Can I use a dictionary in the MYP English Language and Literature eAssessment?

No, a translating dictionary is not normally permitted in an MYP Language and Literature examination. The limited dictionary exception for some non-language subjects does not apply here. Vocabulary, grammatical control, register, and style form part of the language being assessed. Electronic dictionaries, translation applications, and online language tools are also unavailable. A formally approved inclusive access arrangement should be confirmed through the school’s MYP coordinator before the examination.

Can I bring notes or copies of studied texts into the examination?

No, the MYP English Language and Literature eAssessment is a closed-book examination. You may not bring annotated novels, quotation lists, class notes, revision guides, or prepared writing plans. The texts and visual or multimedia stimuli required for the questions are provided within the examination platform. Your preparation should therefore focus on transferable analytical and writing skills rather than access to a particular book. Leaving all study materials outside the examination room also prevents an accidental academic-integrity concern.

Is rough paper allowed in the MYP English eAssessment?

Yes, candidates can normally use rough or scratch paper authorized by the school. You should not bring your own loose paper because invigilators must control the materials present in the room. Use the paper for brief plans, key observations, paragraph order, or reminders about timing. Rough work is not marked unless the examination instructions explicitly state otherwise, so the response that matters must be entered on screen. Return every sheet to the invigilator at the end as directed by your school.

Do I need to bring my own computer or headphones?

The school is responsible for providing or approving the computer used for the secure on-screen examination. Some schools supply headphones, while others instruct candidates to bring compatible wired headphones that have been tested in advance. Do not bring wireless earbuds unless your coordinator has expressly said they are permitted, because connected devices are generally restricted. The computer must have the examination package and required technical configuration prepared by the school. Follow the local equipment notice exactly because this is one area where procedure can genuinely differ between schools.

Can I take a phone or smartwatch into the examination room?

Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and similar connected devices should not be at your workstation. Your school will explain whether they must be left outside the room, placed in a bag, or surrendered to an invigilator. Switching a device to silent mode does not make it an authorized examination material. Unauthorized possession can create an academic-integrity issue even if the device is not used. Remove watches and store electronics before taking your seat so that the examination can begin without disruption.

What should coordinators confirm before MYP English exam day?

Coordinators should check the current session’s MYP eAssessment procedures in the IB Programme Resource Centre. They should tell candidates what identification, stationery, and headphones to bring, as well as how personal belongings will be stored. Equipment, candidate access, official rough paper, seating, and technical contingency arrangements should be prepared in advance. Any inclusive access arrangement must be properly authorized and implemented exactly as approved. A short written checklist for students is preferable to relying on general rules remembered from an earlier examination session.

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Allowed Materials for MYP English eAssessment

MYP English Language and Literature Assessment MYP Exam Tips

• 12 Sept 2026•8

Allowed Materials for MYP English eAssessment

The materials allowed in MYP English Language and Literature eAssessment are deliberately limited. Students should normally expect an approved examination computer, headphones, official rough paper, and a pen or pencil. Notes, books, prepared quotations, personal paper, calculators, dictionaries, and connected devices are not normally allowed.

School procedures may differ for identification, headphones, water, stationery, and device storage. Your coordinator’s current instructions take priority over general online checklists.

What can you use in the examination?

MYP English Language and Literature is a two-hour on-screen examination. The texts, images, prompts, response fields, and digital tools required are included within the examination platform.

Material	Usually allowed?	Important condition
Examination computer	Yes	Prepared or approved by the school
Keyboard and pointing device	Yes	Part of the examination setup
Headphones	When required	Supplied or approved by the school
Official rough paper	Yes	Supplied or authorized by the school
Pen or pencil	Yes	For rough notes unless instructed otherwise
Dictionary	No	Not permitted for Language and Literature
Calculator	No	Not needed for this subject
Notes, books, or revision guides	No	The assessment is closed-book
Phone, smartwatch, or connected device	No	Stored as the school directs

The IB’s public MYP eAssessment permitted-materials guidance identifies a pen or pencil and controlled rough-paper arrangements. Detailed session procedures are provided to participating schools, so coordinators should check current instructions rather than rely on older guidance.

Why dictionaries are not allowed

A translating dictionary may be permitted in certain non-language examinations when the examination language is not the candidate’s best language. This exception does not apply to Language and Literature because vocabulary, grammar, register, and style are part of what the subject assesses.

The restriction includes printed and electronic dictionaries, translation websites, AI tools, personal vocabulary lists, and browser searches. Any approved inclusive access arrangement must be implemented through the school’s coordinator.

What the examination provides

Students do not bring novels, poetry collections, advertisements, or other studied works. The examination supplies the literary, non-literary, visual, or multimedia stimuli needed for each task.

The official MYP Language and Literature subject brief explains that the examination assesses analysis and creative production. Learning to interpret unfamiliar material and write accurately under time pressure is therefore more useful than memorizing a large quotation bank.

Unlike the interdisciplinary learning examination, Language and Literature does not require students to bring pre-release material. Necessary sources appear within the secure examination package.

Examination equipment and local procedures

The IB states that students require a reliable computer, keyboard, pointing device, and headphones. The examination is installed locally, so candidates do not use the open internet while answering. Schools manage candidate access, equipment, seating, technical checks, and the secure examination package.

One school may provide all equipment, while another may ask students to bring tested wired headphones. Consult the official pages on preparing for an MYP on-screen examination and the IB overview of on-screen examinations, then follow your school’s more specific notice.

What not to bring

Unless your coordinator explicitly authorizes an item, keep these materials away from your workstation:

Annotated texts, quotation sheets, revision notes, and writing templates
Textbooks, dictionaries, thesauruses, and grammar guides
Personal paper, notebooks, sticky notes, and prepared outlines
Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, wireless earbuds, and connected devices
Calculators, USB drives, and unnecessary stationery

An item is not automatically permitted because it was allowed during an ordinary classroom assessment. Examination-room restrictions protect academic integrity even when a student does not intend to use the item.

Exam-day checklist

Before MYP English Language and Literature exam day:

Read the coordinator’s current written instructions.
Confirm whether headphones are supplied or must be brought.
Bring only the identification and stationery requested.
Store notes and connected devices in the designated area.
Report technical problems instead of adjusting the device yourself.
Return all official rough paper as instructed.

Water, medication, tissues, food for medical needs, and personal equipment depend on school procedures or an approved access arrangement. Ask in advance rather than resolving these questions at the examination-room door.

Preparing for closed-book conditions

Practise under conditions resembling the real assessment. Analyse unseen texts, plan briefly on scrap paper, type sustained responses, and edit without a dictionary or internet search.

RevisionDojo’s MYP English Language and Literature resources can support skills review. The guides to MYP assessment criteria, successful eAssessment preparation, and a 30-day eAssessment study plan help structure practice. Check the standard MYP eAssessment durations before attempting a timed rehearsal.

Conclusion

For MYP English Language and Literature, bring only what your school requests. The normal essentials are approved computer equipment, headphones when required, official rough paper, and a pen or pencil. Dictionaries, notes, books, calculators, personal paper, and connected devices are prohibited.

Confirm final arrangements with your MYP coordinator. RevisionDojo Study Notes, Questionbank practice, and Mock Exams can help you prepare effectively for closed-book, on-screen conditions.

Sources and referenced URLs

Material

Usually allowed?

Important condition

Examination computer

Yes

Prepared or approved by the school

Keyboard and pointing device

Yes

Part of the examination setup

Headphones

When required

Supplied or approved by the school

Official rough paper

Yes

Supplied or authorized by the school

Pen or pencil

Yes

For rough notes unless instructed otherwise

Dictionary

Not permitted for Language and Literature

Calculator

Not needed for this subject

Notes, books, or revision guides

The assessment is closed-book

Phone, smartwatch, or connected device

Stored as the school directs

Allowed Materials for MYP English eAssessment