How is TOK graded?
TOK grading involves three different results: a weighted mark from the essay and exhibition, a final letter grade from A to E, and diploma core points determined jointly with the Extended Essay. Keeping those stages separate prevents a common mistake: treating 70% on a calculation as an automatic B or as two diploma points.
What counts towards the TOK result?
The essay and exhibition are each assessed out of 10, but they have different weights. The essay contributes two-thirds; the exhibition contributes one-third. The IB also expresses these weights as 67% and 33%. Those whole-number percentages describe the fractions in rounded form.
The exhibition receives one mark for the complete submission covering all three objects. It is not three separate marks out of 10. A teacher's provisional exhibition mark may change through external moderation, so distinguish a classroom estimate from the confirmed component result.
IB subject brief: component weighting · IB TOK guide: assessment and word limits
| Component | Maximum | Weight | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay: maximum 1,600 words | 10 marks | 2/3 | IB examiner |
| Exhibition: maximum 950 words across three commentaries | 10 marks in total | 1/3 | Teacher assessment; IB moderation |
The calculation: 2 × essay + exhibition, out of 30
Let E be the essay mark out of 10 and X the exhibition mark out of 10. The weighted total is T = 2E + X, with a maximum of 30. To express that total as a percentage for comparison, calculate 100 × T ÷ 30. Keep the total out of 30 as your main planning number.
For an essay mark of 7 and exhibition mark of 8, the calculation is 14 + 8 = 22/30, approximately 73.3%. Using 0.67 and 0.33 instead produces a slightly different decimal. That discrepancy comes from rounded weights, not an extra mark or a separate grading rule.
Six hypothetical combinations and what they show
These are original arithmetic examples, not candidate results or grade boundaries. Every percentage below is rounded to one decimal place. No row promises an A, B, C, D or E.
| Essay /10 | Exhibition /10 | Calculation | Total /30 | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 9 | 2 × 5 + 9 | 19 | 63.3% |
| 6 | 7 | 2 × 6 + 7 | 19 | 63.3% |
| 7 | 5 | 2 × 7 + 5 | 19 | 63.3% |
| 7 | 8 | 2 × 7 + 8 | 22 | 73.3% |
| 8 | 6 | 2 × 8 + 6 | 22 | 73.3% |
| 9 | 9 | 2 × 9 + 9 | 27 | 90.0% |
- The first three combinations produce the same total despite different component profiles.
- One extra essay mark adds two points to the total; one extra exhibition mark adds one.
- A stronger exhibition can offset a weaker essay only within the available ten exhibition marks.
Work backwards from a planning target
Suppose you choose 23/30 as a personal planning target. This is an arbitrary example, not an A boundary. With an exhibition mark of 7, the essay needs at least (23 − 7) ÷ 2 = 8. With an exhibition mark of 8, the calculation gives 7.5, so the minimum whole-number essay mark is still 8.
For any chosen total, subtract the exhibition mark, divide by two and round upwards when finding a minimum whole-number essay mark. A result above 10 is unattainable with that exhibition mark. A target is useful only if it remains realistic for the work you can still improve.
| Exhibition /10 | Essay needed for at least 23/30 | Resulting total |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 | 24/30 |
| 7 | 8 | 23/30 |
| 8 | 8 | 24/30 |
| 9 | 7 | 23/30 |
Why the total does not yet tell you A–E
You still need the official grade boundaries applicable to your examination session. A boundary screenshot without its session and source is insufficient evidence. Do not reuse an older table as a guaranteed threshold for a future session; this guide deliberately supplies no invented current or future boundaries.
After results, ask your coordinator for the component marks, confirmed total and applicable boundaries. The IB explains that detailed results may show the scaled total, grade boundaries and marks required for an increase. Before results, label calculations as estimates and identify which marks are predictions.
From the TOK letter to diploma core points
Only after establishing the TOK letter grade should you combine it with the Extended Essay grade in the core-points matrix. For example, TOK B with EE C gives two core points. That does not mean an essay mark of 7 or a total of 22/30 automatically gives two points.
A change in the weighted total does not always change the letter grade; a changed letter does not always change the matrix outcome. Check both stages before estimating an effect on your diploma total. The wider diploma passing conditions also continue to apply.
Use the numbers to choose a useful next step
If both tasks are still drafts, compare achievable improvements rather than weighting alone. Moving the essay from 6 to 7 and moving the exhibition from 6 to 8 both add two points. Which is realistic depends on your teacher's feedback and your remaining deadlines.
Ask for a specific weakness to address: an argument that lacks support, an unexplained link to the title, or an object whose relevance to the prompt is unclear. Adding material without solving that weakness does not guarantee another mark. Keep your own reasoning and sources visible in the final work.
Look up TOK and EE combinations · Plan a May 2027 TOK essay · Understand diploma core points · Read the IB assessment overview
Frequently asked questions
Is TOK marked out of 20 or 30?
Does 22/30 guarantee a B?
Does each exhibition object receive 10 marks?
References
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