ib english language and literature paper 2 sample essay

• Support Sites

English A: Language and Literature Support Site

Practice paper 2s.

What do Paper 2 exams look like? What kinds of questions appear on the Paper 2 exam? The links below shows several Paper 2-style questions. Feel free to 'make a copy' of these Google Docs and edit them for your own purposes. The documents will change continually, as the IB makes more information and past papers available. 

Study the questions in the Practice Paper 2s. What kinds of trends and patterns do you notice? If you were to make a prediction about the kinds of questions that will appear on this year's exam, what would you predict?

Compare the questions from the Practice Paper 2s to the Areas of Exploration. How are they similar or different? Check out the page on the 7 concepts from this course. How do these questions encourage you to explore these concepts ?

The Practice Paper 2s consist of four questions. Actual IB Paper 2 may not be organised this way, but these practiced questions are designed to help you prepare for the following types of questions: 

The first question is about a stylistic or structural feature. These types of questions lend themselves well to Criterion B: analysis and evaluation. If the feature is about 'narrative perspective', for example, you may want to write body paragraphs on related features, such as flashbacks, dialogue and characterisation. As always, connect form to meaning, while answering the question. 

The second question is intentionally difficult. The IB has been known to include questions that require deeper understanding of literature and contexts. Questions about how the meaning of a work has evolved over or how the author 's life has influenced the work are difficult if not impossible to answer. If you do not feel confident exploring answering these types of questions, avoid them! 

The third question is often about some kind of conflict or struggle. These struggles may be between competing concepts , such as 'new' and 'old', or juxtaposed settings, like 'rural' and 'urban', or characters, such as 'men' and 'women'. As you prepare your works, consider conflict, paradox and juxtaposition. You may be able to do something with these ideas or your Paper 2 response. 

The fourth question in the Practice Paper 2s relates to an abstract concept, such as justice, faith, home, wealth or identity. These may or may not be related to one of the 7 concepts from the course: identity, communication, creativity, representation, transformation, perspective or culture. Discussing literary works in relation to these concepts is good preparation for Paper 2. 

Even though you will not know the essay questions before the exam, you can still prepare for the exam. You can practice connecting works, by making diagrams like the diagram on this page . You can practice unpacking P2 questions , using activities like the one on this page . You'll notice on both pages that novels, plays and graphic novels tend to work well for Paper 2 responses, as question often ask about setting, events, characters, conflicts and other literary features of these literary forms. 

Related pages

• Paper 2 instructions
• Guide and outline: Areas of exploration
• Guide and outline: Concepts
• Paper 2 example: The Great Gatsby and The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Paper 2 is back!  That’s right, we all have tackle this beast in May 2023, so it’s time to master the basics about comparative literary analysis.  Remember that this task demands attention to authorial choices and how they shape meaning.  So, when reading your literary works, pay attention to the moves the writer makes to communicate important ideas.

Part of our  IBDP English A Student Toolkit , The Complete Study Guide for Paper 1 and Paper 2 includes:

• 250+ pages of updated review material!
• The best of our website videos and documents 
• NEW content not available on our website
• 20 highlighted papers with examiner notes 
• Discussion videos justifying marks on sample papers
• Full assortment of graphic organizers
• Sentence stems and guidance for analysis

Paper 2 Exam Review Video Course

Looking for more detailed instruction?  Our Paper 2 Exam Review course leverages two short stories and guides you step-by-step through the writing process in 10 videos.  In the end, you will have written a strong sample response for your selected texts.  This course is for dedicated students looking to do the hard work necessary to improve their Paper 2 skills.

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

• Step-by-step approach to building the Paper 2 response
• 10 asynchronous lessons and 2 hours of NEW video
• Two short stories with completed graphic organizers to model the entire Paper 2 writing process
• Blank graphic organizers to use with your Paper 2 texts
• Guidance on using generative AI for Paper 2 revision

May 2024 Exam Prep

We know students are gearing up for exams, and we’re eager to help.  Check out our latest videos before exam day.  Also, be sure to head over to Revision Village for solutions to past papers.  Lots of help available!

Paper 2 From Start to Finish

In this 9-video series, we’ll show you the entire process from start to finish.  We’ll use two short stories as our model and follow the “we go, you go” protocol.  We’ll show you the steps with our sample stories, and then encourage you to do the same steps with your chosen Paper 2 texts.  In the end, you will have written an entire sample paper under our guidance.  So, be sure to download and complete all the graphic organizers.  Stay with us.  Follow the models.  Do like we do.  Paper 2 success is within reach!

Unpacking the Paper 2 Task

• Document: Nuts and Bolts
• READING: Two Short Stories

Breaking Down Text 1

Document: 1-Text Organizer   – TEXT 1

Breaking Down Text 2

Document: 1-Text Organizer   – TEXT 2

Comparing Texts 1 and 2

Document: Comparative Organizer

Writing the Outline and Thesis

Document: Getting ready to write

Writing the Introduction:

Document: Writing the Intro

Writing Body Paragraphs.

Document: Body Paragraphs

Writing the Conclusion

Document: Paper 2 Conclusions

Scoring the Sample Paper 2

Document: Examiner Scoring

Paper 2 - Breaking Down the Skills

Sure, we understand that you want to see sample papers and examiner comments.  Those are coming.  However, none of those support materials matter unless you know the basics of Paper 2.  Watching the videos and reading the accompanying documents will put you in an excellent position to showcase your best comparative writing on assessment day.  Once you have mastered, these skills, then it’s time to move on to practice papers.

Meet the assessment and understand how to achieve success on Paper Two.

Paper 2 Details and Tips

Learn how to break down the question and get stay focused.

Document: Breaking Down the Question

Don’t forget to brainstorm and mind map!

Document: Brainstorming and mindmapping

The thesis is important…watch this video!

Document: Writing the Thesis

Block style or alternating style?  Watch this video to find out.

Document: Structuring the Response

How can I get off to a strong start in this paper?  We’ve got the answer.

It’s critical to write strong comparative body paragraphs.  Watch this!

Mr. Giles always says to “end strong.”  Watch this video and find out how!

Document: Writing Conclusions

Paper 2 - Refining Our Skills

Now that you’ve seen the entire process from beginning to end, let’s combine some of these ideas and refine our understanding of the key skills needed to master this assessment.  

How can we quickly understand the question, brainstorm ideas, and get to the thesis?

Document: From Question to Thesis

Still stuck with that introduction?  Here is some more support.  Watch and nail this important step!

Document: Introduction 2.0

The more body paragraphs we read, the better we get at this difficult task.  Watch the video!

Document: Comparative Body Paragraphs

Once you have all the skills in place, it’s time to make sure you understand all the key tips and details of this important assessment.  Looking at student and teacher models is also helpful, and we will continue to populate this section as the year progresses.

IB Language and Literature 2.0

Group 1 english higher and standard level, literary compare and contrast, how to approach ibdp language and literature and ibdp literature paper 2..

Whether you are a standard or higher level student, Paper 2 tests your ability to compare and contrast the literary works you have studied on your course. In fact, the paper is the same for both higher level and standard level students. You will be give a choice of four ‘open’ questions and you will have 1 hour and 45 minutes to compare and contrast the content, form and writing features of two literary works of your choice in light of the question you choose to answer. There are 30 marks available in this paper, which represent 35% of your grade at SL and 25% at HL. The only rule you must follow when choosing your works is you may not write about a literary work that you have used for a previous assessment. That means that the work(s) you discussed in your Individual Oral Presentation and your HL Essay (if you chose a literary work at all) are off the table. Despite this limitation, that still leaves you a choice of: two out of three literary works if you are a Standard Level Lang and Lit student; at least four works if you are a Higher Level Lang and Lit student; six works if you are an SL Literature student; all the way up to choosing two out of a whopping ten remaining works should you be a Higher Level Literature student. Oh – and did I mention Paper 2 is a closed book exam? Yes, that means you’re going to have to prepare your references in advance (more on that later).

Whichever Language A course you have elected to study, in this section you’ll learn how to prepare for Paper 2, explore some different questions, see how to plan on the day, and discover how to structure and write a brilliant compare and contrast essay. You’ll find sample essays that have been written using the texts from your course which you can read and discuss, and you’ll be encouraged to prepare in the best way possible: by writing your own practice responses to sample open questions.

Class Activity 1: FAQs

Having to sit any exam can be a stressful experience, and even the best students may experience nerves and anxiety in the run up to an important exam. Thankfully, once you’re in the exam room, and it’s just you and your paper, nerves tend to melt away – and some people even report enjoying having the time and space to compose a longer piece of writing and show what they can do! One of the best ways to alleviate stress in the build up to your exams is to be confident in what you are being asked to do. So – how well do you know and understand the requirements of this paper?

Pair up and discuss these frequently asked questions – click on each one (or scroll down to the bottom of this page) to see whether you are right and to discover some good advice.

Class Activity 2: Make Your Own Revision Guide

Trying to answer correctly a question or a problem that is difficult for us, forces us to reflect exercising multiple cognitive functions. Consequently, it generates better learning, even when the answer is incorrect. The more “mental sweat” it costs us to recover some of the memory, the better it will be anchored later and the more it will also cost to forget it. From Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

I’m not going to tell you not to reread the texts you want to write about in your paper 2 exam. And i’m not going to tell you not to review your notes either. What I am going to say is that these methods practiced by themselves create something called the ‘Illusion of Knowing.’ If ever you’ve tried to answer a question in class and said something like, “I know the answer but I can’t explain it right now,” you’ve experienced the illusion of knowing for yourself. You recognise material you’ve previously seen and your brain tricks you that you ‘get it’. Familiarity is not the same as mastery – in fact, familiarising yourself with your prior learning is only the second step in a ten step process identified in the book Make It Stick (see infographic above). To help you get a few steps ahead – all the way to step 7: ‘Elaborate’ – you’re going to have to get active.

It’s not enough to simply reread what you’ve studied before. Writing in your own words generates more impact than passively reviewing what has been previously heard or read. It is useful, for example, to write a summary of what you remember immediately after reviewing your notes. Build structures by extracting the most important ideas and create a written framework for them. Don’t be afraid to explore new thoughts and ideas by connecting fresh concepts you’ve recently learned with previous concepts from your notes. After all, you may be working with texts you studied last week, last month, or even last year.

What’s more, the internet is chock full of tools that make this kind of work easier and more enjoyable. You might like to create a Padlet , collaborate with other people using Onenote , or use Canva to make a visually stunning booklet. You may know software that I’ve never even heard of, but would be perfect for making a revision guide to a literary work. Or you might prefer to work the old fashioned way with pen and paper, creating a poster, booklet or handout. However you choose to work, include in your revision guide: plot summary; setting; characters; themes; important symbols; key quotations (ten or so is a good number to aim for); the major literary features of the text; contextual information . Try to create as concise a revision guide as possible – and always try to use your own words rather than simply copying notes from one place to another. To empower yourself even further, explain your work to other students verbally once you’ve finished.

Class Activity 3: Venn Diagram

When it comes to compare and contrast, there’s no better planning method than the Venn diagram. Deriving it’s name from John Venn’s 1880s published maths papers, the humble Venn diagram has actually been used for centuries by philosophers and mathematicians to consider and organise logical relationships between two or more items – such as the two literary works you need to write about in your exam. At the beginning of your Paper 2 exam, after you’ve chosen your question and before you begin to write your answer, you can use a Venn diagram to quickly and easily organise your thoughts, highlighting how the works are similar and different in relation to a given question.

Select a question from this list , use the questions below, or work with a question you have been given by your teacher. Spend approximately ten minutes thinking about how you might use two literary works of your choice to answer the question, noting your ideas about similarities and differences between two texts on a Venn diagram template. Feed your ideas back to your classmates.

Learner Portfolio: practice for Paper 2

You know what they say: practise makes perfect. Undoubtedly the best way to prepare for any exam is to ‘Generate’ (refer to Step 8 in the Make It Stick infographic). There’s no getting away from it – paper 2 is a challenging exam. It’s probably one of your longest examinations and you might find it the most mentally and physically draining. It’s not easy to write for an hour and forty-five minutes, give or take. Generating sample answers of your own not only increases your familiarity with the texts you might use, but it will also help build your physical and mental stamina. You’ll make discoveries about the texts you read, find ways to explore complex issues, develop your own use of language, and more, through the process of generation. Practicing earlier rather than later gives you time to ‘Reflect’ (step 9) and ‘Calibrate’ (step 10) as well.

Here is a selection of open questions written in the style of the questions you’ll be given in the Paper 2 examination. You can click on some of these questions to read sample answers that have been prepared as models for you to discuss and learn from. While all of these answers have clear strengths, none are perfect, so you might like to discuss how you would approach the questions differently or improve the answers. When you feel you are ready, choose any question and prepare an answer using your own choice of two literary works. Submit your answer for grading, then add it to your Learner Portfolio:

• Referring to two of the literary works you have studied, discuss both how and why the text invites the reader to identify with situations, characters and/or ideas.
• Friendship marks a life more deeply than romantic love. Consider this idea with reference to two works you have studied.
• Some say ignorance is bliss. How is ‘not knowing’ presented in two of the works you have studied and to what effect?
• Discuss the significance of urban and/or rural settings in two works of literature you have studied.
• With reference to two literary works studied, consider how the point of view shapes our understanding of the story.
• Often the appeal for the reader of a literary work is the atmosphere a writer creates (for example, peaceful, menacing, or ironic). Discuss some of the ways atmospheres are conveyed, and to what effect, in two works of literature you have studied.
• How is ‘home’ depicted in two of the literary works you have studied, and what is its significance?
• In any two of the literary works you have studied, discuss the means as well as the effectiveness with which power or authority is exercised.
• Animals and images drawn from the world of animals are a rich source of inspiration for writers. Discuss how animals and natural images are used to develop central ideas in two works of literature you have studied.
• Works of literature can often function as social commentary. Discuss with reference to two literary works you have studied.

Wider Reading and Research

• Successful Learning According to Science – article at the Siltom Institute

FAQ: Answers

Is paper 2 harder than paper 1.

I would say the answer to this question is ‘it depends’. Some students prefer the analytical writing required by Paper 1. It is also easier in terms of reading requirements: the texts in Paper 1 can usually be read in just a few minutes. On the other hand, Paper 1 is more of a ‘one-shot’ task. If you misread or misinterpret an unseen text in Paper 1, it can be difficult to compose an effective answer. Because Paper 2 involves discussing texts that you have prepared, and should be very familiar with, you are much less likely to make mistakes in understanding and interpretation.

How many works should I prepare?

Paper 2 requires you to compare and contrast any two literary works you have studied (except those you have already used for a previous assessment; the rules are quite clear that you cannot use the same text twice). If you are a Standard Level Language and Literature student, it is more than likely that you will only have three remaining texts in any case, so you should prepare two of these in as much detail as you can. There is no requirement to choose texts from the same genre – nor must you prepare texts from different genres. You can prepare two poets or no poets; combine a novelist with a playwright, a non-fiction work with a collection of poetry, and so on. There are also no requirements about texts written in English and translated texts. The choice is yours. The questions you will be offered are open enough to appeal to any combination, as long as you have studied the texts as part of your literature course. Visit some of the samples prepared for you on this page to look at the variety of different text combinations in action.

Students of other courses, especially Higher Level Literature students, will have many more texts to choose from. Nevertheless, this exam paper is the same for all four Language A courses and you too will only need to write about two texts. However, it is possible that you have found many ways to compare several of your texts and are interested in preparing different combinations that will help you answer different questions. Keep in mind, though, that preparing a text in detail can be a time-consuming process and, while I’ve no doubt that English is one of your favourite subjects (!) you have other exams to prepare for as well. There is only so much time you can dedicate to revision and only so much information that your brain can comfortably hold. It is recommended, therefore, that you prepare two texts like everybody else, and certainly no more than three texts. If you do prepare an extra text, remember write about only two about once you have chosen the question you want to answer in the exam.

How do I choose the best question to answer?

The exam paper will give you a choice of four open questions of which you must pick only one. Try not to enter your exam determined to answer a specific question or type of question – what might happen if a question you prefer is not available on the day? Your choice should be primarily guided by the suitability of the texts you have prepared. It is highly likely that one of the questions is totally un suitable for the texts you have prepared and you should eliminate this question without a second thought. For example, perhaps the question is asking you to write about the presentation of future societies in two literary works – and your texts are not set in future societies! You can also discount questions where you do not understand the wording or you have never studied the central issue in the question. For example, if a question asks you how literary works use humour to create effects, and you have never discussed uses of humour or humorous writing conventions in your class, it might be wise to avoid this question as well. Use the process of elimination to quickly narrow down your options.

Once you have eliminated one or two questions, you should be left with a manageable choice, or maybe even a straight decision to make out of two. Any question you have not crossed out by now is a question that, theoretically, you could answer. It is time to make a confident choice about which question is most suitable for the texts that you have prepared. You may be lucky and something that you have studied extensively in class might be staring you right in the face. For example, perhaps you wrote a Learner Portfolio entry about a certain writer’s use of symbolism – and here’s a question asking you to compare symbolism in two literary works. Even if this is not the case, you should be able to make a confident choice about which question to answer for the duration of the exam.

One last piece of advice: once you have made a plan and begun to write – stick with your choice. The very worst thing you can do is change your mind partway through an exam. Have faith in yourself; if you get stuck, pause, think through any problems, and return to your Venn diagram rather than go back to the start.

What should I write in the introduction?

It is essential that in your introduction you achieve three aims:

• Define the terms of the question you have chosen to answer and set yourself a conceptual framework in which to write;
• Introduce the literary works that you will use to explore these terms;
• State your thesis by setting out specific ways in which your chosen works are both similar and different in terms of the concept you have defined.

You’ll find a good thesis has three parts as well: how the concept is presented through a feature of Work A; how the concept is presented through a feature of Work B; how the concept is presented through a shared feature or different features of both works A and B. Examine the introductions in the sample answers on this page to see what this looks like in practice.

How should I structure my response?

The idea of comparing and contrasting two complete literary works can be quite overwhelming, and it helps to practise writing in a structure that is effective and achievable in the time you are given in the exam: 1 hour and 45 minutes. It is important to remember that this exercise is a comparative essay , for which there are two widely accepted ‘structures’ or ‘shapes’ in which to write: block structure and point-by-point structure . Writing in a block structure means you will cluster your ideas about one text before moving to the next – literally writing in long ‘blocks’. Point-by-point structures alternate between one text then the other, making careful points of comparison and contrast along the way. While both have advantages and disadvantages, neither is inherently right or wrong and you should practice both until you find an approach that suits you, your abilities, and the question at hand. In fact, you may find that certain questions lend themselves to one particular structure over another. Generally speaking, though, point-by-point is a more difficult structure to manage, as you need to organise your ideas carefully before you start to write; however, you will have more opportunities to draw comparisons, which is the whole point of this paper, and you may find this approach more fruitful:

• Introduction
• Block 1: discuss features of Work A in light of the question. Include analysis of writing features and/or stylistic choices made by the writer of Work A.
• Block 2: discuss features of Work B in light of the question. Include analysis of writing features or stylistic choices made by the writer of Work B. Begin to draw comparisons or contrasts with Work A, but keep the focus on Work B.
• Block 3: discuss the similarities and/or differences between Work A and Work B in light of the given question.

POint-by-point

• Discuss one writing feature of Work A in light of the question.
• Explicitly draw parallels with a feature of Work B, drawing out points of similarity and difference.
• Discuss a second writing feature of Work A in light of the question.
• Repeat as many times as you can in the time available…

Whichever structure you choose, in terms of length, you should aim to write over three pages and maybe as much as five pages, depending on the size of your handwriting. While quality is preferable to quantity, you need to be honest with yourself about how much knowledge, understanding, analysis, and discussion you can convey in anything under three pages, no matter how small you think your handwriting is. Short answers (and over-long, rambling answers) are unlikely to score very well. It is also strongly advised that you arrange your work in manageable paragraphs, clearly signposting your comparisons (points of similarity) and contrasts (points of difference) using appropriate connectives and linking phrases, such as:

To compare:

• Bears similarity to
• In the same way
• Compares to

to contrast:

• On the other hand
• By contrast
• As opposed to
• In a different way
• Contrasts with

Do I need to memorise quotations?

A close look at the mark scheme for Paper 2 will help answer this question. Criteria B is marked according to your ability to analyse and evaluate ‘ textual features and/or writers’ broader choices ‘. These phrases give you considerable scope as to how exactly you reference your literary texts. For example, a discussion of symbolism may involve you writing about the broad symbols used in a particular text. In this case, you would only need to remember the symbols, not necessarily quote the exact lines of prose, poetry or drama they appear in. Similarly, the decision to write from a particular point of view is a ‘broader choice’. it is perfectly possible to describe or paraphrase events that happened in a literary work from a certain character’s perspective without replicating exact quotations. The same goes for the rhythm and meter of poems, the way characters effect other characters, the structure of a plot… and so on. Many stylistic choices can be approached in this way.

On the other hand, no feature is more important in a work of literature than a writer’s choice of words. Literature is made of words! Analysing a text without making any reference to specific words might be like trying to describe a work of art without making any reference to line, colour, shape or composition. It’s possible – but it’s likely to be pretty vague and miss out on some of the most important and noteworthy moments. And, in all honesty, I’m sure you can recall some of the words of the texts you have read without even trying to memorise quotations. For example, anyone who’s read The Merchant of Venice is unlikely to forget ‘a pound of flesh’, ‘hath not a Jew eyes’, ‘my house is hell’ and other seminal lines. So my recommendation is to work with the texts closely, read, re-read, practise, and get the language of your texts stuck in your mind. Memorising a dozen or so important quotations from each of your literary works shouldn’t be too hard for anybody. And remember too, in a closed book exam no one is expecting you to have every single word of every single quotation memorised perfectly – paraphrasing the essence of a line and embedding single words and phrases from the literary works is often enough.

Should I write about context and background?

Another good look at the mark scheme helps answer this question. Criteria A asks for your understanding and interpretation of the works in relation to the question. This implies that you can focus your analysis entirely on the literary works you have chosen to write about irrespective of context or background you may have learned.

However, implied in Criteria B is your ability to understand and evaluate the effects a writer was intending to create – and it’s here that your knowledge of context can turn your response from average to good to great. While your personal interpretation of a text is totally valid, you should also be aware that no writer was hiding things in their literary works simply for future IB students to find. Shakespeare wasn’t writing for you – he was writing for a late sixteenth / early seventeenth century English audience who may have had very different expectations, and responded to his words in very different ways, than a twenty-first century teenager in a classroom somewhere else in the world. Being able to write a nuanced response may necessitate consideration of who, exactly, the text was for, and the influence of important social, historical, or cultural factors – and therefore an acknowledgment of the author’s life and wider context of the work. Read one or two of the sample answers in this section to see how contextual information can be integrated concisely into your main body paragraphs.

How do I write a good conclusion?

There are many ways to write an effective conclusion, but as you get towards the end of your answer you might be running short of time. In high pressure situations, it’s tempting to want to finish as quickly as possible. You might, for example, summarise the main points of your response in a nice and neat way – while this isn’t the worst thing you can do, you should ask yourself if this is really necessary. After all, your examiners are (hopefully) intelligent people and it’s unlikely they would need a summary of something they have only just read.

Instead, try to write in a circular structure. Return to your introduction and look again at the concept you defined at the start of your answer. Re-evaluate these ideas with the benefit of the work you have just produced. Can you present a final thought that wraps up your argument nicely, or perhaps present an exception or even irony you have discovered? Check out the sample answers on this page and look at how this might, in reality, be achieved.

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Sample Paper 2

• As I Lay Dying
• English Paper 2
• Ethan Frome

About This File

This essay is my sample response to an in-class practice activity for Paper 2 and mirrors an exam response using the two novels: As I Lay Dying and Ethan Frome . My teacher graded it a 22 out of 25 mark. The following is the prompt I responded to:

"The art of the storyteller is to hold the attention of the reader."

With reference to two works you have studied, discuss ways in which the writers have employed techniques that hold you attention.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, every ib english past paper available: free and official.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

In this article, I cover IB English Literature SL/HL , IB English Language and Literature SL/HL , and IB Literature and Performance SL exams. These are the core language A options for English speakers.

The IB English exams are essay based tests that require you to either a) analyze texts provided on the exam, or b) write analytical essays based on the books, poems, and other literature you've studied throughout the semester. That means one of the best ways to prepare for the exam is checking out past essays to see what writers did right...and where they got off track.

But where can you find IB English past papers, free and paid? Don't worry: we'll help you find past papers to study with and talk about how you can get the most out of these past papers during your study time.

feature image source: Books Stack Book Store Of /Pixabay

These past papers are free as a bird (or birds, in this case).

Where to Find Free IB English Past Papers: Official Resources

The IB has been cracking down on illegally uploaded past papers for the past few years, so a lot of previous sources are no longer available. IB has however, uploaded a few official past exams that you can view for free online. Below are links to the official IB English Past Papers provided by the IBO.

• English A: literature higher level/standard level: papers 1 & 2
• English A1 higher level: paper 2
• English standard level A2: paper 2

Since these are officially distributed by the IBO, these are the papers and exams you should use as a starting point as you study for your test. You need REAL IB English past papers to get realistic practice.

Where to Find Free IB English Past Papers: Unofficial Resources

Like we mentioned earlier, the IBO has been cracking down on unofficial English HL/SL papers online. However, there are still a few places where you can find past papers that have been uploaded by other users. 

One big caveat: these resources are unvetted, which means the quality of the papers is all over the place. Only use these resources after you've worked with—and studied!—the official papers above . And of course:  do not plagiarize  the ideas in any of the unofficial papers you find! 

IBResources.org 

This student-led initiative allows users to contribute past papers and other study resources to a free repository online. There are quite a few free English A SL/HL papers available on the site. You'll have to navigate a kind of clunky file interface to find them, but once you do, you'll have many free, unofficial papers to peruse. 

Reddit.com's IBO Subreddit

By searching the subreddit, you'll be able to find user-uploaded paper examples for the English IB exam . You'll have to sift through individual threads, but with some elbow grease, you'll find more free and unofficial English A SL/HL papers here. 

These papers aren't free...but if you're looking for high quality study resources beyond the official IBO ones above, these fit the bill.

Where to Find Paid IB English Past Papers

The only safe and reliable place to buy IB English past papers is from the IBO at the Follet IB Store . There are tons of scams floating around, so we don't recommend you purchase past IB English papers from anywhere else!

The IBO sells past IB English Literature SL papers, IB English Literature HL papers, IB English Language and Literature SL papers, IB English Language and Literature HL papers, and IB Literature and Performance SL papers from 2013 onward.

The site is somewhat hard to navigate, but using the search bar several times got me where I wanted to be eventually.

You're already giving maximum effort. Now maximize your outcomes! 

How to Get the Most of Each Past Paper

One complete test will take you 3 hours for SL or 4 hours for HL . If you are going to invest that much time, you need to be maximizing your learning. To do so, follow these rules.

Rule 1: Build up Your Endurance

The IBO used to split the English exam up over two days, so you would take one essay each day. As of 2021 that's no longer the case, meaning you'll have to take the full exam in one sitting. 

Here's what that means for you: you'll be doing  lots  of analyzing, writing, and thinking on test day. That can be exhausting! To make sure you have the energy you'll need to succeed, start building up your mental endurance now. 

The best way to do that is to have real-time practice sessions . On a weekend, set aside the three to four hours you'll have on test day, then write sample essays based on the writing prompts from past papers.  This will help you get a sense for what test day will be like, and you'll be able to optimize your writing process so you don't run out of time. 

Rule 2: Time Yourself

You need to get used to the timing. Here is the time allowed:

English Literature SL

• Paper 1 (Guided Textual Analysis)—1 hour 15 minutes
• Paper 2 (Comparative Essay)—1 hour 45 minutes

English Literature HL

• Paper 1 (Guided Textual Analysis)—2 hours 15 minutes
• Students will also submit a pre-written essay that's 1200 to 1500 words long. 

English Language and Literature SL

English language and literature hl, literature and performance sl.

• Paper 1 (Issues in Dramatizing a Novel)—1 hour 30 minutes
• Paper 2 (Comparative Essay)—1 hour 30 minutes
• Students will also submit an essay that critically analyzes a work and said student's performance of that work

Make sure you stick to this exact timing. Don't give yourself any extra time. Otherwise, you will not be prepared for the pacing of the actual test.

Research to Action / Flickr, used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Rule 3: Review With the Mark Scheme

After completing your full test, review your answers. You must review to learn from your errors and not make them on the actual test.  And that means going over your essays with a critical eye. 

Take an hour to review. While this may seem like you are wasting time that you could be spending on other practice, it's not. You need to emphasize the quality of your practice and no the quantity of practice. I'd rather you take two practice tests with good review than eight tests with no review.

You may also consider giving your practice essays to your English teacher or other qualified mentor to review. They can give you additional insights that will help you improve your analytical and writing skills before test day! 

What's Next?

Want more tips for IB English? Then check out our complete IB English study guide for all the info you need.

Impatient to get your IB scores? Learn when IB results and scores come out.

Did you know that you can take some IB classes online? Check out our complete guide to online IB courses , including which classes you can take online and if you can get an online IB diploma.

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.

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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.

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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 💪

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IB English A (Lang & Lit) EE examples

Filter exemplars, how does carol ann duffy construct the female voice in “mrs. quasimodo”, “pilate’s wife”, and “medusa” in her anthology “the world’s wife”, how do martin luther king jr’s eulogy for the martyred children and queen elizabeth i’s speech at tilbury compare in the methods used to achieve their respective purposes, want to get full marks for your ee allow us to review it for you 🎯, how are the revolutionaries and aristocracy of the french revolution characterised through shared symbolism in charles dickens’ a tale of two cities and baroness orzcy’s the scarlet pimpernel, to represent their differing social perceptions, how is visual imagery used to portray the black women experience in the poetry of audre lorde and maya angelou, how does george r.r. martin use the characters sansa and arya stark to represent the outcomes of challenging or aligning with gender-based societal norms in westerosi society, fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, how does jeffrey eugenides explore the theme of decay in the virgin suicides, how do symbolism and dystopian atmosphere communicate john wyndham’s fear in ‘the day of the triffids, how does lewis carroll portray the theme of growing up through the perspective of the child protagonist, alice, in through the looking-glass, how does everything everywhere all at once explore the impact of generational trauma on the expression of individuality using stylistic devices, to what extent do the contrasting themes of feminism and power intersect throughout the literary texts of macbeth and the handmaid’s tale, how and why do albert camus in the outsider and john barth in lost in the funhouse explore absurdist themes through characterization and narrative perspective to comment upon humans’ reactions to societal turning points, how does the recurring motif of absence in integral traditional customs of society impact the treatment of morality in “oryx and crake”, to what extent does the author’s perception of reality affect the portrayal of the american dream’s futility in death of a salesman and of mice and men, how is art portrayed as a coping mechanism in emily st. john mandel’s station eleven, how and to what effect do patterns in speech and behavior demonstrate internalized misogyny in season 4 of bravo’s reality tv show the real housewives of beverly hills, gender: the skinning of identity how is the characterization of clarice and buffalo bill in “silence of the lambs” used to critique societal perspectives and expectations of gender identity, in what ways do heathcliff from wuthering heights conform or differ from the aristotelian depiction of a tragic hero, to what extent are the remains of middle english present in the english we speak today based on the analysis of vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling in geoffrey chaucer’s the canterbury tales: the general prologue, how does khaled hosseini’s characterization of women in his novel ‘a thousand splendid suns’ challenge the stereotypical notion of afghan women as being ‘weak & oppressed’, how effective is the language and the visuals in the documentary the game changers in persuading viewers about the benefits of veganism, how does maya angelou portray feminism in her famous poems, ‘still i rise’, ‘phenomenal woman’ and ‘i know why the caged bird sings’, to what extent has the godfather portrayed the idea of the great american dream, and how does the movie challenge the myths related to this american ideal, to what extent does disney propagate heteronormativity in their g-rated movie the princess and the frog, to what extent can friends portrayal of gender and sexuality be considered problematic for modern viewers, how does kendrick lamar depict racial discrimination against african americans in his album to pimp a butterfly (tpab) through both the album cover photo and a song titled alright, how can the idolization of technology alter human behavior according to jungian theories, as portrayed through the use of film techniques and language in the episodes “nosedive” and “men against fire” from the netflix series black mirror, exploring the theme of covid-19 in advertising campaigns, how and to what effect were the connotations to the pandemic transformed in the #socialiseresponsibly campaign into representing values, how do female characters in kate chopin’s the awakening utilize music to constitute rebellion against nineteenth century patriarchal social expectations, how is the theme of female friendship portrayed in khaled hosseini's a thousand splendid suns in regard to a patriarchal society, how does f. scott fitzgerald explore man’s downfall in pursuit of the american dream in the novel 'tender is the night', how does george saunders’ the brief and frightening reign of phil utilize satire to portray the corruption and power imbalances present within us society during the 2001-2005 administration of george w. bush, how is suicide presented in the tragic plays 'hamlet' and ajax', how do dreams characterize winston smith in george orwell’s 1984 and rodion raskolnikov in fyodor dostoevsky’s crime and punishment, what role do odours and tastes play in the evaluation of core memories in "10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world" by elif shafak, to what extent does madeline miller challenge the traditional gender roles of males through the representations in the song of achilles, in her novel banana heart summer, how does merlinda bobis explore the nature of personal belief through the character of nenita and her participation in systems of belief, in what ways are themes of feminism portrayed in the play, “hedda gabler” by henrik ibsen and the poem “the drunken husband” by marilyn chin, how are the black female characters in the novel the color purple used by alice walker to resist the narratives forced upon black women, effects of parallels and divergence in mythological retellings.

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Updated 7 May 2024

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