What does the OET Writing task usually ask you to produce?

A profession-specific letter — most often a referral letter — written from a set of case notes in 45 minutes.

What is the core skill in OET Writing?

Selecting the information relevant to the letter's purpose and reader, not copying every note.

How should the referral letter be organised?

Opening (who and why), relevant background and current situation, a clear request or purpose, then a professional close.

What register should the letter use?

Formal and courteous — it's professional correspondence between health professionals.

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OET Writing: The Referral Letter

OET's profession-specific writing task — usually a referral letter from case notes — and how to select, organise and pitch it right.

The big picture

OET Writing (45 min)
- A letter from case notes — Usually a referral letter
- 5 min reading — Study the notes before writing
- Select relevant info — Include only what the reader needs
- Profession-specific — Matched to your field

One profession-specific letter

OET Writing gives you 45 minutes and a set of case notes from which you write a letter — most often a referral letter to another health professional. It's specific to your profession, so the scenario reflects your real practice, and you typically get about 5 minutes to read the notes first.

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Real example: A nurse might write a referral to a community team; a doctor a referral to a specialist — both start from case notes and turn them into a clear, purposeful letter.

🧠 Memory hook: 45 min, case notes → a referral letter for YOUR profession. Read the notes first.

Select — don't copy everything

The core skill is choosing the relevant information for the letter's purpose and reader, not transcribing every note. Include what the recipient needs to act, and leave out irrelevant history — over-including hurts your score.

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Real example: If you're referring a patient for physiotherapy, the recipient needs the relevant condition and current status — not unrelated childhood history. Select for the reader's purpose.

🧠 Memory hook: Select for the reader's purpose. Relevant in, irrelevant out — don't copy the notes.

Organise clearly with the right register

Structure the letter: opening (who and why), the relevant background and current situation, and a clear request or purpose, then a professional close. Keep the register formal and courteous — this is professional correspondence.

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Real example: 'I am writing to refer Mr X, a 68-year-old with… who requires…' — a clear purpose up front, organised background, and a specific request the reader can act on.

🧠 Memory hook: Purpose → background/current status → request → professional close. Formal register.

Rated on real-world criteria

OET Writing is judged on criteria like purpose, content, conciseness and clarity, genre and style, organisation, and language. Accurate grammar, spelling and a professional tone matter — leave time to check the letter before the 45 minutes end.

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Real example: A letter that's clear, correctly selects information and is grammatically clean scores well; one that's fluent but dumps every note or misjudges tone loses marks — reread before submitting.

🧠 Memory hook: Judged on purpose, content, clarity, style, organisation, language. Reread before time's up.

Frequently asked questions

What does the OET Writing task usually ask you to produce?: A profession-specific letter — most often a referral letter — written from a set of case notes in 45 minutes.
What is the core skill in OET Writing?: Selecting the information relevant to the letter's purpose and reader, not copying every note.
How should the referral letter be organised?: Opening (who and why), relevant background and current situation, a clear request or purpose, then a professional close.
What register should the letter use?: Formal and courteous — it's professional correspondence between health professionals.
On what criteria is OET Writing assessed?: Purpose, content, conciseness and clarity, genre and style, organisation, and language.

Keep going — free practice

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