OET Reading Tips: Part A

Part A is a time-dependent section of the reading that requires important skills of skimming and scanning texts in order to locate specific information. Here are some tips that will help you to do well on the reading Part A:

• When you’re first given the test, spend the first 30-60 seconds skim reading the 4 texts.
• Read the headings and look for key words quickly to get a basic understand of what information is located in each of the texts, before you read the questions. This will help you locate the information quickly.
• When you read a question, ask yourself “which text is most likely to contain this information?” Skim over the suspected text(s) to see if you can find the specific information you are looking for and use this to answer the question.
• If you cannot find the information, try again with a different text.
• At no point should you be reading through long sections of text, or taking time to comprehend or interpret the information. This section requires word recognition.
• Answer the questions using the wording in the text; however pay careful attention to the wording of the question to ensure that you have provided the most accurate answer.

OET Reading Tips: Part B

Part B involves six texts, with a single multiple-choice question for each. In order to do well with part B, it is important that you read and understand the contextual information, the question, and all of the options thoroughly before you turn to the text. Once you have read and understood the text, turn back to the question and select the most accurate answer. Do not select the answer that uses similar wording as in the text, unless you are sure it is correct, as often this is not. Pay careful attention to the question and make sure your selection truly answers the question. Sometimes one of the options may be correct when compared with the text, however, it may not fit the question. If you are unsure of the vocabulary, use the surroundings words to help approximate the meaning.

OET Reading Tips: Part C

Often people are overwhelmed by the amount of content in each of the extracts. Don’t be, as you will only need to be able to understand and interpret one paragraph per multiple-choice question. As with part B, it is important to read the first question and the options, and ensure that you fully understand them before you read the first paragraph. Attempt to understand it as best as you can before turning back to the question and selecting the correct answer. If you are spending longer than 2 minutes on a question, move on, and you can go back and attempt it later if you have time. Part C requires you to understand the author’s opinion and views. Like in the listening test, avoid bringing your own understanding to the test. If you are asked to define a word or short phrase, do not worry if you aren’t sure what it means. Try to deduce this from the context in which it is used. You should not use your own definition, as it may not be true in the context of the extract.

When you are doing Reading in OET, always follow these tips above.