Quick answer
Choose a review only when it is one of the options in your task and it serves the stated audience and purpose. The goal is not to reproduce a memorized template. Make the relationship between reader, purpose, content and form visible throughout the response.
When a review makes sense
Readers of a publication who have not seen, read or used the thing you are reviewing and want help deciding.
Describe the work briefly, evaluate it with reasons and give a clear recommendation.
Start by writing a one-line communication brief: who is reading or listening, what they need from you and what should happen after they receive the text. If another allowed form would make that job clearer, choose the other form.
A practical structure, not a memorized template
A title that names the work, a short orientation with only the context a newcomer needs, two or three evaluative points with evidence, and a verdict that tells the reader what to do.
Conventions should make the communication easier to understand. They are not decoration. If a heading, greeting, direct address or sign-off does not help the reader understand the relationship and purpose, do not add it simply because an online template told you to.
- Audience is obvious
- Purpose appears early
- Required content is covered
- The form remains consistent
- The ending completes the communication job
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.
Original opening example
For an original school theatre practice task, one possible opening is: “Our drama club chose a play about a family that stops talking to each other, and for the first ten minutes I worried the audience would stop listening too.”
Do not memorize that sentence. Instead, explain why it suits this audience and purpose, then rewrite the opening for a different context. If changing the recipient barely changes your language, you may be writing a generic essay rather than controlling register and form.
Original Paper 1-style practice prompt
Your school staged a play about life online. Write a review for the school magazine that evaluates the production and tells students whether to attend the final performance.
This is an original Nektar practice prompt, not an official IB examination question. Plan the audience, purpose and required details before drafting. After writing, cover the prompt and ask another reader to infer who the text is for and what response you wanted.
Return to the main Paper 1 guide to compare this form with other choices.
Common mistakes to catch in revision
A useful revision asks whether the form improves communication, not whether it contains a checklist of surface features. The most important problems usually come from a mismatch between the task and the writing.
- Retelling the whole plot and leaving no room for evaluation
- Giving a rating without reasons a reader can check
- Forgetting to say who would enjoy it and who would not
Frequently asked questions
Can I always choose a review in English B Paper 1?
No. Choose only from the text types offered in the actual task and select the one that best serves its audience and purpose.
Should I memorize a fixed review template?
No. Learn useful conventions, but adapt structure and register to the specific communication job.
Is the practice prompt on this page an official IB question?
No. It is an original Nektar prompt. Use official specimen material and your teacher for exam-specific practice and marking.
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.