Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Exam Hints and Information

AP Language and Composition Exam Given in May 3 is passing Two parts to the exam: Writing Portion 2 free response essays 1 synthesis essay 2hrs. 15 minutes to complete Multiple Choice 50-60 questions 1 Hour AP Language and Composition Exam

Rhetoric Content—message/what? Form—way it is communicated/how? General Rhetoric Content—message/what? writing Form—way it is communicated/how? Rhetorical Devices How form relates to content Analysis!!!! How it is seen by the audience Appeals

General Style Terms (Rhetorical) Vocabulary

Reading After 1600 No piece that has been translated Nonfiction General

Free Response Questions Respond to the prompt! Three prompts in two hours, 15 minutes added for reading information given—you must keep track of your own time Free Response Questions

Synthesis Prompt 1. One of the questions will be a Synthesis Essay This question will contain four to seven sources and a prompt that relates to these sources in general, at least one of these sources will be an image (e.g. photo, cartoon, graph, etc.). Students will be asked to write essays that incorporate at least three to four of the sources into argumentative. Similar to a DBQ (Differences will be explained). Synthesis Prompt

Free Response Questions 2. Rhetorical Analysis One of the questions will be a rhetorical analysis Rhetorical Strategies—style— diction, syntax, and tone Stylistic Analysis—specific words on the page—schemes and tropes Free Response Questions

Free Response Questions 3. Wild Card May be: Persuasive Argumentative (Build Your Own Argument=BYOA) Proposition, idea, thought Supports, refutes, or modifies the argument drawing on your own reading, experiences, or observations or May be: compare and contrast Really another rhetorical analysis

Strategies for Free Response and Synthesis Questions Quote the passage!!! Does not punish you for what you don’t do, but rewards you for what you do well

Free Response Strategies Answer all three questions well! Your essays are separated and read by different people so they cannot see that you did well on one and not the others. Free Response Strategies

Free Response Strategies Mark up the booklet page Introduction and conclusion—have one Make a plan and proofread!! Qualify tone, attitude, style (blunt, angry, high diction…) Practice grading on AP scale Free Response Strategies

5 possible answers given Objective Section About 50-60 questions 60 minutes 5 possible answers given 1 correct, 1 distracter, 3 wrong CHANGE! No longer a ¼ point off for wrong answer

Really only 4 to 5 types of questions! Objective Section Really only 4 to 5 types of questions! 1. Literal Questions-- Rhetorical “In line 42 what literary device is being used?” (words/phrases)

Inferential/Contextual Questions- Author’s Meaning or Purpose “In line 42 the term ‘democratic’ most clearly means…?” (whole passage) Objective Section

3. Purpose Question (global) Objective Section 3. Purpose Question (global) “Intent, goal, purpose, reason for using repetition in 2nd paragraph?” (whole passage)

Using sources and documentation—footnotes, endnotes, bibliography info Objective Section Mix and match the first three type-Main idea, Organization/structure, Rhetorical Modes Using sources and documentation—footnotes, endnotes, bibliography info

Strategies for Objective Section About 4-6 passages (maybe 10 questions per passage) guess No longer are you are penalized for wrong answers and you can’t get credit for what you don’t do! Our philosophy is ANSWER! Strategies for Objective Section

Strategies for Objective Section In general, on past exams a 50% correct on the objective section and two 5’s and one 6 can enable you to pass the exam with a score of 3. 1/3 of the students do not pass