Quick answer
The Identities theme covers who we are and how we express it: lifestyle, wellbeing, beliefs, groups we belong to and the languages we use. This page gives 20 useful words and phrases in 4 topic groups with an example sentence for each. The IB does not publish a required vocabulary list, so treat this as a working set to use in your own sentences, not as a list to memorize for the exam.
How to use this list
Pick one topic group at a time. Read the example, cover it, then write your own sentence about your school, town or family using the same word. A word you have used three times in your own sentences is far more likely to appear when you need it in an exam than one you have only read.
The topic groups follow the optional recommended topics that the Language B guide lists under this theme. They are suggestions for teachers, not a list of exam questions.
Lifestyles and wellbeing
Useful language for tasks and discussions about lifestyles and wellbeing.
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| work-life balance | a healthy split between duties and free time | Many students lose their work-life balance in the final exam year. |
| sedentary | involving a lot of sitting and little movement | A sedentary routine makes it harder to concentrate in class. |
| burnout | exhaustion caused by long periods of stress | She recognised the signs of burnout and dropped one activity. |
| resilience | the ability to recover after difficulty | Team sports helped him build resilience after the injury. |
| peer pressure | influence from people of the same age | Peer pressure shapes what teenagers wear more than adverts do. |
IB English B in Nektar
Practise IB English B in the Nektar app.
Choose SL or HL, work through reading, listening and vocabulary lessons, and get feedback on Paper 1 writing and individual oral responses. Keep official IB material for your checkpoints.
Beliefs and values
Useful language for tasks and discussions about beliefs and values.
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| upbringing | the way a child is raised | My upbringing taught me to question what I read. |
| principle | a rule a person chooses to live by | Honesty is a principle she refuses to bend. |
| tolerance | willingness to accept views unlike your own | Tolerance does not mean agreeing with everyone. |
| conviction | a firmly held belief | He spoke with conviction about equal pay. |
| to conform | to behave as a group expects | New students often conform before they feel safe to stand out. |
Subcultures and belonging
Useful language for tasks and discussions about subcultures and belonging.
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sense of belonging | the feeling of being accepted in a group | The debate club gave her a sense of belonging. |
| mainstream | accepted by most people | The band stayed outside mainstream music for years. |
| outsider | someone who is not part of a group | Moving schools made him feel like an outsider at first. |
| stereotype | a fixed and oversimplified idea about a group | The film challenges the stereotype of the quiet gamer. |
| to fit in | to be accepted by a group | She changed her accent to fit in. |
Language and identity
Useful language for tasks and discussions about language and identity.
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mother tongue | the first language a person learns | He dreams in his mother tongue but studies in English. |
| bilingual | able to use two languages well | Growing up bilingual gave her two ways of telling a joke. |
| heritage | traditions and culture passed down in a family or community | Cooking with her grandmother keeps her heritage alive. |
| to code-switch | to move between languages or styles of speech | Many teenagers code-switch between home and school. |
| accent | a way of pronouncing words linked to a place or group | People judged him by his accent before his ideas. |
Turn the list into exam language
Choose five words from different groups and write a 120 word paragraph for a named reader, for example a letter to your head teacher or a post for the school blog. Then record yourself explaining the same idea aloud for one minute without reading. Writing first and speaking second shows you which words you can really retrieve.
Practise with Identities discussion questions and read the Identities theme guide for a Paper 1 style task. In the Nektar app, IB English B vocabulary lessons teach theme words in context before the reading and listening texts that use them.
- Write your own sentence for each word
- Use five words in one paragraph for a named reader
- Say the same idea aloud without notes
- Revisit the group after three days
Frequently asked questions
Is this an official IB vocabulary list for Identities?
No. The IB does not publish a required vocabulary list for the themes. This is an original Nektar study list.
How many words should I learn for the Identities theme?
There is no set number. A small set you can use accurately in writing and speaking is worth more than a long list you only recognise.
Will these words appear in Paper 2?
No one can predict the texts. The words are common in writing about this theme, so they are likely to help with reading and listening, but they are not taken from exam papers.
IB English B in Nektar
Practise IB English B in the Nektar app.
Choose SL or HL, work through reading, listening and vocabulary lessons, and get feedback on Paper 1 writing and individual oral responses. Keep official IB material for your checkpoints.