What 'human rights' covers: Human rights is part of the theme Sharing the planet. You need vocabulary to talk about rights and freedoms, fairness and discrimination, and the ways people stand up for a cause.
The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.
- human rights
- the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person
- freedom
- the right to act, speak or think as you want, within the law
- equality
- the state of everyone having the same rights and chances
- discrimination
- treating a person or group unfairly because of who they are
- dignity
- the right to be treated with respect, as a person of worth
- justice
- fair treatment; getting what is right and deserved
- to defend / to stand up for
- to support and protect a person, right or cause
- a cause
- an aim or principle that people support and work for
- a petition
- a signed request asking those in power to do something
- a protest / a peaceful protest
- a public act to show you disagree with something, without violence
- a charity / an association
- an organisation that helps people or works for a cause
- to raise awareness
- to help more people learn about and care about an issue
- fair — unfair
- treating everyone equally and reasonably — the opposite
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| I want to stand up for this cause. | I want to support and defend it publicly. |
| Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. | Every person has the right to respect. |
| We should fight against discrimination. | We should act to stop unfair treatment. |
| I signed a petition for the right to education. | I added my name to a request supporting that right. |
| The event raised awareness of the issue. | It made more people learn about and care about it. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about a campaign, a listening clip about a school club, a Paper 1 blog about a cause, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Around human rights, the common debates are: how young people can make a difference, whether one person's actions matter, and how to defend a cause peacefully. Take a position and back it up.
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 (completely) agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Why some people stay silent
- They feel one person can't change anything.
- They're afraid of standing out or being judged.
- They think it isn't their problem to solve.
Why it's worth speaking up
- Change begins little by little, with small actions.
- Raising awareness reaches people who didn't know.
- Defending others' rights protects everyone's rights.
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.
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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.
Six people and a petition: Last month I organised a peaceful event for human rights at my school. I wanted my classmates to learn about every child's right to education.
I made posters, invited a local charity and booked the playground for the Friday. However, only six people came, and at first I felt very disappointed. Even so, those six people listened carefully, asked questions and signed a petition. I realised that change begins little by little, not with a crowd. I didn't manage to fill the playground, but I learned that standing up for a just cause is always worth it. Today I feel proud of having tried.
- a peaceful event
- a gathering held without any violence
- a petition
- a signed request asking those in power to do something
- disappointed
- sad because something was not as good as you hoped
- a just cause
- an aim that is fair and right to support
- to be worth it
- to be valuable or useful enough to do, despite the effort
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what did the six people who came do?"
- Find it in the text. Look for what "those six people" did: "those six people listened carefully, asked questions and signed a petition."
- The answer — They listened carefully, asked questions and signed a petition. 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 human-rights week. Write a blog post for other students: describe a cause that matters to you and give advice for defending it peacefully.
Use an informal, friendly register. Write 250–400 words.
Blog structure — 5 steps
1
Catchy title
A title, often a call to action. "Stand up for what's right!"
2
Greeting + topic
Greet the reader and say what the post is about. "Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about a cause that matters to me…"
3
Your cause
Describe the cause and your own experience of it. "Last month I organised a small event…"
4
Two or three tips
Give advice using imperatives. "Inform yourself", "listen with respect", "take one small action".
5
Motivating close
Finish with an encouraging line. "Don't give up — change begins little by little."
Title → Greeting → Cause → Tips → Close
Model: the 5 steps in action
The blog post, step by step
- Stand up for what's right — start at school.
- Hi everyone! I'm Sara, and this week I want to talk about a cause that really matters to me: the right of every child to a good education.
- Last month I organised a small event about this at school. Honestly, only a few people came and at first I was disappointed — but the ones who did come asked great questions and signed a petition.
- So here are three tips. First, inform yourself before you speak. Second, listen to other points of view with respect. And third, take one small action — share a post, sign a petition, or invite a friend.
- The most important thing, though, is not to give up. Change begins little by little, not with a crowd. Start with one small step this week — you'll be glad you did.
Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: past "I organised", imperatives "inform yourself", "take one small action"
- Connectors: "so", "though", "first/second/third"
- Topic vocabulary, used accurately
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: describes a cause AND gives advice
- Ideas developed with concrete examples
C — Conceptual /6
- Blog conventions: a catchy title
- Direct address: "Hi everyone", "you'll be glad you did"
- A persuasive, personal tone
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How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the questions first, listen for the key idea, then answer.
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 — Marcus's school club: Hi, I'm Marcus, president of the human-rights club at my school. This year we did three things: first, a campaign against discrimination in sport; second, a signature drive for the right to education; and third, a charity sale. The hardest part was convincing the teachers, because they were afraid of losing class time. In the end they agreed and everything went well. My advice for other young people is simple: start with one small project and be consistent.
IB-style task — two listening questions
Two questions, step by step
- Q1 — What was the hardest part for Marcus? Listen for "the hardest part": "The hardest part was convincing the teachers, because they were afraid of losing class time." That is your answer.
- Q2 — What advice does he give other young people? He says it at the end: "start with one small project and be consistent." Answer: start small and be consistent.
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.