Why the Criteria Matter More Than the Text
In MYP Language and Literature, many students revise the content of texts but overlook the one thing that actually determines their grade: the assessment criteria.
You can understand a novel perfectly and still score a 5.
You can analyse a short extract well and score a 7.
The difference lies in how clearly students meet the criteria used by the IB Middle Years Programme.
How MYP Language and Literature Is Assessed
Language and Literature is assessed using four criteria. Each task usually focuses on one or two — not all four at once.
Understanding which criterion is being assessed is the fastest way to improve.
Criterion A: Analysing
What it assesses:
How well students analyse language, structure, context, and authorial choices.
High-level responses:
- Go beyond what happens in the text
- Explain how techniques create meaning
- Link choices to purpose, audience, or context
Common mistakes:
- Retelling the story
- Identifying techniques without explaining their effect
To score highly, students must always answer the question:
“So what?”
Criterion B: Organising
What it assesses:
How clearly ideas are structured and developed.
High-level responses:
- Follow a logical progression
- Use topic sentences effectively
- Develop one idea fully before moving on
Common mistakes:
- Jumping between points
- Writing long paragraphs with multiple ideas
- Repeating the same point in different words
Organisation is often the easiest criterion to improve — and one of the most overlooked.
Criterion C: Producing Text
What it assesses:
How effectively students produce text for a specific purpose, audience, and context.
High-level responses:
- Match tone and style to task type
- Stay focused on the task’s intention
- Show control over format (speech, article, essay, narrative)
Common mistakes:
- Writing generic responses
- Ignoring audience
- Focusing on creativity instead of purpose
Creativity helps — but only when it serves the task.
Criterion D: Using Language
What it assesses:
Accuracy, clarity, and range of language.
High-level responses:
- Use subject-specific terminology accurately
- Maintain control over grammar and punctuation
- Write clearly, not unnecessarily complexly
Common mistakes:
- Overcomplicating language
- Letting errors distract from meaning
- Prioritising “sounding smart” over clarity
Markers reward control, not sophistication.
Why Students Plateau at the Same Level
Most students get stuck because they:
- Try to hit all four criteria in every task
- Don’t tailor responses to the assessed criterion
- Ignore feedback linked to specific criteria
Once students start revising by criterion, progress accelerates.
How Students Improve Faster With the Right Practice
The most effective revision focuses on:
- Practising short, criteria-specific questions
- Reviewing feedback linked to one criterion at a time
- Rewriting responses with a single improvement goal
This is why question-based platforms like RevisionDojo are so effective for Language and Literature. They help students:
- Practise targeted analytical and writing skills
- See which criterion is being assessed
- Improve precision instead of rewriting entire essays
It turns vague feedback into clear next steps.
Questions Students and Parents Often Ask
Do all tasks assess all four criteria?
No. Most tasks focus on one or two criteria. Trying to address all four often weakens responses.
Can students improve one criterion without improving the others?
Yes — and they often should. Targeted improvement is more effective than general revision.
Is Criterion D the most important?
No. Weak language rarely limits top students — weak analysis usually does.
How should students revise for Language and Literature tests?
By practising responses under time pressure and analysing feedback by criterion, not by rereading texts.
The Key Takeaway
MYP Language and Literature is not subjective once you understand the criteria.
Students don’t score higher by writing more.
They score higher by writing more precisely — for the exact skill being assessed.
Once that clicks, the subject becomes far more predictable — and far more manageable.
