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Monthly Archives: October 2024

October 20, 2024

Are you preparing for the OET exam and finding Part B of the listening module challenging? You’re not alone! Many candidates, especially non-native speakers, struggle with this section, given its fast-paced format and varying accents.

But don’t worry—Khaira Education, the best OET coaching center in Mohali and a leader in online OET training, is here to help. In this blog, we’ll explore essential tips that can make a significant difference in your OET Listening Part B performance, helping you achieve the scores you need.

Here are a  few tips that will help you get those desired exam scores.

Mature medical physician explaining treatment to nurses during healthcare seminar pointing at digital monitor. Clinic herapist discussing with colleagues about disease, medicine professional.

1. Make the most of those 15 seconds in Part B 

It might seem like 15 seconds is no time at all, but those 15 seconds can make or break the situation for you. So, what do you do in these 15 seconds before the audio starts? 

First, read the context sentence. Yes, we all know that the context sentence is already spoken in the audio, but reading it again can provide useful context before the audio even starts.

For example, if the context sentence says, ‘You hear a GP and his practice nurse discussing a vaccination program,’ you can gather a lot of information from it. 

You’ll know that there will be two speakers and that the GP is male, as it mentions ‘his practice nurse,’ indicating the nurse is likely female. You also know they will be discussing a vaccination program. So even before the audio plays, knowing what the speakers will talk about will activate relevant knowledge and vocabulary – priming your mind to recognize and understand key terms more quickly. 

2. Highlight the keywords:

Dentist showing teeth x-ray reviewing it with nusre. Doctor and assistant working in modern crowded stomatological clinic, patients sitting on chairs in reception filling in dental forms and waiting

As we have already established, using the 15 seconds wisely can be very helpful in grasping the fold of information as it unfolds once the audio plays. After we read the context sentence, we move on to the question, and while reading the question, we should highlight the keywords. What are these keywords?

For example, if the context sentence says, “You hear a surgeon and a patient talking about the impending surgery.’ your question asks, ‘What is the patient most concerned about?’, here our keywords should be ‘patient most concerned.’ Since we know we’ll be hearing a surgeon and a patient talking in the audio, your attention should be on the patient’s concern. So, highlighting ‘patient’ and ‘concerned’ will help you look for specific details when the audio plays. 

Another example can be when a context sentence says, ‘You hear a surgeon addressing a group of medical students about patient risk in emergency surgery.’ The question might be, ‘What is the surgeon trying to emphasize?’ Here, our keyword is ‘emphasize,’ not ‘the surgeon,’ because we know that the surgeon is the only speaker from our context sentence.

So, we won’t highlight ‘the surgeon’ as we did in the previous example, since we already know there’s only one speaker. Instead, we’re focused on what he is trying to emphasize in the audio.

3. Focus on the question, not the answer!

smiling young female doctor wearing medical robe and stethoscope sitting at desk with medical tools and laptop showing empty hand isolated on white background

The focus should always be on the question, not just the answer. For example, if the context says, ‘You hear part of a hospital management meeting where a concern is being discussed,’ and the question asks, ‘What is the committee most worried about?’, you need to pay attention to the words ‘most worried.’

The committee might be worried about many things, but you’re only looking for the main one. That means, all three options might come in the audio, but you need to focus on the main concern, not just any concern that gets mentioned in the answer options.

Another example could be when the context says, ‘You hear 2 doctors discussing a patient’s current condition,’ and the question asks, ‘What do they agree on about the treatment?’ The key here is the phrase ‘what do they agree on.’ The audio might mention things that one doctor wants to do but the other doctor doesn’t agree with, or the other way around.

If you focus only on the answer, you might end up picking the wrong one. So, you’ve got to focus on the question, which means you need to pick the answer that shows what both the doctors are on the same page about.

In short, don’t just match the words you hear—focus on the question and match the meaning.

Mastering OET Listening Part B doesn’t have to be daunting when you have the right guidance and strategies. At Khaira Education, we specialize in offering the best OET coaching in India, both online and in Mohali, to equip you with the skills to excel in every section of the OET exam. With focused preparation, attention to context, and strategic listening techniques, you can approach your OET exam with confidence. Ready to get started? 

Enroll in our OET training center near you or access OET online classes to boost your preparation!

October 8, 2024

Let’s face it—OET Speaking isn’t just about chatting with a patient; it’s about demonstrating you can communicate clearly, professionally, and effectively in English. But what if I told you that a few common mistakes could keep you from the score you deserve? 

Let’s dive into three pitfalls many candidates face and how to dodge them, with real-life examples to drive the point home.

1. Initiating all role-plays in the same way   

Many candidates assume all roleplays start the same way. Spoiler alert: they don’t! Each roleplay has unique cues; missing them can set the wrong tone from the get-go. The key to a great start is carefully reading the setting, the context sentence, and the first task. 

Let’s look at some examples

Example 1: The cue card context statement mentions that you’ve just finished examining the patient.

In this case, you wouldn’t begin with, “Hello, my name is Dr. Singh. How are you today?” because that introduction would have already happened before the examination. Instead, you might say, “Thank you for letting me examine you. I’d like to discuss your symptoms further / share the findings with you / explain what has caused your current symptoms.”

Example 2: The cue card indicates this is a follow-up appointment

Dentist showing teeth x-ray reviewing it with nusre. Doctor and assistant working in modern crowded stomatological clinic, patients sitting on chairs in reception filling in dental forms and waiting

Here, you wouldn’t ask for the patient’s name again, or say, “Nice to meet you.” You could jump straight into, “It’s good to see you again. How have you been feeling since our last appointment?”

You’ll become more professional and attentive by picking up on these subtle cues. And yes, this is exactly the kind of thing we drill at our OET coaching institutes in Chandigarh, ensuring you know how to handle every roleplay like a seasoned pro.

2. Grammar Slips – The Silent Score Killer

You’ve probably heard this before: grammar matters! But when you’re nervous, even the most basic grammar rules can slip. Trust me, we see this all the time during our OET exam training in Mohali. However, being mindful of these errors is what sets high scorers apart.

Bad Example:

“You have had a cold for how long?”

Here, the incorrect verb tense and word order disrupt the flow.

Good Example:

“How long have you had the cold?”

A quick tip? Practice speaking with someone who can give you constructive feedback. Even better, ask yourself “which is the best OET coaching near me?” (yes, that’s us!) – and join formal OET training where daily practice sessions help sharpen your fluency.

3. Structuring the Roleplay – Use Signposts, Don’t Get Lost!

Without structure, your roleplay can feel like a rambling conversation. A well-structured dialogue helps the patient (and most importantly, your examiners) follow along smoothly. This is where signposting comes into play—it’s all about guiding your listener from one point to another.

Signposting like this is a game-changer for clarity, and it’s one of the things we emphasize during our Best OET coaching in India. We make sure you know when and how to use these techniques to meet the clinical communication criteria.

Let’s compare these two examples 

Example 1 

* Nurse: “Good morning, Mr. Patel. My name is Nurse Gurleen, and I’ll be taking care of you today. First, I’d like to ask you a few questions about how you’ve been feeling lately, then we’ll discuss your treatment options. After that, I can answer any questions you may have. Does that sound alright?”

* Patient: “Yes, that sounds fine.”

* Nurse: “Great! Let’s start by talking about the pain you mentioned. Can you describe it for me?”

Example 2 

• Nurse: “Hello, Mr. Patel. I’m your nurse today. So, let’s get started. Tell me about your pain. Oh, and after that, I’ll explain the treatment options, but first, I might need to ask you about your symptoms.”

• Patient: “Um… okay, I guess?”

• Nurse: “Alright, let’s begin.”

The first example provides a structured, patient-centered conversation, while in the second example, the sequence of topics is confusing because the nurse jumps between different points and doesn’t check for understanding or ensure the patient feels comfortable.

Finding yourself thinking, “Where’s the best OET training centre near me to get more such lessons?” Our team specializes in helping candidates like you avoid these common mistakes, with tailored feedback and practice sessions. Don’t leave your OET Speaking score to chance—join us and master the exam!