How to Analyse Non-Literary Texts for IB English Paper 1

You've just opened your IB English Paper 1 exam and you're faced with an unfamiliar advertisement, opinion article or infographic. Where do you even begin?

The challenge with IB English Language and Literature Paper 1 is that you can't simply memorise an essay beforehand. You need to analyse an unseen non-literary text, identify the writer's choices and explain how they create meaning.

But the good news is that almost every non-literary text can be approached using the same analytical framework.

In this guide, we'll explain how to analyse non-literary texts for IB English, including the techniques to look for, a step-by-step analysis method, a worked example and strategies to help you work towards a Level 7.

Table of Contents

1. What Is a Non-Literary Text in IB English?
2. What Are Examiners Looking For in IB English Paper 1?
3. How to Analyse Non-Literary Texts: A 5-Step Framework
4. Worked Example: Analysing a Non-Literary Advertisement
5. How to Structure an IB English Paper 1 Response
6. Common Mistakes Students Make in Non-Literary Analysis
7. Five Tips to Improve Your IB English Paper 1 Analysis
8. Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Non-Literary Text in IB English?

A non-literary text is a text that communicates information, ideas or perspectives outside traditional literary forms such as poetry, novels and plays.

In IB English Language and Literature, these might include:

• Advertisements and promotional posters
• Speeches and public addresses
• Opinion articles and editorials
• Infographics and informational posters
• Political cartoons and comic strips
• Blogs and online articles
• Brochures, letters and social media campaigns

Unlike literary analysis, which often examines elements such as characterisation, narrative perspective and symbolism, non-literary analysis places particular emphasis on audience, purpose, context and how language or visual choices communicate a message.

For example, an advertisement might use emotive imagery to encourage donations, while an opinion article might use statistics and rhetorical questions to persuade readers.

Want to know what techniques to expect from each format? Read our guide to common IB English Paper 1 literary and non-literary text types.

What Are Examiners Looking For in IB English Paper 1?

IB English Language and Literature Paper 1 assesses your ability to interpret and analyse unseen non-literary texts.

At Standard Level (SL), students choose one of two unseen texts and write one guided analysis in 1 hour and 15 minutes. At Higher Level (HL), students analyse both texts separately in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Each analysis is marked out of 20 using four criteria:

The most important thing to understand is the difference between identifying a technique and analysing its effect.

Weak analysis:

"The advertisement uses the colour red to attract attention."

Stronger analysis:

"The prominent use of red creates a sense of urgency, reinforcing the campaign's warning and encouraging the audience to view the issue as requiring immediate action."

The stronger example doesn't just identify the technique. It explains why the choice matters.

📝 How to Analyse Non-Literary Texts: A 5-Step Framework

When you encounter an unfamiliar text, use the following five steps to guide your analysis.

Step 1: Identify the Text Type, Audience and Purpose

Before looking for techniques, establish the text's context.

Ask yourself:

Text type: Is it an advertisement, speech, article, infographic or something else?

Audience: Who is the text targeting? Consider age, interests, values, experiences and social context.

Purpose: What does the creator want the audience to think, feel or do?

For example, a public health advertisement might target teenagers and encourage them to reconsider the risks of vaping.

Identifying these three elements gives your analysis direction.

Exam tip: Avoid vague statements like "the author wants to persuade the audience." Be specific about what the audience is being persuaded to believe or do.

Step 2: Identify the Central Message and Tone

Next, ask yourself what the text is communicating.

Is it criticising a social issue? Promoting a product? Challenging an assumption? Encouraging action?

Then consider the tone.

A text might be:

• Urgent or alarming
• Humorous or satirical
• Hopeful or inspirational
• Critical or confrontational
• Formal or authoritative
• Conversational or reassuring

For example, an environmental campaign might begin with an alarming tone to highlight the consequences of climate change before shifting towards hope to encourage action.

Identifying changes in tone can help you understand how the text guides the audience's response.

Step 3: Identify Language, Visual and Structural Techniques

Now look closely at the author's choices.

For written texts, you might identify rhetorical questions, emotive language, repetition, inclusive pronouns or statistics.

For visual texts, you might examine colour, imagery, composition, typography and layout.

For multimodal texts, consider how the written and visual elements interact.

Here are some common non-literary techniques:

Remember, you don't need to identify every technique.

Choose the ones that contribute most meaningfully to the text's message.

Step 4: Explain the Effect on the Audience

This is where your response moves from description to analysis.

For every technique you identify, ask:

1. What choice has the creator made?
2. How does that choice work?
3. What meaning or response does it encourage?
4. How does this support the text's overall purpose?

For example:

Basic: "The advertisement features a photograph of a crying child."

Improved: "The close-up photograph emphasises the child's distressed expression, encouraging an emotional connection with viewers and reinforcing the advertisement's appeal for humanitarian support."

Notice how the improved version connects the technique to the audience and purpose.

A useful sentence structure:

"The use of [technique] emphasises [idea], positioning the audience to [response] and reinforcing the text's purpose of [purpose]."

Use this as a starting point, but vary your sentence structure so your analysis doesn't become repetitive.

Step 5: Connect Your Analysis to the Guiding Question

Each Paper 1 text comes with a guiding question.

For example:

"How do visual and linguistic features work together to persuade the audience?"

Your response should maintain a clear focus on the question or an alternative relevant analytical focus.

If the question asks about persuasion, don't spend an entire paragraph describing the colours of an advertisement without explaining how they contribute to persuasion.

The strongest responses connect specific techniques to a broader argument about how the text creates meaning.

Worked Example: Analysing a Non-Literary Advertisement

Let's apply the framework to an example.

Example Text: Environmental Awareness Advertisement

Imagine a fictional environmental campaign poster featuring:

• A polar bear standing on a small piece of melting ice.
• A dark blue background.
• The headline: "Their Future Is in Your Hands."
• A smaller slogan: "Act Today. Protect Tomorrow."
• A donation link at the bottom.

This is an illustrative example created for this guide, not an official IB examination text.

Guiding question: How do visual and linguistic features encourage the audience to take action against climate change?

Step 1: Identify the Audience and Purpose

Text type: Environmental awareness advertisement.

Audience: Members of the public who may be concerned about environmental issues.

Purpose: To raise awareness of climate change and encourage viewers to take action or donate.

Step 2: Identify Significant Techniques

The advertisement uses:

• Symbolism: The melting ice represents environmental destruction.
• Emotive imagery: The isolated polar bear creates sympathy.
• Direct address: "Your Hands" establishes personal responsibility.
• Imperatives: "Act Today" encourages immediate action.
• Juxtaposition: The bear's vulnerability contrasts with the audience's implied power to help.

Step 3: Write an Analytical Paragraph

Example response:

"The advertisement combines emotive imagery and direct address to encourage viewers to recognise their responsibility for climate change. The image of a solitary polar bear stranded on melting ice symbolises the vulnerability of wildlife, while the dark blue background reinforces its isolation. This visual representation of environmental destruction is strengthened by the headline, 'Their Future Is in Your Hands', which directly addresses the audience and positions them as capable of influencing the outcome. The imperative 'Act Today' further establishes urgency, transforming the advertisement's emotional appeal into a direct call for action. Together, these visual and linguistic choices encourage viewers to perceive climate change as both an immediate threat and a problem requiring personal responsibility."

Why Does This Work?

The paragraph:

• Uses specific evidence from the text.
• Identifies relevant techniques.
• Explains how those techniques contribute to meaning.
• Connects the analysis to the target audience.
• Addresses the guiding question.

Rather than simply describing the advertisement, it explains how its features work together to achieve its purpose.

How to Structure an IB English Paper 1 Response

Once you've analysed the text, you need to organise your ideas into a coherent essay.

Introduction

Your introduction should establish the text type, audience, purpose and central analytical argument.

For example:

"The environmental advertisement uses emotive imagery, direct address and imperative language to highlight the consequences of climate change and encourage its audience to take action. By combining representations of environmental vulnerability with appeals to personal responsibility, the advertisement positions viewers as capable of contributing to meaningful change."

Body Paragraphs

Organise each paragraph around a clear analytical idea.

A useful structure is PEEL:

• Point: Introduce your argument.
• Evidence: Refer to a specific feature or quotation.
• Explanation: Analyse how it contributes to meaning.
• Link: Connect your analysis to the guiding question and overall argument.

For the environmental advertisement, you could structure your response around:

Paragraph 1: How visual imagery establishes vulnerability and emotional appeal.

Paragraph 2: How direct address and imperatives establish personal responsibility.

Paragraph 3: How the layout and call to action transform awareness into action.

You don't need to use exactly three body paragraphs. Prioritise a clear argument and sufficient analytical depth.

Conclusion

Your conclusion should reinforce your central interpretation and explain how the text's choices work together to achieve its purpose.

Avoid introducing new evidence.

Common Mistakes Students Make in Non-Literary Analysis

1. Describing Instead of Analysing

Don't simply describe what you see or read.

Explain why the creator has made particular choices and how those choices contribute to meaning.

2. Technique Spotting

Identifying ten techniques without explaining their significance won't automatically produce a strong response.

Focus on analysing a smaller number of important choices in detail.

3. Ignoring the Audience

Non-literary texts are created for particular audiences.

Consider how the intended audience's interests, experiences or values might shape their interpretation.

4. Using Generic Explanations

Avoid repeatedly writing "this catches the reader's attention."

Instead, explain what the audience is encouraged to notice and why that matters.

5. Ignoring the Relationship Between Techniques

Strong analysis often explores how different choices work together.

For example, how does an advertisement's headline reinforce its imagery? How does the layout support the call to action?

Five Tips to Improve Your IB English Paper 1 Analysis

1. Practise a range of non-literary text types. Don't limit yourself to advertisements. Try speeches, infographics, opinion articles and cartoons.

2. Learn the conventions of each text type. Knowing typical features helps you identify meaningful choices more quickly.

3. Develop an argument before writing. Spend some time planning your central interpretation and paragraph structure.

4. Prioritise depth over quantity. Analyse significant techniques thoroughly rather than listing everything you notice.

5. Practise under timed conditions. Use unseen texts and past Paper 1 questions to improve your speed and confidence.

If you're unsure which text types to practise, check out our complete guide to IB English Paper 1 literary and non-literary text types.

Need Help With IB English Paper 1? KIS Academics Can Help!

Understanding literary techniques is one thing. Applying them confidently to unfamiliar texts under exam conditions is another.

At KIS Academics, our experienced IB tutors can help you improve your analytical writing and exam technique through personalised support.

Whether you're struggling to identify techniques, structure analytical paragraphs or interpret unfamiliar texts, a tutor can help you:

• Develop stronger analytical arguments.
• Understand how authorial choices create meaning.
• Improve your Paper 1 essay structure.
• Practise with unseen texts and targeted feedback.
• Build confidence for your final IB English exams.

Ready to improve your IB English results? Explore our IB tutors at KIS Academics and find the right support for your goals.

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