AP English Language and Composition

Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition is an AP course and exam that requires a lot of writing and analyzing. If you hate writing do NOT take this class! It's basically reading, analyzing, and writing speeches.

The English AP's are very special because they actually test a student's natural ability in that subject. It's not at all like biology or chemistry where if you don't know the material, you can't answer the question.

That being said, knowing what's on the exam gives one a HUGE advantage, as well as practicing the specific essay styles.

Multiple choice suggestions: the Princeton Review has a nice review book, but the actual exam is like the old style SAT and ACT reading, just at a slightly higher level and with some MLA formatting questions. If you're good at the SAT and ACT reading style questions, you'll be fine. If not…try practicing but it really is a question of comprehension skills, specifically for non-fiction text.

Free response suggestions: It's important in all of the essays to go back to the prompt in each paragraph.

#1 Synthesis essay: Do your own essay plan then look at the sources, readers will give you a low score if you are source heavy. The essay should be your own with a few citations (one per paragraph or so) to back up certain parts of your original argument. Incorporate your own rhetorical strategies, imagine it's a speech!

#2 Rhetoric analysis: Read the prompt carefully for it changes (look at the year), section the essay by tone change/rhetorical strategies or argument change. Write the essay in chronological order, about one section per paragraph. Usually the essays have important messages at the end (last quarter of the essay) that if included usually boost your analysis.

#3: Free response: Use as many real word examples, maybe a fictional example for every two/three real examples. Avoid hypotheticals!

Try to practice the MC and FRQ. Find your weak spot and work on that (mine was planning FRQ#3, I couldn't think of examples so my teacher recommended just doing the planning for five different essays-it worked!).

At the end of the day...it's English. If you're good at it you're pretty much good for the exam.