IB Spanish B HL exam-day guide
IB Spanish B HL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID that matches your registration name
Bring the original document (passport or national ID) with exactly the name used at registration. Confirm with your school's IB coordinator which ID form they accept for your session; do not assume a photocopy is fine.
Know your candidate number and session details
Your coordinator issues your candidate number and personalized exam timetable. Write them down the day before; you will need them to find your seat and confirm which paper you are sitting.
Confirm the format of your Individual Oral
The IB Spanish B individual oral is internally assessed and typically recorded by your teacher before the written exams, but scheduling, recording arrangements, and whether it happens in the same session vary by school. Confirm the exact date, time, and room with your teacher or coordinator.
Two or more black or blue pens plus a spare
Written papers are handwritten. Bring pens you have already tested; a spare avoids a mid-paper problem. Check with your coordinator whether pencil is permitted for any diagram or annotation.
Clear water bottle and a small permitted snack
Rules on what may be on your desk vary by school. Ask your coordinator in advance what is allowed and whether snacks are permitted during the break between papers.
No phone, smartwatch, or notes on your person
Devices must be left outside the exam room as directed. A phone found on you, even switched off, can lead to misconduct proceedings. Confirm the school's storage arrangements in advance.
Know the paper structure and timing for each component
Paper 1 is a written productive task; Paper 2 is reading and listening comprehension. Confirm with your coordinator the exact duration, weighting, and number of tasks for your session, since these details are set by the current subject guide and your school's schedule.
Prepare your Paper 1 text-type conventions
Review the conventions of common text types (formal letter, article, blog, speech, brochure, review). You will be expected to select an appropriate text type for the task and use its layout and register consistently.
Practice timed writing by hand
Do at least two full timed Paper 1 responses in the final week, written by hand, so you know your realistic output length and can manage the planning and checking phases.
Rehearse listening under exam conditions
Practice listening to Spanish audio once, as it will be played, without pausing. Confirm with your coordinator the audio playback arrangements and whether there is a pause between playings.
Plan your travel and arrival time
Arrive with margin for security checks and seating. Confirm the reporting time with your coordinator, as it is usually earlier than the paper start time.
Check language and dictionary policy
Confirm with your coordinator whether any dictionary or reference material is permitted for your paper; do not bring one unless it has been explicitly authorized.
Plan the day
Sit one full timed Paper 1 and one full timed Paper 2 under exam conditions. Mark them against the criteria or with your teacher, and list your three biggest recurring errors (for example, verb tense control, article agreement, or task completion). Spend the remaining time on those three, not on new content.
Re-read the requirements for the text type you find hardest and write one model version from memory: greeting and closing formulas, register, headings, and sign-off. Keep it to one page you can review on the morning.
Do a focused vocabulary and connector review organized by theme (environment, technology, health, education, culture). Prioritize high-frequency connectors and subjunctive triggers that raise your range score, and practice using them in full sentences rather than as isolated lists.
Do one listening pass at exam speed, then check answers and note why you missed items: unknown vocabulary, distractors, or losing your place. Practice a note-taking shorthand for names, numbers, and dates.
Confirm the room, reporting time, ID, and permitted items with your coordinator. Lay out pens, ID, water, and any authorized materials by the door. Charge nothing you are not allowed to bring; leave devices at home or plan where to store them.
Do light review only: your one-page text-type sheet, connector list, and a short reading passage. Do not attempt a full mock the night before. Set an alarm with extra margin and sleep at your normal time.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive early. Skim your one-page sheet only; do not try to learn new material. Use the walk-in time to settle, not to panic-review vocabulary lists.
Read all instructions and the task rubrics carefully before writing. For Paper 1, identify the text type, audience, register, and required content points, then spend a few minutes planning structure and key phrases before you start the final copy.
For Paper 1, write to the required word range and monitor it as you go; going far under or over can cost you. For Paper 2, read questions before the passage or audio where the format allows, and answer in the language and format required. If a listening item is missed, move on immediately rather than dwelling.
Reserve time to check agreement, verb endings, accents, and task completion. Confirm you have answered every required item and that your text type conventions (headings, greeting, sign-off) are present. Do not rewrite whole paragraphs at the end; fix high-frequency errors.
Do not review answers with classmates between papers. Move directly to preparation for the next component, and follow the school's rules on leaving and re-entering the exam area.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID required by your school and keep it on your desk if instructed. If you are unsure which document is accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Do not bring phones, smartwatches, or any wearable device into the exam room. Follow the school's storage instructions exactly; possession of a device can be treated as misconduct even if it is switched off.
Follow all instructions from the invigilator about starting, stopping, and leaving the room. Do not open the paper before you are told to, and stop writing immediately when time is called.
Breaks between papers are usually supervised, and candidates generally may not communicate with each other during them. Confirm the specific break and supervision rules with your coordinator, as they vary by school.
Use only the materials authorized for your session. Do not bring dictionaries, notes, or reference sheets unless your coordinator has confirmed they are permitted for that specific paper.
Write in the language and format the task requires, and stay within the required word range. Off-task or off-language responses can lose marks even if the Spanish is accurate.
Any suspected misconduct, including talking, looking at another candidate's work, or using unauthorized material, is reported under the school's academic honesty procedures. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, ask before the paper starts.
Scoring is criterion-based and weighted across the components, so a weak paper does not necessarily end your grade. Confirm the exact weightings and grade boundaries for your session with your teacher rather than relying on rumor.