If you are a nurse, doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional working toward registration abroad, the number that usually matters is Grade B in each sub-test. This guide explains how OET arrives at that grade.
The OET grade table
| Grade | Score range |
|---|---|
| A | 450–500 |
| B | 350–440 |
| C+ | 300–340 |
| C | 200–290 |
| D | 100–190 |
| E | 0–90 |
You receive a separate score and grade for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Why Grade B matters
Many regulators, including major nursing and medical councils in English-speaking countries, require Grade B in each of the four sub-tests. Some accept C+ in one or more sub-tests, and rules on combining results from different sittings vary. Because these policies change and differ by country and profession, always check the current requirements of the regulator you are applying to, and do not rely on a friend's or colleague's experience from a few years ago.
How Listening and Reading are scored
Each sub-test has 42 questions, each worth one mark. Your raw score is converted to the 0–500 scale. OET indicates that about 30 out of 42 corresponds to Grade B (350). This is a guide rather than a published fixed conversion, so the safest approach is to aim for a comfortable margin above it in practice.
Where Listening marks go
| Part | Questions | Common problem |
|---|---|---|
| A (consultation notes) | 24 | Spelling, and writing a synonym instead of the word heard |
| B (workplace extracts) | 6 | Missing the purpose or next action |
| C (presentations/interviews) | 12 | Confusing a speaker's opinion with a fact they mention |
Part A carries more than half the marks. Accurate spelling of common medical and everyday words is one of the quickest ways to gain points.
Where Reading marks go
| Part | Questions | Common problem |
|---|---|---|
| A (4 short texts, 15 min) | 20 | Running out of time; spelling errors in short answers |
| B (6 workplace texts) | 6 | Choosing an option that is true but does not answer the question |
| C (2 long articles) | 16 | Questions on the writer's attitude and the meaning of references |
How Writing is scored
Your letter is marked against six criteria:
| Criterion | Scale |
|---|---|
| Purpose | 0–3 |
| Content | 0–7 |
| Conciseness & Clarity | 0–7 |
| Genre & Style | 0–7 |
| Organisation & Layout | 0–7 |
| Language | 0–7 |
The criteria scores are then converted to the 0–500 scale through OET's own process, which is not published in full. So focus on the criteria rather than chasing an exact number.
What usually separates B from C+:
- The purpose of the letter is clear in the first paragraph
- Only information the reader needs is included, and nothing important is missed
- Information is grouped logically rather than copied in note order
- Tone suits the reader (a specialist colleague, a GP, a patient)
Our OET Writing letter guide shows how to apply these in practice.
How Speaking is scored
Each role-play is assessed on two groups of criteria:
Linguistic criteria (0–6 each)
- Intelligibility
- Fluency
- Appropriateness of Language
- Resources of Grammar and Expression
Clinical communication criteria (0–3 each)
- Relationship Building
- Understanding and Incorporating the Patient's Perspective
- Providing Structure
- Information Gathering
- Information Giving
The clinical communication criteria do not test your medical knowledge. They test how you communicate: whether you listen, check understanding, explain clearly in lay terms, and respond to the patient's concerns.
Reading your results
Your OET results show a score and grade for each sub-test. When you check them against a requirement, look at each line separately:
| Sub-test | Score | Grade | Requirement: B in each | Meets it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 380 | B | 350+ | Yes |
| Reading | 360 | B | 350+ | Yes |
| Writing | 330 | C+ | 350+ | No |
| Speaking | 410 | B | 350+ | Yes |
In this example, the candidate is close overall but does not meet an "all B" requirement because of Writing. Under a regulator that accepts C+ in Writing, the same result might be sufficient. This is why the regulator's exact wording matters.
Why Writing is often the deciding sub-test
Many candidates reach Grade B in Listening, Reading and Speaking before Writing. There are a few reasons:
- Selection is a new skill. Clinical work trains you to record everything; the letter task rewards leaving out what the reader does not need.
- Four of six criteria are about content and organisation. Good grammar alone does not lift the score.
- Small repeated errors add up. Article use, tense consistency and spelling appear in every sentence.
If Writing is your weak sub-test, the most effective practice is writing many letters from different case notes and getting criterion-level feedback, then rewriting the same letter once with the feedback applied.
Speaking: what moves a score
In Speaking, the linguistic criteria are marked on a 0–6 scale and the clinical communication criteria on a 0–3 scale. Practical behaviours that support higher marks include:
- Introducing yourself and explaining the purpose of the conversation
- Asking open questions before giving information
- Acknowledging the patient's feelings ("I can see this is worrying for you")
- Breaking explanations into short steps and checking understanding
- Summarising the plan at the end
None of these depend on medical expertise. They are communication habits you can rehearse.
Listening and Reading: finding the extra marks
If your Listening or Reading raw scores sit in the high 20s out of 42, a few habits often account for the difference:
- Spelling in Listening Part A and Reading Part A. Answers are marked for correct spelling, so misspelled words lose marks even when you heard or found the right information.
- Timing in Reading Part A. Practise with a strict 15-minute limit. Candidates who spend too long on the matching questions often leave short-answer items blank.
- Reading questions carefully in Part B. Many wrong answers are statements that are true in the text but do not answer the question asked.
- Tracking opinions in Part C. In both Listening and Reading, questions often ask what the speaker or writer thinks, suggests or implies, not just what they state.
Keep a simple log of every wrong answer with the reason. After a few practice tests, your most frequent error type becomes obvious, and that is where the next marks are.
A realistic path to Grade B
- Find your baseline. Take a full timed practice test covering all four sub-tests.
- Close the biggest gap first. For most candidates this is Writing or Reading Part A.
- Track Listening and Reading raw scores. Your aim is consistently above 30 out of 42, not occasionally reaching it.
- Get criterion-level feedback on Writing and Speaking. Knowing that your weak point is "Conciseness & Clarity" is far more useful than a single score.
- Retest under timed conditions every one to two weeks.
EnglishHub's OET simulator follows the real format, with 50 full mock tests, 200 practice sets and AI feedback on your letters and role-plays. Practice scores are estimates, not official OET results. Your first mock is free: start an OET mock test, or go to the OET practice hub. For a full breakdown of each part, see our OET test format guide.
EnglishHub is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with OET or Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Always confirm grade requirements with your regulator.
Frequently asked questions
What score is OET Grade B?
Grade B covers scores from 350 to 440 on OET's 0–500 scale. It is the grade many healthcare regulators require in each sub-test.
How many correct answers do I need for Grade B in OET Listening or Reading?
OET indicates that Grade B corresponds to roughly 30 out of 42 correct answers in Listening and Reading. This is a guide rather than a fixed conversion, so aim above it.
Is there an overall OET score?
No. OET reports each sub-test separately, with a score and grade for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Regulators set requirements per sub-test.
Do all regulators require Grade B in every sub-test?
Not all. Grade B in each sub-test is a common requirement, but some regulators accept C+ in certain sub-tests or allow results to be combined across sittings. Check your regulator's current rules.
How long are OET results valid?
Validity is set by the organisation receiving your results, not by OET itself. Many regulators accept results for two years, but check the exact rule that applies to you.
