IB English A SL Tutoring
One-to-one online preparation for the English A Standard Level syllabus
Paper 2 is the sticking point in IB English A SL: you compare two works without the books in front of you, so quotations and scenes have to come from memory. In 90-minute lessons we build a working quotation bank for each text, and help you narrow the global issue for the Individual Oral until it is small enough to argue.
Quick Answer
English A SL support usually begins with building the Paper 2 quotation bank, and that cannot wait until exam week – two texts take four or five sessions. Individual Oral preparation is planned separately. Lessons are 90 minutes and online, and the first is refundable if it disappoints.
SL
Level
Fully Online
Format
90 min
Lesson length
€85 per 90 min one-to-one lesson
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund.
See packages and lower per-lesson rates
SLIB Specialists
Experienced Team
About IB English A SL Tutoring
Our IB English A SL tutoring programme covers English language and literature in detail. We build skills in literary analysis, working with different text types, rhetorical techniques and written expression.
The course examines literary and non-literary texts from different genres: poetry, novel, drama, article, speech and visual texts. We teach analysis techniques and terminology for each text type.
We prepare students in detail for Paper 1 (Guided Textual Analysis) by analysing unseen texts, for Paper 2 (Comparative Essay) by writing comparative literary essays, and for the Individual Oral (IO) by preparing the presentation.
We focus on academic essay writing. We offer guidance aligned to the IB assessment criteria on forming a thesis, using textual evidence, analysing literary techniques and writing a balanced conclusion.
The Individual Oral (IO) gets particular attention: choosing the global issue, matching the work and the extract, structuring the presentation and practising it.
IB assessment experience
Lessons are planned with teachers who have relevant subject experience and a strong command of the IB assessment criteria. Matching is done by subject, level, the student's current standing and teacher availability.
Syllabus Topics
And what does the board look like at HL?
The same topics, taught at HL
HLExam Papers
IB English A SL exam structure and focus areas
| Paper | Duration | Weighting | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 15 minutes | 35% | Guided Textual Analysis, 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 35% | Comparative Essay, 1 hour 45 minutes |
| IO | 15-minute | 30% | Individual Oral – 15-minute presentation |
Source: the assessment components and weightings on this page follow the IB English A SL subject guide published by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Your school's IB coordinator can access the current session documents. ibo.org
About grade boundaries: According to the grade boundary documents the International Baccalaureate Organization publishes for each exam session, the total percentage needed for a 7 varies by subject, level and session in a band of roughly 55–85%. Your school's IB coordinator can access the relevant May/November Grade descriptors and boundaries document. In our one-to-one lessons we review the student's realistic grade range together using past-session boundaries and mock results.
IA / Written-Task Support
Where do one-to-one lessons help with the Internal Assessment and written tasks?
A quotation set for closed-book conditions
You will not have the works in Paper 2. Page-by-page memorisation is not needed, but each work needs a short set of retrievable quotations that can serve more than one question. We build that set the week you finish the work; quotations gathered in the exam month do not stay.
Narrowing the global issue
The issue chosen for the oral is usually too broad, and the talk generalises for fifteen minutes. We narrow it until it attaches to a concrete choice in the extract – then there is still something to say at the end.
Tension between the two extracts
You choose one extract from a work written in English and one in translation. Two extracts approaching the issue from the same angle will not carry the talk; we choose them so there is a real difference between them.
Allocating the works
A work used in the oral cannot be used in Paper 2. At SL the list is short, which makes the split more decisive, not less; we put it in writing in the first session so the work you know best is not spent in the wrong place.
Rehearsal counted back from the recording date
The oral is recorded in a single sitting and your school sets the date. We schedule the rehearsals by counting back from it. We do not write the presentation for you.
Comparing Preparation Paths
How self-study, group classes and one-to-one support compare for IB English A SL
| Preparation path | Pros | Limitations | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working on your own |
|
| Strong readers who are comfortable writing. |
| School lessons and group courses |
|
| Students meeting the reading list for the first time. |
| One-to-one online lessons with us |
|
| Students who have read the works but write without quotation in the exam. |
Lesson packages
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund. Split 10- and 20-lesson packages across any subjects you like, with no expiry date.
Study Plan Framework
A typical five-phase plan for IB English A SL in one-to-one lessons, adapted to the student's exam date.
Allocating the works
week 1
- Reading your school's list together
- Deciding which work goes to the oral and which to Paper 2
- Drawing up the reading schedule
Quotation sets
weeks 2-8, as each work is finished
- Choosing short, multi-purpose quotations for each work
- Organising scene and character notes for recall
- Placing a quotation inside the sentence
The Individual Oral
3-4 sessions counted back from the recording date
- Narrowing the global issue
- Settling the two extracts
- A full rehearsal with questions, under recording conditions
Paper 1
the 6 weeks before the exam
- Analysing an unseen text around the guiding question
- How reading differs between poetry and prose
- Writing inside the exam timing
Paper 2
the last 4 weeks
- Building an axis of comparison between two works
- Full essays under closed-book conditions
- Full-length past papers under timed conditions
This framework is a sample plan; it is customised for each student based on exam date, target grade and current level.
How One-to-One Lessons Work
How IB English A SL sessions are structured
Paper 2 is practised closed book from the start
The books are not in front of you in the exam, so revision done with them open never rehearses the actual condition. We work without the texts from day one – which is also how the missing quotations surface.
An unseen text in every session
You meet the Paper 1 text for the first time in the exam. Reading prepared analyses does not build the skill; writing on short unfamiliar texts to time does. That is the fixed part of every session.
Quotation sets are not assembled in the exam month
The detail is freshest the week you finish a work. We choose the quotations then and keep them short; left to the exam month, the student has to re-read the book and ends up working with long quotations.
A written progress report every two weeks
We share which works were covered, what stage the oral preparation is at and what comes next, in writing.
IA Grader
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IA Preparation Checklist
Check the key elements of your IA report before moving on to scoring.
0/11 completed
0%Knowledge
Analysis
Organization
Language
Criterion-Based Scoring
Assess yourself on each criterion. Use the slider to set your score.
Knowledge, Understanding and Interpretation
0/8English A textual analysis, literary concepts and terminology.
No understanding of the text.
Analysis and Evaluation
0/8Critical analysis, argument and evaluation.
No analysis.
Focus and Organization
0/4The focus, structure and coherence of the argument.
No focus or structure.
Language
0/4Use of language, academic register and expression.
Inadequate use of language.
Total IA Score
Areas for Improvement
Want feedback on your IA from a teacher?
Work one-to-one with teachers who know the IB assessment criteria and IA rubrics inside out, and strengthen your report with feedback on each criterion.
If you'd like personalised feedback on your IA from a teacher, you can work with one of our tutors. This tool produces an estimated score; it does not replace official IB assessment.
Where Students Struggle
Our experienced IB teachers help you get past each of them.
Our Teaching Approach
IB-Focused Methodology
Work with teachers who know the IB assessment criteria inside out.
Where We Start
The first lesson sets the level, and the topic order follows from it.
The IA and the Exam
From the research question to the report, from past papers to mark schemes.
Past-Paper Focused
Real exam questions and mark scheme analysis.
Share before your first lesson
The information below helps the lesson plan focus on the student's real needs from the very first minutes.
- Target IB grade (e.g. 6 or 7) and exam date
- Current level: latest mock grade, predicted grade or weak topics
- School curriculum: the textbook used, IA / EE topic, deadlines
- Study schedule: lessons per week, available days and time slots
Who Is This Programme For?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between English A SL and HL?
Do you help with the Individual Oral?
Is IB English A tutoring online?
Programme Features
- A memorable quotation set for Paper 2
- Writing a comparison with no books in front of you
- A scene and chapter map for each work
- Narrowing the global issue for the Individual Oral
- Staying anchored to the guiding question in Paper 1
- Tidying up the learner portfolio entries
- Your first lesson refunded if it does not meet expectations
Contact us for a lesson plan
Tell us your target grade, where you are now and when you sit the exam, and we will work out the weekly schedule with you.
Quick Info
Tutors who teach this course
- Ezgi T.
IB English A SL Teacher
- Olivia D.
IB English A SL Teacher
- Sinan E.
IB English A SL Teacher
Our teachers are currently working in IB schools, so we cannot share their full surnames.
Our tutors provide mentoring, structure suggestions and feedback during the IA / EE process. IB Courses does not write a student's IA or assignment for them.
Related IB Courses & Support
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Go to the IB English A HL Tutoring pageLet's work out where to start with IB English A SL
On a free intro call with our experienced IB teachers, we'll decide together how many lessons you need and what to focus on.
The intro call is free and non-binding. We do not guarantee a specific IB grade.