You're given a single sheet of scratch paper. How you set it up in the first 60 seconds determines whether you're ahead of the audio or always chasing it.
The 6-zone layout
Before the test starts, fold or divide your scratch paper into 6 equal zones — one for each Listening part (L1–L6). Label each with a code so you never mix notes from two dialogues.
- Top-left: L1 (Problem Solving)
- Top-centre: L2 (Daily Life Conversation)
- Top-right: L3 (Information)
- Bottom-left: L4 (News)
- Bottom-centre: L5 (Discussion)
- Bottom-right: L6 (Viewpoints)
Speaker codes
Don't write names. One letter is enough, chosen to match the voice:
- M = male speaker, W = woman, I = interviewer
- If there are two men, use M1 / M2 in order of appearance
- Draw a small arrow between letters to mark who's agreeing or disagreeing
What to actually write
The golden rule: only write things you could not hold in your head. Your memory handles the rest.
- Numbers (dates, money, percentages, quantities)
- Proper nouns (place names, product names)
- One-word opinion markers (pro, con, neutral)
- Unexpected twists ('actually', 'but then')
Example: a typical L2 note
W: tired. M: vacation? → Banff $1200 — W: ↑ too $. M: camping? W: ok ✓
That's a full 90-second conversation in 20 characters. When the questions come, you can instantly answer 'What did the woman think of Banff?' (too expensive) without re-playing anything in your head.
What not to write
- Complete sentences — you'll fall behind immediately
- Adjectives ('big', 'nice', 'important') — they rarely matter
- Anything you could hear again in the next 5 seconds