IB exam tips: how to revise for your May 2027 papers
Practice past papers by subject group, plan your minutes per mark, learn the command terms and follow a 6-week plan to April 23, 2027.
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The best IB exam tips come down to five habits: do timed past papers, mark them against the official markscheme, spend your minutes in proportion to the marks, learn what each command term asks for, and spread your revision over at least six weeks. The May 2027 IB exams run from April 23 to May 18, 2027, so a six-week plan starts around March 15. This guide shows you how to use each step for your subjects, with timings for real papers and a week-by-week plan you can copy.
What are the best IB exam tips?
Here is the short version. Each step has its own section below.
- Do past papers under timed conditions, one paper at a time, from about six weeks out.
- Mark every attempt with the official markscheme, and write down why you lost each mark.
- Work out your minutes per mark for each paper so you know how long a question deserves.
- Learn the command terms. "Explain" and "evaluate" earn marks for different things.
- Follow a plan that ends with full mock papers in the week before your first exam.
If you only have time for one habit, make it the second one. Marking your own work against the markscheme shows you exactly how examiners think, and that's where most marks are won back.
How to use IB past papers and markschemes by subject group
Your school can get IB past papers and markschemes, and the IB also sells them through its official store. Ask your teacher which sessions they have. Then use them like this:
- Pick one paper and set a timer for the real length.
- Answer it with no notes, in the same conditions as the exam (no calculator on Maths Analysis and Approaches Paper 1, for example).
- Mark it using the markscheme. Be strict.
- Keep a log with three columns: question, marks lost, and why.
- Two or three days later, redo only the questions you lost marks on.
What you practice and what you look for in the markscheme changes by subject group.
| Subject group | What to practice | What to check in the markscheme |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Language and literature | Paper 1 guided analysis on unseen texts, Paper 2 comparative essay | The assessment criteria and markbands, especially analysis and focus |
| 2. Language acquisition | Reading and listening papers, written tasks in different text types | Whether your text type, register and language are right for the task |
| 3. Individuals and societies | Essays, data and source questions | How the markbands reward argument, evidence and a clear judgment |
| 4. Sciences | Paper 1A multiple choice, Paper 1B data questions, Paper 2 | The marking points, plus "or words to that effect" and error carried forward |
| 5. Mathematics | Analysis and Approaches: Paper 1 without a calculator, Paper 2 with a GDC. Applications and Interpretation: a GDC on every paper | Method (M), accuracy (A) and reasoning (R) marks, and follow-through marks |
| 6. The arts | Mostly coursework, so practice against the criteria | The assessment criteria for each component |
Source: IB DP assessment and IB subject guides. Last checked: November 12, 2026.
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Which IB courses change for May 2027?
May 2027 is the first exam session for several redesigned courses, so older past papers fit some subjects better than others. Ask your teacher for specimen papers if your subject is on this list.
- Psychology has a new course framework. The internal assessment is now a research proposal of up to 2,200 words, and HL Paper 3 is source-based. See the IB's Psychology updates.
- Computer Science has a new structure and a new internal assessment project.
- Design Technology drops Paper 3, so SL and HL students sit Papers 1 and 2.
- Visual Arts has new components, including a portfolio of art-making inquiries.
- The Extended Essay now has a subject-focused or an interdisciplinary pathway.
- Biology keeps the course first assessed in 2025, so recent past papers still fit. Ask your teacher whether anything has changed in how Paper 2 Section B is marked.
Timing per paper: minutes per mark for Paper 1, 2 and 3
Divide the length of the paper by its total marks. That number tells you roughly how long each mark deserves, and it stops you spending 20 minutes on a 4-mark question.
| Subject and paper | Length | Marks | Minutes per mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths AA HL Paper 1 (no calculator) | 2 hours | 110 | About 1.1 |
| Maths AA HL Paper 2 (GDC) | 2 hours | 110 | About 1.1 |
| Biology SL Paper 1 (1A and 1B) | 1 hour 30 minutes | 55 | About 1.6 |
| Biology SL Paper 2 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 50 | About 1.8 |
| Biology HL Paper 1 (1A and 1B) | 2 hours | 75 | About 1.6 |
| Biology HL Paper 2 | 2 hours 30 minutes | 80 | About 1.9 |
| English A Literature HL Paper 1 | 2 hours 15 minutes | 40 | About 3.4 |
| English A Literature HL Paper 2 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 25 | About 4.2 |
Source: IB subject guides (Biology first assessment 2025) and the IB specimen paper for English A Literature. Check the front cover of your own paper. Last checked: November 12, 2026.
So a 6-mark question on Biology HL Paper 2 is worth about 11 minutes, and a 7-mark Maths question is worth about 8. In essay subjects the marks are bigger blocks, so plan by section: in English A Literature HL Paper 1 you write two analyses, so give each one just over an hour.
Paper 3 works the same way. Maths AA HL Paper 3 has 55 marks over two long problem-solving questions, and subjects such as Business Management and the new Psychology course also have an HL Paper 3. Read the time and total marks on the front cover of a specimen paper, do the division once, and write your target times on the first page when you practice. In the real exam, most IB written papers start with 5 minutes of reading time when you can't write (multiple-choice papers don't have it), so use it to spot the command terms and the marks and to choose the order you'll answer in.
Command terms and what they ask for
IB questions start with a command term, and the markscheme rewards what that term asks for. An answer that describes when the question says "explain" can lose most of the marks, even if every fact is right.
| Command term | What it asks you to do | What earns the marks |
|---|---|---|
| State | Give a name, value or short answer | One correct point, with no explanation needed |
| Define | Give the precise meaning of a term | The exact definition, using the subject's wording |
| Describe | Give a detailed account | Clear features or steps, in order |
| Explain | Give a detailed account with reasons or causes | Each "because" link you make |
| Discuss | Give a balanced review of a range of arguments or factors | Both sides, with evidence, and a clear conclusion |
| Evaluate | Weigh up strengths and limitations | A judgment that follows from the strengths and limitations you gave |
| To what extent | Consider how far an argument or claim holds | A clear answer to "how far", backed by evidence |
| Show that | Reach a given result | Every step of working, written out |
| Hence | Use your previous answer to reach the next one | Working that clearly uses the earlier result |
Source: command term glossaries in IB Diploma Programme subject guides. Last checked: November 12, 2026.
Underline the command term before you write anything. Then check the marks: a 2-mark "explain" usually needs one point and one reason, while a 6-mark one needs several linked steps.
How IB examiners award marks
The way you're marked depends on the type of question, so practice the style each paper uses.
In maths, method marks (M) are for a valid method, and accuracy marks (A) usually depend on earning the method mark first. Reasoning marks (R) are for a clear justification. Follow-through marks mean an early mistake doesn't cost you every later mark, but only if your working is on the page. Always show it.
In the sciences, the markscheme lists marking points. You usually earn a mark for each correct point, up to the total. "Or words to that effect" means you don't need the exact wording, as long as the meaning is right.
Essays and longer written answers are marked against markbands. The examiner reads the whole response and picks the band that fits it best. A clear argument that answers the question every paragraph tends to land higher than a longer answer that drifts.
A 6-week IB revision plan to April 23, 2027
This plan counts back from April 23, 2027, the first day of the session. Your own first paper may be later, so move each week to match your timetable. You can find the session on the IB's exam schedule, and your IB coordinator has the version with your local start times.
| Week | Dates | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 15 to 21 | List every paper you sit. Rate each topic red, amber or green. Learn the command terms. |
| 2 | March 22 to 28 | Red topics first. One timed past paper per subject, marked with the markscheme. |
| 3 | March 29 to April 4 | Keep working on red topics. Start your mistake log and redo lost questions. |
| 4 | April 5 to 11 | Amber topics. Full timed papers, using your minutes-per-mark targets. |
| 5 | April 12 to 18 | Full papers in exam order. Practice essay plans in 5 minutes. |
| 6 | April 19 to 23 | Short recall sessions, your mistake log and early sleep before your first paper. |
Source: dates built from the May 2027 session dates in the IB exam schedule. Last checked: November 12, 2026.
Spring break often falls inside these weeks. Use it for full papers, since you have longer blocks of time. If you want feedback on handwritten practice, you can upload an answer to Medly and get it marked with notes on what to fix.
Frequently asked questions
When do the May 2027 IB exams start?
The May 2027 written exams run from April 23 to May 18, 2027. Your IB coordinator has the final timetable for your school, with local start times.
What time do IB exams start for US schools?
The IB sets start times by exam zone, and schools in the US fall in zone C. Each day has a morning and an afternoon session, and your coordinator will tell you the exact times.
Are older IB past papers still useful for May 2027?
Yes, for most subjects. For courses with first assessment in 2027, such as Psychology, Computer Science, Design Technology and Visual Arts, add specimen papers from your teacher to your practice.
How many past papers should I do before IB exams?
There's no set number. Aim for at least one timed paper for each of your exam papers, marked with the markscheme, and then redo the questions you got wrong.
When do May 2027 IB results come out?
The IB releases May session results in early July. Guides based on the IB's schedule for schools give July 6, 2027, and your coordinator will confirm the time.
Can Medly AI help with IB revision?
Yes. Medly AI covers IB, gives you exam-style questions, and marks your answers with feedback on how to get the next mark.