OET Writing guide (lay reader)
OET letter to a patient, parent or carer
Most OET letters go to another health professional, but some tasks ask you to write to the patient, a parent or a carer instead. The clinical facts may be simple; the difficulty is the reader. This guide explains when a lay reader is likely, how the register changes, and works through an original practice task with a model letter and a selection table.
When is the reader a patient or carer?
OET describes the Writing task as a profession-specific document such as a letter of referral, advice, transfer or discharge. Its criteria guidance also recognises that the reader may sometimes be the patient, in which case the wording needs to suit a non-specialist. In our taxonomy this is an advice or information letter: its purpose is to tell someone without clinical training what to do, what to watch for and when to seek help.
Which candidates meet this kind of task most often is a matter of general OET teaching practice rather than an official list, so treat the table below as a guide only.
| Profession | Possible lay readers (teaching practice) |
|---|---|
| Nursing | A patient or parent, occasionally; most nursing tasks still go to nurses, GPs or care facilities |
| Pharmacy | A patient or carer, for example advice about a new or changed medicine |
| Dietetics | A patient or carer |
| Speech Pathology | A parent, or a teacher at the child's school |
| Occupational Therapy | An employer or school, as well as professional readers |
| Physiotherapy | An employer or workplace, alongside the usual professional readers |
| Veterinary Science | The animal's owner or a farm manager |
For medicine, typical tasks are referrals, discharges and transfers to other professionals. Still, the register skills on this page help any candidate whose letter goes to a reader outside their own specialty.
How the register changes for a lay reader
Genre & Style looks at whether your tone, technical language and abbreviations suit the reader. For a patient or carer that means:
- Everyday words for clinical terms. "Swelling of the lips", not "angio-oedema"; "a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis", not "anaphylaxis" on its own. If the reader needs a medical term (because they will hear it again), give it once with a short explanation.
- No abbreviations. Not even common ones such as GP or ED unless you are confident the reader uses them. Write "your family doctor" or "the emergency department".
- Actions, not observations. A professional reader can infer what to do from "SpO2 94%". A parent cannot. Tell them what to do and, briefly, why.
- Short sentences and direct address. "Please keep both pens with Leo at all times" is clearer than "It is advisable that the auto-injectors be carried".
- Polite and warm, never casual. No contractions, no "Hi", no exclamation marks. Acknowledge worry briefly if the notes mention it, then move on to practical advice.
- Fewer numbers. Keep the numbers the reader must act on (a dose, an appointment date and time). Leave out observations and results they cannot interpret.
Original practice task
These notes are fictional and written for practice. Read them for five minutes, then decide what a worried parent needs to know.
NURSING — WRITING TASK (practice) Time allowed: Reading time 5 minutes, Writing time 40 minutes Notes: Today's date: 14/10/2026 You are a registered nurse on the Children's Ward, Riverside General Hospital, 2 Mill Road, Ashby. Patient: Leo Brennan, DOB 03/03/2019 (7 yrs), wt 23 kg Social background: - Lives with mother (Ms Aoife Brennan) and sister (10 yrs) - Mother works shifts at a supermarket - Year 3, Hillside Primary School. Football on Saturdays - Family has a pet rabbit Medical history: - Mild eczema since infancy, emollient BD - Tonsillitis 2024. Immunisations up to date - No previous allergic reactions known Admission 13/10/2026: - At a friend's party, ate biscuit containing peanut - Within 10 min: lip swelling, hives, cough, wheeze, vomited x1 - IM adrenaline given by paramedics. Cetirizine in ED - Observed overnight. Obs stable. No further symptoms - Dx: anaphylaxis, suspected peanut allergy Discharge 14/10/2026: - 2 x adrenaline auto-injectors (0.15 mg) prescribed - Mother shown use with trainer pen; demonstrated correctly - Strict avoidance of peanuts and "may contain peanuts" foods - Cetirizine liquid 5 mg for mild symptoms (itchy rash/hives only) - Emergency plan: breathing difficulty, wheeze, persistent cough, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, pale/floppy -> give pen, call ambulance, say "anaphylaxis", lie flat (sit if breathless), 2nd pen after 5 min if no improvement - Written allergy action plan given; copy needed for school - Paediatric allergy clinic: 18/11/2026, 10:30, Outpatients. Bring both pens - Mother very anxious; asked whether rabbit could cause reactions - GP informed by separate letter Writing Task: Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Ms Aoife Brennan, 27 Linden Close, Ashby, giving her written advice on caring for Leo at home following his discharge. In your answer: - Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences - Do not use note form - Use letter format The body of the letter should be approximately 180–200 words.
Model letter
Ms Aoife Brennan 27 Linden Close Ashby 14 October 2026 Dear Ms Brennan, Re: Caring for Leo at home after his allergic reaction I am writing to give you, in writing, the advice we discussed before Leo went home today, so that you can refer to it whenever you need to. As you know, Leo had a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, after eating a biscuit that contained peanuts. He recovered well and has had no further symptoms. From now on, he must not eat peanuts or any food labelled "may contain peanuts". Please check labels carefully and tell other adults who look after him about his allergy. Leo has two adrenaline pens, which should be with him at all times. If he only has an itchy rash, you can give him 5 mg of cetirizine liquid. However, if he has difficulty breathing, wheezing, a hoarse voice or trouble swallowing, or becomes pale and floppy, use a pen immediately and call an ambulance, saying "anaphylaxis". Lay him flat, or let him sit up if he is breathless. If he is no better after five minutes, use the second pen. Please give the school a copy of his allergy action plan. Leo's appointment at the children's allergy clinic is on 18 November at 10.30 am; please bring both pens. Yours sincerely, Priya Shah Registered Nurse Children's Ward, Riverside General Hospital
What the model does well
- The purpose is personal and clear. The reader knows at once that this is written advice to keep and use.
- The one medical term she needs is explained. "Anaphylaxis" is the word she must say to the ambulance service, so it is kept and explained.
- Mild and severe symptoms are clearly separated, each with its own action. This is the information most likely to be needed in a hurry.
- Hospital details are left out. Observations, the paramedic dose and the overnight stay are things the mother already knows or cannot use.
- The close is practical: school action plan, appointment date and time, and what to bring.
Content selection table
| Case note | Decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Anaphylaxis after peanut biscuit | Include (plain words) | The reason for all the advice; one sentence is enough because she was there. |
| Symptoms on 13/10, paramedic adrenaline, ED cetirizine | Omit or summarise | She witnessed this; it does not change what she does now. |
| Observations stable overnight | Omit | Clinical detail a parent cannot use. "Recovered well" covers it. |
| Peanut and "may contain" avoidance | Include | The main way to prevent another reaction. |
| Two auto-injectors, carry at all times | Include | Essential safety instruction. |
| Pen dose 0.15 mg; mother's trainer-pen demonstration | Omit or brief | The dose is on the device; she has already been taught how to use it. |
| Cetirizine 5 mg for rash only | Include | She needs to know when an antihistamine is enough. |
| Emergency signs and steps | Include in full, plain language | The most important paragraph of the letter. |
| Action plan copy for school | Include | A task she must complete. |
| Allergy clinic appointment, bring pens | Include exactly | Date and time must be accurate. |
| Eczema, emollient, tonsillitis, immunisations | Omit | Unrelated to the advice. |
| Sister, mother's shifts, football | Omit | Do not change the instructions; "other adults who look after him" covers carers. |
| Question about the rabbit | Omit | A distractor; the notes give no advice to pass on. |
| Mother's anxiety | Optional | A brief, reassuring tone handles it; it need not be stated. |
| GP informed separately | Optional | Low priority for the reader. |
This selection is a guide, not an official answer key. Other reasonable choices are possible if they suit the reader and keep essential information accurate.
Common mistakes in letters to lay readers
Writing as if to a colleague
"Leo had an anaphylactic reaction with urticaria and bronchospasm and received IM adrenaline" is accurate but not written for a parent. This affects Genre & Style and can also affect Content, because the reader may not understand what to do.
Copying the hospital story
The lay reader usually lived through the admission. A paragraph retelling it uses words you need for advice. See the word count guide for how to keep the body near 180–200 words.
Instructions without a trigger
"Use the pen in an emergency" leaves the reader guessing what counts as an emergency. Name the signs, then the action.
Over-simplifying into vagueness
Plain language is not the same as less precision. Keep exact doses, dates and times. "Come back in a few weeks" is a Content error if the notes give a date.
A cold or overly emotional tone
One reassuring phrase ("He recovered well") is enough. Long expressions of sympathy or "Don't worry!" are out of place in a formal letter.
A quick check before you finish
- Could a reader with no clinical training follow every sentence?
- Is every technical term either replaced or explained once?
- Does each paragraph tell the reader what to do?
- Are all doses, dates and times copied accurately?
- Is the letter still formal: no contractions, no casual greetings?
You can paste this task and your own letter into the free checker to get estimated scores for each criterion. The estimates are a practice aid, not an official OET result.
Frequently asked questions
Can the OET Writing reader be a patient or carer?
Yes, sometimes. OET describes Writing tasks such as letters of referral, advice, transfer or discharge, and its criteria guidance recognises that the reader may be the patient. Most tasks are still written to health professionals.
Should I use medical terms in a letter to a patient?
Use everyday words wherever possible. If the reader needs a medical term, for example to tell the ambulance service, give it once with a short plain explanation.
Are abbreviations allowed in a letter to a carer?
Avoid them. Abbreviations that are routine for clinicians, such as GP, ED or BD, may not be clear to a lay reader. Write the words in full or use an everyday phrase.
Is this an official OET task?
No. The patient, family and notes are fictional and were written by LetterScore AI for practice. Use official OET preparation materials for authentic sample tasks.