Identities explores who we are and what shapes us. In Paper 1 you choose a task and text type, so learn the conventions of each type and a bank of precise vocabulary.
Course topics
Identities· Lifestyle, health, beliefs, values, subcultures, language and identity · 2 subtopics
Experiences· Leisure, holidays, life stories, rites of passage, migration · 2 subtopics
Human ingenuity· Entertainment, art, technology, scientific innovation · 2 subtopics
Social organization· Relationships, community, education, work, law and order · 2 subtopics
Sharing the planet· Environment, human rights, peace, equality, globalisation · 2 subtopics
Each has conventions: title, greeting, register, layout
Register
Formal or informal language that fits audience and purpose
Vocabulary: sense of belonging, cultural heritage, self-esteem, peer pressure, stereotype, well-being, mother tongue, to fit in, to stand out, to identify with.
Structures for top marks: conditionals (“If schools offered…, students would…”), passive voice (“Teenagers are often judged…”), relative clauses (“…which shows that…”), and varied linking words (however, moreover, consequently, whereas, nevertheless).
Conventions: blog (title, date, informal and direct), article (headline, byline, formal paragraphs), formal letter (addresses, formal greeting and sign-off), speech (address the audience, rhetorical questions, call to action).
Plan in 5 minutes: purpose, audience, three main points, a closing idea.
Worked example
Upgrade: “Social media is bad for teenagers.”
Add a qualifier and precise vocabulary: “Social media can damage teenagers' self-esteem…”
Add a cause: “…because they constantly compare themselves with others,”
Add a contrast: “although it also helps them find communities where they feel they belong.”
Result: a complex, balanced sentence with theme-specific language.
Common mistakes
Ignoring the conventions of the chosen text type.
Mixing formal and informal register.
Going far over or under the word range.
Repeating basic words like “good”, “bad” and “very”.
influence from people of your own age group. A core Identities term.
Which linking word shows contrast?
Nevertheless. Nevertheless introduces a contrast.
The HL Paper 1 word range is…
450–600. SL is 250–400 words.
Practise this in the app. Interactive diagrams, quizzes, exam-style papers with mark schemes and a personal study planner. Open English B in FortyFive →
IB English B (SL / HL) is organised into: Identities; Experiences; Human ingenuity; Social organization; Sharing the planet; Assessment: Papers 1–2, oral, HL literature.
Are these IB English B notes free?
Yes. The topic pages, key terms and the first lesson are free. The full lessons, interactive diagrams and exam-style practice papers with mark schemes are in the FortyFive app, which you can start for free.