IB English A:
Language &
Literature.
The IB Group 1 course that blends literary analysis with non-literary text study — advertisements, speeches, journalism and digital media alongside novels, poetry and drama. Coached with a dual-text analysis framework that consistently produces grade 7 results.
Combines literary analysis with real-world text study. Advertising, journalism, speeches and social media alongside fiction and poetry — uniquely IB.
Lang & Lit rewards both literary and non-literary analysis.
IB English A: Language and Literature sits between pure Literature (Group 1 Lit) and language acquisition (Group 2). It requires students to analyse both literary texts (novels, plays, poetry) and non-literary texts (advertisements, political speeches, opinion columns, social media posts) with equal precision.
Why students choose Lang & Lit over pure Literature
Students who find pure Literature too narrow often thrive in Lang & Lit because the non-literary component rewards real-world media literacy. The course is particularly well-suited to students heading into journalism, communications, politics, law and marketing.
The Individual Oral
The IO (worth 20% at both HL and SL) requires students to connect a literary and a non-literary text through a "global issue." This is where most coaching time is spent — choosing the right pairing, framing the global issue precisely, and delivering a structured 10-minute oral.
The full content we cover.
Every Times Edu English A: Language & Literature mentor maps lessons directly to the official syllabus — nothing on the exam is a surprise.
Mass Communication
Advertising, propaganda, news media and digital communication.
Language & Power
Political speeches, rhetoric, persuasion and bias.
Literature: Novel
Close reading and analysis of a prescribed novel.
Literature: Poetry
Analysis of selected poems from the prescribed list.
Literature: Drama
Study of a full-length play — often Shakespeare, Miller or Ibsen.
Individual Oral
10-minute oral connecting a literary and non-literary text via a global issue.
Paper 1: Guided Analysis
Comparative analysis of two unseen texts (one literary, one non-literary).
HL Essay
1,500-word analytical essay on a text studied in the course — 20% of HL grade.
Every paper and assessment, mapped.
Knowing the format is half the battle. Here is the full breakdown.
Guided Textual Analysis
Comparative analysis of two unseen texts. HL analyses both; SL analyses one.
Comparative Essay
Essay comparing two studied literary works against a given question.
Individual Oral
10-minute oral on a global issue through one literary and one non-literary text.
HL Analytical Essay
1,500-word essay on a studied text — HL only, 20% of HL grade.
Why even strong students lose marks here.
Three traps we see most often — every one is fixable with focused coaching.
Treating non-literary texts like literature
Students who analyse an advertisement the same way they analyse a poem miss the point. Non-literary analysis rewards attention to audience, purpose and visual design.
Weak IO global issue
A vague global issue ("inequality") produces a vague oral. We coach precise framing: "How does language construct gender identity in advertising vs. in Atwood's prose?"
Paper 1 time mismanagement
HL students must analyse two texts in 2h 15m. Students who spend too long on the first text rush the second and lose 10+ marks.
From diagnostic to final grade.
My IO score jumped from 22/40 to 36/40 after six sessions focused purely on global issue framing and text pairing. That single improvement carried my final grade to a 7.
What families always ask.
How is Lang & Lit different from pure Literature?
Literature studies only literary texts. Lang & Lit adds non-literary texts — advertising, journalism, speeches, social media — and requires analysis of both. Students who enjoy media literacy and real-world texts usually prefer Lang & Lit.
Can you help with the Individual Oral?
Yes — this is our most requested Lang & Lit service. We coach global issue selection, text pairing, structure and delivery in 4–6 dedicated sessions.
Is Lang & Lit respected by universities?
Fully — universities treat it as equivalent to pure Literature. It is one of the most popular Group 1 choices globally.
HL or SL?
HL adds the HL Essay (20%) and a longer Paper 1. Choose HL if heading into English, communications or humanities at university.
Ready to turn English A: Language & Literature into a top grade?
Book a free 60-minute diagnostic — full gap analysis, realistic grade prediction and personalised roadmap. Worth $60, free for the first 50 families.