Is English B HL scored higher than SL?

Slightly. In May 2026 the HL mean grade was 5.6 and the SL mean was 5.4. SL had a higher share of grade 7 (13% against 11.7%), but also larger shares at grades 2, 3 and 4. The levels are different groups of candidates, so treat the comparison with care.

Did English B grades change from May 2025?

Only slightly. The HL mean was 5.6 in both May 2025 and May 2026. The SL mean moved from 5.5 in May 2025 to 5.4 in May 2026. The share of 7s eased at both levels, from 13.4% to 11.7% at HL and from 14.4% to 13% at SL.

Are the May 2026 figures final?

No. They come from the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026, and a final version follows later in the year. Figures could change slightly when it is published.

IB subject statistics

IB English B grade distribution and average grade, May 2026

By Michael Thompson - Head of Teaching Excellence; 15 years as an IB Coordinator

Published 5 October 2026Data: IB Diploma Programme provisional statistical bulletin, May 2026

Short answer: In May 2026, IB English B students averaged 5.6 at HL (23,499 students) and 5.4 at SL (4,997). 11.7% of HL and 13.0% of SL students scored a 7, and the most common grade at both levels was 6.

This page looks at IB English B in the May 2026 session, using the IB's official statistical bulletin for that session. The May 2026 figures come from the IB's provisional bulletin, and a final version follows later in the year, so small changes are possible.

English B had 23,499 Higher Level (HL) candidates and 4,997 Standard Level (SL) candidates. The mean grade was 5.6 at HL and 5.4 at SL. The sections below explain what those numbers and the grade distribution say about how the subject is scored.

Key figures

Level	Students	Mean grade	Share of 7s	vs May 2025
HL	23,499	5.6	11.7%	no change
SL	4,997	5.4	13.0%	-0.1

Grade distribution, May 2026

Grade distribution, May 2026
Grade	Higher Level	Standard Level
1	0.0%	0.0%
2	0.1%	0.7%
3	1.5%	4.1%
4	9.2%	14.1%
5	26.9%	25.8%
6	49.9%	39.9%
7	11.7%	13.0%

Grade 1-7, % of studentsHigher LevelStandard Level

Aiming for a 6 or 7 in English B?English B tutoring

What the grade distribution shows

Grade 6 is the most common result at both levels: 49.9% of HL candidates and 39.9% of SL candidates. At HL, grade 5 follows with 26.9%, then grade 7 with 11.7%, grade 4 with 9.2%, grade 3 with 1.5% and grade 2 with 0.1%. Virtually no HL candidates received a grade 1. These are shares of all candidates, and a small remainder received no grade, so the listed shares do not quite cover everyone. Adding the shares for grades 6 and 7 shows that more than half of candidates at each level reached at least a 6, while the lowest grades are rare.

HL and SL compared

The HL mean of 5.6 is slightly above the SL mean of 5.4, but the shapes differ more than the means suggest. SL has the higher share of grade 7 (13% against 11.7% at HL). It also has larger shares at the lower grades: 14.1% at grade 4 (HL 9.2%), 4.1% at grade 3 (HL 1.5%) and 0.7% at grade 2 (HL 0.1%). HL is more concentrated in grades 5 and 6, at 26.9% and 49.9% against 25.8% and 39.9% at SL. These are shares, not head counts, and HL is much the larger group. The data cannot say why the profiles differ. One possibility is that candidates who choose HL are often already confident in English, but the bulletin does not show this.

Change since May 2025

The HL mean was 5.6 in May 2025 and is 5.6 in May 2026, so it is unchanged. The SL mean was 5.5 in May 2025 and is 5.4 in May 2026, a slight dip. Both movements are small. Within the distribution, the share of 7s eased at both levels, from 13.4% to 11.7% at HL and from 14.4% to 13% at SL. The session-wide diploma mean of 30.9 points covers all candidates and subjects, so it tells us nothing specific about English B.

What this means for choosing and preparing

The top grade is within reach at both levels: 13% of SL and 11.7% of HL candidates earned a 7. The profiles differ most at grade 6, which is much more common at HL, and in the lower grades, which are somewhat more common at SL. The choice between HL and SL is better made on your current command of English, your university requirements and your other subjects than on the means alone. Because a 6 is the typical result, the step from 6 to 7 is where many candidates can still gain. Consistent practice across every assessed component, with feedback on your written and spoken work, is a sensible way to prepare.

Key takeaways

Grade 6 is the most common result in English B at both levels: 49.9% at HL and 39.9% at SL.
The mean grade was 5.6 at HL and 5.4 at SL in May 2026.
Against May 2025, the HL mean is unchanged at 5.6, while the SL mean moved from 5.5 to 5.4.
SL has the higher share of 7s (13% against 11.7%) but also larger shares at grades 2, 3 and 4.
These are provisional figures; the IB's final bulletin follows later in the year.

Frequently asked questions

Is English B HL scored higher than SL?: Slightly. In May 2026 the HL mean grade was 5.6 and the SL mean was 5.4. SL had a higher share of grade 7 (13% against 11.7%), but also larger shares at grades 2, 3 and 4. The levels are different groups of candidates, so treat the comparison with care.
Did English B grades change from May 2025?: Only slightly. The HL mean was 5.6 in both May 2025 and May 2026. The SL mean moved from 5.5 in May 2025 to 5.4 in May 2026. The share of 7s eased at both levels, from 13.4% to 11.7% at HL and from 14.4% to 13% at SL.
Are the May 2026 figures final?: No. They come from the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026, and a final version follows later in the year. Figures could change slightly when it is published.