OET · Reading
OET Reading: Parts A, B and C
OET Reading takes 60 minutes and has 42 questions. Part A gives you 15 minutes for 20 questions across four short texts on one topic. Parts B and C then share 45 minutes: six short workplace texts with one question each, and two long articles with eight questions each. The test is the same for all professions.
- Time
- 60 minutes (15 for Part A + 45 for Parts B and C)
- Questions
- 42
- Part A
- 4 short texts, 20 matching and completion questions
- Part B
- 6 texts of about 100–150 words, 6 three-option questions
- Part C
- 2 articles of about 800 words, 16 four-option questions
How OET Reading works
Reading comes after Listening in the Listening, Reading and Writing sitting. Part A is a speed task: it closes after exactly 15 minutes, and you cannot return to it. Parts B and C are then timed together, so you choose how to split the 45 minutes.
Part A measures fast information search across guidelines, tables and instructions. Part B checks that you understand the purpose and main point of short workplace documents, and Part C tests detailed understanding of opinions and arguments in long articles.
Like Listening, Reading is not profession-specific and each correct answer is one raw mark. Results are reported on the 0–500 scale with grades A–E, with Grade B at 350; OET does not publish an exact raw-to-scale table.
OET Reading tasks
Tips that work
- Drill Part A under a strict 15-minute timer until finishing on time feels routine.
- Plan your B+C split in advance so the two long Part C texts are not rushed.
- In Part A completion questions, copy words and numbers exactly as they appear.
- In Part C, separate the writer's view from the views they report.
Questions candidates ask
Is OET Reading Part A timed separately?
Yes. Part A has its own 15 minutes; Parts B and C share the remaining 45.
How long are the Part C texts?
About 800 words each, with eight questions per text.
Do I need medical knowledge for OET Reading?
No. All the information you need is in the texts, which are written for a general healthcare audience.
OET overviewOET Reading: all partsOET full mock testsOET articles on the blog