OET · Reading · RA

OET Reading Part A: Expeditious Reading Across Four Texts

OET Reading Part A tests how quickly you can find information across several workplace documents. You get four short texts on one healthcare topic, such as a guideline, a dosage table and a checklist, and answer 20 questions in a strict 15 minutes: first matching questions, then short-answer or sentence-completion items using words from the texts.

Questions: 20
Time: 15 minutes, timed separately from Parts B and C
Texts: 4 short texts on one topic (A–D)
Question types: Matching, then short answer and/or sentence completion
Answers: Words, numbers or short phrases taken from the texts

How it works

1Four texts labelled A–D appear together; they may include tables, lists or flowcharts as well as prose.
2The first group of questions asks which text contains a given piece of information. A letter can be used more than once.
3The remaining questions ask for a word, number or short phrase from the texts to answer a question or complete a sentence.
4When 15 minutes are up, Part A closes and you cannot return to it.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

Texts (original): A = patient leaflet on a blood-thinning medicine; B = dosage table by body weight; C = checklist before a dental procedure; D = guidance on missed doses. Q: Which text tells you what to do if a patient forgets a dose? Q: A patient weighing 72 kg should receive ______ mg (Text B shows 60–79 kg → 40 mg).

Show a strong response

Outline: D; 40

Matching rewards knowing what each text is for, so you can go straight to it. The completion answer is copied from the table exactly, including the number as written.

Tips that work

Spend the first 30–60 seconds labelling each text in your head by purpose (who it is for, what it does). This speeds up every matching question.
For completion questions, scan for the key noun or number in the question rather than reading from the top.
Copy spellings and units exactly as they appear; a correct idea with the wrong form or a misspelling can lose the mark.
Keep a steady pace of under a minute per question and never leave a gap blank at the end.

Common mistakes

Reading every text in full before starting the questions.
Using your own words instead of the words in the text.
Forgetting units or mixing up rows in a table.

Questions candidates ask

Can I go back to Part A after 15 minutes?

No. Part A is timed separately and closes after 15 minutes; Parts B and C then share their own time.

Can the same letter be the answer to more than one matching question?

Yes. In the matching section, any text can be the answer to several questions.

What kinds of texts appear in Part A?

Workplace information such as guidelines, dosage charts, treatment pathways, device instructions or patient advice, all on one shared topic.