IB English Lang Lit SL exam-day guide
IB English Lang Lit SL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm exact session times and venue with your school's IB coordinator
Paper 1 and Paper 2 are usually scheduled on separate days, but start times, rooms, and any split sessions are set locally. Check your personal timetable and arrive early enough to find the room without rushing. If anything about the schedule is unclear, confirm with the provider (your coordinator) rather than relying on rumor.
Photo ID and candidate number
Bring the identification your school requires for admission to the exam room, plus your candidate/session number if it is issued separately. Exact ID requirements vary by school and region, so confirm with the provider what is accepted.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Both papers are handwritten. Bring two or three reliable pens of the same colour; avoid gel pens that smudge or bleed. Pencil is generally for diagrams or annotations only, not for essay text.
Highlighters and a few coloured pens or pencils
Useful for annotating the Paper 1 unseen texts and for marking up your Paper 2 planning. Keep annotation on the text itself light and purposeful so it speeds up planning rather than replacing it.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Hydration matters across a long writing session. Many centres require bottles to be clear and unlabelled; check your school's rules in advance.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms may not have a visible clock, and phones are not permitted at your desk. A simple analogue or digital watch lets you pace the two papers. Smartwatches are almost always prohibited, so leave them at home or in your bag.
No notes, phones, or smart devices at the desk
Leave revision notes, phones, and wearables in your bag outside the room or in the designated area. Even having a phone on your person during the exam can be treated as malpractice, so confirm with the provider where devices must be stored.
Know your text and work choices in advance
For Paper 2 you will write on works studied in class. Decide before exam day which two works and which comparative angle you are most confident in, and have a mental shortlist of themes, key scenes, and quotations. You do not bring notes in, so this must be memorised.
Rehearse the Paper 1 timing with a full practice
Do at least one timed run: reading and annotating the unseen texts, choosing your guiding question or focus, planning, and writing. Knowing how long your planning actually takes is the single biggest factor in finishing both responses.
Plan your transport and a buffer
Aim to arrive well before the scheduled start so you are seated and calm. Confirm the room location and any entry procedure with your coordinator, especially if exams are held off your usual campus.
Breakfast, sleep, and a light snack plan
Sleep is worth more than last-minute cramming. Eat something substantial before a long writing session and confirm with the provider whether food or snacks are allowed in the room or only during breaks.
Check whether a formula sheet, dictionary, or other aid is permitted
For this subject, assume no dictionary and no notes unless your coordinator explicitly says otherwise. Confirm with the provider rather than guessing, since permitted materials differ by subject and session.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new material to consolidating. For Paper 2, lock in your two chosen works and build a one-page comparison map: shared themes, points of divergence, and two or three flexible quotations or close-reference moments per work. Practise weaving them into arguments rather than listing them.
Do one full timed Paper 1 under exam conditions: two unseen texts, reading and annotation, a clear focus or guiding question for each response, planning, and writing. Then mark your own work against the assessment criteria you have been given in class, focusing on analysis of language and structure rather than summary.
Review the assessment criteria for both papers so you know what examiners reward: understanding of context where relevant, close analysis of choices, organisation, and clear written expression. Identify your two weakest habits (for example, retelling plot or overusing feature-spotting) and write a fix for each.
Do a second, shorter Paper 1 drill with a different text type, such as a speech, an opinion piece, or a literary extract, so you are not thrown by an unfamiliar genre. Practise writing a tight introduction that states your focus and a conclusion that does not simply repeat it.
Do light revision only: reread your comparison map and quotation list, and skim your annotated practice responses. Do not start new texts or new interpretations. Pack your bag with pens, ID, watch, water, and anything your coordinator has told you to bring.
Confirm the start time, room, and entry arrangements once more, and set two alarms. Decide your route and leave time. Stop studying early enough to sleep properly; a rested mind writes better analysis than a tired one with one more quotation.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive early, and avoid group speculation about what might come up. If you glance at notes, limit it to your Paper 2 comparison map and quotation list. Hand in or store phones and smart devices exactly as instructed.
Read both texts before writing. Allocate time roughly in proportion to the marks or guidance for each response, and protect planning time. Annotate for purpose, audience, and context, then build a line of argument about how language and structure shape meaning rather than cataloguing devices. Watch the clock at the halfway point and leave a few minutes to check that each response answers the question set.
Spend the first several minutes planning a comparative argument: a clear thesis, paragraph topics that compare rather than describe each work in turn, and evidence you can actually recall. Write steadily, keep referring back to the question, and reserve the final minutes for a conclusion that advances your argument and a check on clarity and accuracy.
Do not dissect the paper with classmates in a way that unsettles you before the next session. Note anything practical you want to change, such as pacing, then move on. If papers are on separate days, use the gap for light consolidation only.
Rules to check
Bring the identification your centre requires and be seated by the stated time; late admission rules vary, so confirm with the provider what happens if you are delayed.
Phones, smartwatches, and any wearable or device capable of communication must be stored as instructed, not kept on your person. Unauthorised material in the room can be treated as malpractice.
Write in the language of the exam and in the format the paper requires; do not bring in notes, prepared essays, or pre-written material, and do not attempt to communicate with other candidates during the exam.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on starting, stopping, and handing in scripts. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait; supervised breaks are normally arranged, but confirm with the provider how this works at your centre.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper, such as a missing page or a printing error, tell the invigilator immediately rather than trying to work around it silently.
Marks come from the assessment criteria applied to your response, not from length alone. Answer the specific question set, support claims with close reference to the texts, and keep your argument organised.
If illness or another serious issue affects your performance, tell your coordinator as soon as possible; special consideration procedures exist but have deadlines and evidence requirements, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Check with your coordinator before exam day on any personal arrangements, such as access arrangements or permitted equipment, rather than relying on what other candidates say.