OET reading syllabus
Reading is the only OET sub-test with an internal time lock. Part A gets 15 minutes for 20 items, Parts B and C share the remaining 45 minutes, and time saved in Part A does not carry forward. Like Listening, this paper is identical for all twelve professions. The OET Nursing syllabus hub page covers the rest.
Pattern
| Part | Texts | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Four short texts on a single healthcare topic | 20 | 15 minutes, separately timed |
| Part B | Six short workplace extracts | 6 | Shared 45 minutes |
| Part C | Two professional development articles | 16 | Shared 45 minutes |
Forty two questions in 60 minutes. Part A is double marked by assessors, and Parts B and C are computer scanned. There is no negative marking.
Part A allows about 45 seconds a question. Parts B and C together allow about two minutes a question. That gap is the whole strategic shape of this sub-test.
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What each part contains
- Part A: an expeditious or fast reading task. Four short texts on one topic, with matching, sentence completion and short answer questions. The task is locating a specific fact rather than understanding the texts in full
- Part B: six workplace extracts such as policy documents, clinical guidelines, internal emails and manual excerpts, each with a single multiple choice question testing the main point or purpose
- Part C: two longer articles of the kind found in professional development reading, with eight multiple choice questions each on detail, attitude, inference and the writer’s line of argument
What is not in the syllabus
- No nursing specific texts. The paper is the same for all twelve professions
- No clinical knowledge requirement. Answers come from the texts
- No negative marking
- No separate transfer time
- No carry over of unused Part A time into Parts B and C
How to spend the time
Treat Part A as a search task. Read the questions first, identify which of the four texts is likely to hold each answer, then go to it. Reading all four texts properly inside 15 minutes is not possible and attempting it is the most common way candidates lose this part.
Part B is the fastest scoring in the sub-test. Six extracts, one question each, and the question is usually about purpose or main point rather than detail. Read the question before the extract.
Part C carries sixteen of the 42 questions and deserves the largest share of the 45 minutes. Attitude and inference questions here need the surrounding sentences rather than the key word, so matching a word from the question to a word in the text reliably produces the wrong option.
Practise Part A against a timer from the start. Browse the available OET Nursing practice papers.
Common mistakes
- Reading the four Part A texts before looking at the questions
- Expecting to use leftover Part A time in Parts B and C
- Spending Part B time reading extracts in full when one question is asked on each
- Answering Part C by keyword matching, which the wrong options are written to catch
- Running the 45 minutes evenly across Parts B and C when Part C holds sixteen of the questions
- Leaving blanks, when nothing is deducted for a wrong answer
- Expecting nursing content and losing time on another profession’s terminology
Part A against Part C
| Feature | Part A | Part C |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 20 | 16 |
| Texts | Four short texts on one topic | Two longer articles |
| Timing | Locked at 15 minutes | Inside the shared 45 minutes |
| Seconds per question | About 45 | About 120 if split evenly with Part B |
| Reading style | Locating a fact | Following an argument |
| Question types | Matching, sentence completion, short answer | Multiple choice |
| Marking | Double marked by assessors | Computer scanned |
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in OET Reading?
Forty two: 20 in Part A, 6 in Part B and 16 in Part C.
Is Part A separately timed?
Yes, at 15 minutes. Parts B and C then share 45 minutes.
Can I use leftover Part A time later?
No. Part A closes at 15 minutes whether you have finished or not.
Is OET Reading nursing specific?
No. It is the same paper for all twelve professions.
How long is the whole Reading sub-test?
Sixty minutes, made up of the 15 minute Part A and the 45 minutes shared by Parts B and C.
Is there negative marking?
No. Every question should be attempted.
What kind of texts appear in Part B?
Short workplace documents such as policies, clinical guidelines, internal emails and manual extracts, with one question on each.
Which part carries the most questions?
Part A, with 20, though Part C is close behind at 16 and carries them over longer texts.
How is Reading marked?
Part A is double marked by assessors and Parts B and C are computer scanned. The sub-test is reported from 0 to 500 in ten point increments.
What score do I need in Reading?
The NMC requires B, meaning 350 or above. Australia requires 360 since 23 April 2026, and New Zealand requires 350.