PTE Notes: 8 Proven Tips & Tricks for PTE Note Taking

Note-taking skills are one of the hidden weapons for you to ace the PTE Academic Listening and Speaking sections easily.

However, to get the most out of the PTE notes, you need to know which questions allow notes.

In this post, PTE Magic will give you some tips and tricks for note-taking and memorization to pass the exam with flying colors.

Let’s dig in further!

Can you take notes in a PTE test?

The answer is YES. You can take notes during the Pearson PTE test. However, there are some requirements for taking PTE notes.

As PTE centers must avoid question leaks, you are not permitted to bring any writing items, including pens or pencils, entering the test room.

The only thing you can take with you is your passport. You may not be allowed to bring a water bottle. Some test centers will provide you with a water bottle during the test.

For taking notes purpose, test centers will give you markers and an erasable noteboard for taking notes. You are not permitted to bring these writing tools outside of the testing facility.

You can take notes on A4 white papers. After the exam ends, you must clean and erase them for the next test-takers.

Each bundle has enough blank papers, so you do not need to get an extra one. However, you should get at least two markers before the test starts.

Which parts of the PTE test format allow taking notes?

The PTE exam allows you to take notes in the Listening and Speaking sections.

Speaking

• Re-tell Lecture: You will need to listen to a lecture, take notes, revise your notes, and retell the lecture.

Listening

You can listen to the audio only once, take notes, read the question, and write your answer.

Here are four Listening question types that require taking notes:

• Summarize Spoken Test
• Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers
• Multiple Choice, Single Answers
• Highlight Correct Summary

8 effective PTE note taking tips

Here are eight PTE note-taking tricks to help you use this technique effectively.

Don’t note everything you hear

If you are too detailed and note unnecessary information, you may miss key elements in the passage.

Therefore, focus on listening and quickly note down two key points: The main idea of the lecture (most mentioned) and the important keywords.

Note down shorthand only

Once again, listen carefully! Your notes should be in quick shorthand single words, symbols, or phrases to help you memorize.

Use acronyms

Using acronyms will be very helpful in the PTE Academic Listening and Speaking sections.

The acronyms enable your brain to process information more quickly. It can also help you take as many notes as possible.

However, ensure you know all noted-down acronyms. If not, you can build a habit by chatting with friends using acronyms or writing down a list of acronyms to learn by heart.

For example:

Information = info

Marketing = mkt

Government = gv

Use symbols

In addition to using acronyms, you can further speed up your taking notes by using basic symbols such as arrows up and down or math symbols.

For example:

Dollar = $

Percentage = %

Increase = ↑ or ↗

Decrease = ↓ or↘

Use your own language

There are no limits on using your native tongue to take notes. Feel free to use it if it works best for you.

Avoid wrong keywords

You only note down important keywords, so ensure you write them correctly.

If you write wrong, you may retell the wrong lecture.

If you are unsure whether the noted keyword is correct or not, skip it.

Practice taking notes and memorizing

Taking notes sounds easy, but it needs practice. Practice listening and taking notes effectively to organize and prompt your memory.

Allocate keyword notes for Retelling the lecture

This tip will help you avoid losing points.

In Retell a lecture question, you may be distracted by what the speaker says. So allocate notes for each part the speaker recounts. Refrain from cramming keyword notes into one paragraph.

For example:

The lecture was about (main topic)

The speaker told about: Note down keywords 1, 2

The speaker told about: Note down keywords 3, 4

The speaker told about: Note down keywords 5, 6

In conclusion,…

Conclusion

Taking PTE notes isn’t boring anymore, right? Once you master our eight tips, you’ll love taking notes of everything.

You can try your note-taking skill with our practice tests! Contact us to get a real PTE coaching session today!

Last updated on 26/03/2024

Moni PTE Magic

My name is Moni, and I am a seasoned PTE teacher with over 6 years of experience. I have helped thousands of students overcome their struggles and achieve their desired scores. My passion for teaching and dedication to my student’s success drives me to continually improve my teaching methods and provide the best possible support. Join me on this journey toward PTE success!