Study Guide for Paper 1 and Paper 2
We understand navigating our website can be tough. There are literally 125+ videos to choose from, and it’s easy to get lost. No worries! Our complete Paper 1 and Paper 2 Study Guide is streamlined and includes just the essentials. No more aimless clicking. All you need is right here in one place!
The Complete Study Guide for Paper 1 and Paper 2 is part of our IBDP English A Student Toolkit and 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 1 Exam Review Video Course
Looking for more detailed instruction? Try our Paper 1 Exam Review course. This complete course features two non-literary texts to prepare you for the next Lang/Lit Paper 1 assessment. We’ll show you how to read closely, write a strong response, score your own work, and make a personal improvement plan. This is for serious students…go for it!
Part of our IBDP English A Student Toolkit, this resource includes:
- 8 synchronous lessons with downloadable documents
- More than 100 minutes of NEW instructional video
- 2 exam texts
- 2 highlighted model responses with examiner comments and discussion video
- Paper 1 checklist
- Paper 1 scoring and reflection guide
FREE Study Sessions - May 2024 Exam Prep!
We know students are gearing up for exams, and we’re eager to help. Join us for a FREE Study Session!
Each study session will last approximately 2 hours and review the key concepts needed for success on exam day. Please visit the Revision Village Study Session page for timezones and register now!
Past Paper Sample Responses Now Available on RV!
We’ve joined forces with Revision Village to provide videos and sample responses for all past papers for Lang/Lit for the current course. This includes both Paper 1 and Paper 2!
This site is loaded…be sure to check it out!
New Videos for 2024
Paper 1 – Quick Tips and Tricks For All Students
We get it. Sometimes you don’t have the time to watch lots of videos and sort through lots of documents. If that describes you, then Andrew and Dave highly recommend checking out the videos below. They are short, sweet, and have loads of critical tips and tricks to help you succeed on Paper One.
Watch this before your next Paper 1 for important reminders.
Don't make these mistakes! Easy fixes that add points.
Nobody wants to sound like a robot. Add some voice, would you?
Start with a firm handshake and finish strong.
Remember: Discuss HOW the author USES text to impact the READER.
Watch this video right before your exam. Don't miss this checklist!
Language and Literature - Countdown to Paper 1!
Do you have a summative assessment or mock exam coming up? Are you cramming content at the last minute? If you are a Language and Literature student and this describes you, then you have come to the right place. Each of the following TEN text types has CLOSE READING and SAMPLE RESPONSES WITH EXAMINER COMMENTS. There are also documents with text type conventions and various other resources you need to achieve academic success. Watch the videos and crush Paper 1.
TEXT TYPE 1: WEBSITE
TEXT TYPE 3: LETTER
TEXT TYPE 4: PRODUCT REVIEW
TEXT TYPE 5: COMIC
TEXT TYPE 6: FILM REVIEW
TEXT TYPE 7: BROCHURE
TEXT TYPE 8: PSA
TEXT TYPE 9: TRAVEL WRITING
TEXT TYPE 10: TABLOID COVER
TEXT TYPE 10: TABLOID COVER
TEXT TYPE 11: ADVERTISING
TEXT TYPE 11: ADVERTISING
TEXT TYPE 12: INFOGRAPHICS
Political Cartoons
Political cartoons are self-contained commentaries on an important current event or key aspect of society, and they’re humorous. Look out for colors, symbols, and other hidden ideas lurking in the subtext. Remember: just like literary authors, cartoonists make a series of choices in their work intended to shape meaning. Look carefully. Detect nuances and implications. Evaluate. Ace Paper 1.
Now that you’ve learned some basic terms, let’s apply them to more cartoons.
Apply your new cartoon skills to academic writing.
Put it all together and check out this 7.
Advertising
They’re everywhere on our phones and screens. Advertisers work to cut through the clutter, grab our attention, and subtly influence us to make choices to buy, buy, and buy some more. Accordingly, Dave and Andrew believe it’s essential to learn the tips and tricks companies use to manipulate our attention and persuade us to act. Check out these videos. Not only will you improve your Paper 1 performance, but you will also be a more skilled and savvy consumer who is attuned to the features our favorite brands employ in their ads.
There's more to learn! Add these skills to your toolbox.
Put it all together and write an organized piece of academic writing.
Opinion Articles
Whether they agree with what’s happening in our world or not, writers of opinion columns implement a series of choices in their work to maximize their persuasive effect. A close cousin of speeches, these short and complete texts pack a punch. Look carefully at how they’re structured, how they use rhetoric, and how they end strong. Learn this stuff. It’s Paper 1 gold.
What tools do these writers use? Add these terms to your list.
Now that you’ve got some basic skills and some terms under your belt, let’s apply them to three different opinion articles and see what we can do.
Put it all together and see what it looks like.
Literary Text Types
Regardless of the course you are enrolled in, we’re all studying literature. How is prose fiction different than prose nonfiction? What about drama and poetry? Are there any special skills and tips to learn? We’ve got the answers to these questions and more down below. Consume these resources and become a better critical reader and writer.
Prose Fiction
What’s prose fiction? Think novels. Think short stories. Think “imaginative” writing. It’s one of the cornerstones of the course for a reason, as it teaches us about the human condition and fosters empathy. Learn how to be a close reader of prose fiction and let your knowledge shine when you write your Paper 1.
Literature can be tough. This acronym for deconstruction will help.
Learn more about how our SCASNI protocol can foster deeper analysis.
Put it all together and check out this full Paper 1 response.
Prose Non-Fiction
This course requires exploration of nonfiction texts as well. So what exactly is this stuff anyway? Think memoirs. Think travelogues. Think philosophy and other insightful texts that present factual information in an entertaining and literary way. We love prose non-fiction, and so do our students. These were our mock exams as well as former IB exams.
Remember: Paper 1 is a reading test first. Watch this video.
Yes, diaries show up on assessments. Familiarize yourself with this text type.
We love a good memoir. Another former IB Lit assessment here.
Check out what this writer does. They know what they're doing!
Another strong Lit response. You getting the hang of this yet?
Our final mock exam in this Lit series. Another strong response.
Student Response (original and highlighted)
Three Different Styles of Introductions
Poetry
Sure, we understand poetry is abstract, but we promise it can be fun! It’s complex and requires deep thinking, but that’s where the magic lives. Check out the videos and documents below. You’ll find poetic terminology, close reading strategies, and sentence stems to guide your writing. Watch. Learn. Master. You’ve got this!
Just like any text type, poetry has its own set of terms. Learn them!
Now you know some terms. A few more pieces and you're on your way.
Let's practice our new skills with a nature poem from Mary Oliver.
Check out this former IB Exam where we break down a great poem.
Check out the full student response and compare your work to the sample.
Drama
Andrew and Dave love drama. But, you’ve got to remember to pay attention to the stage directions. What can you see and hear on stage? What props do you notice? How are costume and staging used for effect? So many things to explore! It’s important to learn the basics for now, but stay tuned for more content in the future. Our students love drama, and so will you. Immerse yourself in this text type and enjoy!
We'll add more content soon. For now, master these important conventions of drama.