As a student, you might be wondering why the IB offers 2 unique English subjects – Language and Literature (Lang/Lit) and Literature (Lit). While there are quite a few similarities between these 2 subjects, they are fundamentally two different courses.
In this blog post, we will dive deep into these 2 subjects to see what set them apart from one another.
Subject Focus
In Literature, you will focus solely on literary texts, such as Macbeth. You will be exploring the nature of literature and learning to do literary criticism.
In Language & Literature, you will focus on both both fiction and non-fiction. You will be exploring the nature of language. As such, you will be studying a broad range of texts, including advertisements.
Works studied in SL and HL
Now that you understand the main difference between the two courses, let’s look at the table for the summarized distinctions between works studied in SL and HL.
Lang/Lit
| Works | SL | HL |
|---|---|---|
| Works in translation (from a prescribed list of translated texts [PLT]) | One text | Two texts |
| Works originally written in the language studied (from a prescribed list of authors [PLA]) | One text | Two texts |
| Texts chosen from a variety of genre, source, media | Two texts | Two texts |
| Total texts studied: | Four Texts | Six Texts |
Literature
| Works | SL | HL |
|---|---|---|
| Works in translation (PLT) | Three text | Four texts |
| Works originally written in the language studied (PLA) | Four texts | Five texts |
| Texts chosen from a variety of genre, source, media | Two texts | Four texts |
| Total texts studied: | Nine Texts | Thirteen Texts |
Assessment for SL and HL
From the summarized table below, it is clear that both subjects follow very similar assessment formats.
Language & Literature
| External | Format | SL (%) | HL (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Written analysis of unseen non-literary texts | 35 | 35 |
| Paper 2 | Respond to one out of four questions, writing a comparative essay based on two literary works studied | 35 | 25 |
| HL Essay | 1200-1500 word essay on one literary/non-literary work studied | - | 20 |
| Internal | Format | SL (%) | HL (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Oral (IO) | Oral response on one literary work and one non-literary text. The work and text selected must have a clear connection with the global issue. | 30 | 20 |
Literature
| External | Format | SL (%) | HL (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Written analysis of two unseen literary texts. One is always a poem and the other is a prose extract from a novel or short story. | 35 | 35 |
| Paper 2 | Respond to one out of four questions, writing a comparative essay based on two literary works studied. | 35 | 25 |
| HL Essay | 1200-1500 word essay on one work studied. | - | 20 |
| Internal | Format | SL (%) | HL (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Oral (IO) | Oral response on one work originally written in the language studied and one work studied in translation. The work selected must have a clear connection with the global issue. | 30 | 20 |
Should you study Language & Literature or Literature?
The 2 courses share the following similarities:
- Expectations of language usage, of level of analysis and of critical reflection are the same across the two courses.
- Both subjects focus on exploring language in cultural contexts.
- Both courses use similar assessments.
So, how do you choose which English subjects to take? Well, it really depends on your preference. Remember, you will be enrolled in this course for two years, so you need to choose the course that you’ll enjoy.
That being said, you need to also analyse your strengths and weaknesses. You may enjoy exploring language in general, but you could be better at analysing literary texts. You may not necessarily enjoy it, but it’s just something that you’re really good at.
Ultimately, they are both IB subjects, and regardless of which subject you choose, you’ll have to put in the effort and work hard to do well.
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