english hl essay marking criteria

IB English HLE Explained

Free introductory guide to IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) by IB44 and IB45 graduates Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover.

In this guide, LitLearn students (and 2022 IB grads!)  Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover share their wisdom on how to conquer the IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE).

Lareina achieved an IB44, and Saesha achieved an IB45 as well as the coveted IB7 in IB English Literature HL, so you are in safe hands.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

What is IB English HLE?

The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary.

The HLE will make up  25% of your final IB English HL grade , and it is graded externally. You must choose your own line of inquiry   (i.e. a question that you will answer in your HLE–more on this later).

How do I choose my text for HLE?

Do NOT choose the “easiest” text. Life is always better when you do things you're interested in, and that advice applies to the HLE, too. Choose the literary / non-literary work that interests  you the most, so that you can (semi?)-enjoy the HLE planning and writing process.

You could start by thinking of a theme that you find particularly interesting and determining which text studied in class demonstrates this theme well.

How do I choose my line of inquiry for HLE?

The line of inquiry is the core question that you will answer in your essay. A quick example might be:

"To what extent is masculinity undermined by the characterisation of Little Thomas?"

Now, it's your job to forge your destiny and come up with your own line of inquiry. But it's not a complete free-for all! There are rules. The main rule is that your line of inquiry must fall under one of the 7 main concepts of IB English (see below for a quick summary).

This summary is vague, so let's go in-depth on a couple of these concepts to really show you what you should be doing in the HLE.

Identity is what makes you, YOU. Here are some questions the concern your own personal identity:

• What is your favourite colour? And why is it your favourite?
• What makes you different from others? Why do you think these qualities came to be?
• How would someone describe you in three words?

Now apply this same logic to characters within your text.

• How would you describe this character in three words?
• How do their actions within a text influence your view of their identity?
• How has the author crafted this character to make you view the character in a certain way?

Let's take a look at a concrete example of how we might choose evidence and quotes for a HLE on cultural identity. This example is based on a Vietnamese work in translation “Ru” by author Kim Thúy. For context, “Ru” is an autobiographical fictional account which explores Kim Thúy's move from Vietnam to Canada as an immigrant and her consequent struggles. The structure of her novel is largely lyrical and poetic.

Let's look at a section from her novel that may help us come up with an essay idea based on the concept of Identity. When she returns to Vietnam, she attends a restaurant, however this becomes a major awakening for her in terms of how she views her own personal identity. Kim narrates within her novel:

The first time I carried a briefcase, the first time I went to a restaurant school for young adults in Hanoi, wearing heels and a straight skirt, the waiter for my table didn't understand why I was speaking Vietnamese with him. Page 77, Rú

This is a perfect quote for the Identity concept. Can you see why? Let's think through it together…

Why would the waiter be confused if Kim, a “briefcase”-carrying individual in “heels” and a “straight skirt”, was speaking Vietnamese with him?

What does being “Vietnamese” look like to the waiter? Why does Kim not conform to his expectation? Was it perhaps due to what she was wearing?

Now, if we look at the section which follows this in the novel, we are able to see the impact this had on the character of Kim's sense of identity.

the young waiter reminded me that I couldn't have everything, that I no longer had the right to declare I was Vietnamese because I no longer had their fragility, their uncertainty, their fears. And he was right to remind me. Page 77, Rú

Here, we can clearly see that this character is now questioning her Vietnamese cultural identity. This is just one example that demonstrates the concept of Identity.

Culture seems to be this confusing thing.  Does it have to do with religion? Race? Beliefs? What does it mean? Does the monster from Frankenstein fit into a certain culture?

The easiest way to put it is this:  Culture is the way someone lives. It is their “way of life.” Think of it as an umbrella term. “Culture” can include so many different things; the list just goes on, for example religion, values, customs, beliefs, cuisine, etc.

Now think, how would I form an essay from this concept?

• When you read a text in class, you will notice that authors let you form an opinion on the culture of certain characters or groups within a text, but how is this done?
• How does the author represent the culture of a certain community?
• What types of patterns in daily routines are discussed?

It seems odd writing an essay about “creativity” because… like… how can anyone definitively say what ‘counts' as being creative–or not? When I say the word creativity , I think of new inventions, or maybe those weird and wacky art installations living inside those ‘modern art' museums. But hey, what's creative to me might not be creative to you!

When formulating a HLE on the concept of creativity we have two main pointers for you. Look for:

• Interesting + Unique techniques or literary devices used within a text by the author. You can learn more in the  Learn Analysis section of LitLearn.
• Recurring stylistic choices by the author

Now, for this concept, let's look at how we might select supportive evidence and quotations for a HLE on creativity within the narrative style of author Mary Shelley in “Frankenstein”. The narrative style uses  epistolary narration . This is a narrative technique in which a story is told through letters. This was something that I found both interesting and recurring within Frankenstein, which I believe worked to create a personal touch within the novel.

Additionally, Mary Shelley allows different characters to narrate Frankenstein during different volumes. Let's investigate this! I have written out different character profiles of the narrators below:

These 3 characters, each relate a part of the novel Frankenstein. This is an example of a creative authorial choice that allows us, as readers to explore different points of view within the text. This is just one example of a creative aspect of a text which you can analyze for your HLE.

Representation

Representation is all about how something is  portrayed, conveyed, shown, described, illustrated, depicted . There are many different things that can be ‘represented' within a text, and it doesn't have to be tangible.

For instance, you can look at how a belief, idea or attitude is depicted within a text through different characters or devices.

Again, let's explore a concrete example to make things clear: this time the graphic novel “Persepolis”. We'll consider an HLE on how a text  represents the  impact of political turmoil on society .

Chapter 10 of “Persepolis” highlights societal changes occurring due to the Iranian Revolution. The panels below list the authorial choices relevant to the negative representation of political change in a society. When looking at the techniques highlighted in the slides below, think about how you feel when you look at the panels below. Can you sense a more positive or negative feeling?

Cool, but what do we do to turn all this into an actual HL essay? Here is a sample response. The introduction might begin like this:

In the captivating graphic novel “Persepolis,” the author Marjane Satrapi explores the social and political impacts of the Iranian revolution. In particular, Satrapi conveys a disapproving viewpoint on political turmoil within the text. Throughout the graphic novel, Satrapi carefully represents how social isolation, hypocrisy and confusion is experienced by a young girl living in Tehran, as a result of political turmoil.  Example HLE Introduction

Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil:

Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above. While her parents appear quite concerned by the news on the TV, she appears to not be in full comprehension of the cause for their distress. This is demonstrated by the visual imagery and dialogue, in panel 7, for instance, if you observe the facial expressions by each of the characters. Example of analysis in body paragraph

This is just a short example from one particular text. To help you unpack any text, try look for the following when analyzing chapter to chapter:

• What is the main idea of the chapter?
• Why did the author write it? What purpose does it serve?
• What do you believe is the overarching importance of the passage?

Brainstorming Tips

If you're having trouble picking your text and line of inquiry, then use this simple 20-minute process to brainstorm potential questions for your HLE:

• For each text / non-literary work, go through each concept in the table below.
• Write down a question for each of the two prompts for each category.
• Repeat for all of your texts.
• Pick the question-text combination that has the greatest potential for strong analysis.

How do I ensure my HLE question has a good scope?

Choosing a question with good scope is extremely   important, and it's one of the biggest challenges in the HLE. Here's why:

• If your scope is too broad , you may have too much to write about in order to answer the question, and therefore you won't be able to write deep analysis (which is super important–more on this later…)
• If your scope is too narrow , you may not have enough to write about and end up overanalyzing unnecessary and obscure details. Also something to avoid!

So, to help you get the balance just right , here are three examples of HLE questions, specifically for the concept of  Identity which we mentioned in the table above (by the way, the example is a made-up novel for illustration purposes).

• Too broad: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece?”
• Too narrow: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans toward discrimination in the workforce in the 21st century?”
• Just right: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans in the 21st century?”

How to get a 7 on IB English HLE

There are many things that contribute to a 7 in your HLE and your IB English grade overall. But if we had to boil it down to one secret, one essential fact… then it'd have to be this: Get really good at analysis .

Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English. It doesn't matter if it's Paper 1, Paper 2, HLE, IO… You must learn how to analyze quotes at a deep level, and structure your analysis in a way that flows and delights your teachers and examiners.

Start with the basics

Start with the basic foundations of analysis for free inside LitLearn's Learn Analysis course.

Our free and Pro resources have helped IB English students skyrocket their grade in weeks, days and even overnight...   Learn Analysis for IB English , the simplest guide to a 7 in IB English.

Basic Analysis

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Level up to Advanced Analysis

Since you're in HL, you'll also be needing Advanced Analysis skills if you want to impress your examiner. We've got all of that covered inside our Pro lessons.

Advanced Analysis

Finding Quotes

Also, you'll need to find good quotes for your text. Some good sources where you can find relevant quotes include  Goodreads , SparkNotes ,  LitCharts , and Cliffnotes . Of course, you could just find quotes yourself directly–this will ensure your quotes are unique.

Understanding the IB English HLE rubric

An essential step to getting a high mark on the HL Essay is understanding the rubric! It is SO important that you know what IB English examiners are looking for when grading your essay, as this helps you to shape the content of your essay to match (or even exceed) their expectations.

The IB English HL Essay is graded out of 20 marks . There are 4 criteria, each worth 5 marks.

Use the checklist below to make sure you're not making simple mistakes! Note that this is not the official marking criteria, and I strongly recommend that you reading the official rubric provided by your teacher.

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding, and interpretation

• Accurate summary of text in introduction
• Focused and informative thesis statement
• Effective and relevant quotes
• Relevant and effective summary and ending statement in conclusion

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation

• Relevant analysis of a variety of stylistic features 
• Relevant analysis of tone and/or atmosphere
• Relevant analysis of broader authorial choices i.e. characterization, point of view, syntax, irony, etc.

Criterion C: Focus, organization, and development

• Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
• Organized body paragraphs – topic sentence, evidence, concluding statement/link to question
• Appropriate progression of ideas and arguments in which evidence (i.e. quotes) are effectively implemented

Criterion D: Language

• Use expansions (e.g. “do not”) instead of contractions (e.g. “don't”)
• Use of a variety of connecting phrases e.g. “furthermore”, “nonetheless”, “however”, etc.
• Complete sentence structures and subject-verb agreement
• Correct usage of punctuation
• Appropriate register – no slang
• Historic present tense : the use of present tense when recounting past events. For example, we want to write “In  The Hunger Games , Peeta and Katniss work   together to win as a district” instead of using the word “worked”.
• Avoid flowery/dictionary language just to sound smart; it is distracting and difficult to read. As long as you concisely communicate your message using appropriate language, you will score a high mark under this criterion.

Here's everything we discussed:

• IB English HLE is tough work! Start early.
• Brainstorm using the table of concepts to come up with a strong HLE question. Don't give up on this!
• Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English HLE (and in fact all IB English assessment). Check out LitLearn's course  Learn Analysis for IB English   for immediate help on the exact steps to improve in IB English analysis.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor 💪

Question​bank

Paper 1 Practice Exams

Past Paper 1 Solutions

Paper 2 Guide

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Learn Analysis

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Questionbank

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Exam prep guide, practice papers, past paper solutions.

Exam prep, planning and writing guide. Exemplar essay.

Individual Oral

Preparation guide, examples and full exemplar script.

Higher Level Essay

Crash course on HLE basics.

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Ultimate Guide To IB English – Language A: Literature HL Exam

What’s covered:, ib hl vs sl: what’s the difference, how do hl papers/exams work, how are the ib english sl papers/exams scored, how does the ib english hl exam affect my college chances.

IBDP, which stands for The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme , is a common high school diploma alternative to the AP system, a system very popular here in the U.S. The IB system is much more internationally accepted, and considered a lot more rigorous in academics and exams. 

The exams can be a hard spot for IB for many students, and one of its flagship subjects, English Literature, is considered difficult and its exam is no different. Hopefully this guide can break down the exam into some digestible information and make it easier for you to approach the examination. 

All IB classes/courses have two versions, higher level (HL) and standard level (SL) . The most prevalent  difference between these two versions is mostly the amount of coursework expected, as well as some key differences to what’s being provided to the student as learning material. 

Language A is separated by not only the difficulty of exams but, there are different kinds and options for reading material for the class. Reading material matters here because the exams are based on reading material. 

HL papers for the Literature exam are divided into two components:

• Paper 1 is a 2 hour and 15 minute long essay-based examination that requires you to analyze unseen texts.
• Paper 2 is a 2 hour and 15 minute long examination that will require you to answer questions based on the required texts for the course, and questions can be picked based on which texts you chose to read. 

This paper is a bit more difficult for most students because the questions are based on unseen excerpts as opposed to the reading materials you’ve read during the two year curriculum. These unseen texts are hard to prepare for, but based on the type of student you are, you might find this more approachable as they’re concise and require more reading between the lines. For these texts it’s important to get to the motive and theme of the text as soon as possible, as opposed to understanding the actual context. Skim reading and breaking down sections into groups based on common themes is a common hack for this paper. 

Ideally you’d want to have a general plan before you step into paper 1. The plan should detail your approach to reading the exam and its texts. Breaking the texts down to the following subcategories would be useful for literature analysis:

• Contextual and Content
• Author Motives

By breaking the text down like this, you can identify the purpose of the excerpt and hence answer any question that involves the analysis of the literature pretty easily, because your plan has already been executed as you were skimming or reading. 

This plan should make paper 1 much more manageable, but some practice goes a long way. Make sure to use previous examinations and specimen papers to your advantage and practice older questions to perfect your skills.

Paper 2 can be considered a little easier given that you’re aware of the texts that will be used for the examination, and you can choose which questions you wish to solve out of the provided options. These options make it even easier to implement the plan as described previously! Paper 2 is only as difficult as you come underprepared so study those texts and provide literature!

The texts refer to readings that have been assigned from a board at IBO, and these selections are sent to schools all over the world. The way the paper is designed, no matter which option you choose to read for a text, there will be an exam question that pertains to your selection. There will also be numerous generalized questions that can refer to many texts and be pretty-opened. 

There’s ample time to create answers that are more concrete and proofed compared to responses in paper 1, therefore the grading expectations for this paper are less lenient than paper 1. Understanding your provided reading material is key to excelling in this paper, so making sure to come in prepared is the key difference of passing and failing this paper.

Both papers are scored out of 20 points, and are based off a rubric/criterion chart that can be used to pick a score based on performance. 

The criteria can be clearly seen in the diagram above, with level 1 being the weakest performance in each criteria, up to 5 being the strongest.

You should study the criteria thoroughly because it shows you what the grader is looking for in a  good, well-written essay/response. 

The scores out of 20 are then used along with your performance in internal assessments to determine a grade out of 7 for the class . The table below, called a grade boundary table, is used by graders to determine this score out of 7.

To calculate your grade, you would take the total score on both papers (which is out of 40) and your internal assessment grades, a total isn’t as clear here as it’s based on what your teachers would decide. Divide your earned points by the number of available points to score, and multiply the decimal by a 100.

Read Early 

Given that paper 2 is completely dependent on how well you’re prepared by understanding your literature options, read earlier and get a head start. The sooner you understand your text, the earlier you can analyze prior to the exam. By getting this over with, when the exam rolls around you’re already done with the prep work required to solve the prompts and questions.

By reading earlier you may also notice the text you chose isn’t quite suited for you, or you simply don’t enjoy reading it. The extra time from starting it earlier, gives you a chance to swap our selections if required.

Exam Stress Management

A more general, but equally as important tip! Managing stress during exam season can be difficult, but a couple healthy practices can make it easy! Start by telling yourself exams are not as important as schools make them out to be! They are not going to decide our future, and certainly have less impact on your chances of college admission than you’d think! Understanding this can remove a lot of stress off you, which funnily enough might make you even perform better due to feeling less inclined to exceed those expectations that were previously placed on you!

In short they do not! Scores don’t mean much when it comes to college admissions, but showing the will to be in a hard class like English Literature HL is more important. Colleges are inclined to favor students with a set of more difficult classes as opposed to high scores and other metrics. 

A nifty tool, CollegeVine’s admissions calculator , takes all factors that do matter in college admissions, ranging from extracurriculars, GPA, and standardized test scores, along with a lot more, and provides you with your unique chances of getting into a college/university of your choosing. 

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Higher Level Essay

Whether you are an HL Literature student or HL Lang/Lit student, the HLE requires some special attention.  The good thing about this assessment is that it’s a processed – rather than on-demand – piece of writing.  This means you can take your time, put in the work, and produce something that you love and makes you proud.  Our students crush this assessment!  Use the same resources they do and enjoy your success.

HLE Writing Guide

Writing this assessment doesn’t have to be challenging.  In fact, we think it can be fun and rewarding!  Let us guide you through the entire writing process, from line of inquiry to the last word of your conclusion.  Our students do well on this assessment, and so can you.

Part of our  IBDP English A Student Toolkit , this resource includes:

• 100-page course book with guidance on films, photos, cartoons, and many other non-literary BOWs
• 5 sample papers across genres
• Examiner scores and comments
• Line of Inquiry guidance
• Step-by-step approach to building the HLE in small and manageable chunks
• Complete set of graphic organizers to guide students from start to finish

Developing a Line of Inquiry and Thesis

The Line of Inquiry (LOI) and thesis are the cornerstone of the assessment, so don’t proceed until these are under control.  Sadly, many students get off to a poor start with this step, and this means they end up writing either a shallow essay or one that doesn’t really satisfy the requirements of the task.  These videos should help you unlock the task.

Start with a text you love and work toward developing a literary or linguistic perspective. Watch this video and start your pathway to success.

How To Write the Line of Inquiry

If the first method didn't work for you, please try another approach.

How to Write the Line of Inquiry (part 2)

Turn that LoI into a clear, precise, and insightful thesis statement that will drive the essay.

HLE Sample Thesis Statements and Writing

The HLE Complete Course from Start to Finish

We feel this is some of our best work.  Teachers and students around the world have commented that this HLE series gets the job done and results in some powerful writing that makes students proud.  Please take the time and work through the videos sequentially.  Work along side with us.  Let us guide you to HLE success!

Choose your text and write the LOI.

Student planning doc

Model Student planning doc

Time for brainstorming and outlining.

Student Organizer

Completed Sample Organizer

Master the intro and conclusion.

Sample Intro and Conclusion

Learn how to write strong HLE body paragraphs.

Sample Body Paragraphs

Learn to revise, edit, and polish the final product.

Final instructions before submission

Dave’s complete sample HLE

Some Sample Papers

Sometimes it’s easier to just look at a final product, break it down, and see how other students have approached the HLE.  That’s why Dave and Andrew selected some strong papers, highlighted them, and discussed their strengths and weaknesses.  We’ve examined tons of these things, so listen carefully.  Lots of tips and tricks in these videos to help you pick up some extra points and crack into that mark band you want and deserve.  Understand the task.  Work hard.  Defeat the HLE and allow yourself to beam with pride.  Go ahead, you’ve earned it.

You’ve probably noticed that Andrew and Dave love drama. Dialogue, stage directions, props…they’re amazing! Watch our student crush this HLE on Death and the Maiden by Dorfman. What can you steal from this essay in terms of ideas, organization, and overall approach? Document: HLE Student Sample – Drama

Poetry anyone? Andrew and Dave love poetry for the HLE. They are complete “mini works” with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They are rich in techniques. They are complex and have deep meaning. In short, they rock. Just remember that for the HLE, “short texts need friends.” Document: HLE Student Sample – Poetry

Looking For More Support?

Hey, nobody said this thing would be easy.  No worries.  We’ve got you covered.  Perhaps you want to see some more student writing?  Check.  We’ve got that.  Perhaps you want to know some key points to include?  Check.  We got that too.  You’re almost there!  Finish these last two videos, add some finishing touches to your work, and submit that baby in with pride and confidence.

So you watched the videos above but are still concerned about “showing deep thinking” on the HLE? It’s ok – we know this is tough. Check out this video to see several samples of how to build big thinking into your writing. Document: Showing Deep Thinking in the HLE

We know, we know. The content is overwhelming and it’s just too much at times. You just want the top ten tips for success? Fine. Here you go. But don’t forget to go back and watch the rest of these videos when you’re feeling more energy. They’re a set. Watch them all and ace the HLE.

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• Support Sites

English A: Language and Literature Support Site

P1 sl/hl assessment criteria, criterion a: understanding and interpretation.

• To what extent does the analysis show an understanding of the text and make inferences from it?
• To what extent are interpretations supported by relevant references to the text?

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation

• To what extent does the analysis show textual analysis and evaluation of how the author uses stylistic and structural features to shape meaning?

Criterion C: Coherence, focus and organisation

• To what extent does the analysis show coherence, focus and organisation?

Criterion D: Language

• To what extent is the student’s use of vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and terminology accurate, varied and effective?

English Collaborative

IB English A: Paper 2 Assessment Considerations

Please note:  The purpose of this information is to elaborate on the nature of the IB assessment tasks, define and explain the assessment criteria and their implications, share observed challenges in students’ submitted assessment work, and offer strategies and approaches for assessment preparation. 

This post is not meant to replace a reading of the IB Language A Subject Guides or the Teacher Support Materials available on MY IB .  Those resources should always be a first stop for teachers in checking the requirements of each assessment task and how the task should be facilitated.

Paper 2 Overview

35% at sl; 25% at hl, nature of the task.

• Students are asked to compare and contrast two literary works studied in the course in response to one of four general questions on literature. 
• The assessment task, time (1 hour and 45 minutes), and criteria are the same for SL and HL in both Language A courses. [1]   Students do not have access to the works during the exam.
• The focus of the essay’s analysis and evaluation is on comparing and contrasting the ways in which authorial choices shape significant meaning in two works.
• In the marking of the assessment task, there is more quantitative value placed on the ideas presented in the essay (20 marks) than on the essay’s organization and use of language (10 marks).  Maximum: 30 marks.

Nature of the questions

• The questions will have a conceptual, literary focus .  They may ask about: (1) a specific concept, idea or issue developed in the works, (2) an authorial choice (that is not form/genre specific), or (3) a mix of both. [2]
• The four questions must be suitable for a range of works.  However, it is possible that some questions will not be applicable to one or more of the works the student has studied.   
• For examples of “General Questions on Literature”, teachers may consult IB English A1 past Paper 2 exams from 2000-2012; these questions are located at the end of the examination paper.

Selection of works

• Students are not allowed to write about a work they used for their IB Individual Oral exam and HL Essay submissions. [3]  
• Students must focus their response on two literary works.  Language and Literature students may not use the non-literary works they have studied in the course for this assessment.
• Students can compare two different literary forms (i.e., genres) in the essay.
• The subject guide recommends that students prepare three works studied in the course for the exam, even though students are only writing about two.   This will ensure students have more options when choosing a suitable question. [4]
• The pre-selection of Paper 2 works might be done as a class, in small groups, or individually.

What is the Paper 2 assessing?

Criterion a:  knowledge, understanding, and interpretation (10 marks), defined terms.

• The heart of the essay is to compare and contrast two works in response to an unseen question. 
• The task requires flexible thinking and invites the student to consider the works in new and enlightening ways.  The most effective essays use the question and the comparative and contrasting analysis to achieve new insight into the works. 
• The conclusions the student draws in response to the question might be the same for both works , or they might differ .  An essay exploring contrasts can be just as enlightening as an essay exploring comparisons, especially when students are comparing different literary forms.
• Students need to understand the difference between demonstrating understanding of the works and offering interpretations of the works’ meanings in response to the question.  An essay must offer interpretations of the works’ implications to score at least a “satisfactory” mark in this criterion.
• Good to excellent knowledge and understanding comes from knowing the works very well which usually requires multiple readings .  Clear references, explanations, and detailed analysis in support of asserted interpretations are a more effective demonstration of knowledge and understanding than summary.  There is no need to memorize quotes for this exam. [5]
• When a literary work contains multiple texts (such as collections of poetry, short stories, and essays), students should refer to at least 2-3 texts in the work. [6]

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to knowledge, understanding, and interpretation

3-Check Questions Socratic Seminar

This activity encourages students to engage with texts through inquiry.  Identifying the level of comprehension required to respond to each question invites students to be […]

Continue Reading

Stir the Classroom

This protocol requires that members take ownership of the ideas discussed within a group so that if called, they can synthesize them for their next […]

Most Important Point

This simple protocol helps students identify and synthesize the most important point in a work.    As students share their most important points with one another, […]

People, Place, Thing Cards

This activity uses “third point objects” that help students think critically and creatively about a work.  When students are faced with physical and abstract juxtapositions, […]

Criterion B:  Analysis and Evaluation (10 marks)

• This criterion asks students to critically analyze, evaluate, and compare how meaning is constructed and communicated in two works. 
• The discussion and analysis of literary features must contain clear links to the question.  This is a common shortcoming in student essays.
• The interrelationships of authorial choices and their effects may be complex, which requires careful planning . 
• Assertions that make judgements about a writer’s competency or simply state a preference for an author or style are not literary evaluations.
• An insightful literary analysis usually includes an appreciation of form-specific features.
• When comparing and contrasting the features of two works, students tend to compare more than contrast.  Contrasting two works’ features and effects can yield just as much insight as a comparative analysis, especially when students are analyzing different forms (or genres) of literature. 

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to analysis and evaluation

Ladder of Abstraction

This activity allows students to process the ways in which details from a work might represent larger abstract ideas. Process Divide students in groups of […]

Breaking Down the Question/Prompt

Essay or commentary prompts usually either point students to a specific textual feature or a specific effect/meaning/feeling created within the text. It is up to the […]

This activity helps students visually see and appreciate the ways in which parts make up a whole.  One of the challenges many students have is […]

Diversity Rounds

This protocol directs students to reflect on the ways in which their identity shapes their reading/ audience response compared to others in a group.  The […]

Musical Chairs Interview

At the beginning of a unit, this protocol works well with discussion questions that focus on the students’ personal response to a work (regarding characters, […]

Criterion C:  Focus and organization (5 marks)

• The thesis (or argument) for the essay is an answer to the question that should be clearly communicated in the introductory paragraph.
• Encouraging “logical development” helps students maintain focus and achieve cohesion .  This means considering the most effective way to present the argument and its supporting evidence and analysis (chronologically, most persuasive evidence first, cause and effect, first impressions vs. later reflections, claims and counter claims, etc.).
• Each paragraph should be a point of development that supports the argument.  The nature of the argument and the substance of the analysis should determine the number of paragraphs, their length, and their order.  Students should not force an argument into a formulaic essay structure. [7]
• While using formulaic comparative structures might help students achieve balance (e.g., block v. alternating method), this is not a requirement of the task. 
• Essays organized by authorial choices tend to be limiting because they struggle to appreciate the interdependency of features’ effects.

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to organization and development

Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: Concept Mapping Significant MOMENTS in a Work

This activity asks students to individually identify significant moments in a work and collaboratively connect the moments to ideas, issues, and other moments in the […]

Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: Concept Mapping IDEAS in a Work

This activity asks students to individually identify ideas and issues developed in a work and collaboratively connect and develop one another’s ideas.  This ultimately helps […]

Significant Quotes

Who said it?  What is the context? and Why is this quote significant? may seem like an archaic exercise in today’s educational landscape, but the […]

Free Write Response

Peter Elbow is known for his advocacy of free writing practices and provides the following arguments in his book, Writing with Power (1981): Freewriting… helps […]

Criterion D:  Language (5 marks)

• A wider vocabulary and knowledge of sentence structures gives students more language tools to express abstract and complex thoughts. 
• Correct use of literary terminology may be considered in awarding marks in this criterion; however, jargon is not the sole focus. 
• When students use vocabulary and sentence structures that are comfortably in their repertoire, they usually express their thinking more clearly.  When students stretch to use words or sentences structures with which they are not familiar, they risk miscommunication.
• An essay does not need to be flawless to earn top marks in this criterion. 
• Voice is welcomed in all IB assessment tasks: formal writing does not need to be turgid.

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to use of language

Interpretive Statement Wall

This protocol helps students develop revision skills by asking clarifying and critical questions about each other’s interpretive statements or thesis statements.  This helps students develop […]

Evaluating Thesis Statements

This activity helps students understand the role language plays in communicating specific and complex ideas in a thesis statement.  The approach invites active collaboration, and […]

This protocol helps students generate ideas in response to a work. Process Give students a writing task, asking them to identify one thing they think […]

Stem Completion

This activity provides students the language and framework to “get them going” on cognitively challenging tasks.  This activity also helps students appreciate the important role […]

[1] Language A: Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 38 .  Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 37.

[2] Language A Teacher Support Material, First assessment 2021, IBO: 2019 (updated February 2022).  pp. 47-48.

[3] Language A: Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 38 .  Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 37.

[4] Language A: Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 44 .  Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 42-43.

[5] Language A: Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 44 .  Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 43.

[6] “10 tips for schools & teachers for the Paper 2”. My IB Website , IBO: 2020.

[7] “10 tips for schools & teachers for the Paper 2”. My IB Website , IBO: 2020.

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• Writing criteria, unpacked

Here are the Paper 1 Written Production Criteria organised by bullet-point, in order to make the range of values as clear as possible. Note that:

• the key operative descriptive terms are in red
• I have added comments on the application of each set of descriptors, in blue

HL and SL distinctions - In Criterion A Language , there is mainly a 'one-step' difference between HL and SL - for example, under 'Grammar range', the wording of the SL 10-12 mark-band is the same as the HL 7-9 mark-band. In Criteria B Message and Criterion C Conceptual understanding , there is no 'step' - the wording of the mark-bands is the same at both levels. However, there will presumably be distinctions between the levels in (a) the level of difficulty of the tasks set, and (b) how the descriptors are interpreted and applied. These distinctions will only emerge from the first live exam session onwards.

Criterion A: Language  (/12)

SL & HL  (as indicated)

Headline: Command of the language  

(Wording the same for all mark-bands at both levels)

• Command of the language is limited.
• Command of the language is partially effective.
• Command of the language is effective and mostly accurate.
• Command of the language is mostly accurate and very effective.

The most significant word here is "effective", and I think we can take this to mean 'effective communication' - in other words, how well does one understand what meaning is intended?

But perhaps the meaning of 'well' changes as one moves up the levels of performance? Thus...

• at the lower end of the scale, 'effective' depends on how easily one can work out what meaning is intended, or how much of an 'effort of translation' one has to make
• at the upper end of the scale, 'effective' depends on how rich or complex or subtle is the meaning conveyed - are there nuances or implications or irony, for example?
• Vocabulary is sometimes appropriate to the task. (SL 1-3 + HL 1-3)
• Vocabulary is appropriate to the task. (SL 4-6)  Vocabulary is generally appropriate to the task and varied . (HL 4-6)
• Vocabulary is appropriate to the task and varied . (SL 7-9)  Vocabulary is appropriate to the task and varied , including the use of i diomatic expressions . (SL 10-12 + HL 7-9)
• Vocabulary is appropriate to the task and nuanced and varied in a manner that enhances the message, including the purposeful use of idiomatic expressions . (HL 10-12)

Or, to present this in table-format :-

Grammar range

• Basic grammatical structures are used.  (SL 1-3)
• Some basic grammatical structures are used with some attempts to use more complex structures. (SL 4-6 + HL 1-3)
• A variety of basic and (some HL) more complex grammatical structures is used.  (SL 7-9 + HL 4-6)
• A variety of basic and more complex grammatical structures is used effectively .  (SL 10-12 + HL 7-9)
• A variety of basic and more complex grammatical structures is used selectively in order to enhance communication.  (HL 10-12)

There are two factors here - the basic/complex continuum; and the 'used' continuum (i.e. from "attempts" to "selectively")

• basic/complex - but which sorts of grammar structure do we place where in this continuum?
• 'used' - the emphasis here is on "how skilfully or competently are different types of grammar used?"

Accuracy/errors   

• Language contains errors in basic structures. Errors interfere with communication.
• Language is mostly accurate for basic structures but errors occur in more complex structures. Errors at times interfere with communication.
• Language is mostly accurate . Occasional errors in basic and in complex grammatical structures do not interfere with communication
• Language is mostly accurate . Minor errors in more complex grammatical structures do not interfere with communication.

Two interpretations are significant here:

• There is an assumption here that learning a language proceeds in a methodical sequence from 'basic' to 'complex', and that errors are neatly eliminated in that progression. This is observably not always so - some learners may handle complex structures well, but still display errors in poorly-grasped basics. Accordingly, one may sometimes have to negotiate between mark-bands and come to a compromise mark.
• The term 'interfere with communication' is important, and the sequence here is fairly clear. Privately, I would add, the qualifier 'significantly' to the 7-9 mark-band - as in 'do not interfere significantly'

Criterion B: Message  (/12)

SL & HL (Wording the same for all mark-bands at both levels)

Fulfillment of task

• The task is partially fulfilled .
• The task is generally fulfilled.
• The task is fulfilled .
• The task is fulfilled effectively.

In the final IB assessment, the 'task' will be defined in the Marking Notes, specifying the 'action verbs' (i.e. what the student has to do), and 'expected content' (i.e. how ideas should be developed and supported). All of these elements are then the indicators to study when judging to what extent the task has been 'fulfilled'.

• Few ideas are relevant to the task.
• Some ideas are relevant to the task.
• Most ideas are relevant to the task.
• Ideas are relevant to the task.

The notion of 'relevance' can also be considered as 'focus' - the extent to which the message(s) of the text concentrate effectively on the evident, required purpose. To put it another way, how much of the text is poorly linked to the purpose of the text, or not at all?

Development of ideas

• Ideas are stated , but with no development .
• Ideas are outlined , but are not fully developed .
• Ideas are developed well , with some detail and examples .
• Ideas are fully developed , providing details and relevant examples .

The notion of 'development' involves looking for evidence that the student has thought through the ideas in detail. This implies a continuum from 'very simple basic statement' to 'all consequences and implications, with through and methodical support'.

Presentation & structure

• Ideas are not clearly presented and do not follow a logical structure , making the message difficult to determine.
• Ideas are generally clearly presented and the response is generally structured in a logical manner , leading to a mostly successful delivery of the message.
• Ideas are clearly presented and the response is structured in a logical manner , supporting the delivery of the message.
• Ideas are clearly presented and the response is structured in a logical and coherent manne r that supports the delivery of the message.

It is important to make an analytical distinction between what ideas can be summarised from the text overall, and how those ideas have been organised so that the reader can follow a clear logical sequence of ideas easily and accurately. To put it another way, this is the distinction between what is explained and how it is explained.

Criterion C: Conceptual understanding   (/6)

Demonstration of conceptual understanding.

• Conceptual awareness is limited .
• Conceptual awareness is mostly demonstrated.
• Conceptual awareness is fully demonstrated.

Choice of text type

• The choice of text type is generally inappropriate to the context, audience or purpose.
• The choice of text type is generally appropriate to the context, audience and purpose.
• The choice of text type is appropriate to the context, purpose and audience.

How will ‘choice’ be tested? It would appear that the optional text types provided for each question/task may all be 'appropriate' in general terms - the judgement of 'appropriate' will be how skilfully the student makes use of the conventions of the chosen text type in order to fulfill the task and express his or her individual take on the subject.

Register & tone

• The register and tone are inappropriate to the context, purpose and audience of the task.
• The register and tone, while occasionally appropriate to the context, purpose and audience of the task, fluctuate throughout the response.
• The register and tone are appropriate to the context, purpose and audience of the task.

This may be seen as amplifying the 'Choice of text type' bullet point, above. For instance, if a student chooses an e-mail to a friend about a personal issue, and then deploys a formal register and an impersonal tone, this would be inappropriate to both text type and task.

Conventions

• The response incorporates limited recognizable conventions of the chosen text type.
• The response incorporates some conventions of the chosen text type.
• The response fully incorporates the conventions of the chosen text type.

This bullet point essentially involves identifying and counting commonly-accepted conventions for the chosen text type - the more, the better.

NOTE on marking Criterion C

Normal procedure will be that the three text type options offered for each task will be chosen to be 'inappropriate'...'generally appropriate'... 'appropriate' - and as a starting point, an 'inappropriate' choice will be placed in the 1-2 mark band; 'generally appropriate' in the 3-4 band, and 'appropriate' in the 5-6 band.

However, what happens if a student makes an 'inappropriate' choice, but handles it very well? To what extent can a student escape from the normal procedure summarised above?

This question occurred to Deanna Pizzitelli, and she asked the IB - see the full answer in her Comment at the bottom of the page Paper 1 sample exam #2  

Simply put, the answer is that a student who handles an 'inappropriate' option very cleverly can indeed score highly. The point is, of course, that the terms 'inappropriate/ appropriate' are subsets of the overall purpose of Criterion C "To what extent does the candidate demonstrate conceptual understanding" . If a student came up with some ingenious + convincing way of using the 'inappropriate' option so that it entirely fulfilled the task, then that person would have demonstrated (pretty sophisticated) cultural understanding.

How might this work? To illustrate, let us imagine the following situation:-

• The task is to "inform all of the students of your school about the very serious issue of XXXX..." The markscheme expects that a speech is the 'appropriate' choice (because the whole school can be brought together, and a speech is normally serious and formal) ... and the optional 'blog' is considered 'inappropriate' (because there is no guarantee that the whole school knows about the blog, and blogs are usually considered informal and superficial).
• However, our smart student chooses the blog, and begins something like this... "Hi guys! I have chosen to explain about the serious issue of XXXX in my blog because (i) in an online blog, I can include links to various websites and videos which are really important for you to see; (ii) we can then start an online discussion through your Comments; and so (iii) the school agreed to send out a letter to everyone telling them to look at this blog..."
• The student then writes a blog entry which begins informally and colloquially (to engage the audience of young people), but then becomes much more formal and sophisticated when dealing with the serious topic of XXXX. In addition to this skilful handling of tone and register, all of the expected conventions of a blog are present. 

You see? This student has demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the conceptual understandings, and handled the text very cleverly - so why not the 5-6 mark band?

However... it would have to be a smart and convincing alternative. Examiners will generally be sceptical about scripts which fall outside the 'normal' expectation.

'Concepts' in Criterion C

All subjects in the IB Diploma are required to specify key ideas, fundamental to a sound understanding of each subject. In Language B, this is complicated because the Language B Subject Guide has to cover some 20+ different languages, and some 'key ideas' may be specifically different in each language. However, there is agreement that there are indeed fundamental concepts applicable to writing in all languages. These are:

Audience .... Context .... Purpose .... Meaning .... Variation

Conceptual understandings ... This page explores these concepts in more detail, with leading questions in order to guide discussions and explanations with your students