What Is a Commentary in IB English?
An IB English commentary (Paper 1) requires you to analyze an unseen literary text—focusing on stylistic, structural, and linguistic features to explore how meaning is created. It's different from an essay in that it doesn’t require external context or evaluation, but rather close textual analysis. (revisiondojo.com) (revisiondojo.com)
Understanding the Paper 1 Assessment Criteria
Paper 1 is evaluated across criteria A–D, including knowledge, insight, organization, and language. Top-band responses demonstrate:
- Precise literary terminology
- Balanced, focused analysis
- Logical structure
- Clear and polished language
These reflect guidelines outlined in RevisionDojo’s English essay strategy guides. (revisiondojo.com)
How to Analyze an Unseen Text Effectively
- Begin with Genre‑Audience‑Purpose (GAP) to frame your analysis context
- Identify literary features—imagery, diction, syntax, voice, structure
- Track tone shifts or patterns to support thematic insight
RevisionDojo’s strategy guides help you efficiently spot and interpret text features in exam conditions. (revisiondojo.com, revisiondojo.com)
Structuring Your Commentary for Maximum Clarity
- Introduction: State genre, basic GAP context, and your analytical focus or thesis
- Body Paragraphs: Begin with a claim, provide evidence (quotation with reference), analyze effect, and link back to your thesis
- Conclusion: Summarize how key features collectively achieve the text’s purpose
For structure templates and paragraph planning guides, see RevisionDojo’s essay structuring resources. (revisiondojo.com)
Common Literary Devices to Look For
- Figurative language: metaphor, simile, personification
- Lexical and syntactic choices: word connotations, sentence structure, tone
- Narrative perspective and form: first- or third‑person voice, stanza or paragraph breaks
RevisionDojo provides feature‑spotting guides tailored to Paper 1 analysis. (revisiondojo.com)
Time Management During the Exam
- Spend the first 5–10 minutes planning: annotate features and build an outline
- Focus on 3–5 significant features, not exhaustive listings
- Reserve 5 minutes at the end to proofread and adjust transitions
RevisionDojo’s timed writing strategies provide pacing plans matched to marking expectations. (revisiondojo.com)
Tools from RevisionDojo That Improve Your Commentary
- Planning templates for GAP, thesis, feature tracking, and structure mapping
- Annotated sample responses showing effective commentary strategies
- Device-spotting toolkits to strengthen your literary feature analysis under pressure
Find these resources in RevisionDojo’s IB English toolkit. (revisiondojo.com)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: How many features should I analyze?
Aim for 3–5 distinct devices or techniques, each analyzed in depth—not superficially.
Q2: Should I refer to the author’s intention?
Only sparingly—focus on what the text shows, not on external biography.
Q3: Can I mention context in commentary?
Only if implied by the text—contextual inference is allowed but not central.
Q4: What tone should I maintain?
Clarity, academic formality, and objectivity—avoid first person and colloquialism.
Conclusion
A strong IB English commentary is about precision over quantity. Choose meaningful literary features, frame them clearly, and link analysis tightly back to your central claim. With RevisionDojo planning tools and annotated guides, you can master the structure, pacing, and analytical depth examiners expect.
Call to Action
🎯 Ready to practice effectively?
- ✅ Download RevisionDojo’s Paper 1 Commentary Planning Templates
- ✅ Work with annotated sample commentaries for structure examples
- ✅ Subscribe for device-spotter drills, practice extracts, and examiner-level revisions
👉 Visit RevisionDojo now to access tools that sharpen your commentary writing.
