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United Kingdom · English test

OET Speaking

About 20 minutes with an interlocutor, who plays your patient or the patient’s relative or carer. The Speaking sub-test of the Occupational English Test (OET) opens with a warm-up of about 2 to 3 minutes, then two role plays from your profession, each with 3 minutes to prepare and about 5 minutes to talk. OET Speaking is recorded, and two assessors mark the recording afterwards.

  • 2Role plays, about 5 minutes each
  • 3 minutesTo prepare each role play
  • 9Criteria the recording is marked on
Where to study

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What are the OET warm-up questions?

The warm-up is the first 2 to 3 minutes of the sub-test, before you see a role card. OET’s handbook gives it only as a length of time; the role cards, criteria and samples it publishes are all for the role plays that follow.

How the role plays work

  • Each role card gives the setting, background and the points to cover.
  • You can write notes on the card and look at it during the role play, then hand it back.
  • A role play usually ends naturally at about 5 minutes; if not, the interlocutor tells you it’s time to finish.
  • There’s no penalty for not covering every point, but more points give the assessors more to go on.
  • Scenarios can include tension, such as an anxious or angry patient, a misunderstanding or little time to explain.

How is OET Speaking marked?

CriteriaMarked out ofWhat’s assessed
Linguistic (4)6 eachIntelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language, resources of grammar and expression
Clinical communication (5)3 eachRelationship building, the patient’s perspective, providing structure, information gathering, information giving

OET says grade B candidates score mostly 5 out of 6 on the linguistic criteria and 2 out of 3 on clinical communication. The scores are combined and converted to the 500 scale.

Speaking on paper, on computer and at home

On paper, Speaking is face to face in a private room at the test centre. On the computer test it’s on a different day, online from home with a live interlocutor by Zoom, or at the venue in some countries. With OET@Home it runs on the OET Speaking platform, also with a live interlocutor.

OET online →

OET speaking samples and guides

The official sample tests include Speaking role cards for each profession. OET’s two free Ultimate Guides to Speaking, one on the linguistic criteria and one on clinical communication, use real candidate role-play samples.

OET sample exam packs →OET Listening →
Sources: OET and 4 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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Everything else, in one place

OverviewWhere to learnBookingFeesOET onlineSample testsTest datesScores and resultsTest centres

Sub-tests

ListeningReadingWritingSpeaking

Who accepts OET

OET in the UKOET in AustraliaOET for nursesOET Medicine