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Ever heard that getting a 7 in IB English was impossible? Ever wondered what magic formula those who did get it followed? You've come to the right place. Keep reading for the top 5 tips to getting a 7 in IB English (curated by 7-level English students themselves!).

1. Develop a strong foundation.

Having a strong English foundation with good vocabulary and grammar is the first step to getting a 7 in IB English. In both Literature and Lang Lit, you're looking at some pretty complicated material. So, if you're serious about intimately understanding Shakespeare, you need to have some solid English foundational skills to lean on.

Vocabulary and grammar also make up a wondrous thing called " register ". Why worry about register? Register is, broadly, the formality of your writing style. It has its own criterion in all IB English assessments, so having a strong grasp of formal English vocabulary and grammar will get you a really, really long way.

The good news is that it doesn't take long to get your vocabulary and grammar up to scratch. If you are one of the blessed few who are immune to motion sickness, this could mean only 10 minutes per day on the bus!

1. Upgrade that Vocabulary

Read more. This applies to both to native and non-native English students. Reading books, magazines, and online articles is the best way to improve your vocabulary. Learning vocabulary by reading lets you see words in their proper context. When the time comes for you to use it in your own essay, you can be confident that you will use it correctly!

Sticky notes. As you read, keep a sticky note filled with useful words and connective phrases. Try to use them as often as possible and they will be soon be built into your vocabulary. Your list could include phrases like: "X establishes this through...", "thus developing the idea of..."

Use vocabulary books. If you're a native English speaker and just need to widen your vocabulary, cramming vocabulary books is a sure-fire way to build up your arsenal of sophisticated words. We recommend using SAT vocabulary books, especially the Direct Hits series.

Use Memrise. Memrise is an amazing website and app that helps you memorise lots of relevant vocabulary for any language. In our case, we're interested in English, so go ahead and sign up to fun vocabulary courses like English TOEFL (link) , this, or this.

Similar to Memrise, Use Vocabulary.com. vocabulary.com is a quiz-like program that lets you quickly master new vocabulary. It has example sentences, too - giving you context in bite-sized pieces. Use more advanced word lists to extend your vocabulary.

2. Straighten out that Grammar

Also read more. Native speakers never think explicitly about what grammar rules to use in this or that sentence. Grammar comes naturally because native speakers have gotten so used to the patterns of English language. Reading voraciously is the key to making grammatical correctness second-nature.

Write more. The more you read, the better you write. But, you'll still need to put in some hard hours to make use of and perfect your newfound skill.

Workbooks. SAT workbooks are particularly helpful. I recommend Erica Meltzer's "The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar".

Read up with these resources

Where to look to for good reading material, I hear you ask?

Exemplar Paper 1, Paper 2 and WIT essays (your school should stock some. If not, then you're in luck, because LitLearn has a few in its free resources page!)

Reading comprehension guides, such as the popular "The Critical Reader" by Erica Meltzer.

You local bookstore. Yes, bookstores still exist.

Other good quality writing (ahem, this stunning blog)

2. Learn how to analyse-properly.

If basic English skills are the bare-bones method for success, analysis is the substance. IB English is heavily analysis-oriented. The better your analysis, the higher your grade. Without techniques-based analysis, the best you can hope for is a 4 in SL (or a 3 in HL).

IB-style analysis is a bit different from most other curriculums. You must have an emphasis on literary techniques. That also means an avoidance of retelling the plot at all costs.

If your teacher doesn't seem to have a confident grasp of IB-style analysis, invest in a good tutor early. It can save you down the road!

Luckily, this topic is exactly what LitLearn covers - in excruciating detail. Rather than going through every step of how to achieve 7-level analysis here in this blog post, head on over to our in-depth Step-by-Step Guide to Writing IB English Analysis.

3. Your writing style is extremely important.

Smart writing is simple writing. Essays are meant to communicate ideas. Hence, the best essays are those that are written concisely. A lot of students think that the more complex an essay, the more sophisticated it is. Don't succumb to this myth! Simple writing is always the best writing because it communicates ideas clearly.

Strip back the flowery vocabulary. Sometimes, using super fancy language does more harm than good to your essay. That's not to say that you should forget all the nice words we told you to learn in Step 1. Rather, you should use advanced words correctly and strategically. Don't overuse them, and certainly don't use them in the wrong places just for the sake of using them.

Have a clear structure. Use a PEEL (Point, Evidence, Elaboration, Link) structure for all your paragraphs, and make sure your analysis always supports your points. One of the biggest mistakes is having complex arguments, but neglecting the way you structure them - resulting in markers understanding individual points, but completely lost as to how they support your overall thesis.

4. Do Internal Assessments really well

Internal Assessments (IAs) are your saviour when it comes to scoring a 7 in IB English. IAs include:

the Individual Oral Presentation (IOP);

Individual Oral Commentary (IOC);

Further Oral Activity (FOA) for IB English Lang Lit students; and,

the Works in Translation (WIT) essay.

IAs are arguably easier than final exams since they're untimed, there's a lot less stress involved, plus you get lots of support from your friends and teachers.

However, you must take these IAs seriously. Yes, they will provide you with a good foundation which you can use to build up to that 7, but more importantly, you need to do them well to make sure you don't jeopardise your chance at getting a 7 before you even reach your final exams.

Draft early. Writing is a creative process, so it's crucial that you give yourself enough time to develop interesting ideas and to refine your artwork (I mean, your essay). After your final edit, leave enough time to remove yourself for two days. Come back and review with a critical eye.

Seek help. Ok, you may need it psychologically, from the horror of the IB, but I mean academically.

Use the internet to find interesting alternate analyses of your texts that your teacher didn't go through.

Get feedback from your friends (and, if your school allows it, other teachers) on your drafts for that "fresh eye" at times you can't afford to step back from your work yourself.

5. PRAAACTICE for finals

Writing, like any skill, can be honed. I promise you, a 7 in IB English is achievable with practice. Don't be discouraged if your grades have always been the same and they never improve, no matter what you do. That's because you didn't know what the markers were looking for. Let someone teach you what markers want, then practice and practice until you achieve it.

Create a finals study schedule

Learn content early. You want to be confident that you understand your texts by a month before finals. The rest of the time should be spent practicing and perfecting your technique.

Space out practices. This way, you can force yourself to start early, and give yourself enough time to improve. It also gives you enough time to have them marked, which is invaluable.

Focus on your weaknesses. Schedule your practices according to the paper you're the weakest at. Need more feedback on Paper 2? Plan to start practice on it earlier for more opportunities to have it marked, and practice it more times a week.

Alternate. In the weeks leading up to finals, I did an English paper every second day. However, you need to make sure you cover both Paper 1 and Paper 2, so I alternated papers, making sure to do my weaker paper more times than my stronger one.

Combine all of these techniques, and you should be well-set to score that elusive 7 in IB English!

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In Just 5 Steps: How to Get a 7 in IB English - LitLearn

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Ever heard that getting a 7 in IB English was impossible? Ever wondered what magic formula those who did get it followed? You've come to the right place. Keep reading for the top 5 tips to getting a 7 in IB English (curated by 7-level English students themselves!).

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IB English Paper 1 is one of those nerve-wracking experiences that everyone has to endure. It's especially scary because you have no idea what you'll end up writing about for your final exam-and your grades depend on it!

The best preparation you can do is to be acutely aware of the exam structure and be familiar with strategies for tackling a Paper 1 in general.

If you want to fully wrap your head around the IB English Paper 1 guided analysis, then this blog post is definitely for you.

In 2014, Jackson Huang received a perfect 20/20 for his final Paper 1. In this guide, he will share his secrets on the IB English Paper 1 so that you can conquer it too! 💪

Topics included

1. What is a Paper 1?

2. What to write about in a guided analysis

3. The correct approach to analysis

4. The importance of the thesis

5. Getting the right commentary structure

6. Structuring body paragraphs

7. Planning ahead

What is a Paper 1 exam?

In a Paper 1 exam, you are given two mysterious, unseen texts, both of which are between 1 and 2 pages in length.

Text Types

For IB English Literature SL and HL:

You'll get two different literary texts types, including poems, short extracts from fiction and non-fiction prose (aka "normal writing" from novels and short stories), and extracts from plays (which includes stage directions and dialogue).

For IB English Language and Literature SL & HL:

The texts come from a plethora (new vocab for you! this blog is so meta!) of categories including magazines, editorials, speeches, interview scripts, instruction manuals, cartoon strips, you name it. Be prepared to be surprised. 😂

Okay.

So you're given two unseen texts. What do you have to do now?

SL students, you're in luck: Your task for 1 hour and 15 minute exam is to write a commentary guided analysis (IB renamed it) on just one of the two texts. The total marks for the exam is 20.

HL students, you're in less luck: Your task in 2 hours and 15 minutes is to write a guided analysis on each of the texts. good luck have fun.

Wait, what's a "guided analysis"?

At the bottom of the text, the IB English Gods and Goddesses pose a short, open-ended question about the text. Something to the effect of:

How does the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus impact the narrative?

I'd recommend most students to use the default guiding question as the "entry point" for their essay. At the end of the day, though, you are still allowed to talk about anything, because the IB also says on the cover page of the Paper 1 exam:

Use the guiding question or propose an alternative technical or formal aspect of the text to focus your analysis.

But why make your life harder? Just go with the guiding question, UNLESS you are really confused by the guiding question...and the other text confuses you even more...and you are confident in an alternative focus of this current text.

What do I have to write about in a guided analysis?

Imagine that you've been asked to simply "talk about" a novel that you've recently read on your commute to school (this is joke obviously, who reads novels on the bus?). What would you "talk" about?

Immediately, a couple important aspects should seem worthy of a comment.

1. Characters are usually the core of the story. They should definitely be commented on.

2. Also, stories revolve around central ideas, also called themes. e.g., if you comment on Harry Potter and you don't mention anything about wizardry, then you're leaving out a central part of the book!

3. And finally, we need to talk about the events that happen in the text. These events can be referred to as the plot.

You now know that characterisation, thematics and plot are essential ingredients in any top-scoring Paper 1 guided analysis. By talking about these aspects, you are providing a holistic 'comment' on the text-which is exactly what we want.

But this is only half of the whole story.

The above list of three things would be very sufficient if you were just having a casual chat with your friends. But this isn't a casual chat.
THIS IS IB ENGLISH.
(While you read that 👆, picture this: You're standing beside a pit so deep it goes to the centre of the Earth, and a Spartan-out of no where-kicks you over the edge and into the metaphorical pit of IB English.)

Digging Deeper

In IB English, your guided analysis needs to go deeper than just describing the characters, themes and plot, which constitute the 'surface meaning' of a text.

By the way, we're using a literary text as an example to keep things simple. Of course, characters and plot aren't important in non-literary texts like ads, infographics and articles. The same principles should apply!

The IB wants you to dig deeper into the text and answer these two key questions:

1. HOW did the writer create these characters, themes and plot?

2. WHY did the writer choose to create these characters, themes and plot in this particular way? e.g. "JK Rowling could have made Draco a kinder person, but she didn't. Why?"

These questions get to the heart and soul of analysis. In this blog post, I want us to focus on Paper 1 overall.

Your ONE mission in Paper 1

Let's quickly recap what you need to do in a Paper 1.

1. You need to discuss the characters, themes and plot of a chosen literary text, OR the visual and stylistic elements (diagrams, headings, titles, images) for a non-literary text.

2. You then need to explain how and why these aspects were achieved by the writer or artist.

These two points are helpful as a basis for understanding, but they won't help you get concrete words onto the exam page. What we need now is a practical guide to writing an actual commentary:

1. Deciding on a good thesis

2. Choosing the right points

3. Choosing the right structure

A Practical Guide to Writing a Paper 1 Commentary

An IB English Paper 1 commentary boils down to 3 separate parts:

1. An introduction paragraph: contains a thesis and an outline of your points

2. A body (usually 3 paragraphs): contains your points

3. A conclusion: wraps up the essay

Choosing a thesis

The thesis or subject statement is a single sentence in the introduction of the guided analysis that states how the writer achieves their overall purpose.

This is also the main argument that you are trying to prove in your essay, and it's typically related to the guiding question. The examiner can usually judge the strength of your analytical skills JUST from your subject statement alone, so it needs to be well-written!

Good thesis, bad thesis

Here's a little quiz:

In the poem, the poet depicts a crying man in the city centre, which highlights the society's aversion towards emotion, and demonstrates the overly masculine nature of society.

In the poem, the poet hyperbolises society's aversion towards emotion in order to criticise masculinity as a restrictive social norm that inhibits the natural expression of emotion.

Can you tell which subject statement is better and worse? If so, do you know why one is better, or do you just feel it intuitively but cannot articulate your reasons?

Answer: the second one is better! 🎉

If you want to learn how to craft theses like the second one, join LitLearn's flagship course Analysis Simplified for IB English!

Choosing the right commentary structure for IB English Paper 1

Every text works best with a specific paragraph structure. Finding this match isn't always easy, but it's also one of the most important things to get right in your Paper 1 guided analysis.

You can organise your essay by:

ideas or themes

techniques

sections (sequential, e.g. stanza by stanza for poems)

the 'Big 5'

SPECSLIMS

and probably a whole host of other acronyms that English teachers love to invent.

Criterion C for IB English Paper 1 is Organisation. It's worth a whole 5/20 marks, so it's definitely in your best interest to choose the most appropriate structure for your commentary.

Pro Tip: I recommend students to stay away from the Big 5. Sure, it's useful as a memory device to tell you what elements to look for in a text, but it's not a good essay structure for analysis.

Why? Because analysis is about examining the causal interplay between techniques, stylistic choices, audience, tone, and themes. The Big 5 and SPECSLIMS artificially silo these components in your discussion. Heed my advice or pay the price! (notice that rhyme?)

So in my opinion, there are only two types of structure that are most conducive (yep, another new vocab, omnomnom) to getting a 7. Ideas/themes and Sections. Take this as a hot tip and run with it. If your teacher is forcing you to use other structures, then you'll need to know why this is recommended; I explain it all inside Analysis Simplified.

Writing body paragraphs: Why and How

Once you've chosen the best structure for your commentary and decided on a strong thesis as your central argument, the rest of the essay needs to revolve around proving this argument.

How do you prove this subject statement? You do it by looking at individual points. These smaller points support smaller, more specific aspects of the overall thesis.

The idea is that each body paragraph, or point, aims to prove a separate, smaller aspect of the bigger thesis. It's like a jigsaw puzzle: You must piece together smaller, more manageable pieces to build the bigger argument (i.e. the thesis).

In reality, this translates into writing 2, 3 or 4 points, each of which fits snuggly it its own paragraph or multiple paragraphs (depending on the complexity of the point).

In each point, you must include:

1. Quotes, references to images, titles, headings, or visual elements. This is the evidence.

2. Analysis of language and literary techniques. Use specific quotes from the text and explain how and why they are used by the writer to shape his/her message.

Planning ahead

Ironically, the most important part of IB English Paper 1 is not the analysis itself (well it is, but not really). The part you have to get right the first time is the plan. Most students do not know how to plan effectively, or get flustered in the exam and don't plan, or don't even try to plan because they think they're above it. BIIIIG MISTAKE!

Before you even begin writing, you should plan out your commentary in sufficient detail. You will lose track of time, thought and sanity if you do not have a clear road map of every part of your commentary before you begin writing.

You can learn how to annotate and plan quickly & efficiently using the flowchart method inside Analysis Simplified, so that you can go walk out of your Paper 1 practice, mock and final exams feeling like that powerful and overly aggressive Spartan, kicking IB English in the butt (and into the deep, cavernous abyss)!

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IB English Paper 1 is one of those nerve-wracking experiences that everyone has to endure. It's especially scary because you have no idea what you'll end up writing about for your final exam-and your grades depend on it!

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Good!

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Note: This is old. The course has changed. After reading this, which many students still find helpful, please go on to read about the new marking criteria and another good example of a level-7 essay, starting here.
Are you looking for help with your IB English? I can help you. Click here for more info.
Some of my students got "The Heaven of Animals" by James Dickey for their mock IB English exams, and when all was said and done, they asked if they could see an example of a level-7 paper. Well, I couldn't find one on the IB website, or anywhere else, for that matter, so I asked the Nerdvark to write one for me. So here it is, Nerdvark's Level 7 IB English Commentary (Exam Paper 1) on James Dickey's "The Heaven of Animals", complete with his notes.

First, Second, Fourth, the SWhen you take the fifth area of grading,
Pay attention to the five areas that these papers are graded on.
Understanding (of the poem) - Nerdvark begins his commentary by explaining, or paraphrasing, the poem in order to show his understanding.
Interpretation - Nerdvark then goes into a detailed analysis of the poem, being sure to mention many Literary Features and their Effects for the third part of the grading.
tructure of your essay is graded. Nerdvark structures this essay with a solid introduction that hooks the reader, gives his thesis, and outlines his main points, then has a block for understanding, a block for interpretation, being sure to PEEL in each paragraph, and finally, a conclusion that cleverly summarizes the main points and includes his personal response.
Use of Language, into account, noticing that the Nerdvark has gone over his essay with a fine-toothed comb and eliminated all grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, used an appropriate register, and expressed himself in varied and concise language, then you can see how this paper would earn a level 7.
Now, go ahead and read the Nerdvark's commentary, and follow along with your IB English Paper 1 - Commentary marking scheme, if you have one:

Many religions predict that the afterlife resides in Heaven, for humans. What of animals? This essay will explore James Dickey's poem "The Heaven of Animals" to discover his idea of what an animal's heaven is like in Dickey's mind. The main theme explored is the idea that an animal's heaven is right on Earth, in its natural habitat. Furthermore, the poem could serve as a warning to humans that destroying the planet is not only dangerous to our own continued existence, but it brings up important moral issues concerning the animals who also reside on our planet. Dickey utilizes many different literary features to get his message across, namely his choice of structure, vocabulary, and imagery, though there are many more.

Although nowhere in the poem does Dickey actually say that the animals' heaven is on Earth specifically, many of the lines may allude to this. As previously mentioned, the line "Here they are." is as close to a giveaway as any line comes. Why "Here"? Surely "Here" should refer to the Earth. If the animals' heaven was somewhere beyond Earth, the poem would not open in such a way. Further evidence for it being here can be found in stanza seven, in the line "Fulfilling themselves without pain." Heaven for humans, in many religions, is a reward for fulfilling a higher power. "Fulfilling themselves" shows no evidence of animals needing to please a superior power. The Earth itself is their reward, "Their reward: to walk" (last line of stanza six), which alludes to Earth being their heaven. Further, in human religions, a 'soul' is required to get to heaven. Bodies, obviously, cannot travel to another plane, so a soul must exist for the human interpretation of a heaven. Dickey writes "Having no souls", perhaps alluding to a different idea of heaven altogether.

An examination of the wording within the poem reveals a lexis of positivity and perfection. "Upon the bright backs of their prey", from stanza five, seems out of place. Surely an animal which is preyed upon should not be easy to spot. Such wording can be justified as Dickey's method of saying that predators are meant to catch the prey, as is the natural process of things. Bright, a word with a positive connotation, is one of many such words within the poem to indicate that death and predation is not a negative part of an animal's life. There are also two words which may be direct references to the Bible. "In a sovereign floating of joy", in which 'sovereign' is used. Sovereign alludes to one in charge, but it is a very holy word. The other, "Of what is in glory above them," where 'glory' is found, being a word used in the Bible frequently. The two words, in the Bible, refer to God, but Dickey uses them, in both cases, to refer to the predators. This indicates that the animals' heaven is the Earth, in and of itself.

To learn more about how to kick butt on Paper 1 in the IB's new "Language A" course, click here.
Now that you have studied hard, it's time for a study break! Written by K.I. Borrowman

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A Level-7 Essay for IB English Exam Paper 1 - Commentary

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Note: This is old. The course has changed. After reading this, which many students still find helpful, please go on to read about the new marking criteria and another good example of a level-7 essay, starting here. Are you looking for help with your IB English? I can help you.

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Try this

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IB English/Commentary - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

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In order to write a proper IB Paper 1 style essay, the following guidelines must be followed. For the IB commentary, you are expected to explain a given poem or prose.

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This video lesson describes how to write effective commentary in a literary essay.

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In a Word: Now - Martin Luther King

The selected passage contains Martin Luther King's entire essay, In a Word: Now. This essay was published in 1963 in the New York Times Magazine, just after King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech during the march on Washington. The purpose of this essay was to reinforce the message of this speech, highlighting the urgency that was required to bring about the changes King aspired for and encouraging both black and white audiences to continue working towards equal rights for the African-American people. King utilises structure to emphasise the urgency of his message, statistical evidence and quotations to support his arguments, diction to show the desperation of the situation, and imagery to deliver a more powerful message. Firstly, King structured this essay with very short paragraphs, which creates a more urgent demanding tone for the essay. With each paragraph only a few lines long, readers are given the sense that each point is direct and clear. This technique allowed King to show readers that action was necessary, and that they could no longer waste time on superfluous details. In addition, readers get the sense that King's ideas are well-thought out and direct, which contrasts the nature of the government's planning that King describes as "disorganised" (line 26). Hence, the readers are invited to feel that King was leading them down a predetermined path that would take them directly to their goal, and could place greater confidence in him than in the government. King also portrays the urgency of the situation through the use of capitalisation. Throughout the first half of the essay, he capitalised the word 'now' to draw the readers' focus to this word. In particular, he describes direct action from the government as "an urgent part of NOW" (line 9). This capitalisation clearly shows readers that King's plans are not for the near or distance future, but that he is calling on them to take immediate action. This continues to create the demanding tone for the essay, which serves to remind the African-American readers that they would be able to get their equal rights then and there by following King, encouraging them to persist in the cause and not lose hope. Also, white readers are invited

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to see that King had developed an action-plan, and that they were dealing with a group with clear objectives for their actions. It was particularly important for King to reach both groups because the New York Times Magazine would reach the two audiences alike. Secondly, in the opening of the essay, King gives a quote from Victor Hugo that highlights the need for progress. Since Victor Hugo was an advocate of civil rights, quoting from him draws upon readers' knowledge of his work, and make the connection between him and Martin Luther King. We are given the sense that King is supported by Victor Hugo, which builds faith in his ability to achieve his goals and make the progress he desires. Therefore, readers feel that they can trust King and they will see the outcomes they desire by following him. King also employs statistical evidence to provide numerical weight to his arguments. He quotes numbers such as "eleven million men in arms in a few short years" and "hundreds of thousands of coordinated facilities" (lines 28-30), referencing the progress that the US government had previously made. King contrasts these large achievements with the smaller issue of civil rights, encouraging white audiences to see that they were completely capable of overcoming the problem, and that it was ridiculous to suggest that they could not. The use of such large numbers also gives the white people a sense of pride in their achievements, encouraging them to see that giving the African-American people their civil rights would only add to the list of their achievements, and hence encouraging them to take action to make it so. In this way, King's use of quotes and statistical evidence makes his cause more appealing to readers and encourages them to take action. Thirdly, Martin Luther King's language is essential for creating the urgent tone and demonstrating the desperation of the situation. In particular, his diction conveys the horror of African-American living conditions to shock readers and invite them to see that the problem needed to be fixed immediately. King describes the "shocking police brutality" (line 8), with the repetition of the word "brutality" again on line 12 and 15. The connotations of the word brutality suggest terrible and harmful actions that are made without feeling or provocation. King hence invites the white readers to see that the black people were merely victims of their situation who required their help to be free. He therefore constructs them to be the heroes of the people if they were to take immediate action to change the

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situation. Also, King's diction helps to juxtapose his own proposals for action with the planning made by the government, describing it to be "spontaneous, largely disorganised and spasmodic" (line 26), whilst his direct tone gives readers the idea that King is prepared and organised to make the necessary changes. This invites readers to doubt the reliability of the government to manage the problem, and portrays King as the better leader. In addition, the use of rhetorical questions encourages readers to draw an expected conclusion that is parallel with the arguments made by King. He asks readers "What is the content of NOW?" (line 6), encouraging them to question and draw on their experiences to give their own definition. King then describes his own action plan that intends to answer the question in a manner that would reflect the audience's response. This highlights that King's ideas are reasonable and that readers can relate to his thinking, feeling like they have been part of the planning for the future. This apparent participation makes the readers more involved in the situation and desire to join King to overcome it. Finally, the use of imagery brings power to King's speech as it shows the forces pushing for change to be powerful. King opens with the simile of "an obstacle in a river makes the water foam" (line 2) and compares it to humanity and progress. This comparison creates imagery for the readers, likening themselves to being a part of the river. During the essay, he constructs the US government to be an obstacle in the path of the progress of the river, and invites readers to be a part of the force of the river to overcome it. Also, this imagery gives readers the sense that the policies of the government are causing them to stand still, whereas by uniting with King, they will be making progress at a rapid rate. This idea is shown as King describes the "hundreds of thousands who marched on Washington to level barriers" (line 5), showing the masses of black people to be on the path to progress, hindered only be the barrier of the government. For the black readers, they are invited to feel part of a great and important movement, similar to the message in the essay "Our Struggle," whilst white readers see that they will gain nothing by standing still, and should join in the progress towards a better future. King brings the essay full circle by reinforcing this imagery again with reference to "a seething humanity" (line 34). Readers are given the sense of pressure building, and have the feeling of trepidation that it is about to explode unless the pressure is released.

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To summarise, Martin Luther King structured this essay with short paragraphs and capitalisation to convey the urgency of his message to readers and make them realise that immediate action was necessary. He used quotes and statistical evidence to support these arguments and show himself to be a strong and reliable leader. The use of language, particularly diction and rhetorical questions, juxtaposed the planning of the US government with King's forethought and direction to encourage readers to join him. Finally, he used the simile of the river and obstacle to show readers that the path to progress was with the Civil Rights Movement and encourage them to join before the US government's policies were completely swept away under their force. The overall purpose of this essay was unify both black and white readers to the cause and demonstrate the need for immediate action to bring about the necessary changes. This message is similar to King's essay "Nonviolence and Racial Justice," showing King's plans to be the best method to achieving equality and overcoming the issues faced by the USA during that time.

http://ibscrewed4english.blogspot.com/

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In a Word: Now - Martin Luther King The selected passage contains Martin Luther King's entire essay, In a Word: Now. This essay was published in 1963 in the New York Times Magazine, just after King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech during the march on Washington.

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A literary commentary is a detailed analysis of a passage of text, focusing specifically on the text itself. It should not be confused with a literary analysis essay, as it does not need a thesis statement or a general discussion of the...