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IB English A: Literature: Individual oral

A global issue explored through two works. 3 subtopics, 8 key terms.

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In this topic: 5.1 · 5.2 · 5.3

5.1Individual oral: format and criteria

Individual oral (IO): 10 minutes of analysis + 5 minutes of teacher questions.
Extracts: Up to 40 lines each: one from a work originally written in English, one from a work in translation.
Global issue: The focus that links both works.
Criteria A–D: Knowledge and interpretation; analysis and evaluation; focus and organisation; language (10 each, 40 total).

Weighting: SL 30%, HL 20%. Internally assessed, externally moderated.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

Exam tip: Balance both works (about 4 minutes each) and keep returning to the global issue.

Fields of inquiry: Culture, identity and community; beliefs, values and education; politics, power and justice; art, creativity and the imagination; science, technology and the environment.
Global issue: Significant, transnational, with local relevance.

A strong global issue is specific and arguable: “how war destroys the innocence of young people”, not “war”.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

Exam tip: State your global issue in the first sentence of the IO.

Structure: introduction (1 min) → work 1 (4 min) → work 2 (4 min) → comparative conclusion (1 min); or organise by sub-points of the global issue.

The full notes, worked example and check questions for this subtopic are in the app.

Exam tip: Signpost clearly: the examiner listens only once.