OET Listening Part B: how to find the purpose, main point and next action in workplace extracts

In OET Listening Part B you hear six short extracts from healthcare workplaces and answer one three-option question on each. Many questions ask why someone is speaking, what worries them or what the listener should do next. Wrong options often come from the topic, the background or something the speaker rules out. Listen for the request or the concern, then check the words that limit it: first, if, unless, before. This guide is for nurses and doctors with upper-intermediate (B2) English or above.

Who this is for

Nurses and doctors who follow every word of a Part B extract and still choose the wrong option.
Candidates who tend to pick the option that echoes the most words they heard.
Professionals who also want their own briefings and handovers to be easier to act on.
Too early: if you still lose marks on details in Part A consultations, start with the Part A guide (link below).
Too easy: if your Part B answers are already reliable, move on to the longer talks in Part C (link below).

Open the sample pages

Word cards

Personal · a message you misunderstood

Think of a time you misunderstood an instruction at work or in your studies. Was the problem the speaker, the situation or you?

Useful: ‘I thought I’d been asked to…, but in fact…’ · ‘What confused me was…’ · ‘Looking back, the problem was…’

Personal · your own style

When you pass on information to a colleague, do you usually start with the background or with the main point? Why?

Useful: ‘I tend to start with…’ · ‘It depends on how urgent…’ · ‘I find that if I…, people…’

Professional practice · briefings

What makes a team briefing or handover useful in your workplace, and what makes it a waste of time?

Useful: ‘The most useful briefings are the ones that…’ · ‘What really slows things down is…’ · ‘For example, …’

Professional practice · repeating back

Should colleagues always be asked to repeat back an instruction, or can that feel patronising to experienced staff?

Useful: ‘I can see why…, but…’ · ‘It might feel…, unless…’ · ‘In my experience, experienced staff…’

Big idea · clarity and completeness

Is it more important for a workplace message to be clear or to be complete? Can it always be both?

Useful: ‘I’d put clarity first, because…’ · ‘There’s always a trade-off between… and…’ · ‘That’s true only if…’

Conversation

narrator Extract one. Maya briefs reception staff about a temporary room change.

Maya The usual waiting area is being cleaned this morning, so visitors for booked appointments should wait in Room Two, opposite reception. The appointment list has not changed, and nobody needs to cancel or make a new booking. Please greet people as usual, then explain where they should sit. We have put a sign on the door, but I do not want anyone to feel uncertain if they miss it. This is just for this morning. I will let you know when the regular waiting area is available again.

narrator Extract two. Owen asks a colleague to remind their team about a revised staff meeting.

Owen The meeting is now at eleven rather than ten. The new invitation has gone out, but I am concerned that some people still have the old time in their calendars. Could you remind your team to check the updated invitation? The agenda is unchanged and we still expect to finish within half an hour. There is no need to prepare a different report. I just want everyone to arrive together, rather than half the group coming an hour early.

narrator Extract three. Maya speaks to a colleague about language support.

Maya A visitor requested language support when the appointment was arranged. Before I call back to confirm the practical details, could you check that the booking appears on the support-service list? We do not need a new leaflet, and I am not asking you to translate anything yourself. The request has already been made; this is simply a check that it has been recorded. If you cannot find it, let me know so I can contact the service through the usual channel.

Language pattern

1
Choose the words that complete the sentence from the article.
The practical message came last, ______ there was time.
Show answer and explanation
if
If introduces a condition: the message came last only when there was time for it. Unless would reverse the meaning.
2
Choose the words that complete the sentence from the article.
Background comes afterwards, and ______ someone asks for it.
Show answer and explanation
only if
Only if limits the action to one condition: no request, no background. Unless and even if would change the meaning.
3
Choose the words that complete the sentence from the article.
Conditions are stated together with the instruction, not separately: “Use the side entrance ______ the lift is repaired”.
Show answer and explanation
until
Until + clause gives the time limit of an instruction: it applies up to the moment the lift is repaired. During and by cannot introduce a clause here.
4
Choose the words that complete the sentence from the article.
Colleagues are asked to repeat back any action that applies to them ______ the briefing ends.
Show answer and explanation
before
Before + clause places the action earlier than another event. During needs a noun, and until would describe a continuous action.
5
Choose the words that complete the sentence from the article.
They also agreed that “a concern” would always be followed by what staff should do about it, ______ the answer was genuinely “nothing yet; we’ll update you tomorrow”.
Show answer and explanation
unless
Unless introduces an exception to the general rule (= except if); if would reverse the meaning.
6
Choose the words that complete the sentence from the article.
People worry less about an uncertain situation ______ they know when they will hear more.
Show answer and explanation
once
Once + present simple means ‘as soon as / after’: the worry reduces from the moment they know.

More practice

Model the strategy before practice

Purpose is the reason for speaking

Separate the message’s purpose from the topic it mentions.
The lift is being repaired, so please direct visitors to the other entrance. Topic: lift repairs. Purpose: tell staff how to redirect visitors.

Concern is not always a direct command

Listen for what could go wrong and why it matters.
I am worried that the new signs are easy to miss. The concern is visibility, not the colour of the walls.

Qualifier

A word such as only, until or unless limits the message.
Use the side entrance until noon. This instruction is temporary, not a permanent change.

Choose and justify with evidence

1
Extract 1: Why is Maya speaking to the reception team?
Show answer and explanation
To ask them to guide visitors to a temporary waiting area
The extract explains that the usual waiting area is unavailable and asks staff to direct visitors to Room 2; appointments continue.
2
Extract 2: What is Owen mainly concerned about?
Show answer and explanation
Staff missing a changed meeting time
He says the old time is still in some calendars and asks staff to check the updated invitation.
3
Extract 3: What does Maya want her colleague to do?
Show answer and explanation
Confirm that the requested language-support booking is listed
Maya asks for a booking check and says no new leaflet or independent translation is needed.

Model the strategy before practice

Background explains; the main point guides

Ask what a colleague should remember after the exchange.
We tried two layouts last month. From Monday, use the single-page form. The trial is background; the new form is the action.

Examples do not define the whole message

A list can illustrate a broader category.
Pens and folders are examples of supplies; a message about checking supplies is not only about pens.

Contrast changes emphasis

But and however can redirect the point.
The old procedure is familiar, but the updated version removes duplicate entries. Familiarity is acknowledged; use of the update is the message.

After listening: full transcript

narrator Extract one. Two colleagues discuss a revised administrative form.

Maya Some staff still prefer the old form. They know where every box is.

Owen I understand that. We tried different layouts last month before choosing this one. From Monday, though, everyone should use the updated form. It removes the section that repeated information already on the first page. Nobody needs to rewrite previous records, and the old examples can stay in the training folder for reference. For new entries from Monday onward, the updated form is the one to use.

narrator Extract two. Maya explains how to report low supplies.

Maya We have received several separate messages about supplies. One person mentioned pens and another mentioned folders, but those are only examples. Before we place an order, please add anything running low to the shared supplies list. That will let us see the whole picture and avoid ordering the same item twice. You do not need to buy anything yourself, and please do not send a separate message for every item. A clear entry on the list is enough.

narrator Extract three. Owen reviews follow-up call records.

Owen The calls last week went well. Visitors generally understood the arrangements, and several thanked the team for checking. There is still one documentation issue, however. Some outcomes were noted only in individual emails, which other colleagues cannot easily find. Please put the outcome in the shared follow-up field as well. I am not asking you to repeat a call that has already been completed. We just need the record to show what happened, so the next colleague does not have to guess.

Choose and justify with evidence

1
Extract 1: What should staff take away from the discussion?
Show answer and explanation
They should use the updated form from Monday
Owen sets Monday as the changeover and explicitly says previous records do not need rewriting.
2
Extract 2: What is the central request?
Show answer and explanation
Report low stocks through the shared list
Maya uses pens and folders as examples and asks for shortages to be entered on the shared list before an order.
3
Extract 3: Why does Owen mention last week’s successful calls?
Show answer and explanation
To reassure staff while explaining the remaining documentation issue
He acknowledges successful communication but asks staff to record the outcome in the shared field so colleagues can see it.

Model the strategy before practice

First and then

Keep a sequence separate from its final outcome.
Check whether the message has arrived, then contact the sender if it has not. Contacting the sender is conditional, not always the first step.

Unless

Unless introduces an exception to the normal action.
Keep the booking unless the visitor asks to change it. A possible request is not an instruction to cancel every booking.

Confirmation versus completion

A task can ask you to verify a record rather than redo the work.
Check that the request is logged. This does not mean submit a second request.

After listening: full transcript

narrator Extract one. Maya discusses a room-booking confirmation.

Maya I sent the room request yesterday, but the confirmation may have gone to the shared inbox rather than to me. Could you check there first? If it is already there, simply mark the request as confirmed. If you cannot find it, tell me and I will follow up with the booking team. Please do not send a duplicate request before we have checked. That could leave them thinking we need two rooms when we only need one.

narrator Extract two. Owen asks about a visitor’s appointment.

Owen The visitor said the journey might be difficult. Should I move the booking to Friday?

Maya Not yet. She is checking her travel arrangements and will call if she wants to change the date. Keep the existing booking unless she asks us to move it. We can discuss available times when she calls, but we should not assume she wants Friday. The fact that she mentioned a possible difficulty is not a cancellation request.

narrator Extract three. Maya checks an updated contact list with Owen.

Maya The new list is nearly ready. The only detail still awaiting confirmation is the support coordinator’s direct number.

Owen I found a different number in an older email. Should I use that?

Maya Please ask the coordinator to confirm the revised number before you share the list. Keep the remaining entries as they are. We do not need to rebuild the whole document, and using an unconfirmed number could make the update less useful than the current version.

Choose and justify with evidence

1
Extract 1: What should the colleague do first?
Show answer and explanation
Check the shared inbox for the confirmation
Maya asks for the shared inbox to be checked before anyone contacts the service again.
2
Extract 2: What is the agreed action for the existing booking?
Show answer and explanation
Keep it unless the visitor requests a change
The visitor is checking travel but has not requested a change; the booking stays in place.
3
Extract 3: What should Owen do before sharing the list?
Show answer and explanation
Ask the coordinator to confirm the revised contact number
The coordinator must confirm the revised number before the updated list is circulated.

Use the strategy in a new exchange

How can you make the condition clear?

Please check for the confirmation first. If it is missing, let me know before you send another request.

One possible formulation; other coherent and accurate responses are welcome.

Transfer brief

Use a neutral task such as confirming a room booking or updating a contact list.
Give a first step and one possible follow-up.
Include if, unless or before accurately.
Improve any wording that could cause a colleague to act too soon.

Two rounds

Plan your wording and priorities.
Speak naturally and respond to your partner’s question.
Exchange specific feedback and improve one part in a shorter retry.

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What Part B asks you to do

Each extract is a short piece of working life: a briefing, a handover, a conversation between colleagues or with a patient. You get a few seconds to read the question first. You rarely need every word, only what the speaker wants from the listener.

Topic is not purpose

The topic is what the extract mentions; the purpose is why the speaker is talking. In “The lift is being repaired, so please direct visitors to the side entrance”, the topic is the lift and the purpose is to get staff to redirect visitors. Most extracts do one of three things:

Give an update: “Just to let you know…”, “From Monday…”
Raise a concern: “I’m worried that…”, “My concern is…”. A concern is not always phrased as an instruction.
Request an action: “Could you…?”, “Please…”, “I’d like you to…”

Main point versus background, examples and reassurance

Background explains why something is happening; the main point tells the listener what to do about it. Speakers often start with background, so keep listening. Three signals help:

Contrast words redirect: but, however, though, actually. “Some staff prefer the old form. From Monday, though, everyone should use the updated one.”
Examples illustrate a category: “Someone mentioned pens, someone else folders, but please add anything running low to the shared list.” An option about pens is too narrow.
Reassurance rules things out: “There is no need to…”, “I’m not asking you to…”. Wrong options often come from these.

First step, conditions and exceptions

Next-action questions ask what to do now. Small words limit an instruction, and the right option respects every limit:

“Check the shared inbox first. If the confirmation is there, mark it as confirmed.” First step: check.
“Keep the booking unless she asks to move it.” Unless means “except if”: for now, change nothing.
“Before you share the list, ask the coordinator to confirm the number.” The action after before comes second, though you hear it first.
“Use the side entrance until noon.” Until sets an end point; once means “as soon as”.
Grammar: after if, unless, before, until and once, use the present simple for the future: “unless she calls”, not “unless she will call”.

Learn this unit your way

Listen: what should the colleague do?

A staff member asks a colleague about a visitor’s language support. Separate her request from what she rules out and from what happens only if there is a problem.

Speaker A visitor requested language support when the appointment was arranged. Before I call back to confirm the practical details, could you check that the booking appears on the support-service list? We do not need a new leaflet, and I am not asking you to translate anything yourself. The request has already been made; this is simply a check that it has been recorded. If you cannot find it, let me know so I can contact the service through the usual channel.

What does she want her colleague to do?

Common Part B mistakes

Check your practice tests for these:

Choosing the option that repeats the most words you heard.
Giving the topic or background when the question asks for the purpose.
Treating something the speaker rules out as the request.
Choosing a later or conditional step when the question asks for the first one.
Adding a second negative after unless: “unless she asks” already means “if she doesn’t ask”.

A 15-minute Part B routine

Use the six extracts from one practice test:

3 minutes: read each question and mark its type: purpose, concern, main point or next action.
6 minutes: play each extract once and answer.
4 minutes: check with the transcript; underline the signal for the right answer and the words that rule out the others.
2 minutes: name the trap that caught you: topic, background, ruled-out action or wrong order.

What comes next

Use the same skill when you speak: purpose first, then one limit: “Please check the revised invitation today so that nobody arrives at the old time.” Discuss with a study partner: should a workplace message be clear or complete, and can it be both?

Part C moves to longer interviews and talks, where you track speakers’ views and reasons; Reading Part B tests the same skills with short workplace texts.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in OET Listening Part B?

Six, one for each extract. The full Listening test has 42 questions in three parts.

Can I hear a Part B extract twice?

No. Each extract plays once, so read the question and options first.

Are the Part B extracts about my profession?

Not necessarily. Listening is the same for all professions, and you don’t need specialist knowledge to answer.

Keep exploring

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OET Listening Part B: how to find the purpose, main point and next action in workplace extracts

Who this is for

Open the sample pages

Word cards

Conversation

Language pattern

More practice

Model the strategy before practice

Choose and justify with evidence

Model the strategy before practice

After listening: full transcript

Choose and justify with evidence

Model the strategy before practice

After listening: full transcript

Choose and justify with evidence

Use the strategy in a new exchange

What Part B asks you to do

Topic is not purpose

Main point versus background, examples and reassurance

First step, conditions and exceptions

Listen: what should the colleague do?

Common Part B mistakes

A 15-minute Part B routine

What comes next

Frequently asked questions

Keep exploring

What comes next?

Keep practising with Flai

Learn with a live teacher