Icelandic A1 Past Papers 2026
Browse all available Icelandic A1 sessions from 2010-2012. This archive currently includes 12 official papers and 0 donated papers.
3
Sessions
12
Papers
12
Official
2010-2012
Years
May 2012
Latest Session
3
Sessions
2010–2012
6
Question Papers
0
Markschemes
0% coverage
Components: 2 papers.
May 2012
Latest Session
3
Sessions
2010–2012
6
Question Papers
0
Markschemes
0% coverage
Components: 2 papers.
Yearly Exam Sessions
About IB Icelandic A1
IB Icelandic A1 is a Group 1 Studies in Language and Literature subject offered to students whose first language or heritage language is Icelandic. Icelandic is spoken by approximately 370,000 in Iceland. Iceland has one of the world's great medieval literary traditions — the Icelandic Sagas, written in the 13th–14th centuries, are remarkable prose narratives of Viking Age history and legend. Modern Icelandic literature maintains a strong connection to this tradition while engaging with contemporary global themes. Students who sit this course bring a deep cultural connection to the language, and examiners expect engagement with the literary and cultural context of Icelandic-language texts.
The IB Icelandic A1 curriculum requires students to study a range of texts — poetry, prose, and drama — drawn from the Icelandic literary tradition. Distinguished voices such as Snorri Sturluson (medieval), Halldór Laxness (Nobel laureate), Sjón are representative of the kinds of authors and works that may be studied. Past papers for this subject include Paper 1 (textual commentary) and Paper 2 (comparative literary essay).
Exam Format
Paper 1 (SL: 1 hr 15 min / HL: 2 hr 15 min)
Guided textual analysis of an unseen extract. SL students receive a guiding question; HL students analyse without a guiding question and must independently identify literary devices and their effects.
Paper 2 (SL/HL: 1 hr 45 min)
Comparative literary essay on two works studied in class. Students choose one question from four options. Requires a structured argument with textual evidence.
SL vs HL
SL students analyse a single unseen text in Paper 1 with a guiding question. HL students are given two texts and must choose one to analyse without guidance, demonstrating greater independence. HL students also submit a Higher Level Essay (HLE) as part of Internal Assessment, giving them an additional extended writing opportunity.
Study Tips for IB Icelandic A1
- ✓Always identify the text type, genre, and cultural context before beginning your analysis.
- ✓Use precise literary terminology — diction, imagery, tone, syntax, structure, and narrative voice all attract marks.
- ✓In Paper 2, compare both texts throughout the essay; never discuss one text then the other in separate halves.
- ✓Quote directly and briefly from the text — long quotations with no comment waste exam time.
- ✓Plan your Paper 2 essay before writing: a clear thesis and paragraph structure improves coherence significantly.
- ✓For HL, practise unseen analysis with no guiding question to build the analytical independence the exam demands.
- ✓Develop a strong knowledge of Icelandic literary history and at least 2–3 major authors so contextual references strengthen your analysis.
Questions, answered.
IB Icelandic A1 is a Group 1 subject in the IB Diploma Programme. It is designed for students whose first or strongest language is Icelandic. The course develops skills in literary analysis and critical thinking through the study of texts from the Icelandic literary tradition.
A Literature focuses exclusively on literary texts. A Language and Literature also includes non-literary texts such as media, advertising, and public discourse. Both are Group 1 subjects.
Yes. Our archive includes question papers and mark schemes for available sessions. Mark schemes for A Literature subjects include commentary assessment criteria and essay marking notes.
The Internal Assessment is an Individual Oral (15 minutes) in which students present an analysis of an extract from a literary work and connect it to a global issue. HL students also submit a Higher Level Essay.
Schools choose their own texts from Icelandic-language literature. Well-known authors from this tradition include Snorri Sturluson (medieval), Halldór Laxness (Nobel laureate), Sjón. The IB requires that at least one work is studied in translation from another language tradition.