The students agree that the revised poster must mainly A include more background information B be understood within a few seconds C look creative and artistic D make the organisation seem credible E contain as many images as possible
Questions 23–24
Choose TWO letters, A–E.
The students decide it is necessary to A add a QR code B increase the amount of white space C print the poster on glossy paper D align the text and images to a grid E remove the date and time
Questions 25–30
What is the students’ opinion of each poster layout below?
Choose SIX answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–G, next to Questions 25–30.
Opinion of poster layout A They agree it is too cluttered. B They think the hierarchy is clear. C They think the contrast is poor. D They agree it looks professional but dull. E They think the icons may confuse people. F They think it is eye-catching but needs simplifying. G They think the font choice is unsuitable.
Part 3: You will hear two students discussing how to improve the layout of a poster for a project.
SOPHIE: Okay, Daniel, we need to tidy the poster section before we submit the project. The tutor’s feedback was blunt. She said we had a lot of content but not a clear message. DANIEL: I get it. Posters are not like essays. People do not study them line by line. They glance, decide whether it matters, and move on. SOPHIE: Exactly. So before we judge the six options, we should agree on what the poster is supposed to achieve.
DANIEL: For me, the first priority is speed. The viewer should understand what the event is within a few seconds. If they have to squint and decode it, they will ignore it. SOPHIE: Yes, quick understanding is essential. The second priority, I think, is credibility. If the layout looks messy, people assume the organisers are unreliable, even if the event is good. DANIEL: Agreed. So the two key aims are: it must be understood quickly, and it must make the organisation look credible. We do not need it to be artistic or full of images.
SOPHIE: Great. Now what changes are actually necessary to get there? DANIEL: I was thinking of adding a QR code so people can sign up. SOPHIE: That would be helpful, but it is not essential to fix the problem. The main issue is that the page is crowded. We need more white space, otherwise nothing stands out. DANIEL: True. When everything is packed tight, the headline does not feel like a headline. SOPHIE: Also, we need a grid. Right now, the text boxes drift slightly and the edges do not line up. It feels accidental. DANIEL: Yes, alignment matters for credibility. So the two necessary changes are increasing white space and aligning everything to a grid.
SOPHIE: Now let’s evaluate the six layout options and record a clear judgement for each one. DANIEL: Text-heavy first. SOPHIE: This is the version where we tried to include every detail on the front. There are long paragraphs, two logos, and a long list of speakers. DANIEL: And the margins are tiny. It feels like a noticeboard, not a poster. SOPHIE: Yes, it is too cluttered.
SOPHIE: Next, the headline-led version. The title is large, then a short line explaining what it is, then the date and location. DANIEL: I like that. My eye goes to the title first, then the key details. SOPHIE: So the hierarchy is clear.
DANIEL: Now the dark background one. It looked modern on the laptop. SOPHIE: But when I printed it, the grey text almost disappeared. DANIEL: That is contrast. The contrast is poor, so the information is hard to read quickly.
SOPHIE: Minimal blocks is the simplest layout, with just a title and the details, all in neat boxes. DANIEL: It is very safe. It looks official. SOPHIE: It does, but it is also a bit lifeless. DANIEL: So it is professional but dull.
DANIEL: Icon set uses those little icons for talk, workshop, and drop-in. SOPHIE: Yes, and I am worried they are not obvious. The workshop icon looks like a tool, so people might think it’s a repair event. DANIEL: Right, the icons may confuse people.
SOPHIE: Finally, bold shapes. This is the one with the angled shapes. DANIEL: It definitely stands out, which we want. SOPHIE: But it is a little busy. DANIEL: So it is eye-catching but needs simplifying.
SOPHIE: Great. That gives us a consistent set of judgements. DANIEL: And we can justify them using our two aims: quick understanding and credibility, plus the two fixes: white space and a grid.
