Real-time note-taking
Can you keep up with the dictation without losing words or falling behind?
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Shorthand exam guide
Prepare thoroughly. Know what the exam requires.
Your shorthand does not need to look exactly like anyone else’s. What matters is whether you can keep up with the dictation, read your notes back and type an accurate transcript.
See the exam formatProfessional Teeline is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NCTJ. Requirements can change, so always check the current official guidance before booking or sitting an examination.
ListenRecorded dictation is delivered at a fixed speed.
WriteTake a continuous note using a recognised shorthand system.
TranscribeType up the passage exactly as it was dictated.
CheckThe transcript is marked, and your shorthand notes are checked against it.
What is actually being tested?
Speed only counts if you can read it back.
Everyone develops their own shorthand style, but the notes still need to be readable and match the transcript. You are marked on what you type, not on whether your outlines look exactly like the textbook.
Reliable reading
Can you read your own notes accurately afterwards, rather than relying on memory?
Verbatim transcription
Can you type exactly what was dictated, in the right order, including the required quotation?
Current NCTJ format
Know how the exam works.
The NCTJ currently offers national shorthand exams for external candidates at 60 and 100 words per minute. Its marking guide also covers 80, 110 and 120 words per minute.
SpeedDictation structureAccuracy requirementTranscription time
60 wpmFour minutes, divided into two two-minute passages240 words, with seven or fewer errors25 minutes
100 wpmTwo minutes, one minute, then a final one-minute passage containing a key quoteFirst 300 words with nine or fewer errors, plus an accurate quote45 minutes
At 100 to 120 wpm, the quote appears in the final minute and is between 25 and 35 words. The quote must be identified and transcribed accurately as well as meeting the three per cent tolerance in the first three minutes.
How errors are counted
The transcript is what gets marked.
The current NCTJ guide allows an error rate of no more than three per cent. Your shorthand is not given a separate mark, but it is checked to make sure the transcript has genuinely come from your notes.
Wrong wordOne mark is lost for a word typed incorrectly.
Missing wordOne mark is lost for a missing word.
Added wordOne mark is lost for a word that was added but not dictated.
TranspositionOne mark is lost when words are put in the wrong order.
Changed meaningSpelling, typing or punctuation errors count where they change the meaning.
ContractionsWords dictated in full must be typed in full. A contraction can count as an error.
Unreliable noteIllegible or altered outlines, gaps, longhand and notes that do not match the transcript can cause problems.
How to prepare
Practise every part of the exam.
Reaching the target speed is only part of the job. You also need to read your notes, type the transcript within the time allowed and check it against the original passage.
01Be reliable at the speed belowBefore moving up, make sure you can keep going, read the notes back and type them accurately at the slower speed.
02Practise full-length dictationsShort bursts help, but full dictations test concentration and your ability to recover after a difficult phrase.
03Type up every serious attemptA dictation may feel successful until you try to read it back and discover gaps or unclear outlines.
04Mark what you typedCompare your transcript with the original, word by word, and count every wrong, missing, added or misplaced word.
05Practise spotting the quotationAt 100 wpm, practise identifying the key quotation and putting it in the correct answer box.
06Practise under exam conditionsUse the correct dictation length and transcription time, and do not alter your shorthand notes afterwards.
Check the official source
Use this guide, then check the current rules.
Exam dates, eligibility, booking and marking rules can change. Check the NCTJ website before making arrangements.
National shorthand exams
Current dates, eligibility, booking details and the 60 and 100 wpm exam formats.
Shorthand marking guide
The official rules on transcription, shorthand notes, quotations and error limits.
Practise for the exam
Practise at controlled speeds, read your notes back and type the transcript within the time allowed.