Important Information about OET Writing Changes

On August 3rd, 2019, there was a significant change that took place regarding the OET writing sub-test. In this article, I will explain what has changed and what that means for future test-takers.

Firstly, though, it is important to outline what has not changed. Although these current changes are important, they are in fact quite limited, and there is a great deal that remains absolutely the same as it used to.

What hasn’t changed for OET writing?

Most importantly, the actual test itself hasn’t changed at all. You are still required to write a formal letter on the same basis as before, and you will be given exactly the same amount of time to do the writing sub-test. That means five minutes to read the notes and forty minutes to write the letter.

Additionally, the level of difficulty will not change. Despite what you may have read elsewhere, the test has not become any harder or any easier than it used to be. There are no new skills for you to learn, no new requirements for you to fulfill, nor are there any new strategies for you to adopt in order to succeed in the OET writing sub-test.

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So… keeping all of that in mind, has anything really changed at all?

What has changed about OET writing?

Essentially, the changes to the OET writing sub-test are all about how it is assessed. The previous system of assessment has changed to an overhauled version that includes new names for each of the criteria, and a slightly changed focus of assessment that pays more attention to what healthcare professionals are looking for in a letter of this sort. The new assessment criteria will take into consideration what these people need in order to gain information from your letter easily and effectively.

Let’s now look at the marking criteria and how it has changed between the old version and the new.

Previously, there were five categories to be marked, worth a total of 30 points:

However, since the upgrade, this has all been revamped and there are now six categories of assessment, worth a total of 38 points.

Looking closely at these new categories of marking, it can be seen that the overall requirements of the test are the same. The test basically still involves the same skills, but these are now marked under a different set of names.

Why have these changes been made?

Ever since its creation, the OET has undergone updates to make sure that it is fit for its purpose. Rather than staying the same each year, it undergoes slight changes from time to time in order to adapt to a changing world. Its purpose is to be the best possible exam for English-speaking medical and healthcare professionals, and sometimes it is necessary to make slight alterations to the exam content or assessment criteria in order to ensure that it meets the needs of the wider industry.

The most recent update was made after meetings with a wide range of people in the healthcare industry regarding what they thought was important for English learners to know. When dealing with formal letters, they gave feedback that inspired the recent changes to the marking assessment. The new evaluation criteria can thus be seen to better fulfill the expectations of medical professionals.

The new criteria then could be said to meet the following expectations:

In short, all of the previous requirements of the OET writing sub-test still exist and have now been incorporated into the new marking criteria; however, these now are structured in such a way that the exam better suits the needs of the people working in the healthcare industry.