# jot down

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jot-down
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to write something quickly on a piece of paper so you do not forget it.

For teachers: to record something in writing briefly or hastily. Transitive and optionally separable, typically used for short notes or contact details.

## Examples

- I need to jot down your phone number.
- During the meeting, she managed to jot down several creative ideas for the upcoming marketing campaign.
- While the professor lectured at a breakneck pace, the students struggled to jot down even the most fundamental concepts of the theory.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I will jot down it." but "I will jot it down." — when the object is a pronoun like 'it', it must come between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- usually used for short pieces of information like names, numbers, or quick ideas.
- Teaching tip: emphasize the speed and brevity implied by 'jot' compared to the more neutral 'write down'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.