IB English B Paper 1 (writing) Criteria Notes

Your 30-Mark Roadmap: Paper 1 Without Tears

Why the criteria matter

1. Think of the Paper 1 criteria as the examiner’s recipe card. If you give them all the right ingredients, you get top marks.
2. If you forget one, your score drops, no matter how tasty the rest is.
3. The criteria make sure you are not just writing in English, but writing with purpose, clarity, and the right style.
4. Knowing them is like having the exam “cheat code” in advance.

The Exam Outline

1. Paper 1 is your chance to show off your writing skills in the target language.
2. You’ll be given three prompts, each from a different theme, and you choose one to write in the correct text type.

The Criteria (Total: 30 marks)

Criterion A: Language (0–12 marks)

How well do you actually use English?

1. 1–3: Basics only, lots of errors, hard to follow.
2. 4–6: Some variety, some errors, mostly clear.
3. 7–9: Varied vocab and grammar, mostly accurate.
4. 10–12: Accurate, fluent, idiomatic. Mistakes are tiny and harmless.

Criterion B: Message (0–12 marks)

Did you actually answer the task and structure your ideas well?

1. 1–3: Few ideas, undeveloped, messy.
2. 4–6: Some relevant ideas, not fully developed.
3. 7–9: Most ideas relevant, well-developed, logical structure.
4. 10–12: Fully relevant, detailed, clear, with examples.

Criterion C: Conceptual understanding (0–6 marks)

Do you know the text type and use it correctly?

1. 1–2: Wrong type, wrong tone, no conventions.
2. 3–4: Some conventions and tone, but inconsistent.
3. 5–6: Full control of text type, audience, purpose, and conventions.