Structuring Your Points Plan: IB English Paper 2
- Look, Paper 2 isn’t just about showing off what you know. It’s about answering the question clearly, efficiently, and in a way that makes sense to the examiner. That’s why having a structured plan before you start writing is non-negotiable.
- Here's the logic:
- It keeps your essay from becoming a word soup.
- You don’t want to be halfway through paragraph three and realise you're just repeating yourself. A plan keeps your ideas clean and avoids waffle.
- It forces you to compare properly.
- Examiners hate it when you forget about one text or treat it like a footnote. Planning your points side by side makes sure you're giving both texts proper attention.
- It stops you from drifting off-topic.
- You’ve seen people do this: great analysis, zero connection to the actual question. A strong plan keeps your argument laser-focused.
- It makes your writing sound smarter.
- Let’s be real, a well-structured essay just feels more impressive.
- Transitions are smoother, the argument builds logically, and you come across like you know exactly what you’re doing.
- It saves time and stress.
- Ten minutes of planning now means fewer panic-edits later.
- Trust me, trying to fix a messy essay under time pressure is a nightmare.
- It keeps your essay from becoming a word soup.
A good structure is the cheat code to sounding polished, staying on track, and scoring high, even if you’re under pressure. It’s not about writing more, it’s about writing smarter.
Advanced Structure: Integrated Comparative Analysis
- This approach weaves comparison throughout the essay.
- Within each point (paragraph):
- Point:
- Start with a focused topic sentence that states the main idea or thematic concern you’re comparing (e.g. emotional collapse, power dynamics, gender roles).
- This should link directly to your thesis and guiding question.
- Text 1:
- Introduce a key moment or technique from Text 1.
- Use a precise quote and analyse how the writer constructs meaning, what technique is used, and how it reflects the theme or character you're exploring.
- Text 2:
- Respond directly to the idea in Text 1 by bringing in a related or contrasting moment from Text 2.
- Analyse the technique here too, showing how the second writer either aligns with or diverges from the first in approach or message.
- Comparison & Development:
- Zoom out and compare the two texts explicitly.
- Use analytical verbs (e.g. juxtaposes, reinforces, subverts) and reflect on how each writer’s form, context, or purpose shapes their representation of the theme.
- Link:
- Tie the paragraph back to your thesis.
- Reinforce what this comparison tells us about each writer’s message, and how it answers the guiding question.
- Point:
- Why Use the Advanced Structure?
- Keeps comparison central, not secondary
- Encourages organic argument development
- Reflects the higher-order thinking required for top marks
Example
Comparative Paragraph
- P (Point):
- Both The Crucible and A Streetcar Named Desire depict emotional collapse as a response to intense societal pressure, though they differ in how collapse is expressed and what it ultimately signifies.
- E (Text 1 - The Crucible):
- In The Crucible, Miller presents Proctor’s collapse as a moment of public moral clarity. His exclamation, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!”, uses emphatic repetition and declarative syntax to externalise his inner turmoil and refusal to conform.
- E (Text 2 - Streetcar):
- This contrasts sharply with Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire, who avoids truth altogether. Her plea, “I don’t want realism. I want magic!”, reveals her rejection of societal judgment, conveyed through Williams’s symbolic dialogue and surreal lighting, which blur the line between illusion and reality.
- E (Comparison & Development):
- Whereas Proctor finds dignity through confrontation and self-sacrifice, Blanche's emotional collapse is shaped by retreat and delusion. Miller portrays collapse as an assertion of agency in the face of repression, while Williams shows it as the erosion of self under emotional and cultural strain.
- L (Link):
- Ultimately, both texts explore collapse as a response to moral conflict, but diverge in tone and outcome: Proctor reclaims integrity through resistance, while Blanche deteriorates in denial, reflecting each writer’s broader critique of the social forces that demand emotional conformity.
Final Advice
- The key to success in Paper 2 is clarity of argument and depth of comparison.
- A well-planned essay shows clear thinking, not just clever analysis.
- It demonstrates that you understand both texts on their own terms and, more importantly, what happens when they are placed in dialogue with each other.
Exam technique
- Master the basics first
- Start by building strong umbrella points, using a clear structure, and developing your ability to support ideas with precise evidence.
- Then push for sophistication
- As you gain confidence, focus on comparison at a deeper level by exploring why authors make different choices, how context shapes each work, and what each writer wants the audience to think or feel.
- The most successful essays:
- Stay tightly focused on the question
- Move between texts with control and purpose
- Use comparison as a tool to sharpen analysis, not just add detail
- Stay analytical, not descriptive
- Whether you’re just getting started or aiming for the top band, planning is where excellence begins. Treat it like part of the essay, not something to rush through.
