IB English B HL Tutoring
One-to-one online preparation for the English B Higher Level syllabus
In IB English B HL tutoring we treat Paper 2 as a project of its own, because it carries half the grade and neither of its halves – reading and listening – improves through conversation practice. Ninety-minute sessions cover how to take notes while the recording plays, and on the writing side, how to hit the conventions of the text type you are given.
Quick Answer
Listening needs regular exposure rather than occasional bursts, so English B HL support runs on a weekly rhythm; a 20-lesson package comfortably covers a term. The last three sessions before the Individual Oral are given over entirely to rehearsal and follow-up questions.
HL
Level
Fully Online
Format
90 min
Lesson length
€83 per 90 min one-to-one lesson
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund.
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HLIB Specialists
Experienced Team
About IB English B HL Tutoring
Our IB English B HL tutoring programme fully covers the English B Higher Level syllabus, the Group 2 language acquisition course of the IB Diploma Programme. We develop the four core language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) with a systematic approach. Our experienced IB teachers help students communicate with confidence and precision.
The course covers five themes: Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organization and Sharing the Planet. Under each theme different text types (articles, interviews, blogs, speeches, literature) are examined and produced. We teach academic vocabulary and language structures for each theme.
Writing is a central part of the IB English B HL syllabus. We teach different text types (essay, article, letter, blog post, brochure, speech) and their structural features. Academic writing conventions, argumentation techniques and language use are developed through practice. Our teachers provide model answers and mark scheme analysis for each text type.
Reading skills and text analysis require a deeper understanding at HL. We examine various text types, including literary texts (short stories, novel extracts). Students practise identifying the main idea, making inferences, understanding the author's purpose and viewpoint, and recognising rhetorical devices. For HL students two literary works are also studied.
Listening skills form an important part of Paper 2. Through practice we build familiarity with different accents, note-taking technique, picking out main ideas and details, and making inferences. Listening practice uses the real exam format.
The Individual Oral (IO) makes up 25% of the IB English B grade. At HL the presentation is built on an extract from one of the two literary works studied; the visual stimulus used at SL does not appear at HL. We prepare for the IO in detail: choosing the extract, placing it within the work, structuring the presentation, discussion skills and Q&A strategies. Our experienced IB teachers run practice orals under real exam conditions and give feedback.
Every programme is built around the student's current language level and goals. A strong English B HL grade is a major advantage for students aiming for the business world, international relations or an academic career. Our programme builds the academic skills each student's goals call for, through a plan we agree with you.
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 SL?
The same topics, taught at SL
SLExam Papers
IB English B HL exam structure and focus areas
| Paper | Duration | Weighting | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 25% | Productive Skills (Writing), 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Paper 2 | 2 hours | 50% | Receptive Skills (Reading & Listening), 2 hours |
| Individual Oral | 12-15 minute | 25% | 12-15 minute presentation and discussion |
Source: the assessment components and weightings on this page follow the IB English B HL 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?
At HL the oral is on a literary extract, not a visual
SL students are given an image; at HL the presentation is built on an extract from one of the two literary works you have read. Because most preparation material online follows the SL format, students who rehearse with images meet a different task in the exam. Our rehearsals run on the extract from the start.
Placing the extract inside the work
The opening of the presentation cannot move to the themes until you have established where the extract sits in the work. Who is speaking, what happened just before, what this passage does for the book as a whole. We have you write those three answers for every candidate extract.
The discussion after the presentation
Once the presentation ends there is discussion on the extract, then on the themes covered in class. A memorised presentation is exactly what stalls here. In rehearsal we ask the questions and deliberately head where you have not prepared.
Language is marked separately from content
The criteria mark language in its own right: even when what you say is right, speaking entirely in simple structures caps the mark. In rehearsals we note which structures never appeared and have you use them in the next session.
Rehearsal counted back from the recording date
Your school sets the recording date, and the oral is completed in one go. We give the last three sessions over entirely to rehearsal and follow-up questions. 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 B HL
| Preparation path | Pros | Limitations | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working on your own |
|
| Students with a strong level who only need to learn the exam format. |
| School lessons and group courses |
|
| Students meeting the themes and text types for the first time. |
| One-to-one online lessons with us |
|
| Students whose English is good but who underscore in Paper 2. |
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 B HL in one-to-one lessons, adapted to the student's exam date.
Establishing the level
week 1
- A short separate measurement for reading and for listening
- One writing task read against the conventions of its text type
- The weighting of the programme follows from those three measurements
Themes and text types
weeks 2-10
- The vocabulary and typical texts of the five themes
- The separate conventions of blogs, interviews, formal letters and speeches
- A short listening exercise in every session
The literary works
4-6 weeks, set by your school's reading calendar
- Marking the passages in both works that could serve the oral
- Preparing candidate extracts together with their context
- Drawing out the themes the two works share
The Individual Oral
the last 3 sessions before the recording date
- Building the shape of the presentation
- Rehearsing the discussion on the extract and on the themes
- A full rehearsal under exam conditions
Papers 1 and 2
the 6-8 weeks before the exam
- Hitting text type, register and length inside the exam timing
- Settling a method for taking notes while the recording plays
- 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 B HL sessions are structured
Listening is spread across weeks, not packed into blocks
Cramming does not work for listening; your ear tunes in through short, regular exposure. So every session includes a short recording at exam speed, whatever else we are covering that day.
Conversation practice will not lift Paper 2
Students whose English is good assume they are ready for this subject, then get stuck on Paper 2, which carries half the grade. Reading and listening do not improve through conversation – matching a question to its paragraph and taking notes while the recording runs are separate techniques.
In writing, the conventions come first
The same content in the wrong format loses marks. A blog and a formal letter want different openings, different registers and different endings. Before you write, we set out which markers of that text type you are going to use.
A written progress report every two weeks
We share which themes were covered, what stage the oral preparation is at and what comes next, in writing.
IA Grader
Evaluate your Internal Assessment report yourself. IA Grader for all subjects →
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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 B 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 B HL and English A?
How do you prepare students for the English B HL Individual Oral?
Does IB English B tutoring help with literary works?
Programme Features
- Note-taking while the Paper 2 recording plays
- Matching questions to paragraphs in the reading paper
- Blog, interview and formal letter formats
- Preparing the HL literary works for the oral
- Weekly listening rhythm rather than occasional blocks
- Three rehearsal sessions before the Individual Oral
- Getting used to native-speed audio
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
- Rebecca C.
IB English B HL Teacher
- Selin U.
IB English B HL Teacher
- Adam W.
IB English B HL 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
Other IB support often chosen alongside IB English B HL
IB English A HL Tutoring
IB English A HL tutoring covers Language and Literature, essay writing, textual analysis for Papers 1 and 2, and preparation for the Individual Oral.
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Go to the IB Extended Essay Tutoring pageIB HLMathematicsIB Maths HL Tutoring (AA and AI)
Compare IB Maths HL Analysis and Approaches (AA) and Applications and Interpretation (AI), then plan tutoring, IA and exam preparation.
Go to the IB Maths HL Tutoring (AA and AI) pageLet's work out where to start with IB English B HL
In a free consultation with our experienced IB teachers, we'll decide together how many lessons you need and what to focus on.
The consultation is free and non-binding. We do not guarantee a specific IB grade.