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Structuring your talk

A strong structure helps you stay clear, confident, and on time during the IO.
Think of it like a mini-essay with a beginning, middle, and end.

When the examiner is nodding… but you’re not sure if it’s encouragement or a trap

1. Introduction (30–40 seconds)

Identify the stimulus or extract and the relevant theme clearly.
Give a brief description (not a full narration) to show you understand the context.
State your focus: what key idea, issue, or perspective you will explore.

Example

SL visual stimulus:
- “This advertisement, taken from a campaign on sustainable fashion, links to the theme of ‘Sharing the Planet’.
- It shows young people recycling clothes, which raises questions about consumer culture and environmental responsibility.”

Example

HL extract:
- “This extract from García Márquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold links to the theme of ‘Human Ingenuity’.
- Here, the author explores how tradition and communal silence contribute to tragedy.”

2. Development (2–3 minutes)

Choose 2–3 key points that you can explain in depth.
Support each point with details
1. SL: specific features in the image
2. HL: quotations or literary features.
Make links to themes, culture, or context to move beyond surface-level description.

Example

Sample point (SL):
- “The slogan ‘Wear longer, waste less’ reflects how the target culture encourages individual responsibility for sustainability, which contrasts with fast fashion trends.”

Example

Sample point (HL):
- “The repetition of the phrase ‘they all knew’ emphasizes collective guilt.
- This ties to the theme of ‘Social Organization’, showing how communities enforce silence even at the cost of justice.”

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Note

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Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

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Tip

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

1. Introduction (30–40 seconds)

Identify the stimulus or extract and the relevant theme clearly.

Give a brief description (not a full narration) to show you understand the context.

State your focus: what key idea, issue, or perspective you will explore.

Example

SL visual stimulus:
- “This advertisement, taken from a campaign on sustainable fashion, links to the theme of ‘Sharing the Planet’.
- It shows young people recycling clothes, which raises questions about consumer culture and environmental responsibility.”

Example

HL extract:
- “This extract from García Márquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold links to the theme of ‘Human Ingenuity’.
- Here, the author explores how tradition and communal silence contribute to tragedy.”

2. Development (2–3 minutes)

Choose 2–3 key points that you can explain in depth.

Support each point with details

SL: specific features in the image
HL: quotations or literary features.

Make links to themes, culture, or context to move beyond surface-level description.

Example

Sample point (SL):
- “The slogan ‘Wear longer, waste less’ reflects how the target culture encourages individual responsibility for sustainability, which contrasts with fast fashion trends.”

Example

Sample point (HL):
- “The repetition of the phrase ‘they all knew’ emphasizes collective guilt.
- This ties to the theme of ‘Social Organization’, showing how communities enforce silence even at the cost of justice.”

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

A well-structured talk is like a roadmap for your ideas. It helps your audience follow your message and ensures you cover all the important points. Think of it as a three-part journey: introduction, development, and conclusion.

Just like a story has a beginning, middle, and end, your talk should follow a clear structure
This structure helps you stay organized and confident during your presentation

Analogy

Think of your talk like a sandwich - the introduction and conclusion are the bread that holds everything together, while the development is the filling that provides the main content.

Note

Following a clear structure not only helps your audience understand your message but also makes it easier for you to remember what to say next.

Core Themes5 subtopics

Text Types3 subtopics

Paper 1 (Writing)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Listening)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Reading)2 subtopics

Internal Assessment (Individual Oral)3 subtopics

Structuring your talk Notes

Structuring your talk

1. Introduction (30–40 seconds)

2. Development (2–3 minutes)

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anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Core Themes5 subtopics

Text Types3 subtopics

Paper 1 (Writing)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Listening)2 subtopics

Paper 2 (Reading)2 subtopics

Internal Assessment (Individual Oral)3 subtopics

Structuring your talk

1. Introduction (30–40 seconds)

2. Development (2–3 minutes)

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a Free account

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident