Conquering the AP essay Please grab a chrome book! Learn from others’ past mistakes

Biggest issues… Repeating prompt –Don’t repeat word-for-word

Biggest Issues Wordiness –Passive voice is NOT academic –“allows the reader to see” –“conveys to the reader”

Examples of wordiness This contrast allows the reader to see shows the importance of fitting into the social class system, and shows the difficulty associated with being considered a lower class.”

Wordiness The difference in personalities between Heathcliff and Edgar’s differences are largely attributed to a difference in nurture, and this is important because it which exemplifies the idea that how a person’s social class is something that cannot be obtained on one’s own, just like where a person is born cannot be chosen.

Clues you’re wordy Passive voice “Simply” “largely” “truly” “great” “In order to” “through the use of” “reader” phrases Too many prepositions

Biggest Issues CHOOSE THE STRONGEST EVIDENCE –Be specific and give context Ex: “Catherine and Heathcliff see the Linton’s house and are envious of what is inside…”

Biggest issues Repetition –Stating the same analysis over and over and over and over and over and over –“This shows how social classes were important” …. “Social classes really affected him.” ….. “Their different castes had a profound effect.”

Getting Past the Surface Level Pre-write, pre-write, pre-write HAVE A PURPOSE IN MIND –Why is your topic important in understanding the DEEPER / more COMPLEX meaning of the work?

Biggest Issues Present tense for literature – ALWAYS –Keep literature living! –Ex. Catherine loved Heathcliff, but she chose Edgar. Better: Catherine loves Heathcliff, but she chooses Edgar.

Points off No pre-write Repeating prompt “the reader” phrases Past tense Passive voice Contractions / slang language –“buff” = masculine –“gotten” –“oddly enough” “possibly” “maybe” “kind of” “things” –Cliché statements – if you’ve heard it in a quote or seen it on pinterest/instagram… it’s cliché