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Thinking of doing an English B EE? Watch this!
NB The advice below has been updated ahead of the changes which come into effect in 2027 onward
An extended essay in language B gives you an opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of the second language you are studying, and to demonstrate your understanding of the culture associated with that target language.
Possible areas to explore include language use, literary analysis or a study of the culture itself... or a combination of any of these.
Your language B extended essay can:
• discuss and analyse texts as an inquiry into the way in which language is developed and used by fluent speakers or as literature or
• focus on the culture of a/the country where the target language is one of the country’s main languages of communication, illustrated through a distinctive aspect or item specific to that country.
These approaches can also be combined, depending on the nature of your research question. In analysing language or literature, you will potentially be applying the target language cultural lens. Your essay may be based on any meaningful example of the use of the language, spoken or written, provided that it is sufficiently linguistically or culturally complex, and can generate academic analysis of a well constructed research question. Undertaking a language B extended essay does not require advanced fluency and highly developed writing ability in the target language. However, clarity of meaning and the capacity to address the assessment criteria are important.
NB It is prohibited to use a translator app to write your Language B essay (or any essay, come to that). You should only use such tools to find or check individual words, nothing more.
Note: You can't write a language B EE in a language that you are studying for your DP in language A. Texts that have been translated into the language B language are not acceptable as sources. All texts, whatever your focus, must have been originally written or spoken in the language B language.
What type of topic can I choose for a Language B EE?
Literary analysis
Must focus on an aspect of a literary work or works originally written in the target language, for example, a literary technique used in a particular text, a thematic comparison of two works of different periods, a character study. The screenplay of a film (i.e. script and directions) is also acceptable, but it must be analysed as literature (not its cinematographic qualities).
Language Use
Must focus on the analysis of a particular aspect of the development, structure or use of the target language itself, always in relation to its cultural context or a specific text. An example would be a study of how the language of American rap is influencing teenage communication in the United States (USA), based on specific rap lyrics. In contrast, an investigation of how second-language students learn English, wherever this may occur, is simply inappropriate: the topic does not investigate aspects of the English language itself.
Note: Texts for a literary analysis or as a study of language use can include a variety of genres, whether spoken or written. But they must also be meaningful examples of language, such as novels, short stories, speeches, advertisements, plays, screenplays, song lyrics and historical documents. You could also investigate literary blogs, micro fiction or graphic novels. Texts need not be traditional prose fiction or non-fiction to qualify as worthy of literary study; however, the availability of a good range of relevant and valuable secondary sources is essential to support the argument in any topic
Cultural Topic
Two requirements to consider:
1. The topic must focus on a sociocultural issue specific to the target language.
2. The topic must be investigated through its influence on the form or use of the language itself.
or
The topic must be investigated through its manifestation in customs or artefacts specific to the country where the target language is spoken.
What is a “cultural artefact”?
It is a concrete object (not a belief or a movement or a state of being) that reflects the target culture in some specific way. A film may be considered a suitable cultural topic but only when approached and analysed as a cultural artefact in the target language. The film needs to be perceived as a concrete object that reflects specific prevailing or changing attitudes or values of the target culture in that language. The EE should promote understanding of the target language and/or its related culture. Issues that can have relevance to more than one culture, such as certain social and political issues (e.g. religion, racism, the rights of women), are intercultural and therefore not specific enough. Nor are the influence of linguistic trends that are not specific to the target language alone, such as social media acronyms or the use of emoticons. These are not sufficiently specific to a particular language to be considered as suitable subjects for a Language B essay
All information from International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) website
Advice when deciding whether to go ahead with an Language B (Language Acquisition) extended essay
(nb there may be some small updates to this advice with the new guidelines coming into effect in 2027)
What are examiners looking for in an English B EE?
(and what you should avoid)
Scroll through the information below for the IBO's advice on how to maximise your EE grade according to the marking criteria
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