OET Reading Part A: 15 minutes, no extra time. How to find the answers before the clock wins
Published 7 min read
OET Reading Part A gives you 15 minutes, and when the time is up, it is up. Many nurses and doctors who read well at work still run out of time here, because they read every line carefully, the way they would read a patient's notes. In Part A that habit can cost you the marks you need for grade B.
This article explains what Part A is really testing, a simple routine for the 15 minutes, the mistakes that slow people down, and a two-week practice plan so that finding answers fast becomes normal before test day.
What OET Reading Part A asks you to do
The OET Reading sub-test takes 60 minutes and has 42 questions. The OET Test Handbook splits that time: Part A takes 15 minutes, and Parts B and C take 45 minutes. Reading is the same for every candidate, whatever your profession, as the OET test overview explains, so a nurse, a pharmacist and a doctor all sit the same Reading paper.
Part A is often called expeditious reading. That simply means reading quickly to find specific information. You are not being tested on whether you understand every sentence. You are being tested on whether you can go straight to the detail a question needs, take it out accurately and move on.
Why fast readers still run out of time
In a ward or clinic you read carefully, from top to bottom, because missing one line could matter. Part A rewards a different skill: knowing where to look. If you read each text in full before you look at the questions, most of your 15 minutes is gone before you write a single answer.
A routine for your 15 minutes
A fixed routine stops you from panicking and re-reading. Practise these steps until you do them without thinking.
- Look at the texts for a few seconds each. Do not read them. Notice what kind of text each one is: a table, a list of guidelines, a dosage chart, a short report. Notice the headings.
- Read the first question and find its key word. Underline the word that tells you what to look for: a drug name, a number, a patient group, a time.
- Decide which text is most likely to hold that detail. A dose is probably in a chart or table. A rule about who should not receive a treatment is probably in a guideline.
- Scan, do not read. Move your eyes down the text looking only for the key word or a word with the same meaning. Stop when you find it, then read just that sentence or row.
- Write the answer exactly as the text gives it. Copy spelling and units carefully. A correct idea with a wrong spelling or a missing unit can still lose the mark.
- Move on if you are stuck. If you cannot find an answer quickly, leave a mark next to the question and come back at the end. One hard question should never cost you three easy ones.
- Use the final minute to fill gaps. Go back to the questions you marked and make a sensible attempt at each one rather than leaving it blank.
Skimming and scanning: what each one is for
These two reading skills sound similar but do different jobs. Part A needs both, and it needs you to switch between them quickly.
Skimming
Skimming is a quick look to get the general idea: what a text is about and how it is organised. You skim at the start so that you know where things are. It should take seconds, not minutes.
Scanning
Scanning is searching for one exact piece of information, such as a name, a number or a word. Your eyes move fast and ignore everything else. Most of your time in Part A is spent scanning.
Paraphrase: the word you want may not be there
The question and the text often say the same thing in different words. The question might say "children", while the text says "paediatric patients". The question might say "should not be given", while the text says "contraindicated". When you scan, look for the meaning, not only the exact word. Building a list of common medical paraphrases is one of the most useful things you can do before the test.
Mistakes that cost time in Part A
| Mistake | What it costs | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Reading every text in full first | Most of the 15 minutes | Skim for seconds, then go to the questions |
| Staying on one hard question | Time for several easier answers | Mark it, move on, come back at the end |
| Scanning only for the exact word | Missed answers hidden by paraphrase | Scan for the meaning and common synonyms |
| Careless spelling or missing units | Marks on answers you found | Copy the word and unit exactly from the text |
| Leaving answers blank | Any chance of the mark | Use the last minute to attempt every gap |
A two-week practice plan for Part A
Short, timed practice every day works better than one long session a week. This is an example plan; adjust it to the time you have.
- Days 1 to 3: Untimed practice. Use the routine above slowly and check how you found each answer. Write down every paraphrase you missed.
- Days 4 to 7: Practise with a timer, but give yourself a little longer than the real limit. Aim to cut the extra time each day.
- Days 8 to 11: Strict 15 minutes for each practice set. After each one, review every wrong answer: was it a spelling slip, a missed paraphrase or a time problem?
- Days 12 to 14: Practise Part A straight before a Part B and C session, so you get used to switching from fast reading to careful reading, as you will on the day.
Keep your paraphrase list with you and read it on breaks. Ten new pairs a day adds up quickly.
Practising Part A on PractiseNow
PractiseNow has 45 OET Reading Part A sets, 15 at each of the Starter, Builder and Exam levels. Starter gives a hint for every question and a step-by-step guide that shows you where to look and why, which is useful in the first days of the plan above. Exam level uses real timing with no help, and the explanations unlock only after you submit. On PractiseNow, reading answers are checked instantly with a question-by-question review that shows your answer, the correct answer and an explanation, free on every plan. The score PractiseNow shows is a practice estimate from a conversion table, not an official OET result.
You can see the OET practice on the tests page, and if Speaking is your next worry, read how to plan your OET Speaking nursing role play.
What score do you need in Reading?
Part A is only part of your Reading score, but every mark helps. Each OET sub-test is reported on a scale from 0 to 500, and grade B covers 350 to 440. The UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council asks for at least grade B (350 or above) in reading. For Australian visas, Proficient English with OET taken on or after 7 August 2025 needs at least 360 for reading, which is more than the bottom of grade B.
Requirements are set by each regulator and government, not by the test, and they change. For the full picture across skills, see why an OET grade B may still be too low for Proficient English and the four OET sub-tests and their timings.
While you prepare, have the rest of your application ready too. A clear CV made with Build AI CV can put your registration and test results near the top, and a profile on Talent Tabloid keeps your work history in one place for employers.
Ready to try the routine with a timer? Start free: the PractiseNow free plan gives you the first three Starter sets and the first Builder set of every task type in your test, plus 3 AI credits.
Frequently asked questions
How long is OET Reading Part A?
Part A takes 15 minutes. Parts B and C share the remaining 45 minutes of the 60-minute Reading sub-test.
Is OET Reading Part A different for nurses and doctors?
No. Reading is common to all candidates. Only Writing and Speaking are profession specific.
Should I read the texts before the questions?
Only for a few seconds each, to see what they are and how they are laid out. Then go to the questions and scan for the details they ask for.
Does spelling matter in Part A?
Yes. Copy words and units exactly as they appear in the text, so an answer you found does not lose the mark.
Last checked: 11 November 2026 against the official pages linked above.
