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NotesEnglish B HLTopic 2.1
Unit 2 · Text Types · Topic 2.1

IB English B HL — Personal texts

Topic 2.1 of IB English B covers Personal texts, which is part of Unit 2: Text Types. Students explore key concepts including Informal email/letter, Blog, Personal diary, Social media post. A strong understanding of personal texts is essential for IB English B HL exams and builds the foundation for connected topics across the syllabus.

Higher Level students should use this topic hub as a map: start with the shared sub-topics, then follow the HL-only extensions and exam-skill links where this topic asks for deeper analysis.

Exam technique guidePractice questions

Key concepts in Personal texts

Key Idea: Personal texts are written to people you know or to your own readers: an informal email, a blog, a diary and a social media post. Each one has its own parts and its own tone.

Informal email/letter

  • Start: "Hi …!" or "Dear Mum,"
  • Middle: your news, an invitation or a question
  • End: "Take care," or "Big hug," and your name
  • Tone: warm and chatty, with contractions (I'm, you'll) and questions back to the reader
  • Do the whole task: if it says tell and invite, do both.

Blog

  1. Catchy title — Grab attention from the first line.
  2. Hook — Draw your readers in and introduce the topic.
  3. Body — Share your experience or opinion in a personal voice.
  4. Question to readers — Ask your readers what they think.
  5. Upbeat close — End on a positive, friendly note: "See you next time!"

Many readers, informal but public: talk to "you".

Personal diary

  • You write for yourself, in the first person: I, me, my, myself.
  • Parts: the date, "Dear diary,", what happened, your feelings, what comes next.
  • Never skip the date or your reflection.

Social media post

  • Parts: hook, message, call to action, hashtags
  • Short, lively sentences to your followers. No formal greeting or sign-off.
  • Know your purpose: inviting, raising awareness or sharing.
  • Give what, when and where clearly and briefly.
Ask who will read it. A friend, the public, only you or your followers: the answer sets the parts and the tone.

Which text type is written only for yourself? The personal diary.

What does a blog ask its readers near the end? What they think about the topic.

What comes after the hook and the message in a post? A call to action, then hashtags.

The task says: tell your friend your news and invite them. What do you need? Both parts: the news AND the invitation.

Which pronoun runs through a diary entry? "I": it is personal and private.

What you'll learn in Topic 2.1

  • 2.1.1 Informal email/letter
  • 2.1.2 Blog
  • 2.1.3 Personal diary
  • 2.1.4 Social media post
Suggested study order: Read the notes for each sub-topic below → test yourself with flashcards → attempt practice questions → review exam technique.

Study resources — 2.1 Personal texts

2.1.1

Informal email/letter

Notes
2.1.2

Blog

Notes
2.1.3

Personal diary

Notes
2.1.4

Social media post

Notes

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Topic 2.1 Personal texts forms a core part of Unit 2: Text Types in IB English B HL. Mastering these concepts will strengthen your understanding of connected topics across the syllabus and prepare you for exam questions that require analysis, evaluation, and real-world application.

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