OET Writing Scoring Criteria Explained
Since August 2018, OET writing is assessed across six criteria — Purpose, Content, Conciseness & Clarity, Genre & Style, Organisation & Layout, and Language — by trained assessors at CBLA (Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment), which owns the OET. Understanding exactly what each criterion measures is essential for targeted preparation and achieving Grade B (score of 350 or above). The OET is accepted by healthcare regulators in the UK (NMC, GMC), Australia (AHPRA), New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Dubai, and Ukraine.
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The 6 OET Writing Assessment Criteria
Each criterion is scored by two trained CBLA assessors — Purpose on a 0–3 band, the other five on 0–7. Your combined scores are scaled to a writing result from 0 to 500, reported as a grade from A to E.
1. Purpose
Is the reason for writing immediately clear? Does the opening establish why the letter is being sent and what the writer wants the reader to do?
2. Content
Is the necessary clinical information included and accurate? Has the writer selected the relevant case notes and left out what the reader does not need?
3. Conciseness & Clarity
Is the letter free of repetition and padding? Does every sentence carry new, relevant information that the reader can follow on a first read?
4. Genre & Style
Is the tone and register appropriate for professional healthcare correspondence and for this specific reader? Does it read as authentic clinical writing?
5. Organisation & Layout
Is information logically sequenced and well-paragraphed? Does the letter follow professional letter conventions (salutation, structure, sign-off)?
6. Language
Are grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation accurate and appropriate for the clinical context, with enough range to communicate precisely?
What Each Criterion Measures in Detail
The following breakdown is based on the official OET assessment criteria published by CBLA (Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment), which owns the OET. Based on our analysis of 11,000+ corrected letters, the criteria most candidates struggle with are Purpose, Content, and Genre & Style — not Language.
1 Purpose
This criterion assesses whether the reason for writing is immediately clear to the reader. The opening must establish why the letter is being sent and what the writer wants the reader to do — the single most common point of failure in OET letters.
2 Content
This criterion measures whether the right clinical information has been selected from the case notes and reported accurately. It assesses the candidate's judgment about what the reader needs to know — including what to leave out.
3 Conciseness & Clarity
This criterion assesses whether information is communicated efficiently and unambiguously. A strong letter has no repetition or padding, and every sentence is clear on a first read. Courtesy filler and repeated points lower the score here.
4 Genre & Style
This criterion evaluates whether the tone, register, and conventions match professional healthcare correspondence and the specific reader. It goes beyond grammar to assess whether the letter reads as authentic clinical writing.
5 Organisation & Layout
This criterion assesses how the letter is structured and sequenced. A well-organised letter guides the reader logically from the purpose through the supporting detail to the closing request, using clear paragraphing and professional letter conventions.
6 Language
This criterion assesses the accuracy and range of grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation. Since August 2018 it combines the earlier grammar/cohesion and vocabulary areas into a single criterion covering all language control.
What Grade B Requires in Each Area
Grade B (score of 350) is the minimum accepted by most healthcare regulatory bodies, including the NMC, GMC, and AHPRA. To achieve it, candidates need consistently strong scores across all six criteria — there is no single area you can afford to neglect.
Purpose
The reason for writing is clear from the opening. The reader can immediately tell what is being requested and why, with no vague or generic introduction.
Content
Case notes are accurately interpreted and the relevant information is selected for the reader. No significant factual errors or critical omissions.
Conciseness & Clarity
The letter is focused, with at most minor redundancy. Information is communicated clearly without repetition or courtesy padding.
Genre & Style
Tone and register are consistently professional and appropriate for the reader. Minor lapses in style do not impede communication.
Organisation & Layout
The letter follows a logical structure with clear paragraphing. Layout conventions are observed and information flows naturally from opening to closing.
Language
Grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation are generally accurate with good control. Minor errors do not impede meaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is OET writing scored?
Since August 2018, OET writing is scored across six criteria — Purpose, Content, Conciseness & Clarity, Genre & Style, Organisation & Layout, and Language — by trained CBLA assessors. Purpose is scored 0–3 and the other five 0–7; scores are scaled to a writing result from 0 to 500, reported as a grade from A (highest) to E (lowest).
What score do I need for Grade B in OET writing?
Grade B corresponds to a score of 350 out of 500. It requires consistently strong performance across all six criteria — a weakness in any single area can pull the overall result below 350.
Which OET writing criterion is the hardest to score well on?
Based on 11,000+ corrected letters, candidates struggle most with Purpose, Content, and Genre & Style — not Language. These assess clinical communication judgment that goes beyond general English proficiency.
Are all six OET writing criteria weighted equally?
Not quite — five criteria are each scored 0–7, while Purpose is scored 0–3, so it carries slightly less weight. All six still matter: a weakness in any single area can pull your overall result below Grade B.
Get Scored on All 6 Criteria
Our professional OET correctors assess your letters against all six official criteria and provide specific, actionable feedback to help you improve where it matters most.