How often is each OET Listening recording played?

Once. In practice, play each recording once and answer before you check anything; replay it afterwards only to review what you missed.

How long is the Listening sub-test?

About 40 minutes, according to the OET Test Handbook 2026.

What is in Listening Parts A, B and C?

Part A has 2 consultations and 24 note-completion gaps. Part B has 6 short workplace recordings with one 3-option question each. Part C has 2 presentations or interviews with six 3-option questions each.

Where can you find a Listening practice test with a transcript?

OET's free sample tests include audio, transcripts and sample answers. OET also sells Listening Sample Test eBooks; the Sample Test 2 eBook includes audio, transcripts and explained answers.

OET Listening: the 3 parts, timing and one-play rule

Verified on 9 October 2026.

You hear each OET Listening recording once, and the whole sub-test takes about 40 minutes. There are 3 parts and 42 questions, and Listening is the same for every profession. OET Test Handbook 2026.

By OETify editorial team.

Part	What you hear	Questions	What it tests
A	2 consultations between a health professional and a patient	24 note-completion gaps, 12 for each consultation	Picking out specific information and writing it down
B	6 short recordings from healthcare workplaces	6 questions, one 3-option question for each recording	Detail, purpose, main ideas, attitude, opinion and the action someone should take
C	2 presentations or interviews	12 questions, six 3-option questions for each recording	Main ideas, the speaker’s argument, attitudes and opinions

The handbook gives about 40 minutes for the whole sub-test and no separate time for each part, so the recordings set the pace.

One play only: what that means for practice

Because you get one hearing, you cannot wait for a second chance to catch a missed word. Before each Part A recording, read the notes so you know which details to listen for. While it plays, write short answers and keep moving; if you miss a gap, leave it and listen for the next one.

In practice, play each recording once and finish your answers before you check anything. Only then replay it, with the transcript open, to find the exact words you missed. That replay is for review; it is not how the test works.

Try a Part A note

Written by OETify for practice; the patient is made up. There is no recording for this short example, so read the transcript once and fill the gap as if you had heard it.

Complete the note: Patient has difficulty remembering the ______.

Read the transcript

Healthcare professional: What has been difficult since returning home?

Patient: Reading the care leaflet is fine. The difficulty is remembering the appointment time. The appointment card is still in the hospital bag.

Write your answer before you open the explanation.

Check the answer

The answer is appointment time. That is the detail the patient says they cannot remember.

“Appointment” alone loses the time, which is the part that matters. “Hospital bag” is where the card is, not what the patient forgets.

The patient says the care leaflet is fine, so “care leaflet” turns something they can manage into the problem.

In the real test, the wrong answers often sound close to the right one. Listen for the word that changes the meaning: here, “fine” rules out the leaflet and “remembering” points to the time.

Spelling and marks

Each correct answer earns 1 mark, and a wrong answer costs you nothing, so write something in every gap. In Part A, OET’s 2024 Teachers Handbook says minor spelling variants may be accepted if your meaning is clear. That is not a promise that spelling is ignored, so practise spelling common healthcare words. OET Test Teachers Handbook 2024.

OET says candidates who get a B in Listening typically score 30 or more out of 42. That is a typical figure, not a pass mark, and OET publishes no table that turns marks into scores. OET results and scoring. The OET score guide explains how grades and scores fit together.

Where to find official audio

OET’s free sample tests come with audio, transcripts and sample answers, for both paper and computer formats. On paper you write your Listening answers by hand; on computer you type them, so practise the way you will sit the test. OET Test Handbook 2026; OET Test Teachers Handbook 2024.

OET’s Listening preparation page has a Part A lesson and guided practice with a sample test. If you want more, the OET Store sells Listening Sample Test eBooks; the Sample Test 2 eBook includes audio, transcripts and explained answers.

Practise with OETify

Listening is coming to the baseline and practice soon. Today the free baseline covers Reading, Writing and live Speaking, so you can find out which of those to work on while you practise Listening with the official samples. Read about the test formats before you choose paper or computer samples.

OETify is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OET.

Common questions

How often is each OET Listening recording played?: Once. In practice, play each recording once and answer before you check anything; replay it afterwards only to review what you missed.
How long is the Listening sub-test?: About 40 minutes, according to the OET Test Handbook 2026.
What is in Listening Parts A, B and C?: Part A has 2 consultations and 24 note-completion gaps. Part B has 6 short workplace recordings with one 3-option question each. Part C has 2 presentations or interviews with six 3-option questions each.
Are spelling mistakes accepted in Listening Part A?: Sometimes. OET's 2024 Teachers Handbook says minor spelling variants may be accepted if your meaning is clear. That is not a promise that spelling is ignored, so practise spelling common healthcare words.
Where can you find a Listening practice test with a transcript?: OET's free sample tests include audio, transcripts and sample answers. OET also sells Listening Sample Test eBooks; the Sample Test 2 eBook includes audio, transcripts and explained answers.

OET Listening: what each part tests and how to practise