OET Writing Guide
OET Letter Format & Structure
How a Grade B OET letter is laid out: the opening, the body paragraphs, the closing, the three main letter types, and the word count that keeps you in range. For exam-day timing and the full test pattern, see the OET writing test guide.
45 min
Total duration
5 min
Reading time
40 min
Writing time
1 letter
Number of tasks
The OET Writing Sub-test: Step by Step
Reading time begins (5 minutes)
You receive the case notes and the writing task. You may NOT write during this time, but you can underline or annotate the case notes. Use this time to identify the purpose of the letter, who you are writing to, and which case note information is relevant to that reader.
Writing time begins (40 minutes)
The writing period starts. You write your letter on the provided answer booklet. Most candidates spend 3–5 minutes planning, 25–30 minutes writing, and 3–5 minutes reviewing. The examiner does not see your planning notes — only your final letter.
Letter is completed and submitted
At the end of 40 minutes, writing stops. Your completed letter is the only thing assessed. There are no multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank questions. The entire OET writing sub-test score is determined by this single letter.
What the Case Notes Look Like
The case notes are a structured clinical summary of a patient. They are profession-specific — nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, and pharmacists receive different scenarios.
Patient demographics
Name, age, gender, occupation, and reason for current care episode.
Presenting complaint
The current clinical issue that initiated this care episode.
Medical history
Relevant past diagnoses, surgeries, and long-term conditions.
Current medications
Names, doses, and frequencies of current medications.
Examination findings
Observations and findings from physical or clinical assessment.
Management plan
The treatment, referral, discharge, or follow-up plan — this is often key to your purpose statement.
Typical case notes: 150–250 words. You do NOT need to use every detail in your letter.
OET Letter Types
The specific letter type is determined by the clinical scenario. All types follow the same professional structure: purpose → background → current situation → action.
Referral Letter
- From:
- Any healthcare professional
- To:
- A specialist, consultant, or allied health professional
Requesting further assessment, specialist care, or a service not available in the current setting.
Read the guideDischarge Letter
- From:
- Hospital/ward team
- To:
- GP, community nurse, or primary care team
Communicating what happened during a hospital stay and the ongoing care plan after discharge.
Read the guideTransfer Letter
- From:
- Current care provider
- To:
- Receiving facility or healthcare team
Communicating a patient's care needs and current status when moving between facilities or care settings.
Read the guideWord Count Guidance
Likely missing important clinical information. The Content criterion will be affected.
May be sufficient if well-targeted, but risks leaving out relevant detail. Review content selection carefully.
This is the target range for most Grade B letters. Covers all relevant information without unnecessary padding.
Slightly long but can still score well if all content is relevant. Review for repetition and irrelevant detail.
Almost always includes irrelevant information. Conciseness and Clarity scores will be reduced.
How OET Writing differs from IELTS Writing
OET Writing
- 1 task: professional letter
- 45 minutes total
- Based on patient case notes
- Profession-specific scenarios
- Assessed on 6 clinical communication criteria
IELTS Writing
- 2 tasks: graph description + essay
- 60 minutes total
- Academic or general topics
- Same for all professions
- Assessed on 4 general writing criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the format of the OET writing test?
How many sub-tests does the OET have?
What type of letter do you write in OET?
How long should an OET letter be?
Related OET Writing guides
Continue your preparation with these related resources.
OET Scoring Criteria →
How the 6 criteria are assessed and where most candidates lose marks.
Grade B Sample Letters →
20 worked sample letters by profession × scenario with line-by-line annotations.
Mistake Clinics by Profession →
10 profession-specific mistake clinics — wrong vs right examples per criterion.
Grade A vs B vs C Compared →
Three letters from the same case notes at three bands — what moves you up one.
Related guides: OET writing criteria · OET writing test format · OET writing word count
OET Writing Correction
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