Jobins Training · Free OET Practice
Speech Pathology: practise your professional communication.
One full Writing task and one paired Speaking role play, with models, reasoning and a second attempt.
No registrationOriginal practiceModels explainedWriting · Full-length task
Continuing support for a child who stammers
Attempt the task before opening the model. Use the five-minute reading period to study the notes and task without writing or marking them; write your letter during the following 40 minutes.
Jobins Training · Original OET practice
- WRITING SUB-TEST:
- SPEECH PATHOLOGY
- TIME ALLOWED:
- READING TIME: 5 MINUTES
WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES
Read the case notes and complete the writing task below.
Notes:
Assume that today’s date is 6 November 2026.
Milo Fraser, aged 8, receives care from the child communication service where you are his speech pathologist.
- Service:
- Westbridge Child Communication Service, 18 School Lane, Westbridge
PATIENT DETAILS:
- Name:
- Milo Fraser
- Date of birth:
- 25 Feb 2018 (8 years)
- New residence:
- 3 Rosebank Way, Fairhaven
- Moving date:
- 12 Nov 2026
- Family:
- Parents and younger sister
- Main contact:
- Aileen Fraser (mother)
- New school:
- Rosebank Primary; starts 16 Nov 2026
- Presenting difficulty:
- Persistent stammering; classroom participation affected
Medical and developmental background:
Stammering first noticed aged four.
Variable across situations and over time.
Father stammered in childhood.
Hearing assessment 2025: within expected range.
No new hearing concern reported.
No neurological illness or developmental regression.
No regular medication recorded.
English used at home and school.
No interpreter requirement identified.
Social and educational background:
School attendance regular.
Reading attainment age-appropriate – teacher report.
Enjoys drawing, football and wildlife.
Keen interest in school science club.
Parents supportive; Milo involved in goal setting.
Assessment – 08 May 2026:
Sound repetitions, prolongations and occasional blocks.
Visible effort increases when rushed.
Unexpected classroom questions particularly difficult.
Describes speech as getting "stuck".
Sometimes substitutes words or lets friends answer.
Understands age-appropriate questions.
Detailed ideas expressed when given time.
Reluctant to read aloud or join group discussion.
No reported difficulty understanding schoolwork.
Agreed goals:
Increase communication confidence and participation.
Support child-led choices about speaking.
No target of complete fluency.
Parent goal: listen without finishing sentences.
Avoid repeated correction of speech.
Intervention – May to Sep 2026:
Six sessions involving Milo and a parent.
Discussed stammering and feelings about talking.
Identified preferred support; practised asking for time.
Family: allow turns; listen without interruption.
Focus on message rather than fluency.
Teacher liaison completed with parental consent.
Predictable turn-taking agreed.
Choice around reading aloud; voluntary participation encouraged.
Avoid public correction or forced fluent repetition.
Milo chose short science-club contributions for practice.
Written communication profile shared with family/school.
Progress – 09 Oct 2026:
More contributions in familiar small groups.
Unexpected whole-class questions still avoided.
Fewer frustrated withdrawals at home – parent report.
Stammering remains variable.
Extra time helpful – Milo's view.
Dislikes adults completing his sentences.
No bullying reported.
Worried about forthcoming school transition.
Transfer discussion – 06 Nov 2026:
Fears new classmates may laugh.
Wants teacher informed before first day.
Parents request continuity and school guidance.
Consent for transfer and new-school liaison recorded.
Review participation, emotional impact and support strategies.
Agree next goals with Milo and family.
Receiving therapist to reassess direct treatment approach.
Assessment, school strategies and communication profile enclosed.
Local appointment not confirmed.
No fixed therapy duration or cure promised.
Writing Task:
Using the case notes, write a transfer letter to Ms Naomi Brooks, Speech Pathologist, Fairhaven Child Communication Service, 29 School Road, Fairhaven. Request continued support for Milo following his move, including liaison with his new school.
In your answer:
- Develop the relevant notes into complete sentences.
- Write in paragraphs rather than note form.
- Use an appropriate letter layout.
The body of your letter should be approximately 180–200 words.
After your attempt: identify the recipient, the purpose, three essential facts and two details you deliberately left out. Then compare your decisions below.
Reveal the model letter
6 November 2026
Ms Naomi Brooks
Speech Pathologist
Fairhaven Child Communication Service
29 School Road
Fairhaven
Dear Ms Brooks,
Re: Milo Fraser | DOB: 25 February 2018
Please continue speech pathology support for Milo Fraser after his move to Fairhaven on 12 November. Persistent stammering affects classroom participation, and he is anxious about beginning at Rosebank Primary.
Assessment in May identified sound repetitions, prolongations and occasional blocks, with increased effort when rushed or unexpectedly questioned. He sometimes substituted words or let others answer. His understanding was age-appropriate, and he expressed detailed ideas when given time. Participation and confidence were therefore central goals.
Six sessions involving Milo and a parent explored feelings about speaking and preferred support. The family practised listening without interruption. School strategies included predictable turn-taking and a choice about reading aloud. Milo now contributes more in familiar small groups, and frustrated withdrawal at home has reduced, although whole-class questions remain difficult.
He fears that new classmates may laugh and wants his teacher informed before his first day; no bullying has been reported. Please review participation, emotional impact and suitable next treatment goals, and liaise with the school with parental consent. Milo values extra time and dislikes adults finishing his sentences. His assessment, school strategies and communication profile are enclosed. A local appointment has not been confirmed.
Yours sincerely,
Speech Pathologist
Model body: 191 words using a space-separated editorial count. This is one possible response; it is not an officially scored letter or a sentence template to memorise.
Why these details were selected
What the reader needs
- Communication profile and effect on participation, not an unsupported severity label.
- Therapy undertaken, child’s preferences, demonstrated improvement and continuing difficulties.
- Transition, parental consent, school liaison and personalised next goals.
What can be omitted or condensed
- Family history and all leisure activities can be omitted unless they support a current therapy goal.
- Do not turn the letter into a general explanation of stammering.
Accuracy traps
- Variable stammering is not equivalent to recovery or treatment failure.
- Do not promise fluency or blame parenting.
- Do not say bullying has occurred; Milo is worried it might occur.
Accuracy repair: a fresh exercise
A draft says: Milo is being bullied at school and cannot express his ideas.
Correct it using the case notes before opening the answer.
Check the repaired sentence
No bullying has been reported; he worries classmates may laugh and can express detailed ideas when given time.
The correction preserves what is known, what has happened and what remains outstanding. Compare the changed words with the relevant dated note.
Review the six Writing criteria
| Criterion | Use it to review your attempt |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Can the reader identify the action or explanation needed from the opening? |
| Content | Are essential facts accurate, including dates, status and remaining needs? |
| Conciseness and clarity | Have you selected and combined information without losing necessary meaning? |
| Genre and style | Does the wording suit this recipient’s role and knowledge? |
| Organisation and layout | Do paragraphs help the reader locate the problem, evidence and next step? |
| Language | Are grammar, vocabulary, spelling and sentence links clear and accurate? |
Choose one factual correction and one language improvement for a second draft. This checklist is for learning; it does not calculate an OET grade.
Speaking · One paired role play
Practise the professional conversation
Use 3 minutes to prepare the professional card, then about 5 minutes for the conversation. The candidate stays in the professional role. A partner plays the patient, parent or animal owner. This is one role play; the OET Speaking sub-test contains two.
Read only your own card before starting. The partner should open their card privately and reveal information in response to the conversation. These cards are a separate scenario from the Writing case.
Candidate card · Speech Pathologist
Setting: Child communication clinic
You speak with the parent of Evie, aged seven, whose stammering affects confidence when answering in class. Assessment shows she can express her ideas when given time. There is no acute neurological concern. Today you are exploring the parent’s worries and agreeing supportive home/school communication strategies. Evie has said she dislikes people finishing her sentences. Do not promise that a technique will eliminate stammering.
Tasks
- Explore what the parent has noticed and what they most want help with.
- Acknowledge concern and explain that stammering is variable; avoid blaming the parent or reducing the child to a fluency target.
- Discuss listening, allowing time and responding to the message, including Evie’s stated preference.
- Explore school participation and agree whether and how to liaise with the teacher with appropriate consent.
- Agree a small practical change and review goals; check understanding and invite remaining questions.
Partner card — Parent only
Role-player card · Parent
You are Evie’s parent. You feel responsible and keep saying “slow down” because you want to help. You sometimes complete her words when she struggles. You worry classmates may laugh, although no teasing has been reported. You want a quick cure before a school presentation.
- Begin: “Have I caused this by correcting her?”
- If asked about responses, describe telling her to slow down and finishing sentences.
- Ask whether intensive daily practice will make her fluent before next week.
- Explain worry about the presentation but confirm no teasing has been reported.
- If supported, agree a listening change and discuss contacting the teacher with Evie’s involvement.
Respond naturally to what is asked. Do not give every detail at once or create an unrelated medical quiz. If the explanation is unclear, ask for clarification.
Review selected exchanges and explanations
These are selected teaching exchanges, not a full five-minute transcript. Compare how the response changes with the concern. Several different responses could work.
Parent: “Have I caused this?”
Speech Pathologist: “I can hear how much you want to help. This is not a reason to blame yourself. Let us look at what Evie finds supportive and how we can reduce pressure when she wants to speak.”
Why this helps: Acknowledges emotion and moves towards useful support without a simplistic causal claim.
Parent: “I finish the difficult words.”
Speech Pathologist: “Many people do that with good intentions. Evie has told us she would prefer time to finish herself. We can try listening to her message, leaving space and showing that there is no need to rush.”
Why this helps: Connects advice to the child’s expressed preference.
Parent: “Can you fix it before the presentation?”
Speech Pathologist: “I cannot promise that timetable or complete fluency. We can work with Evie and, with your agreement, her teacher on a way for her to participate with less pressure. What would she like the teacher to know?”
Why this helps: Reframes the immediate goal around participation while retaining the child’s voice.
Repeat with a changed response
Partner reports actual teasing at school. Acknowledge the new concern and agree appropriate school liaison and support; do not repeat that there is “no bullying” from the original card.
Keep your professional role, listen to the changed information and adapt the next step. Do not repeat a memorised answer when the situation has changed.
Review all nine Speaking criteria
| Criterion | Use it to review your attempt |
|---|---|
| Intelligibility | Can your partner follow your speech without repeated effort? |
| Fluency | Can you keep the exchange moving while allowing natural pauses? |
| Appropriateness of language | Does the register and explanation suit this person? |
| Resources of grammar and expression | Can you express time, uncertainty, reasons and choices accurately? |
| Relationship building | Do you show attention to the person’s particular concern? |
| Understanding and incorporating the patient’s perspective | Does the plan respond to their priorities and constraints? |
| Providing structure | Do you signal changes of topic and explain information in manageable stages? |
| Information gathering | Do you ask, listen and clarify rather than assume? |
| Information giving | Do you explain clearly and check what the person has understood? |
Ask your partner for one example of something clear and one moment that needed clarification. If you record yourself on your own device, review only with everyone’s agreement. The website does not record speech or generate an OET score.
Format and clinical background references
Exam format: OET test handbook. These original cases were written for language practice after reviewing official task formats. The following sources inform clinical plausibility; the fictional patient records are not copied from them.