The AP English Language & Composition Exam

Part I: Getting Ready for the Exam

The Week of the Exam:

 Finish last minute reviewing earlier in the week
 Think about how well prepared you are for the exam and how much fun you’re going to have with it
 Relax and do something fun for yourself the night before the exam, then get plenty of sleep
The Day of the Exam:
 Get up early enough so that you don’t get frazzled or have to rush to get ready and get to the exam site
 Sing in the shower (your family won’t mind)
 Have a good breakfast and hydrate (drink plenty of water)
 Be sure to bring a few #2 pencils and ink pens (black ink), as well as your ID to the exam site
 Get to the exam site early
 Smile and pass on good thoughts to your classmates when you get to the exam site
 Note that cell phones, cameras, and recording devices are not allowed during the exam
 Have fun on the exam! (or at least tell yourself you’re having fun—a positive attitude goes a long way)
 During the break between sections, grab a snack and get more water
 Remember you are not allowed to talk about the exam during break
 Thank the exam administrator (Mrs. Beckham) after the exam
After the Exam:
 Very Important--Do not discuss or post anything about the exam on social media (this is a sure-fire way to have your scores
cancelled)
 We are allowed to discuss the FRQs (essay prompts) two days after the exam

Part II: Taking The Exam

Section I: The Multiple Choice Questions

You will have one hour to answer fifty to fifty-five multiple choice questions based upon four or five passages from Twentieth- and
pre-Twentieth-Century nonfiction works (usually speeches, letters, essays, and/or nonfiction books). Each question will include five
possible answers (A-E), so there are four distractors and one correct response for each question. Below are ten suggestions for
approaching the multiple choice questions on the AP English Language & Composition Exam.

1) There is no one approach that works best for every test-taker. Hopefully by exam time you will have been able to
experiment with different strategies, identifying and practicing those that work best for you.
2) Annotate passages as you read. Keep in mind that most questions involve thematic, tonal, and structural concerns. Try to
recognize and note rhetorical/literary devices, instances of irony, unusual syntax, and shifts in tone.
3) Read questions and answers carefully, underlining key words and phrases.
4) Note that the test often “knows” common misreadings and may even provide a string of answers that allow for these.
5) Be aware of time. The multiple choice section generally allows for an average of about a minute per question. Since all
questions are weighted the same and many are more complicated or difficult than others, try to avoid spending too much
time on individual questions. Note these and come back if time allows.
6) Remember that there is no deduction for incorrect responses. It is advisable to answer every question. As long as time
allows, try to eliminate as many distractor answers as you can.
7) Make sure you are placing your answers with the appropriate numbers. Precious time can be lost trying to correct
misnumbered responses.
8) Pay attention to the question stems. Students generally find that question stems that include quotes or line/paragraph
numbers can be answered more quickly and easily. Stems that ask for a selection that may involve a combination of options
(I, II, and III. . . ) may take longer and seem more difficult.
9) Become familiar with test structure. Often the first and final questions for passages are summative/holistic in nature—they
may ask for overall meaning, general tone, or comprehensive structure.
10) Avoid over-analyzing questions or relying on inferences that are not grounded in the text.

Section II: The Essays

In this section of the exam you will be allowed two hours to respond to three essay prompts: Question 1—Synthesis; Question 2—
Rhetorical Analysis; and Question 3—Argument. Before you begin these responses in your essay booklet, however, you will be given
a 15-minute reading period to review the prompt and resources to be used for Question 1. While you may not write in the essay
booklets during this time allotment, you may annotate the prompt and resources. There is no required order for responding to the
three prompts, but due to the nature of the synthesis question, most AP teachers advise their students to do the Question 1 essay
first. The vast majority of students usually do this. Suggestions for each essay question are provided below.

Question 1—Synthesis (Approximately 40 minutes, plus a 15-minute reading period)

This question is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you are able to synthesize information and use the ideas and words of
others to support a thesis of your own. While you will be expected to cite at least three of the resources made available to you, the
AP Exam does not mandate a specific format.

Read and Annotate

1. Read/Review the Synthesis prompt page. Note that it usually includes the following:
a. Identifying information and the suggested time limit
b. A background paragraph that establishes context for an issue
c. A paragraph that includes general reading/writing instructions, as well as the specific directive (You will always be
instructed to read all resources and write an essay that synthesizes at least three to support your own response to
the issue provided.)
d. A final paragraph which reminds you to clearly identify (cite) each source and avoid merely summarizing them.
Most students cite sources as “Source A,” “Source B,” etc. You may cite resources parenthetically or as attributions
within your text.
e. A list of resources, with authors/creators in parentheses
2. Identify the question at issue that is implied in the prompt. Note that the prompt itself is always a directive (e.g., “Write an
essay in which you analyze . . .”). Turn this directive into its implied question and write it on the prompt page. This is the
question you should be sure to answer in your essay. Your answer will be the thesis statement that you must prove using
ideas and information from the resources provided.
3. Read and annotate each printed-word source.
a. Underline important ideas and phrases that you might use as direct quotes in your essay
b. Place notations next to underlined passages to indicate how you may use them
c. Identify how the resource may best be used to answer the question implied in the prompt (e.g., what perspective
does it take on the issue)
4. Review each illustration or graphic source.
a. Identify the message or most important information conveyed
b. Note that graphs and charts often provide important factual information, but are often under-utilized by students
c. Identify how the resource may best be used to answer the question implied in the prompt (e.g., what perspective
does it take on the issue)
5. Go back to the prompt page and do as many of the following as possible:
a. Write a thesis that clearly articulates your answer to the question implied in the prompt directive
b. Next to each source in the resource list at the bottom of the prompt page, note the point of each and/or how you
might use it in your essay
c. Briefly outline the points you want to make
d. Note how this issue is important and may have relevance in a broader context (how it is important in our lives)

Write
1. Include an introduction that establishes background and context for the issue, as well as a thesis statement that clearly
answers the question at issue.
2. Support your answer with a number of insightful points. These may be gleaned from the resources or come from your own
experience, but must be supported with appropriate reference to the resources.
3. Use direct and indirect references to at least three different resources to illustrate your points. Make sure that these
references include at least a few direct quotes of short phrases (no long quotes). It is acceptable—and most common—to
cite sources according to the letter designation of each. For example, if you use a quote or idea from the first source,
your parenthetical citation would be “(Source A).”
4. Avoid the common tendency to summarize the sources. The focus of this essay (as it indeed should be in all three essays) is
still on argument; you should use the resources provided to back up the points that will make your case.
 5. Conclude your essay without merely repeating what you have already written. The conclusion presents an opportunity to
connect the issue to a larger context and/or reflect upon the importance or value of the issue.

From a Reader’s Perspective: Some Common Problems—Question 1

 Unclear thesis
 Failure to answer question/Substitution of a simpler question
 Tendency to summarize sources, rather than use sources to make an argument
 Failure to cite three different sources
 Reliance only on paraphrase/indirect quotation
 Use of long quotes (allowing a source or sources to do the “heavy lifting”)
 Misunderstanding/misuse of sources (such as “cherry-picking” a source in such a way that its point is distorted)

Question 2—Rhetorical Analysis (Approximately 40 minutes)

This prompt directs you to analyze how an author uses rhetorical strategies to convey ideas in a relatively short (often a page or less)
non-fiction passage. The selected piece is often a page or less and may come from a speech, letter, essay, or non-fiction book.

Read and Annotate

1. Read the prompt and carefully identify the question that is implied in the prompt. Note that the prompt always takes the
form of a directive (“Write an essay in which you analyze . . .”). Underline the directive and rewrite it in the form of a
question. Remember that the basic question is always “How does [this author] use rhetorical/literary strategies to convey
meaning?” Your specific answer to this question will be the thesis of your essay.
2. Read the passage to determine meaning and explore how it is conveyed. Annotate as you read. Good annotation includes
underlining important points and strategic devices you notice, then writing margin comments to identify them. As you read
and annotate, consider the following:
a. Diction e. Form/Structure
b. Syntax f. Rhetorical Devices
c. Tone g. Repeated Ideas
d. Imagery h. Paradox/Questions
Think about how each of these is significant within the text and contributes its overall tone and meaning. Look especially
for the ironic, repetitive, creative, well-crafted, and unusual.
3. Make observations about the various strategies employed by the author as you read and annotate. Think about how each
conveys meaning. Remember that it is important to notice and observe rhetorical, literary, and structural techniques used
in the passage, but you are also required to connect these strategies to overall meaning.
4. While you may be given suggestions about various elements to consider, remember that a prompt that includes the qualifier
“such as” is providing you with a possible menu of strategies to consider as you read. You may focus on these or consider
others. Whichever you select, be sure you are able to identify illustrative examples in the text and that you can connect
each to overall meaning or purpose in the piece.
5. Prompts always ask for you to analyze various techniques used by the author, so be sure to identify as many as you can, then
cull those you can use to make the best and most meaningful case in your essay. Though the prompt will not stipulate a
certain number of techniques that you must analyze, try to incorporate at least a few that you can develop well.

Write
1. Include an introduction that establishes background and context (author, genre, title, and a brief summary), as well as a
thesis statement that clearly answers the question at issue. Your thesis should specifically identify the strategies the author
uses to convey meaning.
2. Support your answer with a number of insightful points in the body paragraphs. Two of the more common approaches
involve analyzing a different strategy or approach in each paragraph, or working through an analysis of the passage from
beginning to end. Regardless of the approach you take, be sure your paragraphs are layered with assertion, example, and
analysis.
3. Use direct and indirect references to the text to illustrate your points. Make sure that these references include at least a few
direct quotes of short phrases (no long quotes).
4. Avoid the common tendency to merely summarize the passage. The focus of this essay (as it indeed should be in all three
essays) is still on argument; you should use references to the text to back up the points you make about what the author is
doing in the passage.
 5. Conclude your essay without merely repeating what you have already written. The conclusion presents an opportunity to
connect the author’s point in the passage to a larger context.

From a Reader’s Perspective: Some Common Problems—Question 2

 Unclear thesis
 Tendency to summarize the passage, rather than analyze how the author uses rhetorical strategies to make a point
 Analysis based only on rhetorical appeals (E,L,P)
 Misuse of rhetorical terminology (don’t use a term if you are unsure…describe instead)
 Reliance only on paraphrase/indirect quotation

Question 3—Argument (Approximately 40 minutes)

In this prompt you will be instructed to write an essay in which you use information from your own experience to support your
opinion about an issue provided. The issue is often presented in the form of a quotation or a description of its context. You will likely
be asked to defend, refute, or qualify your opinion using supporting evidence from your reading, personal experience, and awareness
of current and/or historical events.

Read and Annotate

1. Read the prompt and carefully identify the question that is implied in the prompt. Note that the prompt always takes the
form of a directive (“Write an essay in which you . . .”). Underline the directive and rewrite it in the form of a question. Your
specific answer to this question will be the thesis of your essay. Often you may be given one or more quotations, or a short
passage that expresses an opinion, then asked to write an essay in which you respond by agreeing or disagreeing with the
idea(s) expressed. You may also qualify your response by setting parameters for your agreement. Regardless of the
direction of your response, you will be instructed to support it with appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or
observations.
2. If asked to respond to the ideas of others, take note of the points expressed, underlining them and providing commentary
about how you feel about these ideas.
3. Once you have considered the issue from as many angles as you can, write an answer to the question you distilled from the
prompt.
4. Make a list of possible evidence you might use. Consider relevant and appropriate examples from:
a. Your experiences at school, home, or in your c. Current events
travels d. History
b. Your reading e. Hypotheticals
5. If you have time, briefly outline points you may use to make your case, along with supporting examples for each point.

Write
1. Include an introduction that establishes background and context for the issue. Your thesis should specifically answer the
question at issue.
2. Develop your answer with a number of insightful points in the body paragraphs. Be sure to support each point with
examples that you explain and connect. Be sure layer your paragraphs with assertion, example, and analysis.
3. Use examples that are thoughtful and relevant. Generally, references to nonfiction and real-life events and situations are
perceived to lead to more persuasive arguments. Allusion solely to literary works tends to be regarded as less persuasive.
Always make sure that examples are appropriate to the subject (e.g., You wouldn’t want to compare the loss of a personal
item or pet to the loss of human life.).
4. Avoid the common tendency to merely summarize response material provided. The focus of this essay is on building an
argument for your own opinion about the question at issue.

From a Reader’s Perspective: Some Common Problems—Question 3

 Unclear thesis
 Failure to answer question/Substitution of a simpler question
 Tendency to summarize the response materials
 Reliance solely on evidence from your reading of fiction
 Inadequate supporting examples
 Inappropriate supporting examples