OET Writing guide
OET Writing criteria explained
Your OET letter is marked against six criteria. Knowing exactly what each one rewards is the fastest way to move from a C+ to a B, because most lost marks come from a handful of predictable habits, not from grammar alone.
The six criteria at a glance
| Criterion | Scored out of | The question the assessor asks |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | 3 | Can the reader tell immediately why you are writing and what you want them to do? |
| Content | 7 | Did you choose the case notes this reader needs, and report them accurately? |
| Conciseness & Clarity | 7 | Is the information summarised so the reader can absorb it quickly? |
| Genre & Style | 7 | Is the tone, register and use of medical language right for this reader? |
| Organisation & Layout | 7 | Is the letter logically ordered, well paragraphed and in accepted letter format? |
| Language | 7 | Are grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation accurate enough not to distract? |
Always check the latest assessment criteria published by the test owner before your exam. This guide is an independent summary.
1. Purpose
Purpose has the smallest maximum, but it shapes how the whole letter reads. The reader, often a busy GP or community nurse, should know within the first two sentences why the letter exists and what is expected of them.
- Gains marks: "I am writing to refer Mr Menon, who was discharged today following treatment for pneumonia, for home visits to monitor his blood glucose and recovery."
- Loses marks: "I am writing about Mr Menon who was in our ward." The reader still does not know what action is needed.
Expand the purpose later in the letter too: the closing paragraph should restate the specific requests.
2. Content
Content is about selection, not volume. Case notes deliberately include details the reader does not need. Copying everything is one of the most common reasons for a low Content score.
- Keep what the reader must act on: current condition, medications that changed, risks, and the follow-up plan.
- Cut background that does not affect care, such as hobbies or distant history, unless it changes what the reader should do.
- Check every number, dose and date against the notes. An accurate but incomplete letter beats a complete but wrong one.
3. Conciseness & Clarity
Assessors reward letters that summarise. Group related points, turn lists of observations into one clear sentence, and avoid repeating information.
- Before: "On 04/09 he was afebrile. On 04/09 oxygen was weaned. SpO2 was 95% on air."
- After: "By day three his fever had resolved and he no longer required oxygen."
4. Genre & Style
Write as one health professional to another. Keep a polite, factual, professional tone. Adjust technical language to the reader: a specialist can take clinical abbreviations, a patient's family member cannot.
- Avoid note form, text-message abbreviations and emotional language.
- Avoid over-familiar openings such as "Hope you are well".
- Use full sentences, with standard medical abbreviations only when the reader will understand them.
5. Organisation & Layout
A strong letter follows a predictable structure: recipient details, date, salutation, a subject line, an opening paragraph with the purpose, body paragraphs grouped by topic, a closing request, and a sign-off. See our OET letter format guide for a full template.
6. Language
Language errors only cost heavily when they interfere with meaning or are frequent. Tense consistency, articles and sentence boundaries are the usual problems. Read your letter once only for grammar before submitting.
Frequently asked questions
Which OET Writing criterion is most important?
Content, Conciseness & Clarity, Genre & Style, Organisation & Layout and Language are each scored out of 7, and Purpose out of 3. In practice Purpose and Content affect how assessors read the rest of the letter, so fix those first.
Is grammar the main reason people fail OET Writing?
Usually not. Many candidates with good grammar lose marks for copying irrelevant case notes, not stating the purpose early, or writing in the wrong tone for the reader.
Can I check my letter against the criteria for free?
Yes. The LetterScore AI checker gives an estimated score for each of the six criteria with quoted evidence from your letter. It is a practice estimate, not an official result.