OET Writing Sample Band 350: Annotated Referral Letter

oet writing sample band 350 examples are useful because they show the difference between an average script and a clear Grade B referral letter. In this guide, you will see an original anonymised case-notes brief, a model Nurse-to-Social Worker letter, and a paragraph-by-paragraph annotation mapped to the six OET writing criteria. You will also compare a weaker band-300 opening so you can see exactly what lifts a letter into Grade B territory under the 2026 OET marking conventions.

What does an OET writing sample band 350 actually show?

A band-350 OET writing sample is best understood as a Grade B response: effective, mostly accurate, and clearly fit for professional communication. It is not a perfect letter, but it meets the reader’s needs quickly and with enough precision to support safe action.

For healthcare professionals preparing for OET, this matters because the exam does not reward every detail from the notes. It rewards selection, prioritisation, and clarity. Dr Mariam’s team, after personally marking 11,000+ letters, sees the same pattern repeatedly: candidates often know the language, but lose marks by burying the purpose, overloading the body, or writing too much background.

Under the 2026 OET marking conventions, Purpose and Content continue to carry major weight and are applied strictly. That means a Grade B script usually states the referral reason in the first sentence, uses only relevant clinical and social details, and keeps the tone professional throughout.

Full anonymised case-notes brief

Below is an original, anonymised case-notes brief created for teaching purposes. It is not a real CBLA past paper and does not reproduce any protected OET material.

Patient: Ms N. Ahmed, 78, widowed, lives alone in a ground-floor council flat.

Admitted: Falls assessment unit, 12 June.

Background: Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, mild hearing loss. Daughter lives 90 minutes away and visits weekly. Community support previously declined.

Current issues: Two falls in past month, one at night when going to the bathroom. Bruising to left hip, no fracture. Mobility reduced due to knee pain and fear of falling. Uses a walking frame indoors, but forgets it at times. Reports difficulty bathing, preparing meals, and managing shopping.

Psychosocial: Low mood since husband’s death 8 months ago. Tearful on ward. Has stopped attending mosque because she feels unsafe outdoors. Expressed worry about “being a burden”.

Hospital progress: Medically stable, physiotherapy recommends home safety review and community support. Occupational therapist suggests grab rails, shower chair, meal delivery assessment, and falls-prevention follow-up.

Task: Write a referral letter to the social worker requesting assessment of home support and practical assistance after discharge.

Grade B model letter

Dear Social Worker,

Re: Ms N. Ahmed, 78 years

I am writing to refer Ms Ahmed, who has had two recent falls and is struggling to manage safely at home following admission to our falls assessment unit.

Ms Ahmed lives alone in a ground-floor flat and has reduced mobility due to knee osteoarthritis and fear of falling. She uses a walking frame indoors but sometimes forgets it. She has also reported difficulty bathing, preparing meals and shopping, which is concerning given that she is widowed and has limited family support, as her daughter visits only weekly.

In addition, Ms Ahmed has been tearful and low in mood since her husband’s death 8 months ago. She has stopped attending mosque because she feels unsafe outdoors and worries about being a burden. Although she is medically stable, physiotherapy and occupational therapy have recommended a home safety review, grab rails, a shower chair, meal support and follow-up falls-prevention input.

I would be grateful if you could assess her for practical home assistance and any further social support before discharge.

Yours sincerely,

Nurse Patel

Why this letter scores as Grade B

This letter performs well because it gives the reader the main reason for referral immediately and then supports that purpose with only the most relevant details. The first paragraph makes the task clear: the patient has fallen and cannot manage safely at home. That is exactly what the social worker needs to know first.

It also uses appropriate genre and style. The tone is formal, the salutation and closing are correct, and the letter is written as a professional referral rather than a case summary. Conciseness is strong because the writer does not retell every note; instead, they select details that explain the social need.

Dr Mariam’s team often reminds candidates that Grade B writing is usually not “more words” but “better chosen words”. In the 2026 OET marking conventions, a script like this benefits from clear Purpose and highly relevant Content, even if there are minor language imperfections. The overall communication is efficient and safe, which is the key Grade B standard.

Paragraph-by-paragraph annotation against the 6 OET criteria

Paragraph 1 earns strong marks for Purpose because it states the referral reason immediately. It also supports Content by naming the two falls and linking them to unsafe self-care at home. For Conciseness and Clarity, the sentence is tight and does not waste space on background that the social worker does not need yet.

Paragraph 2 strengthens Content by focusing on practical barriers: mobility, bathing, meals, shopping, and limited support. This is the kind of information a social worker can act on. Organisation and Layout are also effective because the details follow a logical order from living situation to functional difficulties.

Paragraph 3 adds important psychosocial context without drifting away from the task. It is relevant because low mood, isolation, and safety concerns affect discharge planning. Paragraph 4 closes with a clear request, which reinforces Purpose. Language is mostly accurate and controlled throughout, with vocabulary that is professional and easy to follow. In Dr Mariam’s 11,000+ letters of experience, this combination is typical of a solid Grade B script: targeted, coherent, and practical.

What would a band-300 version of paragraph 1 look like?

A band-300 opening often delays the purpose, adds too much background, or sounds like a general case summary rather than a referral. For example:

“I am writing about Ms Ahmed, who is a 78-year-old widow admitted on 12 June. She has a history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and osteoarthritis. She has been living alone in a flat and has some difficulties. During admission, she has been reviewed by staff and various issues were discussed.”

This version is weaker because the reader still does not know why the letter is being written. The purpose is buried, and the details are not yet selected for relevance. Under the 2026 OET marking approach, that can damage Purpose and Content quickly. A Grade B paragraph should say the patient has fallen, why that matters, and why the recipient is being contacted. That directness is what lifts the script above band 300.

Band 350 versus band 300: what changed?

The difference between band 300 and band 350 is usually not dramatic grammar perfection. It is mainly about control of purpose, relevance, and structure. The table below shows how the two versions differ in ways that affect the OET criteria.

Dr Mariam’s team sees this pattern often in correction work: candidates at band 300 may have useful notes, but they present them in a way that forces the reader to search for the point. At band 350, the reader can act immediately. That is the practical marker of Grade B writing. The strongest scripts think like the recipient: what must they know, why do they need it now, and what action is requested?

Band 300 vs band 350 in the opening paragraph

Related OET resources

• More Grade B sample letters
• Common mistakes by profession
• Check your own letter
• Send to a real examiner

A well-written oet writing sample band 350 is not long or dramatic; it is precise, relevant, and easy for the recipient to use. If you want to move beyond theory, practise the same structure with a new case note and compare your draft with a corrected Grade B model. You can also send a letter for professional correction to see exactly how Dr Mariam’s team would raise your score.