Words, Words, Words!

30 Words that Every OET Test-taker Must Know

Sep 03 2024

Boost your OET vocabulary with these 30 essential words every test-taker should know.

30 Words that Every OET Test-taker Must Know - First Academy

Preparing for the Occupational English Test (OET) requires not only a strong command of grammar and language structure but also a robust vocabulary. To help you excel in your OET preparation, we've compiled a list of 30 essential words that you should familiarize yourself with. These words have been carefully selected based on their frequent appearance in OET materials and their relevance to healthcare contexts.

Essential Vocabulary for OET Success

Let's dive into the list:

Word	Meaning	Sample Sentence
scourge	a cause of great trouble or suffering	The disease was a scourge that swept through the population.
wrought	caused (something bad) to happen	The storm wrought havoc on the coastal towns.
formidable	inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable	The mountain climbers faced a formidable challenge.
ere	before	We must finish our work ere the sun sets.
blasted	destroyed or ruined	The explosion blasted a hole in the wall.
gnarly	difficult, dangerous, or challenging	The surfer rode a gnarly wave.
insidious	proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects	The disease had an insidious onset, with symptoms appearing slowly over time.
cascade	a series of events or actions occurring one after the other	The economic crisis triggered a cascade of bank failures.
falter	start to lose strength or momentum	The runner began to falter as they approached the finish line.
sporadic	occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated	There were sporadic outbreaks of violence in the city.
elusive	difficult to find, catch, or achieve	The solution to the problem remained elusive.
grim	forbidding or uninviting	The news from the front lines was grim.
succumb	fail to resist (pressure, temptation, or some other negative force)	He finally succumbed to his injuries.
plagued	cause continual trouble or distress to	The project was plagued by delays and cost overruns.
pressing	requiring immediate attention; urgent	There is a pressing need for more affordable housing.
heeded	pay attention to; take notice of	The warnings were not heeded and disaster struck.
resounding	unmistakable; emphatic	The proposal was met with a resounding yes.
conceptualize	form a concept or idea of (something)	It's difficult to conceptualize the vastness of space.
tide	a powerful surge of feeling or trend of events	The tide of public opinion turned against the government.
debilitating	(of a disease or condition) making someone very weak and infirm	The effects of the illness were debilitating.
hallmark	a distinctive feature, especially one of excellence	The company's hallmark is its commitment to customer service.
deplete	use up the supply or resources of	The long drought had depleted the water table.
lethargic	sluggish and apathetic	The heat made me feel lethargic.
stagnant	(of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence	The air in the room was stagnant.
dank	disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold	The basement was dank and smelled of mildew.
chow down	eat enthusiastically	We were all ready to chow down after the long hike.
debilitate	make (someone) weak and infirm	The illness debilitated him for weeks.
nifty	particularly good, skillful, or effective	That's a nifty little gadget you've got there.
amidst	surrounded by; in the middle of	The house stood amidst a beautiful garden.
vernacular	the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region	He wrote in the vernacular so that everyone could understand.

Final Words

Mastering these 30 words will significantly enhance your vocabulary and improve your performance in the OET. Remember, consistent practice and exposure to these words in context are key to retaining them. So, make sure to incorporate them into your daily OET preparation routine.

Good luck with your OET journey!

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