OET Listening Part A is worth over 50% of your total Listening marks — and most candidates lose points not because their English isn’t good enough, but because they’re listening for the wrong thing. In this lesson, SLC tutor Jo shares two practical skills that will change how you approach Part A and help you follow the audio with confidence, even when the language in the notes looks nothing like what you hear.
In this video, SLC tutor Jo walks you through the two skills that make the biggest difference in OET Listening Part A: signposting and paraphrasing. Using a real OET sample extract, she shows you exactly how to follow the audio, spot when an answer is coming, and connect what you hear to the note on the question paper.
In the video, Jo covers:
Read on for a full written summary of everything covered in the lesson.
In OET Listening Part A, you hear two consultation extracts — each featuring a health professional and a patient. While you listen, you complete a set of consultation notes by filling in 24 gaps with a word or short phrase. You hear each extract once only, with no second chances to go back.
Because Part A accounts for more than half of the total Listening marks, performing well here makes a significant difference to your overall Listening score. That means having a clear strategy before the audio begins is not optional — it is essential.
Your answers should always be the exact words you hear in the audio. Do not paraphrase your answers — write what is actually said.
Before the audio starts, you have a 30-second preparation pause. Use every second of it. Read through all the notes, and for each gap, predict what kind of word or phrase is needed — is it a number, a symptom, a location, a medication? The more prepared you are, the easier it is to listen actively rather than reactively.
While you listen, focus on meaning rather than waiting for specific words to appear. And keep moving — if you miss a gap, do not freeze. The notes you already have can help you get back on track.
Two skills sit at the heart of Listening A: signposting and paraphrasing.
Signposting means recognising the phrases and cues that tell you an answer is coming. Speakers do not simply say the answer out of nowhere — they lead up to it. If you learn to spot those lead-up phrases, you will rarely miss a gap.
The health professional’s questions are the most obvious signposts. They shift the conversation from one topic to the next, and when you hear a question, you know a new section of the notes is about to be addressed. But signposting also happens within the patient’s speech — there are signals that you nead to notice to know that an answer is about to land.
It also helps to pay attention to the information already given in the notes. These anchor points — the words and phrases that are printed for you — are paraphrased somewhere in the audio, and when you hear them, they tell you exactly where you are. Following these given notes means you never lose your place, even in a fast-moving extract.
The notes show “stomach feels ___ soon after starting meals.” In the audio, the patient says “I get full so quickly, before I’m even halfway finished.” The phrase “before I’m even halfway” is the phrase which signals a link to the gap — it confirms the answer is full.
The notes in Part A are usually written in more formal, clinical language. The audio is usually more informal, conversational speech. This gap between written and spoken language is deliberate, and understanding it is one of the most important skills you can develop for this part of the test.
The key principle is this: what you read is not always what you hear, but what you write is always exactly what you hear. The words surrounding the gap — the trigger language — will be paraphrased in the audio. Your job is to recognise the paraphrase so you know when the answer is close. The answer itself, however, should always be written down exactly as it is spoken.
In the Vincent Sykes extract, this pattern appears throughout. “Loss of weight” in the notes becomes “I’ve lost a bit of weight, my clothes have felt looser” in the audio. “Extreme fatigue” becomes “I’m incredibly tired… I just feel shattered.” “Pain in stomach areas spreading to back” becomes “there’s definitely a pain here, around my stomach and going round to my back.” The meaning is the same — the wording is completely different. Once you train yourself to hear the idea rather than wait for the printed word, the answers become much easier to catch.
Spotting the paraphrase of the trigger words is what puts the answer in reach. If you can bridge the gap between formal written language and informal spoken language, Part A becomes a much more manageable task.
The best way to get comfortable with signposting and paraphrasing is to expose yourself to real medical conversations regularly, not just during OET practice sessions. When you work through OET sample tests, use the transcripts to go back and identify the signposting phrases and paraphrases you noticed — and the ones you missed. Over time, you will start to hear them instinctively.
Documentaries and observational programmes featuring real clinical consultations are also genuinely useful. Shows such as GPs: Behind Closed Doors and 24 Hours in A&E feature natural, fast speech in medical settings — exactly the kind of language you will encounter in the OET Listening test. Watching with attention to how topics shift and how speakers lead into new information is valuable listening practice that does not feel like studying.
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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