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IB English B: Identities

Lifestyle, health, beliefs, values, subcultures, language and identity. 2 subtopics, 12 key terms, full free lesson below.

In this topic: 1.1 · 1.2

1.1Lifestyles, health and well-being

Key terms

well-being

the state of being healthy, comfortable and happy

sedentary lifestyle

a way of life with little physical activity

to strike a balance

to find a healthy middle point

burnout

exhaustion caused by long-term stress

screen time

time spent using devices

peer pressure

influence from people of your age to behave in a certain way

• Recommended topics in Identities: lifestyles, health and well-being, beliefs and values, subcultures, language and identity.
• Useful phrases: “There is growing concern that…”, “It is widely believed that…”, “This can take a toll on…”, “to raise awareness of…”.
• Collocations: mental health, a balanced diet, regular exercise, to cut down on sugar, to get enough sleep, to seek help.
• Structure: modals for advice — “Students should take regular breaks”; “Schools could offer…”; “You ought to…”.

Worked example

Upgrade: “Teenagers use phones a lot and it is bad.”

1. Precise vocabulary: “Excessive screen time can take a toll on teenagers' mental health,”
2. Add a cause: “as constant notifications disrupt sleep and concentration.”
3. Add a nuance: “However, phones also help young people stay connected and seek support.”

Exam tip: Learn 10 topic-specific collocations per theme: they lift criterion A faster than rare single words.

1.2Beliefs, values, subcultures and language

Key terms

cultural heritage

traditions and values passed down through generations

to fit in / to stand out

to be accepted / to be noticed as different

subculture

a group with values and style different from the mainstream

bilingual

able to speak two languages fluently

stereotype

an oversimplified idea about a group

sense of belonging

feeling accepted as part of a group

• Language and identity: mother tongue, accents, code-switching, endangered languages (UNESCO estimates about 40 % of languages are endangered).
• Subcultures: gamers, skaters, fandoms; online communities.
• Grammar for range: relative clauses (“People who grow up bilingual often…”), passive (“Minority languages are being lost…”), cleft sentences (“What matters most is…”).

Worked example

Write an opening sentence for an article on bilingual identity.

1. Hook with a question: “Have you ever felt like a different person when you switch languages?”
2. Add a claim: “For millions of bilingual teenagers, language is not just a tool but part of who they are.”

Exam tip: Cleft sentences (“What surprised me most was…”) are an easy way to show complex structures.

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