Blog 6: To Have Your Ducks in Order — The Power of Organised Notes
One expression I often teach my students is “to have your ducks in order” (or “ducks in a row”). It means being organised, prepared, and on top of things — and it’s a great way to describe what effective language learners do.
Even though many of my classes are online, I genuinely believe that handwritten notes still play a crucial role in learning English. When you write something by hand, you remember it better. Vocabulary sticks, grammar rules feel clearer, and the language becomes more personal. There’s something about the physical act of writing that helps the brain process information more deeply.
But good notes aren’t just about writing — they’re about organisation.
And this is something a student of mine, Aurelio, taught me. During our classes, I noticed he always had his notes perfectly structured: phrasal verbs in one section, adjectives in another, grammar points neatly separated, all easy to find. Nothing scattered, nothing lost. His “ducks were in order,” and his progress showed it.
You don’t have to be perfect — but you do need a system.
It can be:
- a notebook where you handwrite everything
- an Excel document with separate tabs
- a combination of both
The key is to have your vocabulary, phrasal verbs, adjectives, expressions, and grammar points organised so you can review them quickly and regularly.
Learning English is much easier when your materials aren’t all over the place.
So whether you’re a notebook person, an Excel enthusiast, or someone in between, remember the expression: get your ducks in order — and watch how much faster your English improves.
