1. Advanced Placement English Language and Composition
Exam Hints and Information

2. 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

3. 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

4. General
Style
Terms (Rhetorical)
Vocabulary

5. Reading
After 1600
No piece that has been translated
Nonfiction
General

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 5 possible answers given
Objective Section
About questions
60 minutes
5 possible answers given
1 correct, 1 distracter, 3 wrong
CHANGE! No longer a ¼ point off for wrong answer

14. 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)

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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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