Multiple-Choice Questions in the OET Reading sub-test? No problem!

The OET Reading sub-test consists of various question types. Part A of the OET Reading sub-test asks matching, sentence completion and short answer questions. Part B and Part C, however, consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQ). This article will provide you with some tips on how to improve your score when answering MCQs.

The good thing about MCQs is that the answer is already there for you and you just need to choose the correct answer. In Part B of the OET Reading sub-test, you will get 3 options (A, B, C) to choose from per question, while in Part C, you will get 4 options (A, B, C, D) to choose from per question. Here are some strategies you can bear in mind when faced with this type of questions.

Tip 1: Read the question carefully

Make sure you read the question carefully and take note of the key words. There are two types of questions used in the OET, which are i) questions which require a short answer, and ii) questions which ask you to complete a sentence. For the questions which require you to complete the sentence, you can opt to put in the options available and see which one makes the most sense as a complete sentence.

Tip 2: Change the verb to a simpler form in order to understand it better

You need to understand all the options available because you will need to choose one as your answer. A good tip is to look at the verb and consider what it really means in your own words. For instance, the option may include the words ‘send back’, so you can probably change this to ‘return’ in order to help you understand it better. Similarly, the verb ‘reported’ can be changed to a simpler word, ‘tell’, if that helps you understand it better. So if ‘can be located’ is used, it can possibly mean ‘can be found’, and so on.

Tip 3: Don’t lose your concentration

When you are sitting for the OET test, you are under a tremendous amount of time pressure. In the OET Reading sub-test, you will only have 15 minutes to complete Part A, which consists of 20 questions. That means that you have less than one minute to answer each question, and that does not even include the time you need for reading. For Part B and Part C, you have only 45 minutes to read 6 short texts in Part B and 2 longer texts in Part C in addition to answering a total of 22 questions. It is therefore crucial that you do not lose your focus because time is precious.

Tip 4: Learn to progress quickly

Don’t waste too much time on one question if you get stuck with it. Move on quickly because you have limited time. This is especially true for Part B because each of the 6 texts is independent of each other. If you are stuck, make a calculated guess and choose an answer. Don’t leave it blank. Make a note of it and come back to it if you have time later. Don’t let one question which you are stuck with rob you of the opportunity to answer another 6-8 questions which you may be able to answer well.

Keep in mind these test strategies when you sit for the OET Reading sub-test and you should be able to get more marks in the test. It is about optimizing the opportunity and increasing your chances of getting at least 350 marks in this section of the test.