May 2025 Paper 2: Sample Response 4 (Question 2)

This week, we are publishing our fourth exemplar from the May 2025 Paper 2 examination.  It is best used in conjunction with the third model example found here. 

Why?

This comparative essay is pretty standard or average in terms of the writing and the marks.  The previous essay we published was excellent. Sometimes, it helps students when they can read a side-by-side comparison.  Both essays answers the same question and both have a literary work in common. 

You will also find, as part of this new page, a more in-depth comparative worksheet asking students to decide which essay has a better thesis statement and which essay has a better first body paragraph.  There are three questions to answer for each section.  The goal of that worksheet is to get students to be more precise in their arguments (thesis statements) and more detailed in their analysis of the writer's choices (criterion B1).  Students should be asking themselves, after they finish the worksheet, “What do I need to do in my thesis and first body paragraph to be successful on this assessment task?” 

Finally, please remember that May 2025 Paper 2 has officially been marked using assessment criteria totaling 30 overall points.  For May 2026 exams and beyond, the IB has slightly altered the criteria and the total number of points allocated.  As such, you will find two sets of marks for this essay.  The first set is on the original 30 point scale.  The second set of marks is (potentially) what it would have received had it been marked on the 25 point scale.  

Best,

Tim and David