OET Speaking (Medicine): Respiratory – COPD Diagnosis Role Play

In this article, we break down a Respiratory role-play scenario commonly seen in OET Speaking: a 40-year-old long-term smoker presenting with fatigue, shortness of breath, wheezing, and frequent infections.

The doctor must diagnose COPD, manage the patient’s distress, and strongly encourage smoking cessation.

Case Overview

Here is the role play card for the doctor.

Respiratory-COPD-Diagnosis-Roleplay-Card

Setting

Suburban Clinic

Patient Profile

A 40-year-old patient who has smoked one pack per day for around 20 years
Complains of fatigue, shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing up yellow sputum
Symptoms have lasted for 3–4 months and now cause frequent “colds”
Believes they were always “healthy” before and cannot accept the diagnosis
Becomes upset when told they likely have COPD

Doctor’s Task

Your responsibilities in this case include:

establishing rapport with the patient
exploring symptoms, severity, and functional impact
asking clearly about smoking habits
explaining your assessment and COPD diagnosis in simple language
calming and reassuring the patient when they become distressed
outlining why COPD increases infections and worsens symptoms
encouraging smoking cessation with practical, achievable strategies
arranging follow-up and providing ongoing support

Video: Watch the Full Role-Play

Useful Example Phrases from the Video

Here are high-value expressions you can reuse in your exam:

“To help me understand, could you tell me how long these symptoms have been going on?”
“I need to ask you about a very important factor related to lung health.”
“Based on your symptoms and your smoking history, you likely have a condition called COPD.”
“I understand this is upsetting. Please try to stay calm while I explain.”
“Smoking inflames the airways, which makes them more vulnerable to infections.”
“Quitting won’t reverse the COPD, but it will slow its progression.”
“Let me summarize what we’ve discussed so far.”
“How do you feel about trying some strategies to quit?”
“We’ll arrange follow-up and work on this together.”

Short, clear, and OET-friendly.

PDF Download / Extra Study Materials

If you’d like to review the scenario more deeply, you can add extra study materials such as:

PDF download of the full script
Key phrases flashcards
Additional role-play conversations
Printable notes for quick revision

These resources are especially useful for reinforcing the expressions and structures used in real OET Speaking responses.

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