Meaning & use
mental notes
Last updated
“mental notes” is a form of “mental note”.
Meaning
nounplural
Things you remind yourself to remember, without writing them down.
Grammar: Always plural in this form; the singular is 'a mental note'.
Patterns
- make mental notes
- take mental notes
During the meeting, I made mental notes of all the deadlines.
She took mental notes on how the machine worked so she could try it later.
He made mental notes about everyone's names at the party.
Word forms
| singular | mental note |
|---|
Common combinations
- make mental notes
- I made mental notes of the key points.
- take mental notes
- He took mental notes during the lecture.
- make a mental note of something
- Make a mental note of where you parked the car.
- keep mental notes
- She kept mental notes of every customer's preference.
Synonyms and how they differ
- reminders
- Reminders are usually written or set on a device, while mental notes are kept only in your mind.
- memoranda
- Memoranda are formal written notes; mental notes are informal and not written.
Commonly confused: mental notes or note?
mental notes vs note
A note is usually written down; a mental note is only in your memory.
Practice
Complete the sentence: 'She ___ mental notes of the instructions.'
Choose one answer.
The common collocation is 'make mental notes' or 'take mental notes'. 'Did' is not used, 'wrote' implies writing, and 'took' is possible but 'made' is the most natural here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mental notes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.