What consists of the IB Language B External Assessment?

The External Assessment (75% of grade) takes place in an exam hall and includes two papers. Paper 1 is 'Productive Skills' (Writing), where you must write a text type like a blog or email. Paper 2 is 'Receptive Skills', divided equally between Listening Comprehension (audio clips) and Reading Comprehension.

What is the difference between Ab Initio, SL, and HL writing requirements?

For the Writing exam (Paper 1), Ab Initio students must complete two short tasks (70–150 chars each). SL students write one task of 300–480 characters. HL students write one task of 540–720 characters, requiring more complex idioms and sentence structures.

What is the difference between Chinese B SL and HL exams?

The main differences are in Writing and Speaking. Paper 1 Writing is longer for HL (540-720 chars vs 300-480 for SL). The Oral Exam for SL uses a picture, while HL uses literary analysis.

IB Chinese B Assessment Guide: Internal & External Exams

Q: What is the IB language B internal & external assessment and exam structure?

The IB Language B exam is split into two parts: The External Assessment (75%) which consists of written exams marked by IB examiners, and the Internal Assessment (25%) which is an individual oral exam marked by your teacher.

Q: Is IB Chinese B hard?

It is challenging because it tests precision. Difficulty comes from Reading (Paper 2) where you must find exact synonyms, Writing (Paper 1) which requires strict text-type formatting, and Listening, which uses native-speed audio.

Q: What HSK level is IB Chinese B?

Generally, IB Chinese B SL overlaps with HSK Level 4, and IB Chinese B HL is closer to HSK Level 5. However, IB requires more critical thinking and cultural application than HSK.

Q: What is the IB Language B Internal Assessment?

The Internal Assessment (IA) is the Oral Exam (25% of grade). For Standard Level (SL) and Ab Initio, students describe a visual stimulus (picture). For Higher Level (HL), students analyze a literary extract from a book read in class.

Q: How do I study for IB Chinese B effectively?

For Paper 1, memorize the opening and closing lines for every text type (letters, speeches, proposals). For Paper 2, listen to podcasts at 1.2x speed. For the Oral, practice spontaneous speaking on the 5 core themes.

Aileen Ting
Dec 24, 2025
4 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

IB Chinese B Internal and External Assessment Guide for SL and HL

If you are an IB student in Hong Kong, you are likely balancing six subjects. A common panic point is understanding the IB Chinese B assessment structure.

Looking for 1-on-1 coaching? Visit our IB Chinese Tutor HK page for private lessons. This article focuses on the exam format."

The Breakdown: IB Chinese B Assessment Structure

Put simply, the IB splits your grade into two "zones" for every Language B student.

External Assessment (75%): The written exams marked by IB examiners globally.
Internal Assessment (25%): The oral exam marked by your teacher.

1. External Assessment: IB Chinese B Written Exams (75%)

These happen in the official exam hall (Zone 1) in May or November.

Paper 1: Productive Skills (Writing)

The Task: You demonstrate your ability to write text types (e.g., Blog, Email, Speech).

SL/HL: Choose 1 prompt out of 3.
Ab Initio: Complete 2 mandatory tasks.

Level	Time	Word Count Goal (Chinese)	Approximate Word Count (Alphabetic)
Ab Initio	1 hour	Task A: 70–150 chars Task B: 150–250 chars	~60–120 words
Standard (SL)	1h 15m	300–480 chars	~250–400 words
Higher (HL)	1h 30m	540–720 chars	~450–600 words

Expert Tutor Tip (Chinese Focus):Don't just write; format. Whether you are writing in French or Chinese, the format matters. If the prompt asks for a "Speech," you must include a greeting (e.g."Dàjiā hǎo") and a closing. Missing this loses points on Criterion C (Conceptual Understanding).

Paper 2: Receptive Skills (Listening & Reading)

The Task: This is 50% of your grade. Half is Listening (audio clips), and half is Reading (text passages).

Level	Listening	Reading	Total Time
Ab Initio	45 mins	1 hour	1h 45m
SL	45 mins	1 hour	1h 45m
HL	1 hour	1 hour	2 hours

Expert Tutor Tip (Chinese Focus):The 5-Minute Read. In the Listening exam, you get 5 minutes of "reading time" before the audio starts. Use this to underline keywords in the questions. If the question asks "Where?", listen for a location keyword (like "Běijīng" or "Xuémào").

2. Internal Assessment: IB Chinese B Oral Exam (25%)

This happens in a quiet classroom (Zone 2) with just you and your teacher.

SL & Ab Initio: The Picture Description

You get a visual stimulus (a picture) linked to a course theme.

Prep: 15 mins.
Speak: Describe the photo + discuss the theme.

HL: The Literature Analysis

You do not get a picture.

Prep: 20 mins with a literary extract.
Speak: Analyze the story/novel + discuss broader themes.

Expert Tutor Tip (Chinese Focus):Control the Conversation. In the follow-up discussion, try to steer the answers toward topics you know well. If you love sports, try to link the theme of "Health" to your specific vocabulary.

Logistics Checklist

Paper 1 & 2: Blue/Black pen only. No dictionaries.
Oral Exam: Usually recorded in March/April.

FAQ - IB Language B assessment and exam

1. Is IB Chinese B hard?

It is challenging because it tests precision, not just conversational fluency. The difficulty comes from three specific areas:

Reading (Paper 2): You aren't just reading for the "gist." You must answer tricky questions like "Find the word in the text that means [X]," which requires exact vocabulary knowledge rather than just context guessing.
Writing (Paper 1): You lose marks if you don't use the specific Text Type format (e.g., a formal email vs. a blog) or if you lack conceptual understanding of the audience.
Listening: The audio is played twice, but it is fast (native speed) and requires you to catch specific details like names or numbers amidst distractors.

2. What HSK level is IB Chinese B?

While the systems are different, we generally see this overlap based on vocabulary and grammar requirements:

IB Chinese B SL is roughly equivalent to HSK Level 4.
IB Chinese B HL is closer to HSK Level 5.
Note: IB requires more critical thinking, cultural discussion, and "conceptual understanding" than standard HSK exams, which are largely multiple-choice.

3. What is the IB Language B Internal Assessment?

The Internal Assessment (IA) is your Individual Oral Exam, which counts for 25% of your final grade.

SL Students: You describe a visual stimulus (picture) relevant to a course theme and then discuss the theme with your teacher.
HL Students: You analyze a literary extract from one of the two literary works read in class, followed by a broader discussion.

4. What is the difference between Chinese B SL and HL?

The main structural differences are in Writing and Speaking:

Paper 1 (Writing): SL requires a response of approx. 300–480 characters; HL requires approx. 540–720 characters and expects more complex sentence structures and idioms (Chengyu).
Oral Exam: SL focuses on a visual stimulus (picture); HL focuses on literary analysis.

5. How do I study for IB Chinese B effectively?

Don't just memorize vocabulary lists.

For Paper 1: Memorize the opening and closing lines for every text type (e.g., formal letters, speeches, proposals) so you hit Criterion C (Conceptual Understanding) every time.
For Paper 2: Listen to Chinese podcasts or news at 1.0x–1.2x speed to get used to the fast pace.
For Oral: Practice speaking spontaneously about the 5 core themes (Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organization, Sharing the Planet).

Bottom Line

Understanding what the IB Language B internal & external assessment and exam format are helpful. The rules are the same for everyone, but the vocabulary is up to you.

If you are an IB Chinese student worried about the listening speed or want to review the literary works for HL, our team is ready to help.

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