English A: Language and Literature – HL Essay – Assessment criteria
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding The essay shows little The essay shows some The essay shows The essay shows a good The essay shows
and interpretation knowledge and knowledge and adequate knowledge knowledge and perceptive knowledge
understanding of the understanding of the and understanding of understanding of the and understanding of
• To what extent does the essay show
work or body of work. work or body of work. the work or body of work or body of work. the work or body of
knowledge and understanding of the
Interpretations are Interpretations are work. Interpretations Interpretations are very work. Interpretations
work or body of work?
rarely relevant to the somewhat relevant to are generally relevant relevant to the topic are consistently
• To what extent are interpretations topic and rarely the topic and to the topic and and often supported by relevant to the topic
drawn from the work or body of work
supported by sometimes supported generally supported by appropriate references and effectively
to explore the topic?
references to the work by references to work references to the work to the work or body of supported by
• To what extent are interpretations or body of work. or body of work. or body of work. work. convincing references
supported by relevant references to the to the work or body of
work or body of work? work.
Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation The essay shows little The essay shows some The essay shows The essay shows good The essay shows
analysis and evaluation analysis and evaluation adequate analysis and analysis and evaluation insightful analysis and
• To what extent does the essay show
of how the author uses of how the author uses evaluation of how the of how the author uses evaluation of how the
analysis and evaluation of how the
stylistic and structural stylistic and structural author uses stylistic and stylistic and structural author uses stylistic and
author uses stylistic and structural
features to construct features to construct structural to construct features to construct structural features to
features to construct meaning on the
meaning on the topic. meaning on the topic. meaning on the topic. meaning on the topic. construct meaning on
topic?
the topic.
Criterion C: Coherence, focus and The essay shows little The essay shows some The essay shows The essay shows good The essay shows
organisation coherence, focus and coherence, focus and adequate coherence, coherence, focus and effective coherence,
organisation. organisation. focus and organisation. organisation. focus and organisation.
• To want extent does the essay show
coherence, focus and organisation?
Criterion D: Language The student’s use of The student’s use of The student’s use of The student’s use of The student’s use of
vocabulary, tone, vocabulary, tone, vocabulary, tone, vocabulary, tone, vocabulary, tone,
• To what extent is the student’s use of
syntax, style and syntax, style and syntax, style and syntax, style and syntax, style and
vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and
terminology is rarely terminology is terminology is terminology is terminology is
terminology accurate, varied and
accurate, varied and sometimes accurate, generally accurate, frequently accurate, convincingly accurate,
effective?
effective. varied and effective. varied and effective. varied and effective. varied and effective.
