I got 35/40 on my English A IO even though English is my 3rd language
This is not clickbait lol. My first two languages are French and German, and when I initially learnt English, it was mostly from YouTube.
The biggest thing that changed my IO was realizing that you cannot deliver a genuinely flawless presentation if you are still trying to remember what you wanted to say while presenting.
I ended up memorizing my analysis almost completely. Not in a “memorize and robotically recite” way, but so that when I stood up to present, I could actually focus on delivery, timing and sounding confident rather than thinking about my next point.
And honestly, flashcards were the easiest way to do this.
So I turned my entire IO preparation into a flashcard set and decided to make it completely free for other IB students.
The cards contain the exact analyses I used, so PLEASE don’t copy them word-for-word. Apart from the obvious plagiarism issue, they’re specific to my extracts and my global issue anyway.
What they do give you is something I desperately wish I’d had:
→ a real example of what high-level analysis actually looks like
→ how much analysis you realistically need for each point
→ how to structure your entire IO
→ what to say in each section
→ how to divide your time
→ and a way to actively memorize your analysis until you can present without constantly checking your script
Basically, it’s an entire IO study guide disguised as flashcards.
If you’re doing your IO soon, I’d genuinely recommend starting this earlier rather than waiting until you have a week left. The goal isn’t just to write a good IO — it’s to get to the point where you can deliver it flawlessly under pressure.
I made the flashcards free because I know how overwhelming the IO can feel, especially when you’re not sure what “good analysis” is supposed to look like.
If you’re doing English A, definitely DM me before you start preparing your IO — it’ll save you a LOT of time.
- Milva