IB Language B Paper 2

Struggling to understand IB Language B Paper 2? You've come to the right place. In this post we will break-down the paper's structure, duration, weighting, and the questions you may encounter. 

IB Language B Paper 2

• At both SL and HL, Paper 2 accounts for 50% of the student's final grade.
• Paper 2 is made up of two sections – listening and reading, each worth 25% of the student's final grade. 
• At SL and HL the listening section is made up of three audio recordings, with questions for each recording. Students can score up to 25 marks for this component.
• Similarly, the reading component is made up of three passages with questions for each passage. There are 40 marks available for this component. 
• Both SL and HL students receive 1 hour for each component (2 hours total). 
• Students answer all questions. 

It is important to mention that no matter which Language B course you're studying, whether its French, Spanish, or German, Paper 2 will have the exact same structure and the same type of questions. Similarly, the syllabus is the same for all Language B choices. 

In this blog will provide an IB English B sample question to allow everybody, no matter their language choice, to understand what they may expect in the exam. 

Listening comprehension

A typical listening comprehension section may look the following way:

Based on Recording B, answer the following questions.

1. Where did Andrew hear Governor Hadley promise not to develop Pointer Lake? [1]
2. How long has Director Solano been the director of the Economic Development Agency? [1]
3. What consideration does Andrew contrast with Director Solano’s main responsibility? [1]
4. How does Director Solano describe the designers of the Lewans Junction project? [1]

To succeed in the IB Language B Paper 2 listening comprehension section, use the 4 minutes of preview time wisely by carefully reading the questions and identifying key details to listen for. Focus on keywords like names, dates, places, and emotions, and be prepared for synonyms or paraphrased phrases instead of exact matches. Remember to stay engaged with the audio – if you miss something, don’t dwell on it or spend too much time on one question; instead, keep listening and move on to the next questions. The recording is played twice, so if you don’t catch something the first time, you’ll have another chance on the second try. Regular past paper practice is crucial, as IB recordings often feature various accents, making it essential to familiarize yourself with different pronunciation styles to improve comprehension.