IB Diploma Programme · English Language & Literature

The Full Exam Landscape

Four assessed components across two years. This course sits inside one of them — Paper 1 — but the student will also be examined on everything below.

Standard Level (SL)

3 components · ~150 teaching hours

Paper 1 + Paper 2 + Individual Oral. No HL Essay at SL.

Higher Level (HL)

4 components · ~240 teaching hours

Paper 1 (longer, two texts) + Paper 2 + HL Essay + Individual Oral.

The Four Components

Listed in the order the IB presents them. Weightings shown further down.

1
Paper

Paper 1 — Guided Textual Analysis

Unseen non-literary text

Analyse an unseen text (SL) or two unseen texts (HL) using a guiding question. Pure analysis — no literary knowledge required.

SL1 hr 15 min
HL2 hr 15 min
Texts1 · SL   2 · HL
Marks20 · SL   40 · HL
External Unseen Criterion A
2
Paper

Paper 2 — Comparative Essay

Two studied literary works

Choose one of four general questions. Write a comparative essay on two literary works studied during the course. Same paper for SL and HL.

Duration1 hr 45 min
Works2 studied
Choice1 of 4 qs
Marks30
External Literary Comparative
3
Coursework

HL Essay

Independent written analysisHL only

1,200–1,500 word analytical essay on one text studied during the course. Student chooses the text and develops their own line of inquiry.

Length1,200–1,500 w
Texts1 studied
ModeCoursework
Marks20
External HL only Self-directed
4
Oral

Individual Oral (IO)

Recorded 10-minute oral

10-minute recorded analysis connecting one literary and one non-literary work studied, through a global issue — followed by 5 minutes of teacher Q&A.

Prep15 min
Oral10 min + 5 Q&A
Works1 lit + 1 non-lit
Marks40
Internal Spoken Global issue

How the four components add up to the final grade

Grades are out of 7. The weightings below are how each component contributes.

Standard Level (3 components)
P1 · 35%
P2 · 35%
IO · 30%
Higher Level (4 components)
P1 · 35%
P2 · 25%
HL Essay · 20%
IO · 20%
Why Paper 1 is where this course invests. Paper 1 is 35% of the final grade at both SL and HL, and — unlike Papers 2, HL Essay, or the IO — it does not depend on any single text the student has studied. The skills of unseen analysis transfer directly. Master Paper 1 first; Papers 2, HL Essay, and IO all reuse the same core moves (naming techniques, identifying effect, paragraph shape, comparative weaving) with different content.

🗺️ Zoom into Paper 1 — The Learning Pathway

The six-station route this course takes through Paper 1 skills, with the PACER paragraph, band progression, and all text types the exam serves up.

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