A good TOK essay for 2026 starts with a clear understanding of the criteria, syllabus, and format. This is what I always tell students who ask me how to write their papers. Whatever you know about the TOK course and what the examiners want, I believe that everything will be a lot less stressful. You stop winging it and start writing with confidence.
IB TOK Essay Criteria, Syllabus and Format in 2026 Read More »
When you write about interpretation, it’s a lot like reading a text message without the emojis: you think you get it, until you don’t. That’s what’s so interesting about this question. To what extent is interpretation a reliable tool in the production of knowledge? A title that makes you reconsider how people make sense of facts, events, patterns, and claims.
Detailed Guide to the May 2026 TOK Essay Prompt 6 Read More »
It’s a wonderful experience to write a TOK essay on the May 2026 prompt about Pythagoras’ audacious theory that “all things are numbers.” Students either immediately fall in love with the quotation or gaze at it in the same way that people look at flat-pack furniture instructions: intrigued, bewildered, and somewhat skeptical.
The title we’ll talk about is “In the acquisition of knowledge, can we only understand something to the extent that we understand its context?” You must discuss it with reference to two areas of knowledge. Although this May 2026 TOK essay prompt seems straightforward, it poses a challenging query: Is it ever possible to distinguish between what we know and where (and when) we know it?
May 2026 TOK Essay Prompt 4 – Detailed Guide and Breakdown Read More »
he third TOK title for the May 2026 asks, “Is the power of knowledge determined by the way in which the knowledge is conveyed? Discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge.” Oh, this prompt is the one that gets me to rethink every “aha” moment I’ve ever experienced. At first glance, it seems like a philosophical question, but it’s actually one of the coolest titles in the May 2026 TOK essay set.
May 2026 TOK Essay Prompt 3 – Detailed Guide and Breakdown Read More »
The second prompt for the May 2026 session is “To what extent do you agree that doubt is central to the pursuit of knowledge?” You must reference it with two contrasting AOKs. And it’s a very interesting option, so let’s break it down.
May 2026 TOK Essay Prompt 2 – Detailed Guide and Breakdown Read More »
I would like to say that writing a love letter to “observation” or completely roasting it is not your goal for the May 2026 TOK essay. Instead, you should examine how far its imperfections influence the production of knowledge. And this also means looking carefully at what “essential” and “flawed” truly imply.
May 2026 TOK Essay Prompt 1 – Detailed Guide and Breakdown Read More »
All the TOK prompts for 2026 look pretty interesting. In my opinion, the IB really wants students to think more deeply about what they already believe and to see things from a new angle. When I first read the TOK essay prompts for May 2026, my first thought was: these are actually some of the most balanced and creative ones we’ve had in years.
TOK essays are a lot like dinner parties: you need good conversation starters, well-thought-out ideas, and a few funny lines that people will remember. November 2025’s prompt 6 is a great one to host if you like big questions with a side of subtle complexity.
I have to say that Prompt 5 is one of the most interesting questions the IB has given us in a while. It asks, “Is it possible or even desirable to temporarily put aside what we already know—in the pursuit of knowledge?” It does sound philosophical, but it’s also very practical.
