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Mastering the IB Chinese B SL Oral: IO Structure, Sentence Examples & Notes

  • Writer: Aileen Ting
    Aileen Ting
  • 4 days ago
  • 5 min read

A female student in a school uniform preparing for the IB Chinese B SL Individual Oral exam, focused on taking notes based on a picture stimulus with a stopwatch on the desk.

In the past weeks, I’ve had several IB Chinese B SL students come to me and say, “I have an oral soon…” and then pause.


They’re often unsure about timing, what the teacher will actually do, or whether the oral is picture-based. It can also get confusing when students in the same school describe different “oral” tasks.


This post focuses on the IB Language B Individual Oral (IO) for SL. And from what I see in schools, some “speech/presentation” orals happening early in the year are often class speaking assessments or Paper 1 practice, rather than the recorded IO—so it’s worth clarifying which one you’re preparing for.



What is the IB Chinese B SL Individual Oral (IO)?


In IB Language B, the Individual Oral is the Internal Assessment (IA) and is weighted 25% of your final grade.


It assesses interactive speaking—so it isn’t only about “advanced vocabulary.” You’re also being assessed on how you organise ideas, respond naturally, and develop answers when the teacher asks follow-up questions.



How long is the IB Chinese B SL oral?


In the current IB Language B guide, SL IO timing is described as:

  • Preparation: 15 minutes (supervised)

  • Speaking: 12–15 minutes total

  • Weighting: 25%

(Your school may manage the room logistics slightly differently, but the overall timing and structure should match this.)



Is the IB Chinese B SL IO picture-based?


In the current syllabus documents, SL uses a visual image as the stimulus, linked to a course theme.


A common set-up described in schools is:

  1. you’re shown two visual stimuli (from two themes)

  2. you choose one

  3. you prepare and speak from that image



Why is my class doing a “speech” or presentation instead?


This happens a lot, and it doesn’t necessarily mean anyone is “wrong.”


From what I see, a speech/presentation task is usually:

  • a school-set speaking assessment (formative or summative) to build confidence and structure, and/or

  • linked to Paper 1 writing practice (for example, drafting a “speech” text type and then presenting it in class).


A simple way to check (without sounding challenging) is:

“Is this the IB Individual Oral (IO/IA), the recorded one?”

If the task brief says IO / IA / recorded, it’s very likely the official IB oral.



What happens in each part of the SL Individual Oral?


The SL IO is usually run in three parts:

  • Part 1: Presentation (3–4 min)

  • Part 2: Follow-up discussion (4–5 min) (same theme as Part 1)

  • Part 3: General discussion (5–6 min) (wider talk, introducing at least one additional theme)


One important reminder: the guide emphasises the presentation should be spontaneous and clearly focused on the specific image—not a generic memorised speech.



What should I write in my IB Chinese B oral notes?


In the guide’s conduct section, students can make brief working notes, with a maximum of 10 bullet points—for reference only (not to read like a script).


A practical note template I use with students:

  • Theme + subtopic (1 line)

  • 3 picture details (people / actions / setting)

  • 2 causes + 2 impacts (bullets)

  • 1 Hong Kong example + 1 personal example

  • 1 viewpoint + 1 suggestion (one line each)


This keeps Part 1 structured and gives you ready material for Part 2 and Part 3.



What are easy Part 1 sentence frames to start smoothly?


You don’t need a fancy script. Pick one or two frames per stage.


Overview（整体概述）

  • 这张照片展示了……（地点/人物/活动）。

  • 从整体来看，气氛是……我觉得这跟“……主题”有关。


Details / Parts（局部描述）

  • 在照片的左边/中间/右边，我注意到……

  • 最吸引我的是……因为这可能说明……


Extension（拓展延伸）

  • 这让我想到……主要有两个原因：首先……其次……

  • 一方面……另一方面……比如在香港/在学校里……


Conclusion（总结概括）

  • 总的来说，我认为……（一句立场）。

  • 如果要改善/平衡这个问题，我建议……（一个现实的小建议）。


More “extension hacks” and a fuller phrase bank can be a second blog—this post is just to help you start cleanly and not freeze.



What happens in Part 2, and how do I prepare?


Part 2 lasts 4–5 minutes and stays on the same theme as Part 1.


Most Part 2 question banks repeat these patterns:

  • Example: give a specific example / famous person

  • Why: why is this happening?

  • Impact: benefits + drawbacks

  • Action: what can schools/parents/government do?

  • Opinion: what’s your view, and why?


How many questions will you get? There’s no fixed number. If answers are short, the teacher will ask more to keep the conversation going.


A safe answer shape:

  1. Answer directly (1 sentence)

  2. Give 2 reasons (2 sentences)

  3. Add 1 example (HK / school / personal)

  4. Wrap back to the theme (1 sentence)


Useful frames:

  • 我认为……主要有两点。首先……其次……

  • 一方面……另一方面……所以我觉得……



What happens in Part 3, and how do I prepare?


Part 3 is a general discussion and should bring in at least one additional theme.

The easiest prep is to build flexible content blocks, not scripts:

  • Choose 2 weaker themes

  • For each theme, choose 2 common issues

  • For each issue, prep 3 bullets: 原因 / 影响 / 建议


Use a stable paragraph shape:

  • Point → Reasons → Example → Wrap


Bridge lines (to pivot smoothly):

  • 说到这个，我也想到……

  • 从另一个角度来看……

  • 这跟“……主题”也有关系，因为……


Mini example (5 “full” sentences is often enough):

Q: 全球化对人们的生活有什么影响？我觉得全球化让生活更方便，但也带来竞争。首先，产品和信息流通更快，所以我们更容易接触世界各地的文化和商品。其次，本地企业会面对更大的压力，有些行业竞争变得更激烈。比如在香港，我们很容易买到不同国家的品牌，也常常接触多语言、多文化的环境。总的来说，我觉得保持开放很重要，同时也要保护本地文化特色。



What are the most common mistakes in the IB Chinese B SL oral?


  1. Only describing the picture (then running out of ideas)

  2. Not linking clearly to the theme

  3. Part 2 answers are too short (teacher must keep prompting)

  4. Part 3 sounds too general or too memorised

  5. No ending (a simple conclusion makes you sound organised)



How should I practise for the IO in the first 2 weeks?


A light plan (10 minutes a day):

  • 3 days/week: random photo → 2 minutes using Overview → Details → Extension → Conclusion

  • 2 days/week: practise Why + Impact + Solution (one paragraph)

  • 1 day/week: record once → fix one thing only (theme link, examples, connectors)


If you find you are struggling to identify your mistakes or need materials that match the current syllabus, our IB Chinese Tutor team can help assess your level and provide the right practice images.



IB Chinese B SL Oral (IO)—Frequently Asked Questions


Is the IB Chinese B SL oral always with a picture?

In the current syllabus documents, SL IO uses a visual image as the stimulus.


How long is the IB Language B SL Individual Oral?

The guide states 12–15 minutes speaking + 15 minutes supervised prep.


Why does my friend have a “speech oral” instead?

Often it’s a class speaking assessment or writing-linked practice—useful, but not always the recorded IO.



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Written by Aileen Ting, founder of Mandarin & Cantonese Tutor HK.

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