OET Speaking samples · Updated 2026
OET Speaking sample role-plays: five worked scenarios across healthcare professions
The fastest way to internalise the OET Speaking format is to study the structure of role-play cards and rehearse the kind of language that scores well against the rubric. Each scenario below mirrors a real OET Speaking card — setting, candidate role, hidden patient cue, task bullets — followed by three strong sample phrases keyed to specific OET Speaking criteria.
How to read a role-play card
Every OET Speaking card follows the same skeleton. During the 3-minute prep, you read four pieces of information:
- Setting — where this conversation is happening and what's just preceded it. This drives the register.
- Your role — your professional position and what you've been asked to do. This is the perspective you speak from.
- Task bullets — four to six concrete things you need to address during the role-play. Strong candidates use these as a loose plan, not a rigid script.
- What you don't see — the patient persona, the patient's worries, and the patient's specific cues. You discover these through the conversation.
In the samples below, we've separated the patient cue out explicitly so you can see what the AI patient (or interlocutor) would be working from.
Sample 1 · Nursing
Reassuring a post-operative patient who is afraid to mobilise
Surgical ward, morning of day one after an open appendicectomy. The patient (45F) is sitting in bed, declining the physiotherapist's encouragement to walk to the bathroom.
You are the staff nurse looking after this patient. You believe early mobilisation is appropriate and want to support her to take her first walk safely.
She is worried that walking will tear her stitches and that the pain will be unbearable. She also feels light-headed and is worried about fainting.
- Acknowledge the patient's concerns about pain and the wound
- Explain in plain terms why early mobilisation is recommended
- Address the fear of fainting (orthostatic hypotension, plan for sitting first)
- Agree on a step-by-step plan for the first walk
- Confirm what pain relief is available before mobilising
"I can see this is making you anxious — that's completely understandable after surgery."
"The wound is held together internally as well as on the surface — gentle walking won't pull anything apart."
"Let's break it into three small steps: first sitting on the edge, then standing, then a few steps to the door."
Sample 2 · Medicine (GP)
Explaining a new diagnosis of essential hypertension
GP surgery follow-up. The patient (52M) attended a week ago after his employer's screening flagged a blood pressure of 162/96. He returns today after two further readings (158/94 and 160/92) and a normal urinalysis.
You are the GP. The patient has no other significant history apart from a sedentary job and being a current smoker. You want to confirm the diagnosis, discuss lifestyle changes, and suggest starting an antihypertensive medication.
He is shocked because he 'feels fine' and is worried about being on tablets for life. His father had a stroke at 60 — that's at the back of his mind.
- Confirm and explain the diagnosis clearly
- Explore what the patient already knows and what worries him most
- Discuss lifestyle changes (smoking, diet, activity) without lecturing
- Explain the role of medication and address the 'tablets for life' fear
- Agree on a follow-up plan and safety-net advice
"You mentioned your father — would you like to talk a bit about how that's affecting how you're feeling about this?"
"High blood pressure rarely causes symptoms — that's what makes it important to treat, not the other way around."
"I want us to make this decision together — it's your body and your routine we're changing."
Sample 3 · Physiotherapy
Post-knee-surgery rehabilitation plan
Outpatient physiotherapy department, two weeks after an elective right total knee replacement. The patient (68F) is using one elbow crutch and is keen to be 'back to normal' for her grandson's wedding in eight weeks.
You are the physiotherapist. Her current range of motion is 0–85 degrees, quadriceps strength is reduced, and she has some residual swelling. You need to set realistic expectations and agree a graded plan.
She is frustrated by how slow recovery feels and wants to dance at the wedding. She is also worried because her sister had a knee replacement that 'never came right'.
- Acknowledge how she's feeling about progress and her sister's experience
- Explain the typical recovery timeline in clear terms
- Set a realistic goal for the wedding event
- Outline the home exercise plan and pacing rules
- Agree on red flags that should prompt her to call you
"Your sister's experience is on your mind — let me explain what's different about modern knee replacements."
"I'll cover three things today: where you are now, where we want you for the wedding, and what we'll do between now and then."
"Dancing for a few songs is realistic at eight weeks — being on your feet for the whole evening probably isn't."
Sample 4 · Pharmacy
Counselling a patient starting metformin
Community pharmacy. The patient (47F) is collecting her first prescription for metformin 500mg twice daily after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes by her GP last week.
You are the pharmacist. The patient asks if she can have a quick word about the new tablets. You want to cover the essentials of safe and effective use.
She is anxious about gastrointestinal side-effects she's read about online and is unsure whether to take the tablets with food. She also asks if she can stop metformin once her blood sugar improves.
- Establish what she already knows about metformin
- Explain how to take it (timing, with food, dose escalation)
- Address gastrointestinal side-effects honestly without alarming her
- Talk about the long-term role of metformin in type 2 diabetes
- Agree what to do if she experiences problems and when to follow up
"Before I go through everything — what has the GP already told you about how to take these?"
"The stomach upset is common at first but usually settles within two weeks — taking it with food makes a real difference."
"You've clearly done some reading — that's great, let's go through the bits that matter for your day-to-day."
Sample 5 · Dentistry
Explaining a root canal treatment to an anxious patient
Dental surgery, after an emergency appointment last week for severe pain in tooth UR6. Radiographs confirm an irreversible pulpitis. The patient (34M) has returned for a planning consultation.
You are the dentist. You want to recommend root canal treatment over extraction, explain what's involved, and address the patient's anxiety about the procedure.
He is scared of the procedure — he's heard 'horror stories' from a friend — and is also worried about cost. He's asking whether extraction would be quicker and cheaper.
- Acknowledge his anxiety and prior concerns
- Briefly explain the cause of the pain in plain language
- Outline what root canal treatment involves and how it differs from extraction
- Address his concern about pain during the procedure
- Discuss aftercare and the cost/restoration plan
"It's very common to feel that way — I'll talk you through every step before we start anything."
"Modern root canal treatment is mostly numb the whole way through — the pain you're having now is the part we're actually fixing."
"Let's look at this in two parts: what's happening inside the tooth, then what your options are for putting it right."
How to use these samples to prepare
Don't memorise the strong sample phrases verbatim — examiners spot rehearsed lines instantly and that hurts your Appropriateness of Language score. Instead, use them as a calibration: read the criterion the phrase serves and ask yourself, "what would I say in my own voice that achieves the same thing?".
The most effective practice loop is short and repeated:
- Run the role-play under timed conditions (3-min prep, 5-min talk).
- Read the per-criterion feedback honestly.
- Run the same scenario again, targeting the lowest-scoring criterion.
- Move on to a different profession or clinical context.
OETgo's Speaking Coach automates the feedback step — you'll see your scores against all nine OET Speaking criteria within seconds of ending the session, plus the highest-impact rewrites to lift your weakest area.
Practise these scenarios with AI
One free correction on every new account. Voice or text input — both score the same way.
Create free accountFrequently asked questions
Are these the actual OET Speaking questions?
No. These are illustrative scenarios calibrated to the format and difficulty of recent OET Speaking sittings. Real OET role-play cards are not released publicly. The point of practising with sample scenarios is to internalise the format, not to memorise specific cards.
How are OET Speaking role-plays structured?
Every OET Speaking role-play card has a fixed structure: a setting (where the conversation happens), the candidate's role (you, in your healthcare profession), the patient persona (hidden from you in advance), and four to six task bullets covering what you need to do during the consultation. You read the card during the 3-minute prep, then the role-play runs for about 5 minutes.
Should I follow the task bullets in order?
Generally yes — they're sequenced to mirror a natural consultation flow — but the patient drives the conversation. If a task bullet says 'address the patient's concerns' and the patient brings up a concern in the second minute, deal with it then rather than waiting until the bullet's notional position. Examiners reward responsiveness over rote ordering.
How long should each candidate turn be?
Most strong candidates speak in turns of 15–30 seconds, occasionally up to a minute when explaining something complex. Long monologues without checking in with the patient hurt the Information Giving and Relationship Building scores.
Can I practise these role-plays with AI?
Yes. OETgo's Speaking Coach has curated cards for each profession with the same structure as these samples — setting, role, hidden patient persona, task bullets — and runs the role-play live with an AI patient that streams realistic replies. You'll get a 0–500 score and per-criterion feedback at the end.