Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend. How this works.
Unofficial practice. We wrote these materials to match the official OET task types. They are not real exam materials, and any points shown are practice feedback, not an OET score. For official sample tests, visit oet.com.
Before you start: use headphones, and check your sound with any 🔊 button on the site. The recordings use natural-sounding AI voices with different accents, and they're a little shorter than the real ones. In the real test you get time to read before each recording: 30 seconds for each Part A extract, about 15 seconds for each Part B question and 90 seconds for each Part C extract. Take that time here too, before you press play.
Before you start
Do
- Read each task carefully and note who your reader or patient is.
- Use clear, polite, plain language.
- Keep to the time limits.
Don't
- Don't copy notes word for word. Rewrite them as sentences.
- Don't use medical jargon with patients without explaining it.
How the buttons work
- ▶ Start test starts the clock (40 minutes) and shows one part at a time, as in the real test. In reading, the passage stays on screen next to the questions.
- Move between parts with ◀ Back and Next ▶. As in the real test, you can go back and change answers until time runs out.
- Listening: each recording plays once. Read the questions first, then press play and answer as you listen.
- ❚❚ Pause stops the clock if you're interrupted (the real test can't be paused). End test finishes early and shows your results.
How it's marked
- Multiple-choice, fill-in and listening questions are marked instantly with the real test's rules. See exactly how we mark.
- At the end you'll see a results report by task type, with what to practise next.
Test paused. The clock has stopped.
Loading questions…
Loading questions…
Loading questions…
Loading questions…
Loading questions…
How OET Listening works
| Part | What you hear | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | Two consultations between a health professional and a patient, about 5 minutes each | 24: complete the health professional's notes (12 gaps per consultation) |
| Part B | Six short workplace extracts (handovers, briefings, team discussions, a professional and a patient) | 6: one 3-option multiple-choice question per extract |
| Part C | Two presentations or interviews with health professionals, about 4–5 minutes each | 12: six 3-option multiple-choice questions per extract |
The whole sub-test takes about 40 minutes, and it's the same for all 12 professions. You hear each recording once and answer while you listen.
How to approach each part
- Part A: read the note headings first and predict what's missing (a number? a symptom? a medicine?). Write the words you hear, not a paraphrase, and keep answers short. Listen for self-corrections: patients often change their minds ("orange juice… no, sorry, tomatoes"), and the corrected word is the answer.
- Part B: the question tells you who is speaking and why, so read it carefully in the 15 seconds you get. The wrong options are often things the speaker mentions but has already done, or doesn't actually ask for.
- Part C: these questions test opinion and attitude, not only facts. Listen for signals such as what surprised me, I'd be careful about, to be honest and looking back. An option that repeats the speaker's exact words is often a trap.
After the test
- Read every explanation, especially for Part C questions you got wrong: they show where the speaker's real opinion was.
- Check your Part A spelling. Make a list of the medical words you misspelled and practise them.
- Do the test again in a week or two. You'll know the answers, so this time listen for how each answer was signalled: the self-correction, the "but", the "looking back".
Next, try the OET Reading practice test, or take all four sub-tests in order with our OET full mock test walkthrough. For a step-by-step plan, see how to get OET grade B.
Answers, explanations and transcripts
Finish the test first, then open each section to check your answers. Every answer has an explanation.
Part A, extract 1
Transcript: Part A, extract 1: a GP consultation (Ms Rachel Simmons)
Doctor: Hello, Ms Simmons, come in and have a seat. What can I do for you today?
Patient: Hi. It's this burning feeling in my chest. I've had it on and off for about three months, but it's got a lot worse in the last few weeks.
Doctor: Can you show me where you feel it?
Patient: Just here, behind the breastbone. Sometimes it moves up into my throat, and I get a sour taste in my mouth.
Doctor: When does it tend to come on?
Patient: Mostly at night, when I lie down. It actually wakes me up two or three times a week. And after big meals, especially if I eat late.
Doctor: Is there any food or drink that seems to set it off?
Patient: Spicy food, definitely. And coffee. If I have more than two cups in a day, it's worse. Oh, and orange juice. Actually, no, sorry, it's not orange juice, it's tomatoes. Pasta sauce, that kind of thing.
Doctor: Have you tried anything for it so far?
Patient: I've been taking antacid tablets from the chemist. They help for a little while, but then it comes back. And I've started sleeping with an extra pillow.
Doctor: That's sensible. Have you had any trouble swallowing, or a feeling that food gets stuck on the way down?
Patient: No, nothing like that.
Doctor: Any vomiting, or any weight loss?
Patient: No vomiting. And no weight loss. If anything, I've put on weight. About six kilos since I started my new job.
Doctor: Tell me a bit about the job.
Patient: I'm a paralegal at a law firm in the city. It's quite stressful, and the hours are long. I usually don't get home until about eight, so dinner's late, and I go to bed not long after.
Doctor: Do you smoke?
Patient: Not any more. I gave up five years ago.
Doctor: Well done. And alcohol?
Patient: A couple of glasses of wine on the weekend, that's all.
Doctor: Do you have any other medical conditions, or take any medicines regularly?
Patient: I've got asthma, but it's mild. I just use my reliever puffer now and then. Oh, and I take ibuprofen sometimes for period pain.
Doctor: That's useful to know, because medicines like ibuprofen can irritate the stomach. We'll come back to that. Is there anything in particular that's worrying you about these symptoms?
Patient: Well, my dad had a heart attack in his fifties. So when I get this pain in my chest, I start thinking, what if it's my heart?
Doctor: That's a very understandable worry, and I'm glad you told me. I'll examine you now, and we'll do a heart tracing today, so we can look at that properly before we talk about what to do next.
Answer key (12 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | …Ms Rachel Simmons, 34. Presenting complaint: burning pain behind the ___ | breastbone (also accepted: breast bone) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 2 | on and off for about ___ | three months (also accepted: 3 months) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 3 | …in the last few weeks. Sometimes moves up into the throat, with a ___ | sour taste | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 4 | in the mouth. Mainly at night when lying down; wakes her ___ | two or three times (also accepted: 2 or 3 times, 2-3 times, two to three times, 2 to 3 times, two or three times a week, 2 or 3 times a week) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 5 | …late ones. Triggers: spicy food; coffee (more than two cups a day); ___ | tomatoes (also accepted: tomato, tomatoes and pasta sauce) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 6 | Self-management: ___ | antacid tablets (also accepted: antacids, antacid, antacid tablet) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 7 | from the chemist (short-term relief only); sleeping with an ___ | extra pillow (also accepted: extra pillows) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 8 | No difficulty swallowing; no vomiting. Weight: has gained about ___ | six kilos (also accepted: 6 kilos, 6 kg, 6kg, six kilograms, 6 kilograms, six kg) | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 9 | since starting a new job. Social: works as a ___ | paralegal | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 10 | …Alcohol: a couple of glasses of wine at weekends. Past history: mild ___ | asthma | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 11 | reliever puffer as needed. Takes ___ | ibuprofen | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
| 12 | …for period pain. Concerns: worried that the pain is coming from her ___ | heart | Write the words you hear. Notice the self-correction: she says 'orange juice', then corrects herself to 'tomatoes'. In OET, always write the corrected information. UK and US spellings are both accepted in the real test, but a misspelled word may not be, so check your spelling (paralegal, asthma, ibuprofen). |
Part A, extract 2
Transcript: Part A, extract 2: a pre-admission nursing assessment (Mr George Whitfield)
Nurse: Good morning, Mr Whitfield. I'm Anika, one of the pre-admission nurses. I'll be going through some questions to get you ready for your operation next month. Is that OK?
Patient: Morning. Yes, of course. And please, call me George.
Nurse: Thanks, George. So you're booked in for a right knee replacement on the fourteenth. How long has the knee been troubling you?
Patient: Years, really. But it's been bad for about two years now. I used to walk the dog every morning, and now I can barely get to the end of the street.
Nurse: What do you use to get around at the moment?
Patient: A walking stick when I'm outside. Inside I hold on to the furniture, which my wife says isn't very safe.
Nurse: She's got a point. Have you had any falls in the past year?
Patient: One, back in March. I tripped on the back step. Just a bit of bruising, nothing broken.
Nurse: OK. Let's go through your health. Do you have any other medical conditions?
Patient: High blood pressure, for about ten years. And type 2 diabetes. That was diagnosed, let me think, four years ago.
Nurse: And how is your diabetes managed?
Patient: Tablets, and I watch what I eat. My GP checks my blood sugar every three months or so.
Nurse: Have you brought a list of your medicines?
Patient: My wife wrote them all down. Here you are.
Nurse: Thank you. I'll copy these into your record, and the pharmacist will go through them with you as well, because some medicines need to be stopped or changed before surgery. It's important you follow their instructions rather than stopping anything yourself. Do you take anything to thin the blood?
Patient: Er, I take a small aspirin every morning.
Nurse: Right. I'll make sure the surgical team knows about that. Do you have any allergies?
Patient: Yes, penicillin. I came out in a rash all over my body when I was a teenager.
Nurse: A rash. Was there any swelling of your face, or any trouble breathing?
Patient: No, just the rash.
Nurse: Have you ever had an anaesthetic?
Patient: Yes, when I had my gallbladder out, about fifteen years ago. I was very sick afterwards. Vomiting most of the night.
Nurse: That's really helpful to know. I'll let the anaesthetist know, because there are things they can do to reduce that. Do you smoke?
Patient: Not for thirty years.
Nurse: Good. And who's at home with you?
Patient: Just my wife, Margaret. She's seventy-three, and she's got a bad back herself, so she can't do any heavy lifting.
Nurse: What's your house like? Are there any stairs?
Patient: It's a two-storey house. The bathroom and the bedrooms are upstairs. There are sixteen steps, with a rail on one side.
Nurse: That's something the occupational therapist will want to talk to you about before you go home. Last question for now: is there anything worrying you about the operation?
Patient: Honestly, it's the pain afterwards. My neighbour had the same operation, and he said the first week was terrible.
Nurse: That's a common worry. Pain relief is something we plan carefully, and the team will talk you through it before the day.
Answer key (12 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | …Mr George Whitfield, 71. Booked for a right knee replacement on the ___ | fourteenth (also accepted: 14th, 14) | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 14 | Knee pain severe for about ___ | two years (also accepted: 2 years) | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 15 | previously walked the ___ | dog | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 16 | …now can barely reach the end of the street. Mobility: walking ___ | stick | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 17 | …only. Medical history: high blood pressure (about 10 years); type 2 ___ | diabetes | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 18 | …tablets and diet. Medicines: list provided by his wife; takes a small ___ | aspirin | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 19 | …morning (inform surgical team). Allergy: penicillin, which caused a ___ | rash | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 20 | no facial swelling or breathing difficulty. Previous anaesthetic: ___ | gallbladder (also accepted: gall bladder) | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 21 | removal about 15 years ago, followed by ___ | vomiting | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 22 | …anaesthetist). Social: lives with his wife (73), who has a bad ___ | back | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 23 | …can't lift. Home: two-storey house; bathroom and bedrooms upstairs; ___ | sixteen (also accepted: 16) | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
| 24 | steps with a rail on one side (refer to OT). Main concern: ___ | pain | Write only what you hear, and keep it short. 'Fourteenth' is the date of the operation; 'sixteen' is the number of steps. 'Gall bladder' and 'gallbladder' are both accepted here. |
Part B
Transcript: Extract 1: a nursing handover
Nurse Ellis: Bed twelve is Mrs Lee. She's had a good day. The cannula in her left arm was looking red and a bit swollen this afternoon, so I took it out, and the team are happy for her to stay on oral fluids for now. She's drinking well. The one thing I didn't get to is her daughter. She asked to be told about any change to her mum's care, and she'll worry if she visits and sees the drip has gone. Could you give her a ring before the end of visiting hours?
Nurse Brooks: No problem. I'll call her now.
Transcript: Extract 2: a staff briefing
Morning, everyone, just a quick one from infection control. We've had three patients on this floor with gastro symptoms since the weekend. So, until further notice, after caring for anyone with diarrhoea, please wash your hands with soap and water rather than using the hand gel, because the gel doesn't work well against some of the viruses that cause it. Visitors are still welcome, but we're asking them to come to the nurses' station first, so we can explain what they need to do.
Transcript: Extract 3: a training session
When you phone a doctor about a patient who's getting worse, the most common mistake I hear isn't missing information. Most of you are very thorough. It's that the request gets left until the very end, or it's left out altogether. The doctor has listened to two minutes of background and still doesn't know whether you want them to come now or in an hour. So whatever else you do, be specific about what you need, and by when.
Transcript: Extract 4: a dietitian and a patient
Dietitian: So you've stopped eating bread completely?
Patient: Yes. My friend said carbs are the enemy if you've got diabetes.
Dietitian: I can see why that sounds sensible, and lots of people hear the same thing. But you don't need to cut out whole food groups. It's much more about the type of bread and how much of it you have. A slice of grainy bread is quite different from two big white rolls. Why don't we look at what a typical day looks like for you, and work from there?
Transcript: Extract 5: two doctors discussing a discharge
Dr Ahmed: Mr Collins is keen to go home today. His observations have been normal since yesterday.
Dr Walsh: I'm not saying he isn't ready medically. My concern is that he lives alone, and nothing's in place at home yet. If he went home tomorrow morning instead, we'd have time to arrange community nursing visits and get the pharmacy to pack his tablets in a blister pack.
Dr Ahmed: Yes, that makes sense. I'll let him know.
Transcript: Extract 6: a nurse unit manager
A few of you have asked about the new electronic fluid balance chart. I know paper was quicker for some of you, and I know the system is slow first thing in the morning. IT are aware of that and are working on it. But from Monday, paper charts won't be accepted in the audit. So if you have trouble logging in, please call the help desk, rather than going back to paper.
Answer key (6 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | You hear a nurse handing over a patient. What does she ask her colleague to do? | B. contact the patient's daughter | 'Could you give her a ring before the end of visiting hours?' The cannula has already been removed (A), and the patient is already on oral fluids (C). Part B often mentions things that are already done. |
| 26 | You hear an infection control nurse talking to ward staff. What is the main purpose of the briefing? | A. to tell staff about a change to hand hygiene | The key instruction is to use soap and water instead of gel after caring for patients with diarrhoea. Visitors are 'still welcome' (B), and the problem is ongoing, 'until further notice' (C). |
| 27 | You hear a clinical educator at a training session. What does she say is the most common problem when staff phone a doctor? | C. The request is unclear or comes too late. | 'The request gets left until the very end, or it's left out altogether.' She says missing information is NOT the most common mistake ('Most of you are very thorough'), so B is the distractor. |
| 28 | You hear a dietitian talking to a patient with diabetes. What is the dietitian's view about bread? | A. The type and amount matter more than avoiding it. | 'It's much more about the type of bread and how much of it you have.' She disagrees politely with the friend's advice (B), and never says grainy bread should be eaten at every meal (C). |
| 29 | You hear two doctors discussing a patient. Why does Dr Walsh want to delay the discharge? | C. Support at home needs to be arranged first. | 'Nothing's in place at home yet… we'd have time to arrange community nursing visits.' She says 'I'm not saying he isn't ready medically', which rules out A, and the patient is 'keen to go home' (B). |
| 30 | You hear a nurse unit manager talking to staff. What does she tell them to do? | B. Use the electronic chart, and get help if they can't log in. | 'Paper charts won't be accepted… call the help desk, rather than going back to paper.' She accepts the system is slow, but that doesn't change the instruction (A). Problems go to the help desk, not to her (C). |
Part C, extract 1
Transcript: Part C, extract 1: a presentation on sleep in hospital
Good afternoon, everyone. My name's Joanne Price, and I'm a clinical nurse consultant in aged care. Today I want to talk about something we all know about but rarely mention at handover. Sleep. Or, more accurately, how little of it our patients get.
When I started looking into this a few years ago, I assumed the main problem would be pain. That's what I'd always been taught. But when we actually asked patients on our wards what kept them awake, pain came well down the list. The top answers were noise, being woken for observations, and, this one surprised me, worry. Worry about their family, about going home, about something the doctor said on the ward round that they didn't quite understand.
Now, why does this matter? Poor sleep isn't just unpleasant. In older patients especially, it's linked with delirium, with falls and with slower recovery. I'd be careful, though, about saying that lack of sleep causes all of these. Patients who are sicker sleep worse anyway, so separating cause and effect is genuinely difficult. What I'm comfortable saying is that it's a factor we can do something about, which is more than we can say for many risk factors.
So what did we do? Our first idea was earplugs and eye masks for everyone. We bought hundreds. And to be honest, the uptake was disappointing. A lot of older patients didn't like wearing them, and some found the eye masks disorientating when they woke up in an unfamiliar place. I wouldn't discourage anyone from offering them, but they're not the answer on their own.
What made the biggest difference was changing our routines. We looked at every task done between ten at night and six in the morning and asked one question. Does this have to happen now? It turned out that a surprising number of things were done at night simply because that's when they'd always been done. Routine weights at five in the morning, for instance. Some blood tests that could easily wait until seven. We moved those, and we agreed that a stable patient's observations could be timed to fit around their sleep, unless there was a clinical reason not to.
I should stress that this isn't about doing fewer checks on patients who are unwell. Anyone who is deteriorating gets exactly the monitoring they need, asleep or not. It's about not waking a stable patient for a task that could be done an hour later.
There was some resistance at first, particularly from night staff, who felt we were suggesting they'd been doing something wrong. That was never the message, and looking back, I think we should have involved them much earlier. Once the night team were leading the changes themselves, things moved quickly. In fact, the idea of a quiet hour at eleven, with the lights dimmed and phones on silent, came from one of our night nurses.
And the results? Patients' own ratings of their sleep improved noticeably, and staff said the ward felt calmer at night. We also saw fewer patients needing sleeping tablets, which I was very pleased about, because those medicines carry a real risk of falls in older people. Whether we've reduced delirium, I can't yet say. Our numbers are too small, and we'd need a proper study to answer that.
If you take one thing away today, I'd like it to be this. Sleep is part of care, not a break from it. Thank you.
Answer key (6 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | What did Joanne Price originally expect to be the main cause of poor sleep in hospital? | B. pain | 'I assumed the main problem would be pain. That's what I'd always been taught.' Noise and worry are what patients actually reported. |
| 32 | What is her view of the link between poor sleep and problems such as delirium and falls? | A. It is hard to know how far poor sleep is the cause. | 'I'd be careful… about saying that lack of sleep causes all of these… separating cause and effect is genuinely difficult.' Part C often tests how certain a speaker is. |
| 33 | What does she say about earplugs and eye masks? | C. They can be offered, but they are not enough by themselves. | 'I wouldn't discourage anyone from offering them, but they're not the answer on their own.' Uptake was 'disappointing', so B is wrong; she doesn't say they shouldn't be offered (A). |
| 34 | The changes to night-time routines involved | A. moving tasks that did not need to be done at night. | 'Does this have to happen now?'… 'We moved those.' She stresses it 'isn't about doing fewer checks on patients who are unwell' (B), and stable patients' observations were re-timed, not stopped (C). |
| 35 | Looking back on the project, she feels that the team should have | B. involved the night staff sooner. | 'Looking back, I think we should have involved them much earlier.' The quiet hour was an idea from the night staff, not something she regrets introducing late (C). |
| 36 | What does she say about the results of the project? | C. She was pleased that fewer patients needed sleeping tablets. | 'We also saw fewer patients needing sleeping tablets, which I was very pleased about.' On delirium she says 'I can't yet say' (A), and staff said the ward felt calmer (B). |
Part C, extract 2
Transcript: Part C, extract 2: an interview about prehabilitation
Interviewer: With me today is Marcus Bell, a physiotherapist who runs a prehabilitation program for people waiting for major surgery. Marcus, what exactly is prehabilitation?
Marcus Bell: Put simply, it's preparing people for surgery in the weeks before their operation, rather than only helping them recover afterwards. That usually means exercise, but in our program it also covers nutrition, stopping smoking, and getting people's mood and expectations in a good place. The idea is that if you go into an operation fitter, you have more in reserve to cope with it.
Interviewer: It sounds like common sense. Why isn't it standard everywhere?
Marcus Bell: Partly because the waiting period has traditionally been seen as dead time. People are put on a list and essentially told to wait. And partly, I think, because the evidence took a while to build. Even now, it's strongest for some types of surgery, such as major abdominal operations, and we know less about others. So I understand why some hospitals want to see more before they invest.
Interviewer: Who comes to your program?
Marcus Bell: Mostly people in their sixties and seventies, often with a couple of other health conditions. What I didn't expect when we started was how many of them would tell us they were frightened of exercise. They'd been told to take it easy for years, and suddenly a physio is asking them to get a bit out of breath. A lot of our early work is really about building confidence.
Interviewer: How do you do that?
Marcus Bell: We start where people are. For one person that might be walking to the letterbox and back. For another, it's a cycling class. Everything is supervised at first, and we use a simple scale so people can rate how hard they're working. Once they see they can push themselves a little without anything bad happening, attitudes change remarkably quickly.
Interviewer: Is there a minimum amount of time people need?
Marcus Bell: We aim for about four weeks, but even two can help. I'd much rather see someone for two weeks than not at all. The difficulty is that surgery dates often change at short notice, so we've had to make the program flexible. People can join at any point.
Interviewer: What about patients who can't get to the hospital?
Marcus Bell: That was a big problem early on, particularly for people in rural areas. We now offer a home version with video check-ins. I'll be honest, I was sceptical. I thought people would drop out. In fact, attendance has been almost as good as for the hospital sessions, although we do lose the social side. Patients in the group classes tend to motivate each other, and that's hard to recreate on a screen.
Interviewer: What results have you seen?
Marcus Bell: Our patients tell us they feel more in control, which matters a great deal. And the surgical team says people are getting out of bed sooner after their operations. I'd be cautious about claiming more than that from our own figures, because the people who sign up may be the more motivated patients to begin with.
Interviewer: If you could change one thing in the health system, what would it be?
Marcus Bell: I'd make the referral automatic. At the moment, it depends on whether a surgeon or a GP happens to think of it. If the moment someone was put on a surgical waiting list was also the moment they were offered prehab, we'd reach the people who need it most, not just the ones who ask.
Answer key (6 answers)
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | How does Marcus Bell describe prehabilitation? | B. preparation in several areas before an operation | 'Preparing people for surgery in the weeks before their operation'; it covers exercise, nutrition, stopping smoking, mood and expectations. |
| 38 | Why does he think prehabilitation is not yet standard everywhere? | A. The evidence for some operations is still limited. | 'It's strongest for some types of surgery… and we know less about others. So I understand why some hospitals want to see more before they invest.' He doesn't mention surgeons' beliefs (B). |
| 39 | What surprised him about the people who join the program? | B. Many of them were afraid of exercise. | 'What I didn't expect… was how many of them would tell us they were frightened of exercise.' 'What I didn't expect' signals the answer. |
| 40 | What is his view on how long people should take part? | C. A short program is better than none. | 'Even two can help. I'd much rather see someone for two weeks than not at all.' Four weeks is the aim, not the minimum (A); people 'can join at any point' (B). |
| 41 | How does he feel about the home version of the program? | A. He was doubtful at first, but attendance has been good. | 'I was sceptical. I thought people would drop out. In fact, attendance has been almost as good.' 'Almost as good' and the lost social side rule out B; he was wrong about drop-outs (C). |
| 42 | What change would he most like to see in the health system? | C. patients offered prehabilitation as soon as they are put on a waiting list | 'I'd make the referral automatic… the moment someone was put on a surgical waiting list.' He is cautious about his own figures (B). |
Frequently asked questions
How is OET Listening structured?
OET Listening takes about 40 minutes and has 42 questions in three parts. Part A has two health professional–patient consultations (about 5 minutes each), and you complete the professional's notes (12 gaps each). Part B has six short workplace extracts with one 3-option multiple-choice question each. Part C has two presentations or interviews (about 4–5 minutes each) with six 3-option multiple-choice questions each.
Is this an official OET test?
No. It's original OET-style practice material that we wrote. We're an independent website, not affiliated with or endorsed by OET. For official sample tests, visit oet.com.
Can I play the recordings more than once?
Not during the timed test. In the real test you hear each recording once, so our test plays each recording once too. After you finish, you can review every answer with an explanation.
Who reads the recordings?
Natural-sounding AI voices with American, British and Australian accents, so you get used to different speakers, as in the real test. The recordings are a little shorter than the real ones; the speed, the vocabulary and the question types are realistic.
Does spelling count in Part A?
OET says UK and US spellings are accepted and minor spelling variations may be accepted if the meaning is clear. To be safe, practise spelling common medical words correctly. Our marking accepts common variants but not misspellings.
Do you give an OET score for this test?
No. You get your practice points out of 42 with explanations. We don't convert them into an OET score or grade, because OET doesn't publish a conversion for practice material.
Found this useful? Buy us a coffee on Ko-fi to help keep English Coaching free.