Understanding the IB English A curriculum to help you achieve academic excellence.
IB English A: Language and Literature is a comprehensive course that develops students' skills in textual analysis, critical thinking, and effective communication. The course explores both literary and non-literary texts across a range of text types, periods, styles, and cultures.
Guided textual analysis of unseen texts. Answer the guiding question while unpacking the provided text, focusing on close reading, analysing, and interpreting how authorial choices shape meaning.
Answer one of four questions using two literary works from the course. Compare and contrast ideas between the works and analyse authorial choices in relation to the chosen question.
A 10-minute student presentation and a 5-minute teacher-led discussion. Connect a literary and a non-literary text through a global issue, using extracts from both texts to support your analysis.
A 1,200–1,500 word essay for HL students. An independent literary analysis on a topic of your choice, developing a clear line of inquiry with original analysis of one literary work.
How well do you understand and interpret the text(s), showing insight into their implications and making relevant connections?
How effectively do you analyse and evaluate the ways language, technique, and style shape meaning?
How well organised and coherent is your response — your thesis, topic sentences, and transitions?
How clear, varied, and accurate is your language, including vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar, and register?