IB MYP Language Acquisition – Key and related concepts in language acquisition Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs – the IB holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available through your school or the IB store.

This practice set covers the key and related concepts of IB MYP Language Acquisition. It is aligned to the International Baccalaureate Organization, Middle Years Programme Subject Brief – Language acquisition, from 2020 (first eAssessment May 2023/November 2023), and suits MYP years 4 and 5. There is no SL/HL split in the MYP. MYP has no prescribed content list; schools design their own units, and this set covers the concepts the IB’s brief names.

Each question is labelled with the criterion it trains. Real MYP work is judged against criterion level descriptors (achievement levels 1–8, in four bands), so the [1] points here are a revision aid, not IB marks. Your teacher will share the task-specific clarifications for assessed work. All sources are original and fictional. Where a task asks you to produce language, use your target language.

Study first with the study guide and revision notes. Also: course hub, checklist, criteria in practice questions.

Questions

1. (Concept knowledge) State the four key concepts and the three related-concept examples that the MYP language acquisition brief names. [3]

2. (Concept knowledge) Classify each inquiry question as factual, conceptual or debatable: (i) “Why do some languages have a formal and an informal word for ‘you’?” (ii) “Should English words be banned from advertising in other languages?” (iii) “How do you write the date in German?” [3]

3. (Criterion B) Read Source A.

Source A – original text written for Marlbridge Week one in Lyon – a blog post by Maya, 15 Honestly, my first dinner with the Moreau family was super awkward. I called everyone vous, even Hugo, who is thirteen. On Thursday his mum smiled and said I could say tu to her. I felt like I’d passed a test! Then Hugo told me our train tickets to Paris had cost “les yeux de la tête”. I looked at him, totally lost, until he rubbed his fingers together and pulled a face at the price. Loads to learn, but I love it here.

(a) Identify the idiom in Source A and explain its meaning, using clues from the text. [2] (b) Identify two words or phrases that show Source A is informal. [2] (c) Explain how Maya’s experience with tu and vous shows the key concept of culture. [2]

4. (Criterion D) A student sends this message to the manager of a sports centre: “hi, the swimming class on sat was cancelled and nobody told us, pretty annoying tbh. can we get our money back?” Rewrite it with word choice and register suitable for the audience and purpose. Write your answer in your target language; a model in English is given in the answers. [4]

5. (Criterion D) Read Source B, an email applying for a summer job.

Source B – original text written for Marlbridge Hey there, i want the job at your café in Portvale. I am 16 and I am good with people. I can start in july. Text me back. Cheers, Sam

Identify four ways Source B breaks the conventions of a formal application email. [4]

6. (Criterion C) You will role-play meeting your exchange partner’s grandmother for the first time.

(a) State which form of “you” you should use in your target language (or, if your target language has only one, how you would show respect instead), and explain why. [2] (b) Plan an opening exchange: one greeting, one question to her, and one follow-up question that keeps the conversation going. [2]

7. (Criterion A) Ask someone to read Source C aloud to you once, without looking at the text. Then answer.

Source C – original transcript written for Marlbridge “Hi Mr Okafor, it’s Leo Brandt from 10B. I’m really sorry, but I’m feeling under the weather today, so I won’t be in for debate practice this afternoon. I’ve emailed my notes to Priya. Thanks, and sorry again.”

(a) State the purpose of the message. [1] (b) Identify the audience and give two pieces of evidence from the speaker’s word choice. [2] (c) Explain the meaning of the idiom “under the weather”. [1]

8. (Unit planning – all criteria) A teacher’s draft statement of inquiry for a unit on school life reads: “Students will compare their school timetable with a school in Spain.”

(a) Give two reasons why this is not a strong statement of inquiry. [2] (b) Rewrite it as a strong statement of inquiry, and name the key concept, a related concept and the global context you used. [3]

9. (Criterion D – extended response) A partner school’s magazine asks for articles on the theme “A custom from my community that visitors find surprising”. Write an article of 200–250 words in your target language. Use the key concept of culture and the related concepts of conventions and word choice, and include one idiom you are sure of. [8]

10. (Criterion B – extended response) Read Source D.

Source D – original text written for Marlbridge Notice 1 (on the children’s changing-room door): Oh no! The big pool is having a rest! Our pool is poorly and the builders are fixing it. It will be back on 1 March. Until then, splash in the small pool with your grown-up!

Notice 2 (emailed to adult members): Dear Member, Please note that the main pool at Westerby Leisure Centre will be closed for essential repairs until 28 February. The learner pool remains open during normal hours. Membership fees for February will be reduced accordingly. We apologise for any inconvenience. Westerby Leisure Centre Management

Analyse how the two notices use communication, word choice and conventions differently for their audiences. [8]

Answers

1. Key concepts: communication and connections [1]; creativity and culture [1]. Related-concept examples: word choice, conventions and idiom [1]. [3] Examiner insight: Keep the two lists apart; putting “idiom” among the key concepts loses the point for that list.

2. (i) Conceptual – asks why, and transfers [1]; (ii) debatable – reasonable answers on both sides [1]; (iii) factual – one checkable answer [1]. [3] Examiner insight: A classification with no reason could be a guess; the short justification shows you understand the question types.

3. (a) “les yeux de la tête” (literally “the eyes of the head”) [1]; it means very expensive – Hugo rubs his fingers together and reacts to the price [1]. (b) Any two: “Honestly”, “super awkward”, “totally lost”, “Loads to learn”, the exclamation “I’d passed a test!” [1] [1]. (c) French marks respect and closeness through the form of address, so a guest starts with vous [1]; the host mother offering tu shows the convention that the older person invites the informal form [1]. Examiner insight: For an idiom, the meaning must come from context clues in the text; a literal translation alone (“the eyes of the head”) does not show comprehension.

4. Model in English: “Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing about the swimming class on Saturday 12 October, which was cancelled without notice. I would be grateful for a refund. Yours faithfully, Ana Silva.” Formal greeting [1]; informal words (“pretty annoying tbh”, “money back”) replaced with polite terms such as “without notice” and “refund” [1]; precise detail (date) and a polite request [1]; formal closing and full name [1]. [4] Examiner insight: Fixing capitals but keeping “can we get our money back?” leaves the register unchanged, and register is what the audience-and-purpose strand of criterion D looks for.

5. Informal greeting “Hey there” – use “Dear Sir or Madam” or the manager’s name [1]; lower-case “i” and “july” break writing conventions [1]; “Text me back” is an informal demand – a formal email politely asks for a reply or an interview [1]; “Cheers, Sam” is an informal sign-off – use a formal close and full name [1]. Also acceptable: no statement of which job or where it was advertised; no structured paragraph of experience. [4] Examiner insight: Say what the convention expects instead; “the greeting is bad” names a problem without showing the convention.

6. (a) The formal form (French vous, Spanish usted, German Sie) [1], because she is older and a new acquaintance, so respect is expected until she invites the informal form [1]. (With only one “you”, show respect through a title and polite phrases.) (b) A formal greeting and question, e.g. “Good afternoon, how are you?” [1]; a follow-up that builds on her answer, e.g. “Have you always lived in this town?” [1]. Examiner insight: Switching between formal and informal “you” midway is a very noticeable error; plan your verb forms first.

7. (a) To tell the teacher he will miss debate practice because he is unwell [1]. (b) A teacher [1]; evidence – any two: “Mr Okafor”, “I’m really sorry”, “Thanks, and sorry again”, giving his class “10B” [1] (both needed for the mark). (c) Feeling slightly ill [1]. Examiner insight: Listening evidence must be what the speaker actually says; “he sounds polite” scores less than quoting the words.

8. (a) It is a task description, not a general claim about an idea [1]; it names no concept and is tied to one country, so it does not transfer to other units [1]. (b) Example: “The way communities organise the school day reflects what they value.” [1] Key concept: culture [1]. Related concept: conventions; global context: orientation in space and time (or identities and relationships) [1]. Examiner insight: If the statement still works after swapping “Spain” for any other place, it is conceptual, not topic-bound.

9. Model plan; indicative points only – real work is judged against the criterion D descriptors. A title and an introduction naming the custom [1]. Friendly, consistent magazine register – not text-speak [1]. Precise description: what, when, who takes part [1]. Why the custom matters – values or history [1]. A comparison with what visitors expect [1]. One idiom used correctly [1]. Linking words across paragraphs [1]. A closing question or invitation to readers [1]. [8] Examiner insight: Describing a custom without the values behind it stays at information; the “why” shows the key concept of culture.

10. Indicative points; real work is judged against the criterion B descriptors. Same message in both: main pool closed, small pool open [1]; Notice 1 targets young children, Notice 2 adult members [1]. Notice 1’s playful words (“having a rest”, “poorly”, “splash”) make the closure feel friendly [1]; Notice 2’s formal terms (“essential repairs”, “reduced accordingly”) suit paying adults [1]; “grown-up” reminds children they need an adult [1]. Notice 1 uses exclamations and a direct instruction, suiting a children’s poster [1]; Notice 2 follows formal-email conventions – “Dear Member”, an apology formula, a management sign-off [1]. Only adults are told about fees and the last closed day (28 February); children get the reopening day (1 March) [1]. [8] Examiner insight: Analysis links each feature to its audience and effect; listing features without saying why they suit the reader stays in the lower bands.

Where marks are usually lost

• Mixing key concepts and related concepts in recall answers.
• Explaining an idiom by translating it word for word instead of using context.
• Rewriting a message for a new audience but leaving the informal words in place.
• Naming a broken convention without saying what the correct convention is.
• Changing between formal and informal “you” during a role-play.
• Writing a statement of inquiry that is a question, a task or tied to one place.
• Describing a cultural practice with no explanation of the values behind it.

Next steps

• Key and related concepts revision notes
• Key and related concepts study guide
• Course hub
• Printable checklist
• All free 10-minute diagnostics
• Book a free trial class

Official syllabus

International Baccalaureate Organization, Middle Years Programme Subject Brief – Language acquisition, from 2020 (first eAssessment May 2023/November 2023).