A method carried out by an apparatus for transmitting control symbols and data symbols on multiple input, multiple output, MIMO, layers, the method comprising: selecting a first set of codewords from Ncw codewords, wherein the first set of codewords is associated with a first set of layers from the multiple MIMO layers, and wherein the Ncw codewords are to be transmitted simultaneously and the first set of codewords comprises Ncwl MIMO codewords, where Ncw and Ncwl are integers greater than or equal to 1; distributing control symbols onto the first set of layers; placing data symbols of the first set of codewords onto the first set of layers; placing data symbols of the Ncw - Ncw1 remaining codewords to remaining layers if New > Ncwl, wherein the remaining layers are MIMO layers from the multiple MIMO layers not in the first set of layers; and transmitting the multiple MIMO layers; the method being characterized by selecting a first set of codewords comprises selecting two different first sets of codewords for two different types of control symbols, wherein first type of control symbols in the two different types of control symbols comprises channel quality information, CQI, precoding matrix indicators, PMI, or a combination thereof, and wherein second type of control symbols in the two different types of control symbols comprises hybrid automatic repeat requested, HARQ, positive acknowledgement, ACK,/negative acknowledgement, NACK, signals, rank indicator, RI, signals, or a combination thereof; and,distributing control symbols onto the first set of layers comprises distributing the first type of control symbols onto a set of layers associated with one set of the two different first sets of codewords selected for the first type of control symbols, and distributing the second type of control symbols onto a set of layers associated with the other set of the two different first sets of codewords selected for the second type of control symbols. selecting a first set of codewords from Ncw codewords, wherein the first set of codewords is associated with a first set of layers from the multiple MIMO layers, and wherein the Ncw codewords are to be transmitted simultaneously and the first set of codewords comprises Ncwl MIMO codewords, where Ncw and Ncwl are integers greater than or equal to 1; distributing control symbols onto the first set of layers; placing data symbols of the first set of codewords onto the first set of layers; placing data symbols of the Ncw - Ncw1 remaining codewords to remaining layers if New > Ncwl, wherein the remaining layers are MIMO layers from the multiple MIMO layers not in the first set of layers; and transmitting the multiple MIMO layers; the method being characterized by selecting a first set of codewords comprises selecting two different first sets of codewords for two different types of control symbols, wherein first type of control symbols in the two different types of control symbols comprises channel quality information, CQI, precoding matrix indicators, PMI, or a combination thereof, and wherein second type of control symbols in the two different types of control symbols comprises hybrid automatic repeat requested, HARQ, positive acknowledgement, ACK,/negative acknowledgement, NACK, signals, rank indicator, RI, signals, or a combination thereof; and,distributing control symbols onto the first set of layers comprises distributing the first type of control symbols onto a set of layers associated with one set of the two different first sets of codewords selected for the first type of control symbols, and distributing the second type of control symbols onto a set of layers associated with the other set of the two different first sets of codewords selected for the second type of control symbols.