OET Speaking Tips for Nurses

Practical, criteria-based tips to raise your score — not generic English advice.

By SpeakOET Team · July 4, 2026

1. Use your 2 minutes of prep well

Don't just read the card once. Identify: who you are, who the patient is, what they're worried about, and the 2–3 things you must cover. Jot down key words, not full sentences — you'll be marked down for sounding rehearsed.

2. Open the conversation, don't launch into facts

Examiners score "relationship building" separately from the information itself. Greet the patient, use their name, and acknowledge how they might be feeling before you start explaining or asking questions.

3. Give the conversation structure

Signal what's coming next: "I'd like to ask a few questions first, then explain what happens next." This is literally one of the scored criteria (providing structure) — it also makes you sound calmer and more in control.

4. Check understanding before moving on

Avoid jargon, and pause to confirm the patient has understood — "does that make sense?" or "would you like me to go over that again?" This maps directly to the "incorporating the patient's perspective" criterion.

5. React to what the patient actually says

The interlocutor improvises — if they mention a fear or a detail you didn't expect, respond to it before moving to your next point. Ignoring what the patient says to get through a memorised script is one of the most common ways candidates lose marks.

6. Record yourself and listen back

It's uncomfortable, but it's the fastest way to catch filler words, rushed pacing, and places where you dropped structure. Score yourself against the criteria instead of just asking "did that sound okay?"

7. Practise the roleplay itself, not just vocabulary

Flashcards and vocabulary lists help with Reading and Writing, but Speaking is a performance skill — the only way to get comfortable with it is repeated, realistic practice under similar conditions to the real test. SpeakOET's AI patient exists specifically to give you that repetition on demand.