IB English Language and Literature Paper 1 for both HL and SL involve analysis of unseen non-literary texts, which can range from opinion pieces to infographics.

The unpredictability element paired with the huge variety of sources means that it can be easy to fall into the trap of making analysis vague and nonspecific.

The IB English Language and Literature students that our expert IB English tutors mentor tend to struggle with analysing the visual and structural techniques of non-literary texts.

Some IB questions to answer may include the following: 

• What is the effect of using facts and figures in this text?

• How does the author’s selection of photographs contribute to the purpose?

• What is the significance of integrating contrasting testimonials in this opinion piece?

• Why does the writer use this tone to accomplish a purpose?

When we tutor Paper 1 to IB English Language and Literature students, we try to expose them to as many kinds of texts as possible while critically discussing their unique technical qualities.

In our view, this is the key to improving analysis of non-literary texts; Language and Literature students should be able to quickly identify a purpose and perspective (which comes with greater exposure to texts in general, but also the type of introduction to intellectual discourse that we offer).

Then, the task comes down to refining written expression.

Let’s look at a response that a weaker IB English Language and Literature student might produce in a Paper 1 commentary:

“Zenga Longmore’s news article ‘Long enough in Jo’burg’ is in The Spectator, and is about her experience in Jo’burg which she felt was too long. In the article, the author talks about how scary it was for her to go to Jo’burg, and how she felt when she saw separate train stations for white and black people. She writes about this experience from first person, and she wants to tell her British audience about the experience. She uses imagery to show the horrors she experienced, juxtaposition to emphasise this, and her tone is super emotional in the news article.”

 This is an example of an introduction to an IB English Language and Literature Paper 1 commentary on an opinion piece, which is a typical example of an IB English Language and Literature non-literary text prompt.

Although the student manages to include a summary of the article, attempts to discuss the relevant audience, and mentions significant literary devices, this is still a weak response for the following reasons:

Informal Expression

The writing is overly colloquial, e.g. ‘talks about how scary it was’, ‘wants to tell’, ‘super emotional.’ Many students struggle to write using the appropriate register and seek help from an IB English Language and Literature tutor in essay writing.

Lack of Context

The response states the source of the opinion piece but neglects to mention the date, as well as the relevant historical and sociopolitical context of Apartheid.

Lack of In-Depth Analysis

Some parts of the commentary are too literal, e.g. ‘which she felt was too long’; and too vague, e.g. ‘how she felt when she saw …’. For top marks, you must provide an analytical statement of the author’s purpose that goes beyond a literal summary of the text.

Help from an IB English tutor in critical engagement can help students improve enormously. A more refined response would look like this:

“Enforced segregation and racism in any form is inhumane and morally abhorrent. Zenga Longmore, in the 1985 Spectator article ‘Long enough in Jo’burg’, writes of her dehumanising experience as a black woman from England while in Johannesburg during Apartheid. The article reveals the barbarity of institutionalised racism and enforced segregation during Apartheid, in vividly recounting the writer’s first-hand experience. Longmore’s purpose is to enrage or at least provoke a center-right British audience that may not have been especially sympathetic to victims of Apartheid and racial inequality. As such, this essay will argue that Longmore’s central contention in advancing this purpose is that institutionalised racism is abhorrent and should be fundamentally condemned. In so doing, this essay proceeds in five sections examining form, imagery, language, structure, and tone.”

We usually tutor our IB English Language and Literature students with a structured model for introduction and body paragraphs, which we have found helps elevate the response and development of analysis.

These are general tips our personal IB English tutors give to any student revising for the IB Language and Literature Paper 1:

• Read a variety of literary and non-literary texts to familiarise yourself with different voices and ways of expression

• Check out IB English past papers online to see the kind of texts that have been used

• Practice identifying the purpose of a text to develop your critical thinking

• Seek feedback from your teacher or an experienced IB English tutor to help you improve your argumentative expression

Check out our website for more information on IB English tutoring, including frequently asked questions about the courses. For targeted guidance and personalized help with any aspect of IB English Language and Literature, reach out to an expert BartyED IB English tutor today!

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