difference between OET Speaking and exams like IELTS is that OET does not evaluate you on your personal opinions or general conversational ability.
Instead, it assesses whether you can communicate as a healthcare professional—clearly, safely, and with empathy.
Assessment is based on two pillars:
① Linguistic Criteria (Language Skills)
Evaluates the quality of your English itself:
- Pronunciation
- Grammar
- Vocabulary range and appropriateness
- Fluency and smoothness of delivery
This section focuses purely on how you speak, not your medical knowledge.
Key points evaluated under Linguistic Criteria include:
- Accuracy of grammar and sentence structure
- Appropriate vocabulary for clinical communication
- Clarity and intelligibility of pronunciation
- Natural rhythm, stress, and intonation
- Smooth flow without excessive hesitation
Because the speaking tasks tend to follow predictable patterns—explaining symptoms, giving instructions, providing reassurance—learning fixed phrases with natural rhythm is highly effective.
Recommended strategies:
- Practise high-frequency clinical phrases until they come out automatically
- Repeat set expressions using native-like rhythm and stress patterns
- Once fluent, gradually add new variations to expand your communication range
- Improve pronunciation to increase clarity and build speaking confidence
Mastering these fixed blocks of language (chunks) is the fastest path to improving your Linguistic Criteria score.
② Clinical Communication Criteria (Clinical Interaction Skills)
This evaluates whether you communicate as a safe, empathetic healthcare worker.
Even if your English is not perfect, strong clinical communication can lift your score significantly.
Main evaluation points include:
- Relationship-building (warmth, rapport, empathy)
- Active listening and responding to concerns
- Logical structure and clear explanations
- Checking understanding at appropriate moments
- Using patient-friendly language
- Shared decision-making and offering options
- Professional tone and pace
Unlike general English exams, OET rewards behaviours that show you care about the patient’s feelings, needs, and safety.
Because assessors listen to the recorded audio, the impression you create in each moment matters.
Having ready-to-use phrases and rehearsed structures allows you to react naturally under test pressure.
Both Linguistic and Clinical Communication Criteria require phrase-level preparation.
Memorised chunks allow your mind to focus on interaction—not grammar.
How to Structure and Lead the OET Speaking Role-Play
In the OET Speaking test, the interlocutor plays the role of a patient or family member, and you—the candidate—take the lead as the healthcare professional.
Understanding the overall flow of a consultation allows you to demonstrate all scoring criteria naturally.
Step 1. Greeting & Rapport-Building
The role-play begins with a warm, professional greeting.
This is where you demonstrate Relationship-building, part of the Clinical Communication Criteria.
Examples:
- Good morning, [patient’s name]. I’m the [nurse/doctor] looking after you today.
- Could I check your name, just to make sure I’ve got it right?
- I understand this situation may feel stressful. Is it okay if I ask a few questions?
Aim for about 20 seconds of calm rapport-building.
A positive first impression creates smoother communication later and increases your score.
Step 2. Initial Information Gathering
Even if the Role-Play Card lists tasks, you should never jump directly into explanations.
OET wants to see a structured approach to:
- asking about symptoms
- understanding the patient’s perspective
- gathering relevant background information
Start with open questions, then gradually move to closed questions.
Example flow (for stomach pain):
- So, can you tell me what brought you in today?
- Could you describe the pain for me? What does it feel like?
- How often does it come and go?
- Have you noticed nausea or vomiting?
- Did you eat anything unusual yesterday?
This pattern reflects real clinical reasoning and aligns with the OET assessment criteria for:
- Information-gathering
- Listening
- Providing structure
Once you have enough information, you can transition smoothly to Step 3.
Step 3. Information-Giving & Clinical Management
In this step, you address the tasks written on the Role-Play Card—explaining, advising, proposing treatment, and responding to concerns.
Key principle: Don’t lecture. Interact.
Examples:
- Based on what you’ve told me, your symptoms suggest…
- Have you ever heard of a CT scan? It’s a very detailed type of X-ray.
- Do you think that option would work for you?
- Would you like me to explain that again in simpler words?
Also remember to use patient-friendly language:
- Hypertension → high blood pressure
- Gastroenteritis → a stomach bug
This not only improves clarity but strengthens rapport and trust.
Step 4. Summary & Closing
Toward the end, you should confirm patient understanding and give a brief summary.
Examples:
- So just to summarise, we’ve agreed that…
- Is there anything you’d like me to go over again?
- Please let us know if anything changes.
Clear, simple recap statements help the assessor judge your ability to ensure patient safety.
Example of simple instruction:
- So, take this medication first, then rest for a few hours.
This step demonstrates:
- Providing structure
- Checking understanding
- Safe, supportive closing
Practical English Phrases for the OET Speaking Role-Play
Although each OET role-play scenario is different, the majority follow predictable patterns.
Below is a collection of universally useful phrases that IMG candidates across all professions can use, with additional examples tailored for medicine-oriented scenarios.
1. Greeting & Relationship-Building
Initial Greeting
- Good morning. I’m Dr. Tanaka, one of the doctors here.
- Hi, I’m the nurse looking after you today.
Acknowledge Feelings / Show Empathy
- I understand this might be a bit stressful for you.
- It’s completely normal to feel anxious in this situation.
Provide Reassurance
- You’re in safe hands — we’ll take care of everything.
- We’ll do our best to make you feel comfortable.
2. Information-Gathering
Onset & Duration
- When did you first notice this problem?
- How long have you been feeling this way?
Symptom Change
- Has it been getting worse over time?
- Is the pain getting any better or worse?
Impact on Daily Life
- Is this affecting your daily activities at all?
- Has it made things like sleeping or eating more difficult?
Medication History
- Are you currently taking any medication?
- Have you taken anything for this so far?
3. Explanation & Diagnosis Suggestions
Possible Causes
- Based on what you’ve told me, it may be…
- Your symptoms are consistent with…
Explaining Medical Terms Simply
- It’s called gastritis — that means inflammation of the stomach lining.
- That’s known as hypertension, or high blood pressure.
Explaining Treatment
- We’re going to start you on a course of antibiotics.
- We’ll begin with a mild pain reliever to ease your symptoms.
Side Effects
- You might feel drowsy, so please avoid driving after taking it.
- It may cause a little nausea at first, but it should settle down.
4. Offering Options & Shared Decision-Making
Suggesting Options
- I’d like to suggest trying…
- One option could be to…
Presenting Choices
- There are a couple of options we can consider.
- Let me walk you through a few possible treatments.
Letting the Patient Choose
- Which of these would you feel more comfortable with?
- Does one of these sound better for you?
5. Checking Understanding
Confirming Understanding
- Does that make sense to you?
- Are you okay with everything so far?
Offering Repeat / Clarification
- Would you like me to go over that again?
- Should I explain that another way?
Summarising
- So just to summarise, we’ve agreed that…
- Let me quickly recap what we’ve discussed.
6. Closing the Role-Play
Closing Questions
- Is there anything else you’d like to ask before we finish?
- Do you have any other concerns today?
Thanks & Encouragement
- Thank you for your time. I hope you feel better soon.
- Take care, and let us know if anything changes.
How to Study for OET Speaking and Improve the Quality of Your Practice
OET Speaking is not a test of “how fluent you sound,” but how effectively you can respond as a healthcare professional in English.
This means your study approach must go beyond vocabulary and pronunciation—you need to practise delivery, interaction, and clinical behaviour.
Below are the most effective methods used by successful OET candidates.
Study Method 1: Targeted Pronunciation Practice for Weak Phrases
Because OET role-plays follow predictable patterns, focusing on your weaker phrases is extremely efficient.
A highly effective technique is mumbling practice:
- Speak in a very low voice, just loud enough for yourself to hear
- Move your mouth deliberately to internalise English rhythm
- Don’t aim for perfect volume—focus only on “mouth movement memory”
Once the phrase feels automatic, use speech-recognition tools (Google Docs, Siri, etc.):
- If the AI transcribes your speech accurately, your pronunciation is clear
- If not, keep refining your articulation and rhythm
By fixing weak phrases one at a time, your overall performance becomes more stable, and your confidence increases dramatically—especially under exam pressure.
Study Method 2: Build Applied Skills Through Simulation
Recording and reviewing your own mock sessions is one of the most powerful ways to improve.
Recommended workflow:
- Record mock lessons or role-plays
- Watch the recording and identify unnatural expressions or missing steps
- Rewrite how you “should have said it”
- Practise that corrected version aloud
- Re-record and compare improvement
This loop develops the “real-time responsiveness” required in OET Speaking.
Important mindset:
- The goal is not to memorise facts
- The goal is to perform effectively in the moment
- Simulation builds the applied skill you need to adapt on the spot
Study Method 3: Increase Real-Life Speaking Exposure
To respond flexibly to unexpected patient reactions in the test, you need real conversational mileage.
Online English lessons are particularly effective because you can:
- Speak daily at low cost
- Practise with native or near-native speakers
- Build speed and automaticity in real interaction
- Repeat short sessions consistently (most important factor)
Many platforms allow you to choose tutors familiar with medical English or OET.
How to request OET practice from a tutor:
“I’m preparing for the OET Speaking test. Could we do a role-play based on a typical medical scenario?”
Start with a script if needed, and gradually shift toward improvisation:
- Early stage → Follow scripts for structure
- Middle stage → Use scenario prompts only
- Advanced stage → Full improvisation with unexpected patient responses
Ask for feedback after each session.
You’ll uncover habits and blind spots that you could never notice alone.
【Conclusion – Promotion】
If you’re preparing for OET, consider exploring our practice resources at OET Bank.
We’re designed not just as mock tests, but as powerful review tools that make it easier to analyse weaknesses and focus on what’s needed to pass.
Explore professional learning materials and courses:
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