The OET reading paper is widely considered the toughest section of the exam — but most candidates are not using the best resources to prepare for it. In this guide, we share five of the most effective free and paid resources available, along with practical activity ideas so you can get the most out of every study session.
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The reading paper tests a wide range of skills — skimming, scanning, understanding attitude and opinion, referencing, vocabulary in context, and paragraph comprehension. The resources below address all of these, and we have included specific activity ideas for each one so you know exactly what to do when you sit down to study.
The OET website should be your first stop. Under the Preparation section you will find sample tests (both computer-based and paper-based formats) as well as a dedicated reading area with overview videos, complete guides to Parts A, B and C, and a bank of blog posts on reading strategies.
The five downloadable paper-based practice tests are particularly valuable — but only if you use them strategically. Here is how to get more from them than a simple timed run-through:
Activity idea: Take a Part A text and scan for a specific term — for example, all mentions of wound or burn. Then move to a Part C text and map the paragraph structure: identify the topic sentence, the supporting point, the additional support, and any shifts in focus. This single paragraph can also be used for vocabulary development — pick five to ten words, look up their exact meaning, and consider the effect they have on the reader.
The Conversation publishes expert-authored articles on science, health, and medicine, written for a general but educated audience. The register and complexity sit very close to what you encounter in OET Part C, making it one of the most useful free resources available for advanced reading practice.
Activity idea — understanding attitude and opinion: Choose an article on a medical or health topic. Select two or three paragraphs and identify all the words or phrases that carry attitude or opinion — words like contentious, crisis, or frustration. For each one, ask yourself: what is the author’s position? Why have they chosen this word rather than a plainer alternative? Compare the original sentence with a rewritten version using neutral language and notice the difference in impact.
Activity idea — understanding referencing: In the same article, find every pronoun or referring phrase (it, this, these, his, their, such) and trace it back to its antecedent. This is a skill tested directly in OET Part C and is worth practising regularly.
The NHS Health A to Z covers conditions, symptoms, tests, treatments, and medicines in clearly structured sections. Because each condition page is divided into named sections (causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment), it mirrors the kind of text organisation you find in OET Part A, where locating specific information quickly is key.
Activity idea — scanning: Open any condition page and set a 10-second timer. Scan for all word forms of a specific term — for example, all forms of break (break, breaks, broken, fracture) on the osteoporosis page. Increase the challenge by scanning for two related terms simultaneously.
Activity idea — skimming for gist: Read only the first sentence of each section heading and write a one-line summary of what that section covers. Then check your summaries against the full section. This trains you to locate the right part of a text rapidly — an essential skill for Part A time management.
Tip: If you know a Part A question is about risk factors for a particular group, practise navigating directly to the relevant section rather than reading from the top. Speed and accuracy together are what the exam rewards.
Institutional and professional body websites are an underused resource for OET preparation. These organisations publish best practice documents, policies, guidelines, clinical standards, and professional codes — exactly the kind of texts you encounter in OET Part B.
UK examples include the British Medical Association (BMA), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). Similar bodies exist in Australia, the USA, Ireland, and other English-speaking countries. If you are preparing for a specific profession, focus on the relevant body for that field.
Activity idea — reading for gist (Part B): Find a policy or guidance document on a topic such as patient confidentiality or record sharing. Read it quickly to identify the overall purpose and intended audience without reading every word. This mirrors the gist-reading skill tested in Part B.
Activity idea — modal verb analysis: Within the same document, highlight every modal verb (must, should, may, might, can, could, shall) and consider what obligation, permission, or possibility it expresses. Professional documents use modals precisely, and recognising their function will help you answer Part B questions more accurately.
All four resources above are free and genuinely useful. But if you want a structured, step-by-step programme that takes you from preparation basics all the way to exam readiness, our own Reach OET B course brings everything together in one place.
The reading section of the course includes:
You can subscribe for one month or three months, and combine the course with one-to-one tuition if you want personalised feedback on your performance.
These free resources are powerful — but using them without a clear framework can slow your progress. Our Reach OET B course gives you a structured path through every part of the reading paper, with expert guidance on which skills to prioritise and when.
Here is a simple framework for using these five resources across your preparation:
Get a printable summary of all five resources, including the activity ideas from this guide. Fill in your details below and we will send it straight to your inbox.
Specialist Language Courses (SLC) are dedicated to helping healthcare professionals excel in the OET. Our expert-led courses focus on the specific language skills and test strategies needed to succeed. With personalised coaching, practice tests, and targeted exercises, we ensure you build the confidence and competence required for each OET sub-test. Join SLC to boost your chances of achieving the scores you need and advancing your healthcare career
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