Here are Mentor Merlin’s Tips to improve the OET Reading test. Also, read everything you want to know about OET Reading.

Structure of OET Reading

The reading subset has three parts. You will get 60 minutes to complete all the sections. Let’s delve into the details of all the portions.

1. Part A

• It is known as the summary completion task. You will get 15 minutes to finish this part. In this section, you will be assessed on your ability to locate four short texts quickly and effectively. The texts are related to a single healthcare topic.
You will have to answer 20 questions in the given time.

• Basically, section A is a speed-reading task. It will test your ability to read across different types of texts. The four texts in this section are different from each other. For instance, let’s say the topic is ‘weak vision’.

• The first text can be about types of vision problems or their symptoms. The other text might outline the different types of drugs or the information about medication dosages. The third text can be a case study of a particular patient.
And the fourth one can be a graph, table, or bar chart.

• There are numerous types of questions that can be asked like matching, sentence completion, or short answer questions.

2. Part B

• It will assess your ability to identify details or gist points of six short texts. This section is called the careful reading task of the OET exam. These texts are associated with healthcare.

• The texts might be related to extracts from policy documents, hospital guidelines, or internal communications such as emails and memos. For every text, you will be provided with a three-option multiple-choice question.

3. Part C

• This section is also known as the careful reading task of the OET reading exam. It will assess your ability to identify the detailed meaning of two texts that will be related to topics of healthcare professionals.

• For every text, you will have to answer eight four-option multiple-choice questions.

OET Reading Tips

To take the OET reading subtest efficiently, you need to work on your reading skill.

1. OET Reading Part A tips

Here are a few reading tips that can help you attend the first section of the OET reading exam:

• Always make sure to read the title of the text. Read it thoroughly. This is because the title prepares your mind for what is about to come. There are certain words in the titles that are relevant. You will see them in the summary paragraph.

• Try to read the sentence slowly. Your goal should be to understand the meaning of the sentence. Doing this is essential as this is where you will be filling in information for yourself.

• Once you understand the meaning of the sentence, try to think about the word types that can fill in the gap. Read out the sentence in your head first. This way you can figure out what sounds right and what sounds wrong. This can help you avoid silly mistakes.

• Next, you need to scan the text for key pieces of relevant clues. You might be asked to find facts within the passage. So, try to look for numbers such as percentages, dates, or amounts.

• If you find the words or numbers, then check the sentence with the gap to see if you have found the right information or not.

• You can read out the sentence in your head to check if it sounds grammatically correct or not. You can also check if it’s making sense contextually or not. When you’re certain in all ways, fill in the gap.

Follow these OET reading tips and improve your chances of performing efficiently in this section of the OET reading exam. Regular practices of OET reading sample papers can help you improve your reading skills.

2. OET Reading Part B tips

Now, when it comes to part B, it assesses your ability to quickly understand the main idea of a short text. Here are a few OET reading tips that can help you tackle this section of the reading exam efficiently:

• You can start by looking at the questions and the given answer options. Try to mark or underline the words or phrases that you find relevant. This way, you will have a better idea of what you are looking for.

• The next step is to read the text thoroughly. Read the text carefully but maintain a good pace. You may find information related to the question. Make sure to highlight the important parts. You can look back and forth between the questions and answers and the text as you start developing an understanding of the main points.

• This process can help you figure out the answer quickly. It will save you time and energy from re-reading the text again and again.

• Also, make sure to highlight the words that you don’t understand. In such cases, try to use your understanding of the text as a whole. Try to estimate what the word may mean.

• Always cross off the wrong answers as you move along. This can save you time and energy.

You can use these simple tips to master section B of your OET reading exam.

3. OET Reading Tips for part C

Now, let’s dig into the tips in section C of the OET reading exam:

• In section C of the OET reading exam, the questions are arranged in sequence. The questions also highlight the paragraph number. So, there is no need to read the whole text for any answer. You can get a clear idea of the location of the answer from the question itself.

• Read the title of the text and skim it in two to three minutes. You can read the first sentence of every paragraph. This can provide you with a general idea of the content.

• Whenever you read a question, make sure to read the answer options as well. This can help you get an idea of the right answer.

• Try to compare the given options against the passage and check which one of them perfectly matches the given question.

• Always be careful about alternative expressions. For instance, ‘Wonderful’ in the question can be ‘extremely good’ in the passage. Never expect the words or phrases in the questions or answers to appear in the same way as they appear in the text.

• You should always divide the time for the questions equally. These easy tips can help you ace your OET reading exam.

You just need consistent preparation

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