OET Writing C+ vs B: what separates the two grades for nurses
In OET, a B is a score of 350 to 440 and a C+ is 300 to 340, so the gap is at least 10 points and can be as small as one step. OET does not publish how the six criterion marks convert to that score, so no one can say exactly which marks make a B; in practice letters, the move from C+ to B usually comes from tighter case-note selection, a clearer purpose and request, and fewer language errors that slow the reader down.
The numbers
OET reports Writing as a score from 0 to 500 with a grade:
| Grade | Score range |
|---|---|
| A | 450–500 |
| B | 350–440 |
| C+ | 300–340 |
| C | 200–290 |
| D | 100–190 |
| E | 0–90 |
So a C+ at 340 and a B at 350 are one step apart. Your letter is marked on six criteria: Purpose (0–3), and Content, Conciseness & Clarity, Genre & Style, Organisation & Layout and Language (0–7 each). OET does not publish how those marks convert to the score. That means nobody can honestly say "you need 5 in Language for a B". What you can do is find which criteria are weakest in your letters and fix them. For what each criterion covers, see the six criteria explained.
Which grade do you need?
Many regulators that accept OET ask for a B in each sub-test, and some, such as the UK's NMC, have accepted C+ in Writing. Rules differ by country and change over time, and some regulators have extra conditions (for example on test dates or combining results). Requirements change - check with your regulator before you plan your preparation around C+ or B.
What usually separates a C+ letter from a B letter
These are patterns medEmu sees in practice letters, not OET's published descriptors.
| Area | Typical C+ letter | Typical B letter |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Purpose stated, but vague ("for further management") | Purpose and request are specific and appear in the first paragraph |
| Selection | Some irrelevant notes copied in, or one important note missing | Relevant notes included, irrelevant ones cut |
| Grouping | Notes follow the case-note order | Information grouped by what the reader needs |
| Sentences | Some note-form or very long joined sentences | Full, clear sentences of controlled length |
| Tone | Mostly formal with a few slips | Consistently professional |
| Language | Frequent small errors (articles, tense, prepositions) the reader notices | Few errors, none that change the meaning |
A worked comparison (invented case)
Case (invented): Mr Daniel Ortiz, 49, discharged after a laparoscopic appendicectomy. Wound: three port sites, sutures dissolvable. Pain controlled with paracetamol. Lives with partner. Works as an electrician. Enjoys football. Advised no heavy lifting for 4 weeks. Task: write to the practice nurse requesting a wound check in 7 days.
C+ style opening and paragraph:
I am writing regarding Mr Ortiz who is 49 years old and was admitted for further management. He had a laparoscopic appendicectomy. He is an electrician and enjoys football. He lives with partner. Pain is controlled with paracetamol and wound has three port sites.
Problems: the purpose ("further management") does not say what you want; football is irrelevant; "lives with partner" and "wound has" drop articles; the facts are a list.
B style:
I am writing to request a wound review for Mr Ortiz, 49, in seven days' time, following his discharge today after a laparoscopic appendicectomy.
He has three port-site wounds closed with dissolvable sutures, and his pain is well controlled with paracetamol. As he works as an electrician, he has been advised to avoid heavy lifting for four weeks.
The B version states the request in the first sentence, keeps the job only because it explains the lifting advice, cuts football, and connects the facts.
A C+ to B checklist for your next letter
- Does the first paragraph say exactly what you want the reader to do? (Purpose)
- Have you tested every note against the reader? (case-notes selection)
- Are paragraphs grouped by topic, not by the order of the notes? (Organisation & Layout)
- Is there any note-form left (missing articles, missing verbs)?
- Have you proofread for your own repeated errors? (Language)
- Does the closing repeat the request precisely?
How to practise towards B
Fix one habit at a time. Write a timed letter on the practice page, or paste a letter you have already written into the letter checker. medEmu marks each of the six criteria, shows which case notes you included, missed or included unnecessarily, marks problems on your own sentences, and projects the grade you would reach after the fixes. Its grade and score are estimates for practice: OET does not publish its conversion, only OET assessors award official results, and medEmu is not affiliated with OET. For a structured routine, see the practice plan.
Sources
The grade ranges and criteria ranges above are as OET reports them; the comparison table and examples are medEmu's writing advice, not OET's descriptors, and all patients are invented. The network used for this run could not reach oet.com or regulator websites, so regulator details are given only in general terms: check the current requirement on your regulator's own website. For OET's official results and assessment information, see oet.com.