LANGUAGE-B · IB Diploma Programme
LANGUAGE-B/11
(Writing)
Language B · June 2024 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: International Baccalaureate Organization
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
2.5 / 5
70
135 min
Social organization
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
70
Duration
135 min
Session difficulty
2.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The May 2024 Standard Level English B paper is rated as moderate (2.5 out of 5 stars).
It represents a very accessible and fair assessment of the syllabus, with topics that are highly relatable to SL candidates.
While Paper 1 offers familiar text types (such as letters, blogs, and presentations), Paper 2 maintains a standard difficulty with clear direct-retrieval questions alongside some challenging vocabulary-matching and referent identification tasks.
Compare difficulty across recent years. Compare topic weight by year to spot recurring and returning areas.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Written
Weight: 10100%Productio
Weight: 990%Factual
Weight: 880%Recall & Understanding
Weight: 770%Reading Comprehension
Weight: 660%Textual
Weight: 440%Structure
Weight: 330%Lexical
Weight: 220%Recogniti
Weight: 110%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
IB subject report — grade distributions, IA weighting, and HL/SL distinctions
Level 7
Excellent — top band for competitive university offers
Level 6
Very good — strong HL performance
Level 5
Good — solid pass at higher level
Level 4
Satisfactory — minimum for many university credits
Level 3
Mediocre
Level 2
Poor
Level 1
Very poor
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “Choose” questions.
Support your choice with specific evidence from data or the scenario given.
Match the expected response style for “Find” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Write” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1.5
Min per mark: 1.5
Min per mark: 1.4
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Holidays and travel (Experiences)
14 marks this session
Education (Social organization)
13 marks this session
The working world (Social organization)
13 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Holidays and travel (Experiences)
Community (Social organization)
Social relationships (Social organization)
Education (Social organization)
The working world (Social organization)
Technology
The environment
Community
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 1 (Writing):
Paper 2 (Reading Comprehension):
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
- Failing to explore at least two distinct alternative options in the hobby essay/journal (Paper 1 Task 3).
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Holidays and travel (Experiences)
14 marks this session
Practise in RevuiEducation (Social organization)
13 marks this session
Practise in RevuiThe working world (Social organization)
13 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The May 2024 Standard Level English B paper is rated as moderate (2.5 out of 5 stars).
- 2Message
It represents a very accessible and fair assessment of the syllabus, with topics that are highly relatable to SL candidates.
- 3Message
While Paper 1 offers familiar text types (such as letters, blogs, and presentations), Paper 2 maintains a standard difficulty with clear direct-retrieval questions alongside some challenging vocabulary-matching and referent identification tasks.
- 4Message
Compare difficulty across recent years. Compare topic weight by year to spot recurring and returning areas.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2024 2024
Language B
The May 2024 Standard Level English B paper is rated as moderate (2.5 out of 5 stars). It represents a very accessible and fair assessment of the syllabus, with topics that are highly relatable to SL candidates. While Paper 1 offers familiar text types (such as letters, blogs, an
The May 2024 Standard Level English B paper is rated as moderate (2.5 out of 5 stars).
It represents a very accessible and fair assessment of the syllabus, with topics that are highly relatable to SL candidates.
While Paper 1 offers familiar text types (such as letters, blogs, and presentations), Paper 2 maintains a standard difficulty with clear direct-retrieval questions alongside some challenging vocabulary-matching and referent identification tasks.
- Total marks
- 70
- Duration
- 135 min
- Session difficulty
- 2.5 / 5
Session analysis
The May 2024 Standard Level English B paper is rated as moderate (2.5 out of 5 stars). It represents a very accessible and fair assessment of the syllabus, with topics that are highly relatable to SL candidates. While Paper 1 offers familiar text types (such as letters, blogs, and presentations), Paper 2 maintains a standard difficulty with clear direct-retrieval questions alongside some challenging vocabulary-matching and referent identification tasks.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 1 (Writing):
Paper 2 (Reading Comprehension):
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
86% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Extended Writing
30·1·43%
Multiple Choice & Matching
16·14·23%
Vocabulary & Referent Identification
12·12·17%
Short Answer / Gap Fill
8·8·11%
True / False with Justification
4·4·6%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1 (Writing)
0.65 m/minPaper 2 Text A (Rea…
0.65 m/minPaper 2 Text B (Rea…
0.70 m/minTotal marks
40
Total time
60 min
Avg pace
0.67
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Artistic expressions (Human ingenuity)
85%85%
The environment (Sharing the planet)
80%80%
Scientific innovation (Human ingenuity)
75%75%
Difficulty Verdict
The May 2024 Standard Level English B paper is rated as moderate (2.5 out of 5 stars). It represents a very accessible and fair assessment of the syllabus, with topics that are highly relatable to SL candidates. While Paper 1 offers familiar text types (such as letters, blogs, and presentations), Paper 2 maintains a standard difficulty with clear direct-retrieval questions alongside some challenging vocabulary-matching and referent identification tasks.
Where the Marks Are
In Paper 1, the 30 marks are split evenly between Criterion A (Language), Criterion B (Message), and Criterion C (Conceptual Understanding). Candidates can pick up easy marks by strictly adhering to the structural conventions of their chosen text types. In Paper 2, Text C (Augmented Reality in tourism) accounts for the largest share of reading marks (35%35\%35% of Paper 2), followed closely by Text A (Education/Literacy) and Text B (The working world), each holding around 32.5%32.5\%32.5% of the reading comprehension weight.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Strict Justification Requirements: In the True/False section of Text C, candidates must provide both the correct tick and the exact supporting quote. No partial marks are awarded; a correct tick with a paraphrased or incorrect quote results in zero.
- Exact Wording Constraints: For Text A questions 1–3, any attempt to paraphrase the text or inject personal interpretations will result in zero marks. The mark scheme explicitly requires exact wording.
- Under-development of Prompts: In Paper 1, both parts of the prompt must receive developed attention. For example, in Task 1, omitting a clear explanation of *why* the library closing is a concern, or only focusing on suggestions to attract people, limits Criterion B to a maximum of 6 marks.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 15min
- Total marks
- 30
- Question types
- Extended Response
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.