ib english hl essay 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

No sign up or credit card required.

Free signup required.

Pro members only

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

From Struggling to Succeeding in IB English

How IB English students like you have improved their grades with LitLearn Pro... Read the reviews.

IB4 to IB6 in 12 days " LitLearn helped me understand exactly what I was doing wrong and how to improve upon those mistakes. " Read the full review

IB6 to IB7 in 1 week " I ended with a 7 in English Literature HL and I am so happy about that. Thank you Jackson. " Read the full review

IB5 to Perfect 20/20 in 1 week " I managed to be the only person in my IB cohort of 120 students to get a perfect score of 20/20 " Read the full review

IB4 to IB6 in 2 weeks " The lessons are really effective in grabbing my attention and making English more fun to learn. "

IB4 to IB6 in 1 day " With just day 1 of the course, I improved immediately and overnight when I did a practice essay and improved by 4 marks from my previous grades " Read the full review

IB5 to IB7 " I got 5s since my first year of DP and now my final grade is 7! I can't thank you enough 🙂 LitLearn is truly a lifesaver. "

Every resource to ace IB English

Voted #1 IB English Resource 2022 by IB Students & Teachers at ibresources.org

Learn Analysis

Master the essential skill of IB English with a step-by-step course.

Questionbank

Practice analysis with 60+ short questions and IB7 answers.

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.

English Collaborative

IB English A Language and Literature: HL Essay Assessment Considerations

Please note:  The purpose of this information is to elaborate on the nature of the IB assessment task, 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 MYIB.  Those resources should always be a first stop for teachers when checking the requirements of each assessment task and how the task should be facilitated. 

HL Essay Overview

Nature of the task.

• Students are asked to develop a line of inquiry of their choice in connection with a work or body of work studied in the course.
• In this context, teachers serve as advisors.  The HL essay is an opportunity for students “to develop as independent, critical and creative readers, thinkers and writers” [1] which suggests there should be some degree of autonomy in choosing a work or body of work and determining the line of inquiry.
• The final essay is a focused argument critically examining a broad literary or linguistic perspective in one of the works or bodies of work studied in the course.  The focus of the critical examination should be appropriate for the discipline; while there may be some overlap with other disciplines (e.g., art or film), teachers will need to use their professional judgement to evaluate appropriate boundaries for the line of inquiry [2] .
• The essay should be developed “over an extended period of time” [3] .  Adequate time should be given for students to refine their ideas, plan their arguments, draft, and revise their essays.  Teachers are expected to play an active role guiding and facilitating this process.
• The essay is formal and should adhere to the conventions of an academic essay in its structure and use of citations.  
• In the marking of the assessment task, there is equal quantitative value placed on the ideas presented in the essay (10 marks) and the essay’s organization and use of language (10 marks).  Maximum: 20 marks. [4]
• The final essay produced for submission needs to be 1200-1500 words in length.  Examiners will not read more than 1500 words. [5]

Explanation of the task

• It is important that students develop a line of inquiry that is focused, analytical, and (when relevant) literary before they begin researching and writing.  Students do not need to name literary or textual features in their question; however, the question should lend itself to an analytical investigation of the work that is appropriate for the discipline.
• The seven course concepts (identity, culture, creativity, communication, transformation, perspective, and representation) may serve as a starting point when developing a line of inquiry. [6]
• The discussion, ideas, and inspiration for the HL Essay will ideally come from the student’s Learner Portfolio.  Students may expand on an idea, activity, or smaller-scale assessment explored in class as inspiration for selecting a topic and developing a line of inquiry.  Students may also explore their own, self-generated lines of inquiry.
• Each student’s line of inquiry should develop from their own work or ideas about the work.  Ideally, the learner portfolio will document this evolution (in some form).

Selection of work

• Students base their essays on one work or body of work studied in the course. Students may choose any work or body of work, except for the works/body of work used for the Individual Oral or the works chosen for the Paper 2 exam. 
• Students should consult with their teachers when selecting a text, work, or body of work to ensure the material is rich enough to support a focused, analytical argument of this length.
• Documentaries and full features films are full, non-literary “works” and are acceptable material on which to base a line of inquiry for the HL Essay.
• Literary bodies of work include collections of short stories, poetry, essays, graphic narratives, etc.
• Non-literary bodies of work may include an advertising campaign, a journalist’s published articles or editorials, a photojournalist’s series of photographs, related public service announcements or campaigns, research and relevant publications by an organization (such as Human Rights Watch), a series of texts or shows by an interviewer, commentator or satirist, a podcast series, an editorial cartoonist’s publications, etc. [7]  
• The texts in the body of work must share authorship.  This means the texts are written or produced by a single author or are written and produced by collaborators that share a single authorship (such as an advertising agency, corporation, non-profit organization, television show, writer and graphic illustrator, etc.) [8]
• Students may base their essay on one text in a body of work (e.g., one short story in a collection), however students need to be careful to sustain a “broad literary [or linguistic] investigation” as opposed to a close reading or commentary.  They are expected to make explicit connections in the essay between the text and the author’s body of work. [9]  
• In most cases, it will be appropriate for a student to reference at least 2-3 texts in an author’s body of work. 
• Students may explore and use any texts from an author studied in class, even if the specific texts were not part of the course study.  This might be appropriate if the student’s specific literary investigation cannot be supported with the specific texts studied but could be supported with other texts by the author. [10]

Determining the topic (and line of inquiry)

• The essay needs to be focused on a broad literary or linguistic investigation that addresses a concept developed in the work or body of work. 
• Students who struggle to identify a suitable concept can use one of the seven course concepts as a starting place to develop their line of inquiry (e.g., What does the work communicate about…? In what ways does the work transform our perspective on…?  To what extent does the work represent…? )
• Students should be encouraged to explore a concept that is significant to them and their reading of the work. 
• Teachers can advise and coach students through the process of selecting a topic and developing a line of inquiry, but teachers are not supposed to assign topics (or works) to students. [11]

What is the HL Essay Assessing?

Criterion a:  knowledge, understanding, and interpretation (5 marks), defined terms.

• Students need a clear, cohesive thesis statement in the introduction of the essay that states the conclusions the student has drawn in response to the line of inquiry.  The “conclusions” are the student’s central argument for the essay. 
• Students need to understand the difference between demonstrating understanding of a work and offering interpretations of the work’s meanings.  An essay must offer interpretations of the work’s implications to score at least a “satisfactory” mark in Criterion A.
• 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.  
• When analyzing texts from a “body of work”, students are expected to make claims and connections to the body of work.  If the focus of the essay is on an individual text (such as a short story or poem), it is important that the analysis be treated as a “broad literary [or linguistic] investigation”.  Teachers will need to evaluate the extent to which this is possible for each individual text.  It may be helpful for teachers and students to consult articles in scholarly journals to see examples of how a broad literary investigation can be approached with a shorter, individual text.

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

Formulating Interpretive Statements

This activity scaffolds the process of developing an “interpretive statement” in response to a text or work.  This is achieved through a sentence completion exercise […]

Continue Reading

Concept Formation

In this activity, students use small examples to establish what a concept is (and is not).  This inductive strategy works to give depth, ownership, and […]

Critical Lenses

Critical lenses help students engage with different perspectives with which to approach the reading and interpretation of a work.  Each lens contains questions that provoke […]

Journal Writing

Journal writing helps students develop important thinking skills.  There are the traditional approaches used in the younger years, like imagining a minor character’s point of […]

Criterion B:  Analysis and evaluation (5 marks)

• This criterion asks students to critically analyze, evaluate, and compare how meaning is constructed and communicated in a work or body of work.
• The discussion, analysis, and evaluation of literary or linguistic features must work to develop the line in inquiry and central argument for the essay.  This is a common shortcoming in student essays.
• The interrelationships of authorial choices and their effects may be complex, which requires thoughtful organization in the planning stage of the essay. 
• 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.

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to analysis and evaluation

Why might this detail matter?

This activity gets students to think about the significance of minor details in a work.  These details can be used as evidence to form the […]

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 […]

Appoint a Devil’s Advocate

This protocol invites divergent thinking in a group and works to facilitate a culture where different ideas are viewed as collaborative rather than combative.  Preparation […]

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 […]

Criterion C:  Focus, organization, and development (5 marks)

• The line of inquiry (which includes the topic) should be clearly stated either as the title or in the introductory paragraph of the essay. 
• The thesis (or argument) for the essay should be clearly communicated in the introductory paragraph. 
• Effective organization helps students maintain focus, achieve cohesion, and develop claims.  This means considering the most effective way to present the argument and its supporting evidence and analysis (chronologically, most persuasive evidence first, by sub-topic, cause and effect relationships, first impressions vs. later reflections, claims and counter claims, etc.).
• Each paragraph should be a point of development that supports the conclusions drawn from the line of inquiry (i.e., the essay’s central argument).  The nature of the argument and the substance of the analysis should determine the number of paragraphs, their length, and their order.  Forcing an argument into a formulaic essay structure can be limiting.
• Purposeful transitions create cohesion and logically take the reader through the essay’s evidence-based claims.
• Essays organized by authorial choices tend to be limiting because they struggle to appreciate the interdependency of features’ effects.
• One citation method should be sustained throughout the essay.

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to organization and development

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 […]

Making a Précis

This activity guides students on how to distill a text into 100-200-word précis or summary.  This is a helpful skill for preparing a passage response […]

This protocol helps students consider which ideas, issues, and feelings are playing a significant role in shaping their personal response to a work. Process Give […]

Sort Card Activity

This activity helps students organize information and identify conceptual trends.  This activity models a process that students can use when planning their own essays and […]

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 […]

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 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, however the expectation for language to be clear, varied, and accurate is higher in this component.  This is because students have an opportunity to revise their essays.
• 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 […]

Discussion Posts and Personalized Learning

This formative assessment gives students an opportunity to personalize their learning while engaging in collaborative discussion with their peers around their chosen text(s) or work. […]

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 […]

[1] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 42.

[2] To gain an understanding or confidence in evaluating analysis that is “appropriate for the discipline”, teachers may want to invest some time perusing scholarly articles written on works they teach or are familiar with using a database such as JSTOR or Ebscohost.  These titles and articles an also be shared with students as guides and exemplars.

[4] Ibid, pp. 45.

[5] Ibid, p. 42.

[6] Ibid, p. 43.

[7] A list of text types can be found on p. 22 of the Language A: Language and Literature Guide.  As mentioned in the guide, the list is not exhaustive.

[8] “Selection of work”. Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019, p. 43.

[11] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. p. 44.

[12] Definition:  a short statement of the main points.

Photo by Marcel Friedrich on Unsplash

2 thoughts on “ IB English A Language and Literature: HL Essay Assessment Considerations ”

Thank you for this resource.

You’re welcome! If you see something that should be added, please let us know!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

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.

IB English Guys

Newsletter signup.

Top 8 Tips for Earning a Level 7 on the IB English HL Essay

• What is the IB English HL Essay?

Demands of the IB English HL Essay

• Examples of Level 7 IB English HL Essay Titles
• 1. Consider the Source you Wish to Write About
• 2. Decide on your Topic by Brainstorming Wider Themes

3. Consolidate your Line of Argument in a Thesis Statement

• 4. Identify the Strongest Evidence for your Argument

5. Plan, Structure, and Research

6. write a first draft with citations.

• 8. Re-write if Necessary

What is the IB English HL Essay

The IB English HL Essay is usually written at the end of the first year of IB English in international schools and constitutes 25% of the IB English grade. For IB HL English Language & Literature, the source for the 1200-1500 word essay will be a non-literary or literary text studied in the course; for HL English Literature, this will be a literary text studied in the course.

This external assessment will be unlike any English essay students will have written so far, as it requires learners to develop their own question, argue in the framework of an academic essay, and use citations.

In this way, the scope and direction of the IB HL Essay for English can be quite hard for learners to understand and master. Candidates need to research literary commentary to supplement their arguments and create a polished piece of literary criticism based on significant literary or thematic elements studied in the IB English curriculum.

Even the process of constructing an essay title and narrowing down the scope of the essay is challenging in itself. When our IB English tutors teach our students, we first prioritise this conceptual foundation. 

Examples of Level IB English HL Essay Titles

Here are some examples of previous IB English HL Essay titles which have secured 7s: 

The Inversion of Social Construct in Primo Levi’s If This is a Man

Masculinity and Strength in Yukio Mishima’s The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea  

Alienated Masculinity in Katherine Mansfield’s The Garden Party and Other Stories 

IB English HL Essay Overview

Having written an IB English HL Essay ourselves (‘Written Assignment’, during our time), our private IB English tutors know that many IB English students will find it challenging to elevate their analysis to an essay of this length while staying laser-focused on the topic.

This kind of sophisticated analysis is required for a Level 7 in IB English HL, so we model how we tutor based on the learning style of the student to best refine their line of argument.

Here is a broad outline of how we would structure the IB HL English Essay research and writing process. It also serves as a good checklist to keep in mind when writing any high school essay, especially for the IB.

1. Carefully Consider the Source you Wish to Write About

This seems like an obvious point, but some candidates choose what they believe to be the easiest option (e.g. a text with more obvious discussion points), even if they do not particularly like the text. Though this may be a good option for some, we have seen students struggle with researching, writing, and perfecting an IB English HL essay on a text they ultimately are not interested in. This can affect the strength of the line of argument, and how convincing the essay is.

2. Decide on your Essay Topic by Brainstorming Wider Themes

By narrowing down the most significant themes of the source, it is much easier to settle on a suitable topic. This is usually quite challenging, and we advise students to turn to private IB English tutoring if they struggle with this.

Along with constructing a suitable essay question, consolidating a strong line of argument, i.e. thesis statement, is crucial for a 7 in any IB subject, especially English. This will form the foundation and direction of the essay.

4. Identify the Strongest Pieces of In-Text Evidence for your Argument

This is a generalised suggestion, and the specific evidence to use will differ depending on the source and question that each candidate chooses for their IB English HL Essay. Essentially, your main arguments must be supplemented by the strongest two to four pieces of in-text evidence. In the IB English HL Essay, these are the primers for your analytical insights.

This is the most important part of the essay writing process and the make-or-break moment for IB English HL Essay success. You should produce a coherent plan, with main points clearly supplemented with the strongest in-text evidence and references to broader literary commentary.

Following appropriate introductory, analytical (PEAL), and conclusion structures should be familiar at this point from other IB essays, even outside of English. The challenge is now to express yourself in formal and persuasive language, while referencing research appropriately.

The first draft of any essay will require heavy editing to ensure that it is structurally organised and well-executed. At BartyED, our private IB English tutors regularly advise students in this crucial stage of the IB English essay. Our support ranges from fixing the tone of an essay to cutting down words (almost all students end up with more words than they planned for).

8. Re-Write If Necessary

Depending on the quality of the essay, the final steps of completing the HL English Essay will be making the relevant edits and refining expression as per the IB English Essay mark scheme. All of the assessment criteria must be met, which can pose a considerable challenge in itself. 

Follow these steps, and with a good tutor, the HL English Essay is sure to be polished and high-level. Check out our website for more information about BartyED IB English tutoring programmes and frequently asked questions about the course. Or, contact a BartyED IB English tutor today to make sure you secure top marks for your coursework!

• Academic Honesty
• Aims and Objectives
• Areas of Exploration
• Conceptual Understanding
• Cultural Semiotics
• Global Issues
• Class Documents
• Assessment Criteria
• Short Fiction and Essays
• Born A Crime
• Non-Literary Texts
• The Things They Carried
• For Further Reading
• Learner Portfolio

Assessment Criteria for the Individual Oral Exam

• Academic Honesty
• Aims and Objectives
• Areas of Exploration
• Learner's Portfolio
• Literary Approaches and Criticisms
• Summer Assignments
• Reminders - ALL Classes
• IA: Individual Oral (IO)
• EA: HL Essay
• Advertisement and Representation
• Drama Study - Pygmalion
• Novel Study: The Road
• Poetry Study: The World's Wife
• Year 2 Readings
• Culture, Identity and Community
• Beliefs, Values and Education
• Politics, Power and Justice
• Arts, Creativity and the Imagination
• Science, Technology and the Environment
• Time and Space
• Intertextuality: Connecting Texts
• Important Handouts
• Visual Rhetoric
• More Info about Oryx and Crake
• Oryx and Crake Song Texts
• B4's Assignments
• IB Conversations
• Language and Identity
• Language and Community
• Language and Gender and Sexuality
• Language and Power
• Media Institutions
• Textual Bias
• Role of Editing
• Arts and Entertainment
• Popular Culture
• The Color Purple
• The Sympathizer
• Woman at Point Zero
• The Great Gatsby
• Can a Picture Tell a Million Words?

External Assessment: Higher Level ESSAY

Weighting - 20% .

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the best ib english study guide and notes for sl/hl.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Are you taking IB English and need some help with your studying? No need to reread all the books and poems you covered in class! This study guide is for IB English A students (students in IB English A: literature SL/HL, IB English A: language and literature SL/HL, or IB English literature and performance SL ) who are looking for additional guidance on writing their commentaries or essays.

I've compiled this IB English study guide using the best free materials available for this class. Use it to supplement your classwork and help you prepare for exams throughout the school year.

What's Tested on the IB English Exams?

The IB English courses are unique from other IB classes in that they don't have a very rigid curriculum with exact topics to cover. Instead, your class (or most likely your teacher) is given the freedom to choose what works (from a list of prescribed authors and a list of prescribed literature in translation from IBO) to teach. The exams reflect that freedom.

On the exam for all English A courses, you're asked to write essays that incorporate examples from novels, poems, plays, and other texts you've read. You're also asked to interpret a text that you've read for the first time the day of the exam.

The exact number of questions you'll have to answer varies by the course , but the types of questions asked on each all fall into the two categories listed above.

What's Offered in This Guide?

In this guide, I have compiled materials to help teach you how to interpret poetry and how to structure your essay/commentary. I've also provided notes on several books typically taught in IB English SL/HL.

This should be most of the material you need to study for your IB exam and to study for your in-class exams.

How to Interpret Poetry Guides

Many people struggle the most with the poetry material, and if you're one of those people, we have some resources specifically for making poetry questions easier.

Here is a full explanation of how to interpret poetry for the IB exam with term definitions, descriptions of types of poems, and examples. We also have tons of poetry resources on our blog that range from explaining specific terms all the way to complete, expert analyses of poems you should know.

Here are some resources to get you started:

• Imagery defined
• Everything you need to know about Point of View 
• The 20 poetic devices you should know 
• Understanding allusion 
• A crash course on Romantic poetry 
• Understanding personification 
• Famous sonnets, explained
• An expert guide to understanding rhyme and meter, including iambic pentameter
• The eight types of sonnets 
• Expert analysis of "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas

This is another great resource with poetry terms defined on "flashcards" , and you can test yourself on the site by clicking "play."

How to Write Your Essay Guide

If you're not sure how to write your essay, here's a guide to what your essay should look like for the IB English SL/HL papers. This guide gives advice on how you should structure your essay and what you should include in it. It also contains a few sample questions so you can get a better idea of the types of prompts you can expect to see.

IB English Book Notes

Based on the list of prescribed authors and literature from IBO, I picked some of the most popular books to teach and provided links to notes on those works. What's important to remember from these books is key moments, themes, motifs, and symbols, so you can discuss them on your in-class tests and the IB papers.

• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• A Farewell to Arms
• Animal Farm
• All the Pretty Horses
• A Streetcar Named Desire
• Anna Karenina
• As I Lay Dying
• Brave New World
• Crime and Punishment
• Death of a Salesman
• A Doll's House
• Don Quixote
• Dr. Zhivago
• Frankenstein
• Great Expectations
• Heart of Darkness
• Lord of the Flies
• Love in the Time of Cholera
• Love Medicine
• One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
• Romeo & Juliet
• Sense and Sensibility
• The Awakening
• The Bluest Eye
• The Great Gatsby
• The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Stranger
• The Sun Also Rises
• Waiting for Godot

The Best Study Practices for IB English

Hopefully, this guide will be an asset to you throughout the school year for in-class quizzes as well as at the end of the year for the IB exam. Taking practice tests is also important, and you should also look at our other article for access to FREE IB English past papers to help you familiarize yourself with the types of questions asked by the IBO (and I'm sure your teacher will ask similar questions on your quizzes).

Make sure you're reading all of the novels and poetry assigned to you in class, and take detailed notes on them. This will help you remember key themes and plot points so you don't find yourself needing to reread a pile of books right before the exam.

Finally, keep up with the material you learn in class, and don't fall behind. Reading several novels the week before the IB exam won't be much help. You need to have time and let the material sink in over the course of the class, so you're able to remember it easily on the day of the IB exam.

What's Next?

Want some more study materials for IB English? Our guide to IB English past papers has links to every free and official past IB English paper available!

Are you hoping to squeeze in some extra IB classes ? Learn about the IB courses offered online by reading our guide.

Not sure where you want to go to college? Check out our guide to finding your target school. Also, figure out your target SAT score or target ACT score .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Exam Strategy for IB English A Language & Literature (HL/SL)

Jun 27, 2021 | IB subjects

1. Study Tips and Features for IB English A Language & Literature

1.1 ib english a language & literature syllabus.

IB English A Language and Literature focuses on the critical study and analysis of literary and non-literary works (newspaper articles, advertisements, etc.). It is a course to deepen the understanding of language and literature through the study of various text types, literary forms, and contextual elements (such as the period and region that the author comes from).

[Number of literary works to read] Students will read at least 6 books in Higher Level (HL) and 4 books in Standard Level (SL). The book selection is based on the “Prescribed Reading List” selected by IBO and other works selected by the school teachers based on the literary form, time period and region.

[Curriculum] In addition to literary works, English A Language and Literature covers a wide variety of works such as advertising texts, newspaper articles and political speeches. The course will be organized into the following three areas of exploration, and students will be able to develop their critical literacy by analyzing the works through these factors.

If you get 6 points or more in the HL of English A Language and Literature, you may be able to convert it into credits at some universities.

1.2 Advice from those who have taken IB English A Language & Literature SL

I’m not good at English, so I decided to take English B, but my school policy recommended English A. Therefore, I chose English A Language and Literature SL, which does not require reading many long novels like English A Literature. Still, it was quite difficult for me to get a high score.

In this course, you have the chance to read not only literary works but also advertising texts and newspaper articles, which is diverse and interesting .

1.3 Advice from those who have taken IB English A Language & Literature HL

The level of difficulty of the literature work itself is almost the same between SL and HL, but HL covers a wider variety of texts, and I think that the expected level of English vocabulary and writing is a lot higher as well.

In both the IA (Internal Assessment) and the Final Exam, I studied the Evaluation Criteria carefully and made sure that my own writing meets this criteria .

I was worried that I would mess up at the IOC (Individual Oral Commentary) and IOP (Individual Oral Presentation), so I wrote the introduction in a notebook and memorized it beforehand.

Since I am a Math & Science student, I thought that “Language & Literature” would be less time consuming to prepare than “Literature”, so I took this course. This course is recommended for those who want to focus in the Math & Science field in the future.

1.4 Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. If my school offers both English A “Literature” and “Language and Literature” , which one should I take?

The “Literature” course will only focus on literary works, while students in “Language and Literature” will have a chance to analyze not only literary texts but also advertisements, blogs, and speeches . In most cases, either choice will allow you to go for any career path, but if you are comfortable with the language and like literature, you should choose “Literature”, and if you are interested in linguistics as well as literature, “Language and Literature” may be a better choice.

Q2. Should I take it in Higher Level or Standard Level?

As with any subject when choosing between HL and SL, you should consider the following 2 points:

• Are you good at the subject? In IB English A, you will read a lot of literary works and write a considerable amount of essays . If you are worried about reading and writing in English, we recommend taking SL. On the other hand, if your mother tongue is English and you are good at reading literary works or plan to go to the liberal arts department, we recommend taking HL.
• Are there any conditions for the subjects you should take in the university / department you want to go to? There are not many universities where it is mandatory to take English A Literature in HL unless you go on to a literature department. Therefore, it is recommended that you consider the subject selection in consideration of other subjects . For example, if you want to go to medical school, it is often compulsory to take Chemistry or Biology in HL. In this case, you should consider whether your remaining one HL (since you need to take 3 HL subjects) is better in English or if you are likely to get a higher score in other subjects.

2. Assessment model for English A Language & Literature

This section describes how the English A Language & Literature exam works. The International Baccalaureate (IB) subject-specific assessment is determined by the External Assessment (mainly the Final Exam) which is graded by IBO teachers, and the Internal Assessment which is graded by the teachers in your school that teach this course.

3. Advices and Tips for Improving Your Score

In this section, we will introduce the recommended study methods by former IB students who received high scores in IB English A Language & Literature . IB has strong scoring standards and unique study methods, so if you understand them and take prepare adequately, you can study efficiently and expect to improve your score. If you have any concerns about English A Language & Literature measures, please consult with a MakeSensei teacher.

3.1 Study Tips for English A Language & Literature

General Study Methods

In “Language and Literature”, you will learn about the uses and purposes of language through analysis of non-literary works. When you come across documents such as advertisements, speeches, and mobile emails in your daily life, it is a good idea to be aware of the difference in language such as tone, style, and composition , depending on each purpose.

For the literature works covered in “Language” it is important not only to focus on the words, but also visuals such as illustrations in the advertisements and the gestures used in the speeches. If you can analyze these points in addition to the passage , you can expect to get high scores!

This course also requires you to analyzes literary works in variety of ways. It is important to identify the key theme of the work, look into how the theme is expressed throughout the work, how the characters and background settings relate to the theme, and analyze the literary techniques and rhetoric used by the author.

If you can’t analyze by yourself, you can also try to find what others think. It is a good idea to listen to the analysis and opinions of your teachers and classmates, tutors, as well as research the analysis, thoughts, interpretations of others online.

3.2 Paper 1

In Paper 1, documents are set from non-literary genres such as advertisements and newspaper articles. It is difficult to prepare because it will be an un-seen text, but if you focus on the following items and proceed with the analysis, you will be able to write a cohesive essay.

(1) Summarize the abstract: include the title, genre, when and in what country the document was published. (2) Think about the content and theme: the content of the literature, the main themes and topics (3) Identify the target: who the author intends to target, what kind of message the author wants to deliver to the readers, etc. (4) Think about the purpose of the literature: Whether the author is trying to persuade the reader, or to provide information, to entertain, etc. (5) Analyze the composition: How does the composition of the literary work achieve the author’s purpose? (6) Analyze the style: what kind of style and language does the author use, and how it affects the message.

3.2 Paper 2

Paper 2 covers a literary work learned in class, and will ask a question to be answered in essay format. You can prepare for this exam by practicing to write analytical essays based on questions from past exams, so that it will be easy when you get similar questions. It is also possible get a question that was not in past exams so the most important point is to analyze all literary works covered in class from as many angles as you can . For example, you can focus on the setting and time period, characters, key themes and symbols of a particular work, and analyze the effects they have on the story and the author’s intentions. Also, the analysis will sound more specific and persuasive if you could includes quotes from the literary work. Therefore, it is recommended to take note of interesting quotes that can be a basis of your analysis while reading the work.

3.3 Internal Assessment: How to Prepare for the Individual Oral (IO)

For the Individual Oral (IO), students need to prepare in advance a theme and outline in response to the question, “Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of one of the works and one of the texts that you have studied.” and give a presentation for 10 minutes , and make a discussion with a teacher for 5 minutes .

Regarding the two works, students must select one non-literary text and one literary work studied in class. An extract of about 40 lines should be selected from each which is representative of the presence of the global issue in it. You have enough time to research the global issues and works in advance, analyze them carefully, and create an outline, so this is a great chance to earn points before the final exam.

The global issues presented by the IBO refers to the following three properties: • It has significance on a wide/large scale. • It is transnational. • Its impact is felt in everyday local contexts.

<For example> – About gender and sexuality – About rights and responsibilities in politics – About the relationship between humans and the natural environment, etc.

Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a global issue : ・The issue is not too wide and not too narrow ・You can explain the issue in both works evenly ・ You can mention how the global issue is expressed in the text, the author’s intentions, and the impact it has on the readers.

Regarding global issues, the following three points should be mentioned in the IO : ・ What exactly does the global issue entail? ・ What are the authors’ thoughts on this issue? ・ How are the thoughts about the global issue expressed in each work?

3.4 How to Prepare for the IB English A Language & Literature Extended Essay (EE)

When writing an EE in IB English A Language & Literature, you are required to choose one of the three categories:

Students must read and analyze a wide range of relevant literature beyond the ones covered in class. It is also important that the content of the essay proves that it is based on personal research . Any literary work can be selected as an EE research subject if appropriate, but be very mindful when selecting the work so that you can write a detailed critique.

5. Curriculum and Criteria for IB English A Language & Literature

Please click  here  (IBO homepage) for further information on the curriculum and criteria.

• IB subjects
• Intro to IB

Recent Posts

• 21 IB Graduates Share Tips to Overcome IB Struggles
• 5 Things to Consider When IB Students Choose University
• 5 Tips for Supporting IB Students as a Parent
• 50 IB CAS Ideas by IB Graduates
• 6 Examples and Tips for IB Physics IA

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

Ultimate Guide To IB English

What’s covered:, ib hl vs sl: what’s the difference, how do sl papers/exams work, how are the ib english sl papers/exams scored.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or IBDP for short, is a high school curriculum taken by students all over the world. Its prestige lies in the rigor and academic difficulty of the courses taught within the program, leading to its acceptance worldwide in hundreds of universities and colleges. 

Within the numerous courses offered, IB has English SL, one of the most taken and popular courses. The following blog post is going to be about how to best tackle the exams in this class and hopefully provide you with some tips to be more prepared for exam day!

IB separates its courses into two kinds of difficulties, higher level (HL) and standard level (SL) . The largest difference between these two courses can be mostly attributed to the amount of coursework expected to be understood by the student, and how much knowledge is required to be applied into practice. 

In the case of this course, Language A is separated by the number of text and forms of literature required to be read/analyzed in the course, more on this later.

While SL is definitely easier than HL, English can be a little different given that the literature being analyzed will be difficult or easy based. This blog is going to be about how you can excel in English

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

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

Paper 1 as mentioned earlier, is not going to be based on the required forms of literature you’ve read during the course of your curriculum. It will be based on unseen poems and snippets of usual books, or perhaps (although unlikely) a digital medium such as a blog or website. Therefore, this exam tests the student’s ability to analyze a text on the spot, and their speed in doing so. 

Based on the type of student you are, you might find Paper 1 difficult if you aren’t as easily prepared to analyze text. Paper 1 requires you to break down excerpts into digestible chunks of information, to answer questions like “What are the most prevalent themes in this poem” . A question like this is decently broad, giving you some space in how you can choose to answer this problem. 

The best way to go about such questions is by coming into the exam with a sort of “blueprint” that you can apply as a general starter/direction in the way you solve questions. This blueprint can be as simple as starting the exam by skimming for keywords/repeated phrases to help determine a common theme/motive in the text, which would help answer questions later on regarding these things.

In general, paper 1 can be considered a bit more lenient in how it will be graded, in respect to the lack of preparation and material the student can come into the exam with. It’s in the exam’s nature for this paper to be inquisitive and to provoke creative thinking in the student, so keep that in mind when attempting this paper!

Paper 2 is generally the paper students find a slightly easier time with, as they are able to pick prompts/questions from the options provided. These prompts are based on texts and required readings that have been assigned from a board at IBO, who then send these selections out to schools all over the world. The way these papers are designed, no matter which text you chose to focus on in class during the curriculum, there will be at least one question directly pertaining to it. There will sometimes also be more general questions that can be used to answer in respect to numerous texts. 

The prompts in this paper are created with the expectations for students to create well-structured and formatted essay responses. The answers cannot be remotely as open-ended as something in paper 1, as there is ample amount of time for preparing ideas and responses that can apply to a prompt no matter which text you choose to study.

The best way to prepare for paper 2 would be to thoroughly understand your reading material, as fully possible as you can. You have a little under two years to do this, which is more than enough time to not only read the material, but to also take notes, highlight and realize which areas are of key importance to how the text changes over time and what its author’s intentions were in creating it. This paper is best described as an examination of how well you understood your material. 

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.

Studying the criteria can also help you understand what a grader is looking for when reading your paper, which can only make it easier for you to score well. The points given to you based on criteria performance changes every year, so check in for the latest data from IB, which is usually handed out in school from your teachers!

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 total number of available points, and multiply the decimal by a 100 to get a percentage. This number can tell you where you are from 1 to 7, based on the table above. 

Exam Day Stress

Stress on the day of the exam is possibly the biggest factor to why students don’t meet their expectations in performance, even though they feel adequately prepared. This is usually caused by feelings of anxiety and pressure, but it doesn’t have to be this way! The great thing about IB exams is that they can be taken again numerous times! In fact, many students do! If you feel like this examination is the most important moment of your life as a student, then you’re wrong.You can always try again if you aren’t ready or if you feel as though you could do better. Understanding this fact can help you feel relieved and like a weight has fallen off your shoulders!

Read Numerous Texts

The best thing about paper 2 is that you already know what you’re going to be tested on before even walking into the exam room! The examination is going to be based on prompts pertaining to the reading material options you’ve been provided when you started IB English. However, you still won’t know what the exact questions on the exam might be, therefore it might be beneficial for you to read at least two required texts. By reading an extra one (or more), you can have a better pick of questions during the exam, instead of struggling to only solve one because that’s the only material you had read.

How Does the IB English HL Exam Affect My College Chances?

In short, it doesn’t! The exam scores don’t mean much in the way of your college admissions, but showing determination in sticking with a difficult class, such as English Literature SL, shows much more! Colleges are excited to see students with the capability and determination to take such challenging classes, and to excel in them is even better! There are numerous factors that are considered for college admissions, and some matter more than others.

It can be really difficult to keep track of your college admissions chances, but using CollegeVine’s admissions calculator makes this so much easier! This intuitive tool takes inputs ranging from your GPA, standardized test scores, extracurriculars and numerous other factors to determine your unique calculations/chances of getting into a certain college/university!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

IBDP English A Literature

Website by Mark Beverley & David White

Updated 18 April 2024

InThinking Subject Sites

Subscription websites for IB teachers & their classes

Find out more

• thinkib.net
• IBDP Biology
• IBDP Business Management
• IBDP Chemistry
• IBDP Economics
• IBDP English A: Language & Literature
• IBDP English B
• IBDP Environmental Systems & Societies
• IBDP French B
• IBDP Geography
• IBDP German A: Language & Literature
• IBDP History
• IBDP Maths: Analysis & Approaches
• IBDP Maths: Applications & Interpretation
• IBDP Physics
• IBDP Psychology
• IBDP Spanish A
• IBDP Spanish Ab Initio
• IBDP Spanish B
• IBDP Visual Arts
• IBMYP English Language & Literature
• IBMYP Resources
• IBMYP Spanish Language Acquisition
• IB Career-related Programme
• IB School Leadership

Disclaimer : InThinking subject sites are neither endorsed by nor connected with the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

InThinking Subject Sites for IB Teachers and their Classes

Supporting ib educators.

• Comprehensive help & advice on teaching the IB diploma.
• Written by experts with vast subject knowledge.
• Innovative ideas on ATL & pedagogy.
• Detailed guidance on all aspects of assessment.

Developing great materials

• More than 14 million words across 24 sites.
• Masses of ready-to-go resources for the classroom.
• Dynamic links to current affairs & real world issues.
• Updates every week 52 weeks a year.

Integrating student access

• Give your students direct access to relevant site pages.
• Single student login for all of your school’s subscriptions.
• Create reading, writing, discussion, and quiz tasks.
• Monitor student progress & collate in online gradebook.

Meeting schools' needs

• Global reach with more than 200,000 users worldwide.
• Use our materials to create compelling unit plans.
• Save time & effort which you can reinvest elsewhere.
• Consistently good feedback from subscribers.

For information about pricing, click here

Download brochure

See what users are saying about our Subject Sites:

Find out more about our Student Access feature:

Assessment overview

The table below gives an overview of the assessment components for both the Standard and Higher Level Literature courses.  While there are familiar elements for those who have taught the previous iterations of the IB Literature course, there are also some key differences that it is important to be aware of as you begin your planning and teaching. This table allows you to see the differences between the SL and HL courses at a glance, while some of the major points to note have also been highlighted for your attention.  From this page, follow links to find further details and ideas about approaching these assessment tasks.  

Colour code:  beige = external assessment; grey = internal assessment

Selected Pages

HL essay: sample responses

Sample HL essay responsesLinked from this page are some Higher Level essay sample responses with teacher marks and comments....

HL Essay exemplar 15: The Thing Around Your Neck

HL Essay on The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieThis HL essay is a response to two short stories in Chimamanda...

Paper 2: Comparative essay

One of the exciting features of the Literature course relates to the way in which students are given free choices about...

HL Essay exemplar 14: Silence

HL essay on Silence by Shüsaku EndöThis HL essay is a response to Shüsaku Endö's Silence, a novel about two 17th Century...

HL essay exemplar 13: In Cold Blood

In Cold BloodThis HL essay is a response to Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, a popular choice as a non-fiction prose text....

HL Essay exemplar 12: Hedda Gabler

This HL essay is a response to the use of symbolism in relation to social hierarchy in Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. While...

• Support Sites

English A: Language and Literature Support Site

The great gatsby (hle).

The following HL Essay aims to answer the line of inquiry: 

Read the essay carefully. Apply the HLE assessment criteria and discuss the marks you would award the script before reading the examiner's marks and comments. How different were your marks and comments from the examiner's marks and comments? What improvements would you make to this essay to achieve better results?

This essay is good because it has a clear angle or focus on a 'topic'. Look carefully at the assessment criteria, and you will see that you need to explore a 'topic' through your HL Essay. In this case, it is the role of higher education in the novel The Great Gatsby. This level of specificity is good when considering your topic.  

Related pages

• HL Essay: Assessment criteria
• HL Essay: Skills: HLE Builder
• Literary works: The Great Gatsby