What 'beliefs & values' covers: Beliefs and values is part of the theme Identities. You need vocabulary to describe what people believe, the principles that guide them, and how different views can live side by side.
How to use this list
- Give a balanced opinion without judging.
- These are common English B words. Treat the list as a glossary.
- Learn each term with its meaning and a synonym.
- Reuse the terms in the reading and writing sections.
- belief
- something you accept as true or feel sure about
- value (values)
- a principle or standard that guides how you live
- faith
- strong religious belief; trust in something
- religion / to be religious
- an organised system of belief / to follow one actively
- tradition
- a custom passed down from one generation to the next
- respect / to respect
- to value and treat someone's views or rights as important
- tolerance
- the willingness to accept views or behaviour you don't share
- honesty
- the quality of being truthful and sincere
- equality
- the state of everyone having the same rights and status
- to live together / coexist
- to share a place or community in harmony
- to judge (someone)
- to form a critical opinion about a person, often unfairly
- to share values
- to hold the same guiding principles as someone else
- open-minded
- willing to consider new or different ideas without prejudice
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| For me, the most important thing is respect. | Respect is the value I put first. |
| I respect other people's beliefs. | I treat their views as worthy, even if they aren't mine. |
| Everyone has their own values. | People are guided by different principles. |
| We can live together even if we think differently. | Disagreement doesn't have to stop coexistence. |
| What matters is to listen without judging. | Listen openly instead of criticising. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text on traditions, a listening interview about values, a Paper 1 letter, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
Free preview
Reading it is one thing — hearing it is another
You're reading the free notes. Aimnova Pro unlocks the full study experience — and you can try it with your first topic free to keep:
- Audio on every wordTap any vocabulary word or example to hear it read aloud in natural English.
- FlashcardsLock in vocabulary and key terms with spaced repetition.
- Practice questionsAnswer exam-style questions and get instant AI marking.
- Mock exams & past-paper vaultSit full mocks and see exactly how examiners award marks.
- Personalised study planA daily plan built around your exam date and weak areas.
Start Studying Free Full access to Aimnova Pro · cancel anytime
Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Take a balanced position — this theme rewards comparing perspectives without judging.
Common debates on beliefs and values
- Tradition vs change
- Religious vs secular life
- Whether shared values matter more than agreeing on everything
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I believe that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The most important thing is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I respect that… even though… — to accept a view while keeping your own
Risks of not respecting
- Judging others quickly creates conflict.
- Intolerance divides people and communities.
- If no one listens, there is no real dialogue.
Benefits of respect
- Tolerance lets us live together in peace.
- We learn from beliefs different from our own.
- Shared values unite us, even when we think differently.
What you eat
- Going vegetarian for animals or the climate
- Changing what the whole family cooks
- Respecting relatives who choose differently
What you wear
- School uniform: equality or control?
- Clothes as a way of saying who you are
- Religious dress and respect for it
What you say
- Honesty: always tell the truth?
- White lies to protect a friend
- Listening without judging
- to stand up for (your beliefs)
- to defend what you believe in, even when it is difficult
- a principle
- a rule you choose to live by, such as "never lie"
- a white lie
- a small untruth told to avoid hurting someone
- ethical (choice)
- based on what you believe is morally right
- to self-express — self-expression
- to show who you are through clothes, words or art
- peer pressure
- pressure from people your age to act as they do
Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.
Study smarter, not longer
Most students waste 40% of study time on topics they already know. Our AI tracks your progress and optimizes every minute.
Try Smart Study FreeYour first topic is free to keep • No credit card required
Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.
My grandmother and me (part 1): For my grandmother, the most important things in life are family and faith. She goes to church every Sunday and never misses a family meal.
My grandmother and me (part 2)
I'm not religious myself, but I respect her beliefs and I learn a lot from her values: honesty, generosity and respect for other people. Sometimes we don't agree, especially about traditions, but we talk without judging each other.
My grandmother and me (part 3)
I think the important thing isn't to think the same way, it's to listen to the other person. In the end, my grandmother and I share the same values, even though we express them in different ways.
- to go to church
- to attend a religious service
- to miss (a meal)
- to be absent from; to fail to attend
- to agree
- to share the same opinion
- to judge each other
- to form critical opinions about one another
- to think the same way
- to hold identical opinions
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what does the grandmother do every Sunday?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the words "every Sunday": "She goes to church every Sunday and never misses a family meal."
- The answer — She goes to church (and never misses a family meal). The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.
The task: Your school is running a week about respect and living together. Write a speech for the opening assembly: explain which values are important to you and encourage students to respect other people's beliefs.
Write 250–400 words.
Speech structure — 5 steps
1
Greet the audience
Speak to the people in the room. "Good morning, everyone"
2
Introduce yourself and the topic
Say who you are and what you will talk about. "I'm Lucia, and today I want to talk about…"
3
Two or three arguments
Signpost them so listeners can follow. "First, respect costs nothing. Second…"
4
Call to action
Tell the audience what to do. "Start this week by listening to a different opinion."
5
Close and thank
End with a strong line and thanks. "Thank you."
Greeting → Topic → Arguments → Call to action → Thanks
Model: the 5 steps in ~100 words
The speech, step by step
- Good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here.
- I'm Lucia, and today I want to talk about something personal: my values and the way we treat other people's beliefs.
- Not long ago, I argued with my family about everything and didn't listen to other opinions. Then I realised three things. First, respect costs nothing. Second, listening before you judge makes you wiser. And finally, you can defend your own values and still be tolerant.
- So I'm asking you to do one thing: start this week by listening to a different opinion.
- Living together isn't about thinking the same way — it's about accepting difference. Thank you.
Why it works: A strong speech does this for each of the three Paper 1 criteria:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: past "I argued", present "respect costs nothing"
- Signposting connectors: "first", "second", "finally", "so"
- Topic vocabulary: values, beliefs, tolerant
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: explains her values AND encourages respect
- Each value backed by a reason
C — Conceptual /6
- Speech conventions: greets the audience, thanks them at the end
- Direct address: "I'm asking you to…"
- A clear call to action for the audience
Practice with exam-style questions
Answer exam-style questions and get AI feedback that shows you exactly what examiners want to see in a full-marks response.
Try Practice FreeYour first topic is free to keep • No credit card required
How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words.
How to answer — 3 steps
1
Read the questions first
Do this before the clip plays.
2
Listen for the key idea
Focus on the part each question points to.
3
Then answer
Use what the speaker actually says.
Questions → Key idea → Answer
Practise on the page: Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.
Transcript — Daniel on respect (part 1): Hi, I'm Daniel. At my school there are students from many countries and religions. For me, the most important value is respect: to respect means to listen to others even if you don't think the same way they do.
Transcript — Daniel on respect (part 2)
You don't have to share the same faith to be friends; what really brings us together is tolerance and honesty. I believe that difference teaches us new things.
IB-style task — two listening questions
Two questions, step by step
- Q1 — According to Daniel, what does it mean to respect? Listen just after "to respect means": "to listen to others even if you don't think the same way they do." That is your answer.
- Q2 — What really brings people together, according to Daniel? He says it near the end: "what really brings us together is tolerance and honesty." Answer: tolerance and honesty.
Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.