review the notes

Meaning

This phrase means to carefully read, analyze, or study written records, summaries, or feedback from a meeting, lecture, or previous discussion. It is used in both business and academic settings when preparing for a follow-up action or exam. The tone is neutral and collaborative.

Examples

• Before the client meeting, please review the notes from our last call.

  Before the client meeting, please review the notes from our last call.

• I need some time to review the notes before I can write the final report.

  I need some time to review the notes before I can write the final report.

• Did you get a chance to review the notes I sent over yesterday?

  Did you get a chance to review the notes I sent over yesterday?

• Let's review the notes together to make sure we didn't miss any action items.

  Let's review the notes together to make sure we didn't miss any action items.

• She sat quietly in the lobby to review her notes one last time before the interview.

  She sat quietly in the lobby to review her notes one last time before the interview.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to control the notes from the meeting.

  ✓ I need to review the notes from the meeting.

  'Control' is a false friend in many languages (e.g., French 'contrôler', Spanish 'controlar') meaning to check. In English, 'review' is the correct verb for looking over information.

• ✗ Please look the notes before the presentation.

  ✓ Please look over the notes before the presentation.

  You can 'look over' or 'review' notes, but 'look the notes' is grammatically incomplete and incorrect.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Please ___ from yesterday's presentation before we start today's session.

  💡 What should you do to the written summaries of yesterday's talk?

  Show answer

  review the notes

• I will ___ and get back to you with my feedback by tomorrow morning.

  💡 I will look at the written records before replying.

  Show answer

  review the notes