Quick Guide: Global Issue Starters

If you’re preparing for your IB English Individual Oral (IO), you’ll need to link your analysis to a global issue, and do it without sounding repetitive.

Here’s a simple, ready-to-use list of Global Issue starter phrases. Use one each time you move from discussing the text to explaining its broader relevance. (You’ll need to use these throughout your IO.)

• On a broader scale,

• In a wider context,

• More broadly,

• In a global context,

• On an international level,

• Across societies,

• At a broader level,

• In a broader societal context,

• From a global perspective,

• On a global stage,

• Globally,

• In the wider human experience,

• At a universal level,

• In a broader human context,

• On a larger scale,

• When considered beyond the text,

• When applied to a wider context,

Why use these?

• They help you avoid saying the same phrase over and over

• They keep your oral sounding natural and engaging

• They show examiners you understand global significance, a key IB requirement