IB ENGLISH B TEXT TYPES
STUDENT WORKBOOK
ANSWER KEY
How to Write
AN ESSAY
A Contented Being Resource
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ESSAY: Prompt Task
Read the following prompt and then respond to the questions about text selection.
Now
thatsurvey
there are
AI apps and
programs
that school
can dorevealed
complexthat
and most
creative
writing
tasks within
seconds,
students
A recent
of secondary
students
at your
of them
regarded
reading
through
their are
wondering
if
schools
still
need
to
teach
writing
skills.
Write
a
text
in
which
you
explore
how
learning
to
write
is still a
textbooks or reading over their class notes as the preferred method of preparing for tests and exams.
very important thing to learn to do and detail three key benefits. Keep the tone semi-formal to formal.
As a successful IB student who has spent time researching and applying suitable study techniques, you feel compelled
(450-600
words)
to
share ways
to make the revision process more efficient.
proposal
essay
email
Text Selection
Answer these questions as briefly as possible.
Why is a PROPOSAL not a suitable text type for the given prompt?
A proposal is meant to suggest change from people in authority because it impacts things at an
organisational level. The prompt is asking for a clear argument that will not change the status quo.
Why is an EMAIL not a suitable text type for the given prompt?
An email is generally sent to a single person, and the prompt suggests a larger audience.
Why is an ESSAY ENTRY the most suitable text type for the given prompt?
A ESSAY ENTRY allows you to fulfil all the requirements of the prompt, particularly exploring 3 clear reasons
to support an argument (thesis).
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ANALYSIS TASK 1: Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions as briefly as possible. Some do not follow the order of the text.
1. Explain the pun in the title.
Answer: Answer: The pun refers to students asking AI to ‘just write’ for them and it could also mean they think AI is just
right for them – i.e. it suits their needs. It could also mean learning to write is just right for us as humans.
2. How does writing provide brain exercise?
Answer: Writing provides brain exercise by employing a sophisticated process of language use involving (amongst others)
accessing prior knowledge, making connections to novel ideas, evaluating language options, applying, and reflecting.
3. What is being said about cars and walking in the essay?
Answer: The essay is saying that it is just as important to learn to write as it is to learn to walk, even if we have cars - this is
to say that having a substitute does not make the fundamental skill and exercise any less vital.
4. What does the essay suggest will be the effect of not being able to express oneself clearly?
Answer: The essay suggests that not being able to express oneself clearly will have catastrophic effects, as it will make
meaningful communication difficult, thus making it hard to negotiate important business deals, articulate ambitions and
complex emotions or needs, and accurately convey one’s meaning.
5. What is the essay saying about creativity?
Answer: The essay is saying that being human means expressing creativity, not only in the arts, but also in the ability to
devise ingenious solutions to the problems facing our societies and our planet.
6. Why is it important that we learn to write?
Answer: It is important that we learn to write in order to sharpen our ideas, make our meaning clearer, engage
meaningfully with other human beings, and imprint skillsets that can be used in a multitude of situations in our daily lives.
7. Describe the process of writing.
Answer: The process of writing involves accessing prior knowledge, making connections to novel ideas, evaluating
language options, applying, and reflecting.
8. What is the importance of our ability to communicate effectively?
Answer: Our ability to communicate effectively is extraordinarily important, as it gives us the practice we need to convey
our ideas, our emotions, and our needs clearly, enabling meaningful interactions with other people.
9. What does the essay suggest about technology?
Answer: The essay suggests that technology has solved a whole host of human conundrums and has enabled us to make a
lot of advancements.
10. In what ways is learning to write an exercise to express what it means to be human?
Answer: Learning to write is an exercise to express what it means to be human as it enables us to communicate
coherently, meaningfully transmit important ideas, engage in cultural transfer, and form innovate solutions to challenging
problems.
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ANALYSIS TASK 2: Identifying Features
Label the features of this ESSAY using these terms.
DEVELOPMENT OF THESIS REASON 3
COHESIVE DEVICE
CONCLUSION
TOPIC SENTENCE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESIS REASON 1 CONTEXT STATEMENT DEVELOPMENT OF THESIS REASON 2
1. JUST WRITE FOR US
THESIS
HEADING
TRANSITION WORD
HOOK
SCA HEADING G
CONTEXT STATEMENT
IENCE ADDRESS THESIS
2. In an age where AI technology – of which ChatGPT is the forerunner – can write seemingly anything for anyone on
any topic almost instantly, some students are beginning to question the need for them to learn to write at all.
However, they fail to appreciate the absolute necessity to exercise their brains and the value that such exercise has
to enable them toHOOK
grow and thrive in our modern world. Learning to write not only provides essential brain exercise
but also enriches our language skills, unlocking both creativity and ingenuity. To say we do not need to learn to write
because we have chatbots is to say we do not need to learn to walk … because we have cars.
HOOK THESIS
8. Just as the human body needs to engage in regular exercise, so our brains need to be actively involved in a variety
of thinking skills – skills that develop neural networks and TOPIC
enableSENTENCE
us to make effective decisions. For example, complex
problem solving enables us to navigate our complicated environment: nobody can escape challenges; consequently,
the ability to deal with them, to overcome them, and to learn from them so we can be able to make better-informed
SDEVELOPMENT OF
choices
later is not just an asset – it is essential to our survival. When we learn to write, we have to employ a
THESIS REASON 1
sophisticated
process of language use, involving (amongst others) accessing prior knowledge, making connections to
HEADING ELOPMENT
novel
ideas,
evaluating
language options, applying, and reflecting – all of which not only provide our brains with
OF THESIS POINT 1
necessary exercise but imprints skillsets that can be used in a multitude of situations in our daily lives.
TRANSITION WORD
16. In addition, our ability to communicate effectively using language is extraordinarily important. Writing provides
the practice we need to sharpen our ideas, make meaning clearer, to engage meaningfully with other human beings.
For instance, imagine not being able to express yourself clearly when trying to negotiate an important business deal?
When trying to articulate, to yourself and others, not just your ambitions, but your complex emotions and needs?
SDEVELOPMENT OF
Imagine not being able to convey exactly what you mean at all times? The effects of not being understood will be
THESIS REASON 2
catastrophic. When we learn to write, we engrain in our brains the range of linguistic options necessary for meaningful
HEADING ELOPMENT
communication. Without this fundamental ability to communicate coherently, we cannot have cultural transfer, we
OF THESIS POINT 1
cannot have education, and we cannot have innovation. In short, learning to write is the exercise we need to express
what it means to be human.
25 Moreover, being human means expressing our creativity, not just in arts like writing and drama and music, but also
in the ability to devise ingenious solutions to the problems facing our societies and our planet. Just as the creative arts
SDEVELOPMENT
have enrichedOFthe human experience beyond imagining, so technology has solved a whole host of human
THESIS
REASONnot
3 least the challenge to become more efficient, to manufacture machinery, to develop vaccines, to
conundrums,
HEADING
ELOPMENT
invent computers, to create AI. We are problem solvers; we always have been. Yet, it’s our ability to write, to transmit
OF
THESIS POINT
1 to formulate answers to immensely challenging issues that have enabled us to make so many
important
ideas,
advancements.
CONCLUSION
32. In conclusion, learning to write is not just an exercise in schools – it’s THE exercise our brains need to become
fully-functioning human beings and to continue to progress as a species on this planet.
(570 words)
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ANALYSIS TASK 3: Punctuation Focus
Circle the correct response.
1. What the purpose of the dashes in line 2?
a) to show a pause
b) to show apposition
c) to emphasise additional information
2. What is the function of the comma in line 3 ?
a) to separate items
b) to mark introductory words
3. What is the function of the ellipsis in line 7?
a) to provide a dramatic pause
b) to show omission
4. What is the function of the dash in lines 9 ?
a) to show omission
b) to create intrigue
5. What is the function of the colon in line 10?
a) to introduce a list
b) to show apposition
c) to emphasise words
c) to emphasise
c) to emphasise what follows
c) to introduce an explanation
6. What is the function of the hyphen in line 1?
a) to create a compound noun b) to create a compound adjective c) to add extra information
7. What is the function of the brackets in line 13?
a) to provide a definition
b) to provide extra info
c) to show an interjection
8. What is the function of the commas in line 17?
a) to separate items in a list
b) to show contrast
c) to show emphasis
9. What is the function of italics in line 29?
a) to show emphasis
b) to show parenthesis
c) to add drama
10. What is the function of the semi-colon in line23?
a) to join connecting ideas
b) to introduce a list
c) to introduce a quote
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ANALYSIS TASK 4: Vocabulary Inspection
Circle the correct response.
1. What is a synonym for ‘in forerunner’? (line 2)
a) pioneer
b) leader
c) master
2. What is the meaning of ‘exercise’ in ‘that such exercise’ (line 4?)
a) activity
b) movement
c) fitness
3. Which word/s can suitably replace ‘articulate in line 19?
a) show
b) express
c) argue
4. Which word means the same as ‘essential’ ? (line 12)
a) significant
b) relevant
c) vital
5. What is the meaning of ‘novel ? (line 14)
a) innovative
b) interesting
c) story
6. Which word/s can suitably replace ‘articulate in line 19?
a) show
b) express
c) argue
7. What is the antonym of ‘exactly? (line 20)
a) roughly
b) almost
c) perfectly
8. What is the antonym of ‘necessary’ ? (Line 21)
a) unwanted
b) wasted
c) optional
9. What is the meaning of ‘conundrums’ ? (line 28)
a) problems
b) pun
c) puzzlements
10. What is the meaning of ‘transmit? (line 29)
a) transport
b) convey
c) teach
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ANALYSIS TASK 5: Paragraph Development
Make notes to show how sentences 2 and 3 develop the ideas in sentence 1. SL
1. Just as the human body needs to engage in regular exercise, so our brains need to be actively
involved in a variety of thinking skills – skills that develop neural networks and enable us to make
effective decisions.
2. For example, complex problem solving enables us to navigate our complicated environment:
nobody can escape challenges; consequently, the ability to deal with them, to overcome them, and
to learn from them so we can be able to make better-informed choices later is not just an asset – it
is essential to our survival.
3.When we learn to write, we have to employ a sophisticated process of language use, involving
(amongst others) accessing prior knowledge, making connections to novel ideas, evaluating language
options, applying, and reflecting – all of which not only provide our brains with necessary exercise
but imprints skillsets that can be used in a multitude of situations in our daily lives.
Sentence 2 expands upon the idea presented in sentence 1, providing an example of a complex
problem-solving situation and develops it by showing the effect of solving problems.
Sentence 3 further elaborates by providing details of the learning process when writing, tying into the
idea that engaging in mental activities develops the neural networks and equips us to make better
decisions.
Make notes to show how sentences 2 to 8 develop the ideas in sentence 1. HL
1. In addition, our ability to communicate effectively using language is extraordinarily important.
2. Writing provides the practice we need to sharpen our ideas, make meaning clearer, to engage
meaningfully with other human beings.
3. For instance, imagine not being able to express yourself clearly when trying to negotiate an
important business deal?
4. When trying to articulate, to yourself and others, not just your ambitions, but your complex
emotions and needs?
5. Imagine not being able to convey exactly what you mean at all times?
6. The effects of not being understood will be catastrophic.
8. When we learn to write, we engrain in our brains the range of linguistic options necessary for
meaningful communication. Without this fundamental ability to communicate coherently, we cannot
have cultural transfer, we cannot have education, and we cannot have innovation.
9. In short, learning to write is the exercise we need to express what it means to be human.
Sentence 2 outlines the importance of writing for sharpening ideas and meaning making.
Sentence 3 gives an example of a situation where effective communication could be
essential. Sentence 4 points to the importance of being able to articulate thoughts,
ambitions, and emotions. Sentence 5 suggests the potential consequences of not being able
to accurately convey meaning. Sentence 6 describes the need for developing linguistic skills
to have meaningful communication. Sentence 7 implies that writing is an exercise necessary
to express ourselves and understand others. Sentence 8 explains the importance of effective
communication for fostering cultural transfer, education, and innovation. Sentence 9
summarizes the importance of learning to write to be able to express ourselves and
understand another's viewpoint.
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