ap essay times

This site uses various technologies, as described in our Privacy Policy, for personalization, measuring website use/performance, and targeted advertising, which may include storing and sharing information about your site visit with third parties. By continuing to use this website you consent to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

We are experiencing sporadically slow performance in our online tools, which you may notice when working in your dashboard. Our team is fully engaged and actively working to improve your online experience. If you are experiencing a connectivity issue, we recommend you try again in 10-15 minutes. We will update this space when the issue is resolved.

Enter your email to unlock an extra $25 off an SAT or ACT program!

By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., guide to the ap english language and composition exam.

Can you apply the rhetorical triangle to a piece of writing? Are you able to argue a position? The AP ® English Language and Composition exam tests topics and skills discussed in your Advanced Placement English Language course. If you score high enough, your AP English Language score could earn you college credit!

Check out our AP English Language Guide for what you need to know about the exam:

• Exam Overview
• Sections and Question Types
• How to Prepare

What’s on the AP English Language & Composition Exam?

The College Board is very detailed in what they require your AP teacher to cover in his or her AP English Language & Composition course. The exam tests your abilities to understand how authors use rhetoric and language to convey their purpose. Students are also expected to apply these techniques to their own writing and research projects. Some of the major skills tested include the ability to:

• Identify an author’s purpose and intended audience
• Recognize rhetorical devices and strategies in an author’s work
• Demonstrate understanding of citations in research papers
• Apply these skills and techniques to their own writing
• Create and organize an argument defended with evidence and reasoning
• Plan, write, and revise cogent, well-written essays

Check out our line of AP guides  for a comprehensive content review.

AP English Language Sections & Question Types

The AP English Language & Composition exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and consists of two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free response section.

Read More: Review for the exam with our  AP English Language Crash Course 

Multiple-Choice

For AP English Language multiple-choice questions, you are presented with two Reading Passages and three Writing passages. The two Reading passages are nonfiction passages taken from all sorts of works. The idea is to get you to focus on rhetorical devices, figures of speech and intended purposes, under rigid time constraints and with material you haven’t seen before. The three Writing passages are student-produced essays. The idea is to get you to revise the essay that help the writer accomplish his or her goal.

Free Response

The AP English Language section contains three essay prompts: a synthesis essay, a rhetorical analysis essay, and an argument essay.

• Synthesis essay: You’ll be given a scenario and tasked with writing a response using at least three of six or seven short accompanying sources for support.
• Rhetorical analysis essay: Asks you to analyze the techniques an author uses, and discuss how they contribute to the author’s purpose.
• Argument essay: Presents a claim or assertion in the prompt and then asks you to argue a position based on your own knowledge, experience, or reading.

How to Interpret AP English Language Scores

AP scores are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP English Language exam, but some may grant AP credit for a 3. Each test is curved so scores vary from year to year. Here’s how AP English Lang students scored on the May 2022 test:

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP English Language content and strategy, pick the AP prep option that works best for your goals and learning style.

• AP Exams  

Explore Colleges For You

Connect with our featured colleges to find schools that both match your interests and are looking for students like you.

Career Quiz

Take our short quiz to learn which is the right career for you.

Get Started on Athletic Scholarships & Recruiting!

Join athletes who were discovered, recruited & often received scholarships after connecting with NCSA's 42,000 strong network of coaches.

Best 389 Colleges

165,000 students rate everything from their professors to their campus social scene.

SAT Prep Courses

1400+ course, act prep courses, free sat practice test & events,  1-800-2review, free digital sat prep try our self-paced plus program - for free, get a 14 day trial.

Free MCAT Practice Test

I already know my score.

MCAT Self-Paced 14-Day Free Trial

Enrollment Advisor

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 1

1-877-LEARN-30

Mon-Fri 9AM-10PM ET

Sat-Sun 9AM-8PM ET

Student Support

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 2

Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM ET

Sat-Sun 8:30AM-5PM ET

Partnerships

• Teach or Tutor for Us

College Readiness

International

Advertising

Affiliate/Other

• Enrollment Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Cigna Medical Transparency in Coverage

Register Book

Local Offices: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM

• SAT Subject Tests

Academic Subjects

• Social Studies

Find the Right College

• College Rankings
• College Advice
• Applying to College
• Financial Aid

School & District Partnerships

• Professional Development
• Advice Articles
• Private Tutoring
• Mobile Apps
• International Offices
• Work for Us
• Affiliate Program
• Partner with Us
• Advertise with Us
• International Partnerships
• Our Guarantees
• Accessibility – Canada

Privacy Policy | CA Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information | Your Opt-Out Rights | Terms of Use | Site Map

©2024 TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University

TPR Education, LLC (doing business as “The Princeton Review”) is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, a firm owned by Chinese nationals with a principal place of business in Hong Kong, China.

AP® English Language

The best ap® english language review guide for 2024.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: February 7, 2024

Navigating the AP® English Language exam is tough. That’s why we wrote this comprehensive AP® English Language study guide.

In this post, we’ll go over key questions you may have about the exam, how to study for AP® English Language, as well as what review notes and practice resources to use as you begin preparing for your exam.

Are you ready? Let’s get started.

What We Review

What’s the Format of the AP® English Language and Composition Exam?

The AP® English Language and Composition exam is broken into two sections: multiple-choice and free-response.

Students are asked to complete 23-25 reading questions focused on rhetorical analysis and 20-22 writing questions focused on making revisions related to diction, syntax, and other grammar concepts. The number of free-response questions remains the same, but they are now scored using an analytic rubric rather than a holistic rubric.

How Long is the AP® English Language and Composition Exam?

The AP® English Language and Composition exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long. Students will have 1 hour to complete the multiple-choice section (45 questions) and 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete the free-response section (3 questions).

How Many Questions Does the AP® English Language and Composition Exam Have?

Section i: multiple choice.

• 5 passages total: 2 Reading and 3 Writing
• 23–25 Reading questions
• 20–22 Writing questions

Section II: Free Response

• 1 Synthesis question
• 1 Rhetorical Analysis question
• 1 Argument question

Return to the Table of Contents

What Topics are Covered on the AP® English Language and Composition Exam? 

There are two types of AP® English Language and Composition questions: multiple-choice and free-response.

Because AP® English Language and Composition is a skills-based course, there’s no way to know what specific passages or topics might make it onto the official exam. 

However, we know exactly which skills will be assessed with which passages, so it’s best to center your studying around brushing up on those skills! The charts below will help you understand which skills you should focus on.

Note that, even though there are more writing passages, reading passages have a greater total number of questions.

Like the multiple choice section, the free response section is also skills-based. We cannot predict what specific passages you will be asked to analyze, but we do know the type of essays you will be asked to produce:

• 1 Synthesis essay: After reading 6-7 sources, students are asked to write an essay using at least 3 of the provided sources to support their thesis.
• 1 Rhetorical Analysis essay: Students read a non-fiction text and write an essay that analyzes the writer’s choices and how they contribute to the meaning and purpose of the text.
• 1 Argument essay: Students are given an open-ended topic and asked to write an evidence-based argumentative essay in response to the topic.

What do the AP® English Language and Composition Exam Questions Look Like?

Multiple choice examples.

The Course and Exam Description (CED) for AP® English Language provides 8 practice questions that address reading skills and 9 practice questions that address writing skills. 

Below, we’ll look at examples of each question type and the skills and essential knowledge they address.

Skill: 1.A Identify and describe components of the rhetorical situation: the exigence, audience, writer, purpose, context, and message. 

Essential Knowledge: RHS-1.B The exigence is the part of a rhetorical situation that inspires, stimulates, provokes, or prompts writers to create a text.

Skill: 3.A Identify and explain claims and evidence within an argument.

Essential Knowledge: CLE-1.A Writers convey their positions through one or more claims that require a defense.

Skill: 5.C Recognize and explain the use of methods of development to accomplish a purpose.

Essential Knowledge: REO-1.J When developing ideas through cause-effect, writers present a cause, assert effects or consequences of that cause, or present a series of causes and the subsequent effect(s).

Skill: 7.B Explain how writers create, combine, and place independent and dependent clauses to show relationships between and among ideas.

Essential Knowledge: STL-1.L The arrangement of clauses, phrases, and words in a sentence can emphasize ideas.

Skill: 2.A Write introductions and conclusions appropriate to the purpose and context of the rhetorical situation.

Essential Knowledge: RHS-1.I The introduction of an argument introduces the subject and/ or writer of the argument to the audience. An introduction may present the argument’s thesis. An introduction may orient, engage, and/or focus the audience by presenting quotations, intriguing statements, anecdotes, questions, statistics, data, contextualized information, or a scenario.

Skill: 4.B Write a thesis statement that requires proof or defense and that may preview the structure of the argument.

Essential Knowledge: CLE-1.I A thesis is the main, overarching claim a writer is seeking to defend or prove by using reasoning supported by evidence.

Skill: 6.A Develop a line of reasoning and commentary that explains it throughout an argument.

Essential Knowledge: REO-1.D Commentary explains the significance and relevance of evidence in relation to the line of reasoning.

Free Response Examples

The Course and Exam Description (CED) for AP® Lang also provides a sample question for each FRQ. Below, we’ll review these examples and which skills they address.

Skills: 2.A, 4.A, 4.B, 4.C, 6.A, 6.B, 6.C, 8.A, 8.B, 8.C

This prompt is long, but it’s important to notice the key task:

• Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the role, if any, that public libraries should serve in the future.

So, your response should:

• Synthesize the material from at least three sources
• Make your position on the topic clear

In a bit, we’ll have a look at the rubric and see this in action.

Rhetorical Analysis

Skills: 1.A, 2.A, 4.A, 4.B, 4.C, 6.A, 6.B, 6.C, 8.A, 8.B, 8.C

The key task in this prompt is to:

• Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Rice makes to convey her message to her audience.
• Analyze the author’s rhetorical choices
• Connect those choices to the author’s message and how it’s conveyed to the audience

We’ll also have a look at this rubric and learn how these points can be earned.

The key task here is:

• Write an essay that argues your position on Jordan’s claim that “private wants” threaten national identity.
• Use evidence to back up your position

We’ll break down this rubric in a bit.

Free Response Rubric Breakdowns

With the 2020 redesign came new rubrics for the AP® Lang essay section. Previously, essays were scored using holistic rubrics, on a scale of 0-9. Starting with the 2019 exam, students’ essays will be graded with new analytic rubrics. Each essay is worth up to 6 points.

Switching to an analytic rubric from a holistic rubric can be tricky, especially if you’ve already taken another AP® English class and are used to the holistic version. But, the best thing about an analytic rubric is that it tells you exactly what to include in your essay to earn maximum points. 

Think of the new rubrics as a How To Guide to getting a 6 on each essay. Below, we’ll spend some time breaking down each element of each rubric, but first let’s take a look at the Thesis point, which is pretty similar across all 3 essays.

Row A: Thesis

The Thesis row is all or nothing — you either earn the point or you don’t. It’s important to learn the wording of the rubric to make sure you are crafting an AP-level thesis. Note that you will not earn the point if your thesis:

• Just restates the prompt
• Summarizes the issue without also making a claim
• Doesn’t respond to the prompt

That’s all pretty straightforward, but earning the point for this category is a little more tricky than it seems at first. You will earn the point if your thesis:

• Responds to the prompt with a defensible position
• Takes a clear position that does not simply state there are pros and cons to the issue

Notice the second point above. While you may want to include a counterargument in the body of your essay (more on this later), your thesis is not the place to do so.

The purpose of presenting a counterargument is to refute it then and make your own argument stronger. Presenting the opposing argument in your thesis gets confusing for a reader and can make it seem like you aren’t holding strong in your own position, so it’s best to save that for the body of your essay.

The Additional Notes section of the rubric is also important to understand. This details what may or may not earn the thesis point. The main takeaways here are:

• Your thesis may be more than one sentence, as long as those sentences are near one another
• Your thesis doesn’t have to be in your opening paragraph
• Your sources must support your thesis, but you do not necessarily need to cite them
• Your thesis doesn’t have to outline your argument
• Your thesis statement can earn the point independent of whether or not your essay supports it on the whole

The Synthesis Rubric

As we’ve already discussed, the synthesis essay is the first of the three. You will be presented with 6-7 sources related to a given topic and asked to write an essay using at least 3 of those sources to support your thesis. 

Let’s take a look at the various elements of the rubric and how you can earn maximum points for each category.

Row B: Evidence and Commentary

The Evidence and Commentary row is a little more flexible than the Thesis row. You can earn between 0 and 4 points depending on the quality of the evidence and commentary that you provide. Note you will not earn any points if your evidence and commentary:

• Does nothing more than restate your thesis
• Repeats already given information
• References fewer than 2 of the sources
• Is just opinion without any textual evidence

The nice thing about this section is that there are lots of places you can earn points! You will earn full points if your evidence and commentary:

• Contains specific evidence from at least 3 of the sources
• Fully supports your claim and line of reasoning
• Explains how the evidence supports your claim and line of reasoning
• Pulls specific words or details from the sources that support your argument
• Supports a line of reasoning that is broken down into supporting claims, with each supporting claim supported by its own pieces of evidence

The final point in the above list is the main difference between earning full points and partial points in this section. AP-level evidence and commentary will not only support your overall claim, but will also support your supporting claims fully.

You can think of supporting claims as each individual body paragraph’s focus. If each body paragraph makes a supporting claim, and that supporting claim is bolstered by specific supporting evidence, you are much more likely to earn the full 4 points here.

The Additional Notes section of the rubric is also important to understand. This gives extra detail on what may or may not earn the thesis point. The main takeaway here is that your argument must be free of grammatical and/or mechanical errors in order to earn full points. This means that if your grammar is not solid, you can only ever earn 3 or fewer points in this section. 

If you struggle with grammar or syntax, check out Albert’s Grammar course to help build up those skills!

Row C: Sophistication

Similar to the Thesis point, the Sophistication row is also all or nothing — you either earn the point or you don’t. 

Where the Sophistication point differs from the Thesis point is that it’s a bit more difficult to understand how to earn it! The rubric states that essays that earn the point “demonstrate sophistication of thought and/or a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation.” 

In plain English, this means that you will not earn the point if your essay:

• Contains sweeping generalizations
• Only hints at other positions on the argument
• Uses complex sentences or language that doesn’t add anything to the argument

You will earn the point if your essay:

• Explores complexities or tensions between the provided sources, creating a more nuanced argument
• Acknowledges implications or limitations of your own argument through counterarguments
• Acknowledges implications or limitations of the sources’ arguments by situating them within the broader context of the argument
• Makes purposeful rhetorical choices that strengthen your argument
• Uses vivid and persuasive style

Note that you will not earn the point for this section if the items listed above are done in a single sentence or two. These elements must be present throughout your argument.

The Rhetorical Analysis Rubric

The rhetorical analysis essay is the second of the three. You will be presented with a non-fiction text and asked to write an essay that analyzes the writer’s choices and how they contribute to the meaning and purpose of the text.

• Gives information irrelevant to the prompt
• Explains how multiple rhetorical choices contribute to your understanding of the author’s argument, purpose, or message
• Pulls specific words or details from the passage that support your argument

The Additional Notes section of the rubric is also important to understand. This gives extra detail on what may or may not earn the thesis point. The main takeaways here are:

• You may address the same rhetorical choice more than once, as long you are addressing different instances of it.
• Your argument must be free of grammatical and/or mechanical errors in order to earn full points. This means that if your grammar is not solid, you can only ever earn 3 or fewer points in this section. If you struggle with grammar or syntax, check out Albert’s Grammar course to help build up those skills!

• Analyze individual rhetorical choices made by the author without also examining the relationships between the choices throughout the passage
• Oversimplify the passage
• Explains the significance of the writer’s rhetorical choices
• Explains the purpose or function of the complexities or tensions in the passage

The Argument Rubric

The argument essay is the last of the three. You will be given an open-ended topic and asked to write an evidence-based argumentative essay in response to the topic.

The final point above might be confusing at first glance. Giving your opinion is natural in an essay that literally asks for your opinion! But, the key is making sure to back up your opinion with evidence.

• Focuses on the importance of specific details to build your argument

• Explores complexities or tensions between the various elements of your argument, creating a more nuanced argument
• Acknowledges implications or limitations of your own argument through counter arguments
• Acknowledges implications or limitations of the prompt’s argument by situating it within a broader context

What Can You Bring to the AP® English Language and Composition Exam?

The College Board is rather specific about what you can and cannot bring to an AP® exam. You are at risk of having your score not count if you do not carefully follow instructions. We recommend that you carefully review these guidelines and pack your bag the night before so that you do not have any additional stress on the morning of the exam.

What You Should Bring to Your AP® English Language Exam

If you’re taking the paper AP® English Language exam in-person at school, you should bring:

• At least 2 sharpened No. 2 pencils for completing the multiple choice section
• At least 2 pens with black or blue ink only. These are used to complete certain areas of your exam booklet covers and to write your free-response questions. The College Board is very clear that pens should be black or blue ink only, so be sure to double-check!
• If you are concerned that your exam room may not have an easily visible clock, you are allowed to wear a watch as long as it does not have internet access, does not beep or make any other noise, and does not have an alarm.
• If you do not attend the school where you are taking an exam, you must bring a government issued or school issued photo ID.
• If you receive any testing accommodations , be sure that you bring your College Board SSD Accommodations Letter.

What You Should NOT Bring to Your AP® English Language Exam

If you’re taking the paper AP® English Language exam in-person at school, you should not bring:

• Electronic devices. Phones, smartwatches, tablets, and/or any other electronic devices are expressly prohibited both in the exam room and break areas.
• Books, dictionaries, highlighters, or notes
• Mechanical pencils, colored pencils, or pens that do not have black/blue ink
• Your own scratch paper
• Reference guides
• Watches that beep or have alarms
• Food or drink

This list is not exhaustive. Please check with your teacher or testing site to make sure that you are not bringing any additional prohibited items.

How to Study for AP® English Language and Composition: 7 Steps

Start with a diagnostic test. Ask your teacher if they can assign you one of our full-length practice tests as a jumping-off point. Your multiple choice will be graded for you, and you can self-score your FRQs using the College Board’s scoring guidelines. If you would prefer to take a pencil and paper test, Princeton Review or Barron’s are two reputable places to start. Be sure to record your score.

Once you’ve completed and scored your diagnostic, it’s time to put the results to work and create a study plan. 

• If you used Albert, you’ll notice that each question is labeled with the skill that it assesses. If any skills stand out as something you’re consistently getting wrong, those concepts should be a big part of your study plan.
• If you used Princeton Review, Barron’s, or another paper test, do your best to sort your incorrect answers into the skill buckets.

The tables below sort each set of skills into groups based on their Enduring Understandings and Big Ideas.

Big Idea: RHETORICAL SITUATION (RHS)

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Individuals write within a particular situation and make strategic writing choices based on that situation.

Big Idea: CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE (CLE)

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Writers make claims about subjects, rely on evidence that supports the reasoning that justifies the claim, and often acknowledge or respond to other, possibly opposing, arguments.

Big Idea: REASONING AND ORGANIZATION (REO)

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Writers guide understanding of a text’s lines of reasoning and claims through that text’s organization and integration of evidence.

Big Idea: STYLE (STL)

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: The rhetorical situation informs the strategic stylistic choices that writers make.

Once your list of practice questions is complete, check out our 5 AP® English Language and Composition Multiple Choice Study Tips for some pointers.

Now that you’ve got your multiple-choice study plan in place, it’s time to make a plan for the FRQs. You should have self-scored your essays using the College Board’s scoring guidelines . If you notice that there is one particular prompt you struggled with, use Albert’s AP® Lang FRQ prompts for more practice!

If you didn’t struggle with a particular prompt as much as you did a particular part of the rubric, try to figure out where you went wrong. Does your thesis restate the prompt instead of proposing your own position? Did you remember to provide evidence but forget to bolster it with commentary? Maybe your word choice wasn’t varied enough to earn the sophistication point. Whatever element you struggled with, have a look at our 5 AP® English Language and Composition FRQ Study Tips for some expert advice.

Once you’ve compiled your entire study plan using the link above and identified the skills you need to practice, it’s time to implement your plan! Check your calendar. How many days, weeks, or months do you have until your exam? Pace your studying according to this time frame. Pro-tip: If you only have a few weeks or days to go, prioritize the skills that you scored the lowest on. 

About halfway through your study schedule, plan to take a second diagnostic test to check your progress. You can either have your teacher assign another full-length Albert practice test or use one of the additional practice tests included in whatever AP® English Language and Composition review book you purchased. Use these results to inform the rest of your study schedule. Are there skills that you improved on or scored lower on this time? Adjust accordingly, and use our tips in the next section to guide you.

AP® English Language and Composition Review: 15 Must-Know Study Tips

Like anything else, learning to read and write at the AP® level takes time and practice. Whether this is the first AP® class you’ve taken or you’re just looking to brush up on your study skills, this list of tips will put you in a position to earn a passing score in May.

5 AP® English Language and Composition Study Tips for Home

1. Read. Read widely. Read constantly. Read everything.

There’s no substitute for reading. Reading has a number of benefits: a more impressive vocabulary, a better understanding of varied sentence structure and syntax, facility analyzing how and why authors make specific rhetorical choices. The more you read, the better equipped you will be to ace this exam.

2. Flashcards are your friend.

You will need to have a strong understanding of literary devices and rhetorical techniques, and you don’t want to waste time scrambling for definitions on exam day. Make yourself some flashcards with the most common literary devices and rhetorical techniques, and don’t forget to include grammar and punctuation there too. After all, a writer’s use of grammar and punctuation has as much impact on their prose as the words they use!

3. Take your homework assignments seriously, especially summer assignments.

Your teacher didn’t ask you to read that book for no good reason, or to write that essay just because! Summer assignments help to ensure that you are starting your school year off on the right foot. Every time that you complete a homework assignment, you are one step closer to earning a passing score on your exam. “Practice makes perfect” is a well-known phrase for a reason! 

4. Seek out extra opportunities for practice!

Many practice books are available for purchase, and sometimes you can even find e-book versions to check out from your local library. Princeton Review and Barron’s are the most popular, but tons more can be found with a simple Google search.

5. Study with your friends!

Studying alone can sometimes be monotonous, and you might not have a lot of motivation if the only person holding you accountable is you. Forming study groups with friends and classmates ensures that you are held accountable, and it never hurts to have multiple perspectives on an essay question or multiple-choice answer. Plus, it’s just plain more fun.

5 AP® English Language and Composition Multiple Choice Study Tips

1. practice answering multiple-choice questions as often as you can. .

AP® English Language and Composition multiple choice questions will fall into one of the following buckets: rhetorical situation, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style. If these categories look familiar to you, that’s because these are also the four Big Ideas outlined in the AP® Lang CED .

2. Exercise your close-reading skills. 

The true key to acing the multiple choice section of this exam is staying engaged with the passages provided to you and actively reading. Active reading looks different to different people, so find what works best for you! For some, this can mean annotating as they read the passage. For others, this can mean reading the passage more than once: the first time just to scan for important information, and the second time to gain a deeper understanding.

3. Look over the questions before reading the passage. 

This tip doesn’t work for all readers, but it can be helpful if you’re someone who gets easily distracted when reading! If you find your mind wandering when reading AP® Lang passages, knowing the questions beforehand can give your brain a purpose to focus on.

4. Use process of elimination. 

Typically, an AP® Lang multiple choice question will have one or two answer choices that can be crossed off pretty quickly. See if you can narrow yourself down to two possible answers, and then choose the best one. If this strategy isn’t working on a particularly difficult question, it’s perfectly okay to circle it, skip it, and come back to it at the end. 

5. Remember that it doesn’t hurt to guess. 

Guessing on every single question isn’t a good strategy, of course, but you are scored only on the number of correct answers you give, not the number of questions you answer.

5 AP® English Language and Composition FRQ Study Tips

1. practice answering questions from the college board’s archive of past exam questions. .

Typically, the same skills are assessed from year to year, so practicing with released exams is a great way to brush up on your analysis skills.

2. Time yourself. 

On test day, you are free to work on all three essays at your own pace so long as you finish within the 2-hour and 15-minute time frame. But, College Board directions recommend that you spend no longer than 40 minutes on each individual essay—not including the 15-minute reading period. So, while you’re practicing with the archive linked in Tip #1, be sure to have a timer handy!

3. Use the rubric! 

The best part about the AP® English Language and Composition revised rubrics and scoring guidelines is that it’s very clear what elements are needed to earn full credit for your essay. Ensure that your thesis statement is clear and defensible; you provide specific evidence and commentary that supports your thesis; and you develop a clear and compelling argument.

4. Pay attention to the task verbs used in your FRQ prompts. 

The College Board deliberately includes these to help you guide your response. Task verbs you’ll see on the exam are: analyze, argue your position, read, synthesize, and write. Further breakdown of each of these task verbs can be found at the bottom of this College Board Writing Study Skills list.

5. Know your rhetorical devices and techniques. 

While you don’t need to call out these techniques and devices by name, you do need to know their purpose and effect on the passage. For example, maybe you know that the author is deliberately understating something for effect and to draw attention to something, but you can’t remember that the term for this is litotes. As long as you can successfully show this understatement’s effect on the overall piece and connect it back to your thesis, you’ll be okay.

The AP® English Language and Composition Exam: 5 Test Day Tips to Remember

1. get everything ready to go the night before..

Nobody wants to be scrambling around the morning of the exam with a million things left to do! Make sure you have everything from our What You Should Bring list in your backpack and ready to go.

2. Make sure you know where your testing site is and how to get there, especially if you’re taking the exam someplace other than your own school. 

If you’re getting a ride from a parent or friend, be sure they know the address beforehand. If you’re taking public transit, check the schedule. Don’t get too comfortable if you are taking your exam at your own school. Be sure you know the room number! This is something small but impactful that you can do to reduce your stress the morning of your exam.

3. Be sure to eat. 

We know, every teacher tells you this, but it’s for a good reason! If you’re hungry during the exam, it might be harder for you to focus, leading to a lower score or an incomplete exam. Making sure that you’ve eaten before taking your exam eliminates one less distraction, helping you stay focused and on task.

4. Bring mints or gum with you. 

The rules say that you can’t have food or drink in the testing room, but mints and/or gum are usually allowed unless it’s against your testing site’s own rules. If you find yourself getting distracted, pop a mint in your mouth! This can help to keep you more awake and focused.

5. Breathe! Seriously, breathe. 

If you’ve followed the rest of the tips in this post, listened to your teacher, and done your homework, you’re well-prepared for this exam. Trust that you have done all you can do to prepare and don’t cram the morning of. Last-minute studying helps no one!

AP® English Language and Composition Review Notes and Practice Test Resources

Write space.

This site provides AP® Lang students and teachers with resources on rhetorical analysis, synthesis, argument, grammar support, and much much more to help guide you through the AP ® English Language and Composition exam.

How to Guide for Rhetorical Analysis Essays

This step-by-step guide will take you through writing a rhetorical analysis essay from beginning to end.

AP® English Language and Composition Survival Guide

This survival guide is a one-stop-shop for everything you need to about multiple choice questions, essay writing, rhetorical terms, and more!

Ms. Effie’s Lifesavers

If you’re a seasoned AP® English teacher, Ms. Effie (Sandra Effinger) probably needs no introduction! Ms. Effie’s Lifesavers has helped many an AP® Lang (and Lit!) teacher plan effective and thoroughly aligned lessons and assignments. Sandra was an AP® Reader for many years, so she knows her stuff. She has tons of free content on her page, as well as a Dropbox full of AP® English goodies for anyone who makes a donation via her PayPal.

AP® Study Notes

This site has some great sample essays written at the AP® level. They also have a section dedicated to rhetorical terms, which is great if you want to make flashcards for review.

Summary: The Best AP® English Language and Composition Review Guide

Remember, the structure of the AP® Lang exam is as follows:

Because AP® English Language and Composition is a skills-based course, there’s no way to know what specific passages or topics might make it onto the official exam. But, we do know exactly which skills will be assessed with which passages, so it’s best to center your studying around brushing up on those skills!

Start with a diagnostic test, either on Albert or with a pencil and paper test via Princeton Review or Barron’s . Once you’ve completed and scored your diagnostic, follow our 7 steps on how to create an AP® English Language and Composition study plan. 

Read! The more you read, the better equipped you will be to ace this exam.

Practice answering multiple choice questions on Albert and free-response questions from The College Board’s archive of past exam questions. 

Interested in a school license?​

Popular posts.

AP® Score Calculators

Simulate how different MCQ and FRQ scores translate into AP® scores

AP® Review Guides

The ultimate review guides for AP® subjects to help you plan and structure your prep.

Core Subject Review Guides

Review the most important topics in Physics and Algebra 1 .

SAT® Score Calculator

See how scores on each section impacts your overall SAT® score

ACT® Score Calculator

See how scores on each section impacts your overall ACT® score

Grammar Review Hub

Comprehensive review of grammar skills

AP® Posters

Download updated posters summarizing the main topics and structure for each AP® exam.

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

Expert's Guide to the AP Literature Exam

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you're planning to take the AP English Literature and Composition exam, you'll need to get familiar with what to expect on the test. Whether the 2023 test date of Wednesday, May 3, is near or far, I'm here to help you get serious about preparing for the exam.

In this guide, I'll go over the test's format and question types, how it's graded, best practices for preparation, and test-day tips. You'll be on your way to AP English Lit success in no time!

AP English Literature: Exam Format and Question Types

The AP Literature Exam is a three-hour exam that contains two sections in this order:

• An hour-long, 55-question multiple-choice section
• A two-hour, three-question free-response section

The exam tests your ability to analyze works and excerpts of literature and cogently communicate that analysis in essay form.

Read on for a breakdown of the two different sections and their question types.

Section I: Multiple Choice

The multiple-choice section, or Section I of the AP Literature exam, is 60 minutes long and has 55 questions. It counts for 45% of your overall exam grade .

You can expect to see five excerpts of prose and poetry. You will always get at least two prose passages (fiction or drama) and two poetry passages. In general, you will not be given the author, date, or title for these works, though occasionally the title of a poem will be given. Unusual words are also sometimes defined for you.

The date ranges of these works could fall from the 16th to the 21st century. Most works will be originally written in English, but you might occasionally see a passage in translation.

There are, generally speaking, eight kinds of questions you can expect to see on the AP English Literature and Composition exam. I'll break each of them down here and give you tips on how to identify and approach them.

"Pretty flowers carried by ladies" is not one of the question types.

The 8 Multiple-Choice Question Types on the AP Literature Exam

Without further delay, here are the eight question types you can expect to see on the AP Lit exam. All questions are taken from the sample questions on the AP Course and Exam Description .

#1: Reading Comprehension

These questions test your ability to understand what the passage is saying on a pretty basic level . They don't require you to do a lot of interpretation—you just need to know what's going on.

You can identify this question type from words and phrases such as "according to," "mentioned," "asserting," and so on. You'll succeed on these questions as long as you carefully read the text . Note that you might have to go back and reread parts to make sure you understand what the passage is saying.

#2: Inference

These questions ask you to infer something—a character or narrator's opinion, an author's intention, etc.—based on what is said in the passage . It will be something that isn't stated directly or concretely but that you can assume based on what's clearly written in the passage. You can identify these questions from words such as "infer" and "imply."

The key to these questions is to not get tripped up by the fact that you are making an inference—there will be a best answer, and it will be the choice that is best supported by what is actually found in the passage .

In many ways, inference questions are like second-level reading comprehension questions: you need to know not just what a passage says, but also what it means.

#3: Identifying and Interpreting Figurative Language

These are questions for which you have to either identify what word or phrase is figurative language or provide the meaning of a figurative phrase . You can identify these as they will either explicitly mention figurative language (or a figurative device, such as a simile or metaphor ) or include a figurative phrase in the question itself.

The meaning of figurative phrases can normally be determined by that phrase's context in the passage—what is said around it? What is the phrase referring to?

Example 1: Identifying

Example 2: Interpreting

#4: Literary Technique

These questions involve identifying why an author does what they do , from using a particular phrase to repeating certain words. Basically, what techniques is the author using to construct the passage/poem, and to what effect?

You can identify these questions by words/phrases such as "serves chiefly to," "effect," "evoke," and "in order to." A good way to approach these questions is to ask yourself: so what? Why did the author use these particular words or this particular structure?

#5: Character Analysis

These questions ask you to describe something about a character . You can spot them because they will refer directly to characters' attitudes, opinions, beliefs, or relationships with other characters .

This is, in many ways, a special kind of inference question , since you are inferring the broader personality of the character based on the evidence in a passage. Also, these crop up much more commonly for prose passages than they do for poetry ones.

#6: Overall Passage Questions

Some questions ask you to identify or describe something about the passage or poem as a whole : its purpose, tone, genre, etc. You can identify these by phrases such as "in the passage" and "as a whole."

To answer these questions, you need to think about the excerpt with a bird's-eye view . What is the overall picture created by all the tiny details?

#7: Structure

Some AP Lit questions will ask you about specific structural elements of the passage: a shift in tone, a digression, the specific form of a poem, etc . Often these questions will specify a part of the passage/poem and ask you to identify what that part is accomplishing.

Being able to identify and understand the significance of any shifts —structural, tonal, in genre, and so on—will be of key importance for these questions.

#8: Grammar/Nuts & Bolts

Very occasionally you will be asked a specific grammar question , such as what word an adjective is modifying. I'd also include in this category super-specific questions such as those that ask about the meter of a poem (e.g., iambic pentameter).

These questions are less about literary artistry and more about the fairly dry technique involved in having a fluent command of the English language .

That covers the eight question types on the multiple-choice section. Now, let's take a look at the free-response section of the AP Literature exam.

Keep track of the nuts and bolts of grammar.

Section II: Free Response

The AP Literature Free Response section is two hours long and involves three free-response essay questions , so you'll have about 40 minutes per essay. That's not a lot of time considering this section of the test counts for 55% of your overall exam grade !

Note, though, that no one will prompt you to move from essay to essay, so you can theoretically divide up the time however you want. Just be sure to leave enough time for each essay! Skipping an essay, or running out of time so you have to rush through one, can really impact your final test score.

The first two essays are literary analysis essays of specific passages, with one poem and one prose excerpt. The final essay is an analysis of a given theme in a work selected by you , the student.

Essays 1 & 2: Literary Passage Analysis

For the first two essays, you'll be presented with an excerpt and directed to analyze the excerpt for a given theme, device, or development . One of the passages will be poetry, and one will be prose. You will be provided with the author of the work, the approximate date, and some orienting information (i.e., the plot context of an excerpt from a novel).

Below are some sample questions from the 2022 Free Response Questions .

Essay 3: Thematic Analysis

For the third and final essay, you'll be asked to discuss a particular theme in a work that you select . You will be provided with a list of notable works that address the given theme below the prompt, but you can also choose to discuss any "work of literary merit."

So while you do have the power to choose which work you wish to write an essay about , the key words here are "literary merit." That means no genre fiction! Stick to safe bets like authors in the list on pages 10-11 of the old 2014 AP Lit Course Description .

(I know, I know—lots of genre fiction works do have literary merit and Shakespeare actually began as low culture, and so on and so forth. Indeed, you might find academic designations of "literary merit" elitist and problematic, but the time to rage against the literary establishment is not your AP Lit test! Save it for a really, really good college admissions essay instead .)

Here's a sample question from 2022:

As you can see, the list of works provided spans many time periods and countries : there are ancient Greek plays ( Antigone ), modern literary works (such as Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale ), Shakespeare plays ( The Tempest ), 19th-century English plays ( The Importance of Being Earnest ), etc. So you have a lot to work with!

Also note that you can choose a work of "comparable literary merit." That means you can select a work not on this list as long as it's as difficult and meaningful as the example titles you've been given. So for example, Jane Eyre or East of Eden would be great choices, but Twilight or The Hunger Games would not.

Our advice? If you're not sure what a work of "comparable literary merit" is, stick to the titles on the provided list .

You might even see something by this guy.

How Is the AP Literature Test Graded?

The multiple-choice section of the exam comprises 45% of your total exam score; the three essays, or free-response section, comprise the other 55%. Each essay, then, is worth about 18% of your grade.

As on other AP exams, your raw score will be converted to a score from 1-5 . You don't have to get every point possible to get a 5 by any means. In 2022, 16.9% of students received 5s on the AP English Literature test, the 14th highest 5 score out of the 38 different AP exams.

So, how do you calculate your raw scores?

Multiple-Choice Scoring

For the multiple-choice section, you receive 1 point for each question you answer correctly . There's no guessing penalty, so you should answer every question—but guess only after you're able to eliminate any answer you know is wrong to up your chances of choosing the right one.

Free-Response Scoring

Scoring for multiple choice is pretty straightforward; however, essay scoring is a little more complicated.

Each of your essays will receive a score from 0 to 6 based on the College Board rubric , which also includes question-specific rubrics. All the rubrics are very similar, with only minor differences between them.

Each essay rubric has three elements you'll be graded on:

• Thesis (0-1 points)
• Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)
• Sophistication (0-1 points)

We'll be looking at the current rubric for the AP Lit exam , which was released in September 2019, and what every score means for each of the three elements above:

To get a high-scoring essay in the 5-6 point range, you'll need to not only come up with an original and intriguing argument that you thoroughly support with textual evidence, but you’ll also need to stay focused, organized, and clear. And all in just 40 minutes per essay!

If getting a high score on this section sounds like a tall order, that's because it is.

Practice makes perfect!

Skill-Building for Success on the AP Literature Exam

There are several things you can do to hone your skills and best prepare for the AP Lit exam.

Read Some Books, Maybe More Than Once

One of the most important steps you can take to prepare for the AP Literature and Composition exam is to read a lot and read well . You'll be reading a wide variety of notable literary works in your AP English Literature course, but additional reading will help you further develop your analytical reading skills .

I suggest checking out this list of notable authors in the 2014 AP Lit Course Description (pages 10-11).

In addition to reading broadly, you'll want to become especially familiar with the details of four to five books with different themes so you'll be prepared to write a strong student-choice essay. You should know the plot, themes, characters, and structural details of these books inside and out.

See my AP English Literature Reading List for more guidance.

Read (and Interpret) Poetry

One thing students might not do very much on their own time but that will help a lot with AP Lit exam prep is to read poetry. Try to read poems from a lot of eras and authors to get familiar with the language.

We know that poetry can be intimidating. That's why we've put together a bunch of guides to help you crack the poetry code (so to speak). You can learn more about poetic devices —like imagery and i ambic pentameter —in our comprehensive guide. Then you can see those analytical skills in action in our expert analysis of " Do not go gentle into that good night " by Dylan Thomas.

When you think you have a grip on basic comprehension, you can then move on to close reading (see below).

Hone Your Close Reading and Analysis Skills

Your AP class will likely focus heavily on close reading and analysis of prose and poetry, but extra practice won't hurt you. Close reading is the ability to identify which techniques the author is using and why. You'll need to be able to do this both to gather evidence for original arguments on the free-response questions and to answer analytical multiple-choice questions.

Here are some helpful close reading resources for prose :

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center's guide to close reading
• Harvard College Writing Center's close reading guide
• Purdue OWL's article on steering clear of close reading "pitfalls"

And here are some for poetry :

• University of Wisconsin-Madison's poetry-reading guide
• This guide to reading poetry at Poets.org (complete with two poetry close readings)
• Our own expert analyses of famous poems, such as " Ozymandias ", and the 10 famous sonnets you should know

Learn Literary and Poetic Devices

You'll want to be familiar with literary terms so that any test questions that ask about them will make sense to you. Again, you'll probably learn most of these in class, but it doesn't hurt to brush up on them.

Here are some comprehensive lists of literary terms with definitions :

• The 31 Literary Devices You Must Know
• The 20 Poetic Devices You Must Know
• The 9 Literary Elements You'll Find In Every Story
• What Is Imagery?
• Understanding Assonance
• What Is Iambic Pentameter in Poetry?
• Simile vs Metaphor: The 1 Big Difference
• 10 Personification Examples in Poetry, Literature, and More

Practice Writing Essays

The majority of your grade on the AP English Lit exam comes from essays, so it's critical that you practice your timed essay-writing skills . You of course should use the College Board's released free-response questions to practice writing complete timed essays of each type, but you can also practice quickly outlining thorough essays that are well supported with textual evidence.

Take Practice Tests

Taking practice tests is a great way to prepare for the exam. It will help you get familiar with the exam format and overall experience . You can get sample questions from the Course and Exam Description , the College Board website , and our guide to AP English Lit practice test resources .

Be aware that the released exams don't have complete slates of free-response questions, so you might need to supplement these with released free-response questions .

Since there are three complete released exams, you can take one toward the beginning of your prep time to get familiar with the exam and set a benchmark, and one toward the end to make sure the experience is fresh in your mind and to check your progress.

Don't wander like a lonely cloud through your AP Lit prep.

AP Literature: 6 Critical Test-Day Tips

Before we wrap up, here are my six top tips for AP Lit test day:

• #1: On the multiple-choice section, it's to your advantage to answer every question. If you eliminate all the answers you know are wrong before guessing, you'll raise your chances of guessing the correct one.
• #2: Don't rely on your memory of the passage when answering multiple-choice questions (or when writing essays, for that matter). Look back at the passage!
• #3: Interact with the text : circle, mark, underline, make notes—whatever floats your boat. This will help you retain information and actively engage with the passage.
• #4: This was mentioned above, but it's critical that you know four to five books well for the student-choice essay . You'll want to know all the characters, the plot, the themes, and any major devices or motifs the author uses throughout.
• #5: Be sure to plan out your essays! Organization and focus are critical for high-scoring AP Literature essays. An outline will take you a few minutes, but it will help your writing process go much faster.
• #6: Manage your time on essays closely. One strategy is to start with the essay you think will be the easiest to write. This way you'll be able to get through it while thinking about the other two essays.

And don't forget to eat breakfast! Apron optional.

AP Literature Exam: Key Takeaways

The AP Literature exam is a three-hour test that includes an hour-long multiple-choice section based on five prose and poetry passages and with 55 questions, and a two-hour free-response section with three essays : one analyzing a poetry passage, one analyzing a prose passage, and one analyzing a work chosen by you, the student.

The multiple-choice section is worth 45% of your total score , and the free-response section is worth 55% . The three essays are each scored on a rubric of 0-6, and raw scores are converted to a final scaled score from 1 to 5.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the exam:

• Read books and be particularly familiar with four to five works for the student-choice essays
• Read poetry
• Work on your close reading and analysis skills
• Learn common literary devices
• Practice writing essays
• Take practice tests!

On test day, be sure to really look closely at all the passages and really interact with them by marking the text in a way that makes sense to you. This will help on both multiple-choice questions and the free-response essays. You should also outline your essays before you write them.

With all this in mind, you're well on your way to AP Lit success!

What's Next?

If you're taking other AP exams this year, you might be interested in our other AP resources: from the Ultimate Guide to the US History Exam , to the Ultimate AP Chemistry Study Guide , to the Best AP Psychology Study Guide , we have tons of articles on AP courses and exams for you !

Looking for practice exams? Here are some tips on how to find the best AP practice tests . We've also got comprehensive lists of practice tests for AP Psychology , AP Biology , AP Chemistry , and AP US History .

Deciding which APs to take? Take a look through the complete list of AP courses and tests , read our analysis of which AP classes are the hardest and easiest , and learn how many AP classes you should take .

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

• Words with Friends Cheat
• Wordle Solver
• Word Unscrambler
• Scrabble Dictionary
• Anagram Solver
• Wordscapes Answers

Make Our Dictionary Yours

Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get:

• Grammar and writing tips
• Fun language articles
• #WordOfTheDay and quizzes

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

We'll see you in your inbox soon.

AP Writing Tips for Successful Essays and Exams

• DESCRIPTION Student Taking a Test AP Writing Tips
• SOURCE FatCamera / E+ / Getty Images
• PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license

When you take an AP (Advanced Placement) exam, there is an essay section to assess your writing skills. Based on all the writing you've done in your AP classes so far, you probably feel ready for these essays. However, these essays can be trickier than they seem. Keep reading to find a few helpful advanced placement writing tips that can help you elevate your AP writing from good to great.

Tip #1: Identify the Question

It may seem obvious, but it's important to know what question you're answering before you get started. Follow these steps once you receive your exam:

• Read the essay prompt several times.
• Circle the important action words, such as "explain" or "defend," so you know what kind of essay you're going to write.
• Underline the important words that relate to the subject of the essay. For example, if it's an AP History exam, underline the words that are specific to that history topic.
• Rephrase the prompt as a question.

Even if there's no question mark in the writing prompt, there's a question in there! Identifying the main parts of the prompt will help you center your writing.

Tip #2: Brainstorm and Outline

Even though AP writing is timed, it's still important to create an essay outline . Take 10 minutes to plan out your essay structure, especially your body paragraphs. It may feel like a waste of your time, but it will make your AP writing process much faster and more efficient.

Tip #3: Avoid Certain Words

Readers of advanced placement tests examine word choice in their grading rubric. They're looking for how well a student uses advanced vocabulary , as well as how well they avoid using filler words in writing . Many AP students find themselves gravitating towards the following words and phrases while writing:

• in order to
• this means that
• all of a sudden
• due to the fact that

When AP students get flustered, they may find themselves leaning on these filler words in essays. If you catch yourself using these words (or overly negative words ) in your writing, try to eliminate them before test day.

Tip #4: Don't Overreach With Vocabulary

Not only is it important to avoid filler words, it's also a good idea to avoid words you don't know how to use. It's best to only use words you are confident you know the meaning of. Trying to be impressive through savvy use of words could very well end up backfiring and making you look bad as both a writer and a student. Practice your advanced vocabulary before you enter the exam.

Tip #5: Don't Start Sentences With Pronouns

Try not to begin a sentence or a paragraph with a pronoun . Be wary of beginning your sentence or paragraph with I, you, he, she, it, we, or they. To do so would be limiting in many instances. Starting sentences with pronouns tends to keep your sentences simple, leading to a tedious read with a lack of sentence variety .

Tip #6: Avoid Fragments

Make it a point to avoid the use of fragments in sentence structure. Using a sentence fragment is like conveying a half-thought in your writing. It is important to use full sentences in order to convey full thoughts. You can quickly check for sentence fragments by making sure each sentence has both a subject and a verb before you turn in your exam.

Tip #7: Keep Track of Your Time

There's nothing more stressful than being halfway through an AP exam and realizing you only have a few minutes left. To avoid this problem, put yourself on a time schedule. Since AP students have around two hours to complete an essay, a sample schedule might look like this:

• analyze writing prompt - 5 minutes
• brainstorm/outline - 10 minutes
• introduction paragraph - 15 minutes
• body paragraphs - 15 minutes each
• conclusion - 15 minutes
• proofread/edit - 10 minutes

This schedule gives you lots of time to spend a few more minutes on the sections where you may need more help. Don't get stuck in one section, as that's what can really use up your time.

Tip #8: Ask Yourself Questions

A good AP writer will always ask themself a series of questions about their work. Take time out to review your work as if you were a member of the target audience. This is where you can ask yourself if what you are saying is making sense. Continue to ask yourself questions like:

• Are my ideas connected and flowing?
• Did I convey the message that I intended?
• Is my essay easy to understand?
• Are there any obvious spelling or grammar mistakes?
• Did I answer the question?
• Do I sound knowledgeable about this topic?

Read through your essay from start to finish at least once. You can find spelling or grammar mistakes more easily this way, or you can read the essay backwards (which is a surprisingly helpful proofreading tool!) Doing this will help you ensure your writing is structured properly and will give you confidence once the exam is over.

Become an AP Writing Pro

Writing can be both refreshing and enlightening if you do it right. If you follow these advanced placement writing tips, you will find that your writing will improve in little to no time. Learn how to extend an essay that might feel too short if you find yourself with extra time during your test. You can also check out several tips for scoring well on the SATs if you've got more exams coming your way.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Associated Press Style

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Introduction

Associated Press style provides guidelines for news writing. Many newspapers, magazines and public relations offices across the United States use AP style. Although some publications such as the New York Times have developed their own style guidelines, a basic knowledge of AP style is considered essential to those who want to work in print journalism.

This Web page is intended to provide an introduction to AP style and a summary of some AP style rules; however, the Associated Press Stylebook includes more than 5,000 entries – far more than can be covered here. For a complete guide to AP style, writers should consult the most recent edition of the Associated Press Stylebook or visit the AP Stylebook website .

The content of newspapers and other mass media is typically the result of many different writers and editors working together. AP style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. Some guiding principles behind AP style are:

• Consistency

AP style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language.

Common Style Guidelines

The Associated Press Stylebook provides an A-Z guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage. What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Some widely known abbreviations are required in certain situations, while others are acceptable but not required in some contexts. For example, Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., the Rev. and Sen. are required before a person’s full name when they occur outside a direct quotation. Please note, that medical and political titles only need to be used on first reference when they appear outside of a direct quote. For courtesy titles, use these on second reference or when specifically requested. Other acronyms and abbreviations are acceptable but not required (i.e. FBI, CIA, GOP). The context should govern such decisions.

As a general rule, though, you should avoid what the Associated Press Stylebook calls “alphabet soup.” Consult the Associated Press Stylebook for specific cases.

For numbered addresses, always use figures. Abbreviate Ave., Blvd., and St. and directional cues when used with a numbered address. Always spell out other words such as alley, drive and road . If the street name or directional cue is used without a numbered address, it should be capitalized and spelled out. If a street name is a number, spell out First through Ninth and use figures for 10th and higher. Here are some examples of correctly formatted addresses: 101 N. Grant St., Northwestern Avenue, South Ninth Street, 102 S. 10th St., 605 Woodside Drive.

For ages, always use figures. If the age is used as an adjective or as a substitute for a noun, then it should be hyphenated. Don’t use apostrophes when describing an age range. Examples: A 21-year-old student. The student is 21 years old. The girl, 8, has a brother, 11. The contest is for 18-year-olds. He is in his 20s.

Books, Periodicals, Reference Works, and Other Types of Compositions

Use quotation marks around the titles of books, songs, television shows, computer games, poems, lectures, speeches and works of art. Examples: Author Porter Shreve read from his new book, “When the White House Was Ours.” They sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the game.

Do not use quotations around the names of magazine, newspapers, the Bible or books that are catalogues of reference materials. Examples: The Washington Post first reported the story. He reads the Bible every morning.

Do not underline or italicize any of the above.

Dates, Months, Years, Days of the Week

For dates and years, use figures. Do not use st, nd, rd, or th with dates, and use Arabic figures. Always capitalize months. Spell out the month unless it is used with a date. When used with a date, abbreviate only the following months: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.

Commas are not necessary if only a year and month are given, but commas should be used to set off a year if the date, month and year are given. Use the letter s but not an apostrophe after the figures when expressing decades or centuries. Do, however, use an apostrophe before figures expressing a decade if numerals are left out. Examples: Classes begin Aug. 25. Purdue University was founded May 6, 1869. The semester begins in January. The 1800s. The ’90s.

If you refer to an event that occurred the day prior to when the article will appear, do not use the word yesterday. Instead, use the day of the week. Capitalize days of the week, but do not abbreviate. If an event occurs more than seven days before or after the current date, use the month and a figure.

Newspapers use datelines when the information for a story is obtained outside the paper’s hometown or general area of service. Datelines appear at the beginning of stories and include the name of the city in all capital letters, usually followed the state or territory in which the city is located. The Associated Press Stylebook lists 30 U.S. cities that do not need to be followed by the name of a state. See states and cities below. Examples:

• DENVER – The Democratic National Convention began...
• ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Republican National Convention began...
• YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – President Bush spoke to a group...

When writing about height, weight or other dimensions, use figures and spell out words such as feet, miles, etc. Examples: She is 5-foot-3. He wrote with a 2-inch pencil.

Use figures for any distances over 10. For any distances below 10, spell out the distance. Examples: My flight covered 1,113 miles. The airport runway is three miles long.

Always use a person’s first and last name the first time they are mentioned in a story. Only use last names on second reference. Do not use courtesy titles such as Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms. unless they are part of a direct quotation or are needed to differentiate between people who have the same last name.

Never begin a sentence with a figure, except for sentences that begin with a year. Examples: Two hundred freshmen attended. Five actors took the stage. 1776 was an important year.

Use roman numerals to describe wars and to show sequences for people. Examples: World War II, Pope John Paul II, Elizabeth II.

For ordinal numbers, spell out first through ninth and use figures for 10th and above when describing order in time or location. Examples: second base, 10th in a row. Some ordinal numbers, such as those indicating political or geographic order, should use figures in all cases. Examples: 3rd District Court, 9th ward.

For cardinal numbers, consult individual entries in the Associated Press Stylebook. If no usage is specified, spell out numbers below 10 and use figures for numbers 10 and above. Example: The man had five children and 11 grandchildren.

When referring to money, use numerals. For cents or amounts of $1 million or more, spell the words cents, million, billion, trillion etc. Examples: $26.52, $100,200, $8 million, 6 cents.

Punctuation

Use a single space after a period.

Do not use commas before a conjunction in a simple series. Example: In art class, they learned that red, yellow and blue are primary colors. His brothers are Tom, Joe, Frank and Pete. However, a comma should be used before the terminal conjunction in a complex series, if part of that series also contains a conjunction. Example: Purdue University's English Department offers doctoral majors in Literature, Second Language Studies, English Language and Linguistics, and Rhetoric and Composition.

Commas and periods go within quotation marks. Example: “I did nothing wrong,” he said. She said, “Let’s go to the Purdue game.”

States and Cities

When the name of a state name appears in the body of a text, spell it out. State abbreviations should also be avoided in headlines where possible. States should be abbreviated when used as part of a short-form political affiliation. Examples: He was travelling to Nashville, Tenn. The peace accord was signed in Dayton, Ohio. The storm began in Indiana and moved west toward Peoria, Ill. Updated guidance to AP style notes that state names can also be abbreviated for the following purposes:

• Naming states in dateline text
• Naming states in photo captions
• Naming states in lists or tables
• Naming states in in editor's notes and credit lines

Here is how each state is abbreviated in AP style (with the postal code abbreviations in parentheses):

You will notice that eight states are missing from this list. That is because Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah are never abbreviated.

AP style does not require the name of a state to accompany the names of the following 30 cities:

The exact time when an event has occurred or will occur is unnecessary for most stories. Of course, there are occasions when the time of day is important. In such cases, use figures, but spell out noon and midnight . Use a colon to separate hours from minutes, but do not use :00 . Examples: 1 p.m., 3:30 a.m.

Generally, capitalize formal titles when they appear before a person’s name, but lowercase titles if they are informal, appear without a person’s name, follow a person’s name or are set off before a name by commas. Also, lowercase adjectives that designate the status of a title. If a title is long, place it after the person’s name, or set it off with commas before the person’s name. Examples: President Bush; President-elect Obama; Sen. Harry Reid; Evan Bayh, a senator from Indiana; the senior senator from Indiana, Dick Lugar; former President George H.W. Bush; Paul Schneider, deputy secretary of homeland security.

Technological Terms

Here are the correct spelling and capitalization rules for some common technological terms:

• BlackBerry, BlackBerrys
• eBay Inc. (use EBay Inc. when the word begins a sentence)
• e-book reader
• Google, Googling, Googled
• IM ( IMed, IMing ; for first reference, use instant messenger )
• iPad, iPhone, iPod (use IPad, IPhone, or IPod when the word begins a sentence)
• social media
• Twitter, tweet, tweeted, retweet
• World Wide Web, website (see the AP's tweet about the change) , Web page

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

Do you know how to improve your profile for college applications.

See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now — it only takes 3 minutes and it's 100% free.

Show me what areas I need to improve

What’s Covered:

What is the ap lang synthesis essay, how will ap scores affect my college chances.

AP English Language and Composition, commonly known as AP Lang, is one of the most engaging and popular AP classes offered at most high schools, with over 535,000 students taking the class . AP Lang tests your ability to analyze written pieces, synthesize information, write rhetorical essays, and create cohesive and concrete arguments. However, the class is rather challenging as only 62% of students were able to score a three or higher on the exam. 

The AP Lang exam has two sections. The first consists of 45 multiple choice questions which need to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for around 45% of your total score. These questions ask students to analyze written pieces and answer questions related to each respective passage.  All possible answer choices can be found within the text, and no prior knowledge of literature is needed to understand the passages.

The second section contains three free-response questions to be finished in under two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score and includes the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

• The synthesis essay requires you to read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three sources.
• The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to describe how a piece of writing evokes specific meanings and symbolism.
• The argumentative essay requires you to pick a perspective of a debate and create an argument based on the evidence provided.

In this post, we will take a look at the AP Lang synthesis essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this part of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.  

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam. The exam presents 6-7 sources that are organized around a specific topic, with two of those sources purely visual, including a single quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart). The remaining 4-5 sources are text-based, containing around 500 words each. It’s recommended that students spend an hour on this essay—15 minute reading period, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes of spare time to check over work.

Each synthesis essay has a topic that all the sources will relate to. A prompt will explaining the topic and provide some background, although the topics are usually broad so you will probably know something related to the issue. It will also present a claim that students will respond to in an essay format using information from at least three of the provided sources. You will need to take a stance, either agreeing or disagreeing with the position provided in the claim. 

According to the CollegeBoard, they are looking for essays that “combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.” This means that you must state your claim on the topic and highlight relationships between several sources that support your specific position on the topic. Additionally, you’ll need to cite clear evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six points on the AP Lang exam. Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement, 0-4 based on the incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on the sophistication of thought and demonstration of complex understanding.

While this essay seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to divide the essay up into five key steps.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

As soon as the clock starts, carefully read and analyze what the prompt asks from you. It might be helpful to markup the text to identify the most critical details. You should only spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt so you have enough time to read all the sources and figure out your argument. Don’t feel like you need to immediately pick your stance on the claim right after reading the prompt. You should read the sources before you commit to your argument.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Although you are only required to use 3 of the 6-7 sources provides, make sure you read ALL of the sources. This will allow you to better understand the topic and make the most educated decision of which sources to use in your essay. Since there are a lot of sources to get through, you will need to read quickly and carefully.

Annotating will be your best friend during the reading period. Highlight and mark important concepts or lines from each passage that would be helpful in your essay. Your argument will probably begin forming in your head as you go through the passages, so you will save yourself a lot of time later on if you take a few seconds to write down notes in the margins. After you’ve finished reading a source, reflect on whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies your argument.

You will have around 13 minutes to read through all the sources, but it’s very possible you will finish earlier if you are a fast reader. Take the leftover time to start developing your thesis and organizing your thoughts into an outline so you have more time to write. 

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement 

In order to write a good thesis statement, all you have to do is decide your stance on the claim provided in the prompt and give an overview of your evidence. You essentially have three choices on how to frame your thesis statement: You can defend, challenge or qualify a claim that’s been provided by the prompt. 

• If you are defending the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct .
• If you are challenging the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is incorrect .
• If you choose to qualify the claim, your job will be to agree to a part of the claim and disagree with another part of the claim. 

A strong thesis statement will clearly state your stance without summarizing the issue or regurgitating the claim. The CollegeBoard is looking for a thesis statement that “states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue provided in the prompt.”

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Developing an outline might seem like a waste of time when you are up against the clock, but believe us, taking 5-10 minutes to outline your essay will be much more useful in the long run than jumping right into the essay.

Your outline should include your thesis statement and three main pieces of evidence that will constitute each body paragraph. Under each piece of evidence should be 2-3 details from the sources that you will use to back up your claim and some commentary on how that evidence proves your thesis.

Step 5: Write your Essay

Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline.  Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis. These sentences are critical to the overall flow of the essay and where you will be explaining how the evidence supports or undermines the claim in the prompt.

Also, when referencing your sources, write the in-text citations as follows: “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Make sure to pay attention to which source is which in order to not incorrectly cite your sources. In-text citations will impact your score on the essay and are an integral part of the process.

After you finish writing, read through your essay for any grammatical errors or mistakes before you move onto the next essay.

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

• Cite at least four sources , even though the minimum requirement is three. Remember not to plagiarize and cite everything you use in your arguments.
• Make sure to develop a solid and clear thesis . Develop a stable stance for the claim and stick with it throughout the entire paper.
• Don’t summarize the sources. The summary of the sources does not count as an argument. 
• You don’t necessarily have to agree with the sources in order to cite them. Using a source to support a counterargument is still a good use of a source.
• Cite the sources that you understand entirely . If you don’t, it could come back to bite you in the end. 
• Use small quotes , do not quote entire paragraphs. Make sure the quote does not disrupt the flow or grammar of the sentence you write. 

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

In response to our society’s increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo)

Source B (Layton)

Source C (Seltenrich)

Source D (Brown)

Source E (Rule)

Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
• Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it “[is] associated with cleanliness.” (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people’s sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

More examples can be found here at College Board.

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

How to Write the AP Lang Argument Essay (With Example)

December 14, 2023

We’d like to let you in on a little secret: no one, including us, enjoys writing timed essays. But a little practice goes a long way. If you want to head into your AP English Exam with a cool head, you’ll want to know what you’re getting into ahead of time. We can’t promise the AP Lang Argument Essay will ever feel like an island vacation, but we do have tons of hand tips and tricks (plus a sample essay!) below to help you do your best. This article will cover: 1) What is the AP Lang Argumentative Essay? 2) AP Lang Argument Rubric 3) AP Lang Argument Sample Prompt 4) AP Lang Argument Essay Example 5) AP Lang Argument Essay Example: Answer Breakdown.

What is the AP Lang Argument Essay?

The AP Lang Argument Essay is one of three essays included in the written portion of the AP English Exam. The full AP English Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long, with the first 60 minutes dedicated to multiple-choice questions. Once you complete the multiple-choice section, you move on to three equally weighted essays that ask you to synthesize, analyze, and interpret texts and develop well-reasoned arguments. The three essays include:

Synthesis essay: You’ll review various pieces of evidence and then write an essay that synthesizes (aka combines and interprets) the evidence and presents a clear argument. Read our write-up on How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay here.

Argumentative essay: You’ll take a stance on a specific topic and argue your case.

Rhetorical essay: You’ll read a provided passage, then analyze the author’s rhetorical choices and develop an argument that explains why the author made those rhetorical choices. Read our write-up on How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Essay here.

AP Lang Argument Essay Rubric

The AP Lang Argument Essay is graded on 3 rubric categories : Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . How can you make sure you cover all three bases in your essay? We’ll break down each rubric category with dos and don’ts below:

• Thesis (0-1 point)

When it comes to grading your thesis, AP Exam graders are checking off a box: you either have a clear thesis or you don’t. So, what crucial components of a thesis will get you your check mark?

• Make sure your thesis argues something . To satisfy your graders, your thesis needs to take a clear stance on the issue at hand.
• Include your thesis statement in your intro paragraph. The AP Lang Argumentative essay is just that: an essay that makes an argument, so make sure you present your argument right away at the end of your first paragraph.
• A good test to see if you have a thesis that makes an argument for your AP Lang Argumentative Essay: In your head, add the phrase “I agree/disagree that…” to the beginning of your thesis. If what follows doesn’t logically flow after that phrase (aka if what follows isn’t an agreement or disagreement), it’s likely you’re not making an argument.
• In your thesis, outline the evidence you’ll cover in your body paragraphs.

AP Lang Argument Essay Rubric (Continued)

• Avoid a thesis that merely restates the prompt.
• Avoid a thesis that summarizes the text but does not make an argument.
• Avoid a thesis that weighs the pros and cons of an issue. Your job in your thesis is to pick a side and stick with it.
• Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)

This rubric category is graded on a scale of 0-4 where 4 is the highest grade. Unlike the rhetorical and synthesis essays, the evidence you need to write your AP Lang Argument Essay is not provided to you. Rather, you’ll need to generate your own evidence and comment upon it.

What counts as evidence?

Typically, the AP Lang Argument Essay prompt asks you to reflect on a broad cultural, moral, or social issue that is open to debate. For evidence, you won’t be asked to memorize and cite statistics or facts. Rather, you’ll want to bring in real-world examples of:

• Historical events
• Current-day events from the news
• Personal anecdotes

For this essay, your graders know that you’re not able to do research to find the perfect evidence. What’s most important is that you find evidence that logically supports your argument.

What is commentary?

In this essay, it’s important to do more than just provide examples relevant evidence. After each piece of evidence you include, you’ll need to explain why it’s significant and how it connects to your main argument. The analysis you include after your evidence is commentary .

• Take a minute to brainstorm evidence that logically supports your argument. If you have to go out of your way to find the connection, it’s better to think of different evidence.
• Include multiple pieces of evidence. There is no magic number, but do make sure you incorporate more than a couple pieces of evidence that support your argument.
• Make sure you include more than one example of evidence, too. Let’s say you’re working on an essay that argues that people are always stronger together than apart. You’ve already included an example from history: during the civil rights era, protestors staged group sit-ins as a powerful form of peaceful protest. That’s just one example, and it’s hard to make a credible argument with just one piece of evidence. To fix that issue, think of additional examples from history, current events, or personal experience that are not related to the civil rights era.
• After you include each piece of evidence, explain why it’s significant and how it connects to your main argument.
• Don’t summarize or speak generally about the topic. Everything you write must be backed up with specific and relevant evidence and examples.
• Don’t let quotes speak for themselves. After every piece of evidence you include, make sure to explain and connect the evidence to your overarching argument.

AP Lang Argument Essay (Continued)

• Sophistication (0-1 point)

According to the College Board , one point can be awarded to AP Lang Argument essays that achieve a high level of sophistication. You can accomplish that in four ways:

• Crafting a nuanced argument by consistently identifying and exploring complexities or tensions.
• Articulating the implications or limitations of an argument by situating it within a broader context.
• Making effective rhetorical choices that consistently strengthen the force and impact of the student’s argument.
• Employing a style that is consistently vivid and persuasive.

In sum, this means you can earn an additional point for going above and beyond in depth, complexity of thought, or by writing an especially persuasive, clear, and well-structured essay. In order to earn this point, you’ll first need to do a good job with the fundamentals: your thesis, evidence, and commentary. Then, to earn your sophistication point, follow these tips:

• Outline your essay before you begin to ensure it flows in a clear and cohesive way.
• Include well-rounded evidence. Don’t rely entirely on personal anecdotes, for example. Incorporate examples from current events or history, as well.
• Thoroughly explain how each piece of evidence connects to your thesis in order to fully develop your argument.
• Explore broader implications. If what you’re arguing is true, what does that mean to us today? Who is impacted by this issue? What real-world issues are relevant to this core issue?
• Briefly explore the other side of the issue. Are the instances where your argument might not be true? Acknowledge the other side, then return to proving your original argument.
• Steer clear of generalizations (avoid words like “always” and “everyone”).
• Don’t choose an argument you can’t back up with relevant examples.
• Avoid complex sentences and fancy vocabulary words unless you use them often. Long, clunky sentences with imprecisely used words are hard to follow.

AP Lang Argument Sample Prompt

The sample prompt below is published online by the College Board and is a real example from the 2021 AP English Exam. The prompt provides background context, essay instructions, and the text you need to analyze.

Suggested time—40 minutes.

Many people spend long hours trying to achieve perfection in their personal or professional lives. Similarly, people often demand perfection from others, creating expectations that may be challenging to live up to. In contrast, some people think perfection is not attainable or desirable.

Write an essay that argues your position on the value of striving for perfection.

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position.
• Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

AP Lang Argument Essay Example

As the old phrase says, “Practice makes perfect.” But is perfection something that is actually attainable? Sometimes, pushing for perfection helps us achieve great things, but most often, perfectionism puts too much pressure on us and prevents us from knowing when we have done the best we can. Striving for perfection can only lead us to shortchange ourselves. Instead, we should value learning, growth, and creativity and not worry whether we are first or fifth best.

Students often feel the need to be perfect in their classes, and this can cause students to struggle or stop making an effort in class. In elementary and middle school, for example, I was very nervous about public speaking. When I had to give a speech, my voice would shake, and I would turn very red. My teachers always told me “relax!” and I got Bs on Cs on my speeches. As a result, I put more pressure on myself to do well, spending extra time making my speeches perfect and rehearsing late at night at home. But this pressure only made me more nervous, and I started getting stomach aches before speaking in public.

Once I got to high school, however, I started doing YouTube make-up tutorials with a friend. We made videos just for fun, and laughed when we made mistakes or said something silly. Only then, when I wasn’t striving to be perfect, did I get more comfortable with public speaking.

AP Lang Argumentative Essay Example (Continued)

In the world of art and business and science, perfectionism can also limit what we are able to achieve. Artists, for example, have to take risks and leave room for creativity. If artists strive for perfection, then they won’t be willing to fail at new experiments and their work will be less innovative and interesting. In business and science, many products, like penicillin for example, were discovered by accident. If the scientist who discovered penicillin mold growing on his petri dishes had gotten angry at his mistake and thrown the dishes away, he would never have discovered a medicine that is vital to us today.

Some fields do need to value perfection. We wouldn’t like it, for example, if our surgeon wasn’t striving for perfection during our operation. However, for most of us, perfectionism can limit our potential for learning and growth. Instead of trying to be perfect, we should strive to learn, innovate, and do our personal best.

AP Lang Argument Essay Example: Answer Breakdown

The sample AP Lang Argumentative Essay above has some strengths and some weaknesses. Overall, we would give this essay a 3 or a 4. Let’s break down what’s working and what could be improved:

• The essay offers a thesis that makes a clear argument that is relevant to the prompt: “Striving for perfection can only lead us to shortchange ourselves. Instead, we should value learning, growth, and creativity and not worry whether we are first or fifth best.”
• The first body paragraph provides evidence that supports the essay’s thesis. This student’s personal anecdote offers an example of a time when perfectionism led them to shortchange themselves.
• The second body paragraph provides additional evidence that supports the essay’s thesis. The example describing the discovery of penicillin offers another example of a situation in which perfectionism might have limited scientific progress.
• The writer offers commentary explaining how her examples of public speaking and penicillin illustrate that we should “value learning, growth, and creativity” over perfectionism.
• The essay follows one line of reasoning and does not stray into tangents.
• The essay is organized well with intro, body, and concluding paragraphs. Overall, it is easy to read and is free of grammar errors.

What could be improved:

• Although the second body paragraph provides one good specific example about the discovery of penicillin, the other examples it offers about art and business are only discussed generally and aren’t backed up with evidence. This paragraph would be stronger if it provided more examples. Or, if this writer couldn’t think of examples, they could have left out mentions of art and business altogether and included alternate evidence instead.
• This writer would more thoroughly support their argument if they were able to offer one more example of evidence. They could provide another personal anecdote, an example from history, or an example from current events.
• The writer briefly mentions the other side of the argument in their concluding paragraph: “Some fields do need to value perfection. We wouldn’t like it, for example, if our surgeon wasn’t striving for perfection during our operation.” Since it’s so brief a mention of the other side, it undermines the writer’s overall argument. This writer should either dedicate more time to reflecting on why even surgeons should “value learning, growth, and creativity” over perfectionism, or they should leave these sentences out.

AP Lang Argument Essay Example—More Resources

Looking for more tips to help you master your AP Lang Argumentative Essay? Brush up on 20 Rhetorical Devices High School Students Should Know and read our Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension .

If you’re ready to start studying for another part of the AP English Exam, find more expert tips in our How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis and How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Essay blog posts.

• High School Success

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

• 2-Year Colleges
• ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

AP United States History

Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.

Not a Student?

Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.

About the Course

How did the United States become THE United States? What happened to the American economy when factories went from being powered by water to powered by coal? Or how have definitions of who is, and who is not, a U.S. citizen changed over time? In AP United States History, you’ll explore and try to answer questions like these, while discussing the ways in which Americans have debated their values, practices, and traditions since even before the country’s founding.

Skills You'll Learn

Evaluating primary and secondary sources

Analyzing the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources

Putting historical developments in context and making connections between them

Coming up with a claim or thesis and explaining and supporting it in writing

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College course equivalent.

A two-semester introductory college course in U.S. history

Recommended Prerequisites

Fri, May 9, 2025

AP U.S. History Exam

This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP United States History Exam.

About the Units

The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.

Course Content

Unit 1: period 1: 1491–1607.

You’ll learn about Native American societies as well as how and why Europeans first explored, and then began to colonize, the Americas.

Topics may include:

• Native American societies before European contact
• European exploration in the New World
• The Columbian Exchange
• Labor, slavery, and caste in the Spanish colonial system
• Cultural interactions between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans

On The Exam

4%–6% of score

Unit 2: Period 2: 1607–1754

You'll study the colonies established in the New World by the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British.

• How different European colonies developed and expanded
• Transatlantic trade
• Interactions between American Indians and Europeans
• Slavery in the British colonies
• Colonial society and culture

6%–8% of score

Unit 3: Period 3: 1754–1800

You'll explore the events that led to the American Revolution and the formation of the United States and examine the early years of the republic.

• The Seven Years’ War
• The American Revolution
• The Articles of Confederation
• The creation and ratification of the Constitution
• Developing an American identity
• Immigration to and migration within America

10%–17% of score

Unit 4: Period 4: 1800–1848

You’ll examine how the young nation developed politically, culturally, and economically in this period.

• The rise of political parties
• American foreign policy
• Innovations in technology, agriculture, and business
• Debates about federal power
• The Second Great Awakening
• Reform movements
• The experience of African Americans

Unit 5: Period 5: 1844–1877

You’ll learn how the nation expanded and you’ll explore the events that led to the secession of Southern states and the Civil War.

• Manifest Destiny
• The Mexican–American War
• Attempts to resolve conflicts over the spread of slavery
• The election of 1860 and Southern secession
• The Civil War
• Reconstruction

Unit 6: Period 6: 1865–1898

You’ll examine the nation’s economic and demographic shifts in this period and their links to cultural and political changes.

• The settlement of the West
• The "New South"
• The rise of industrial capitalism
• Immigration and migration
• Debates about the role of government

Unit 7: Period 7: 1890–1945

You’ll examine America’s changing society and culture and the causes and effects of the global wars and economic meltdown of this period.

• Debates over imperialism
• The Progressive movement
• World War I
• Innovations in communications and technology in the 1920s
• The Great Depression and the New Deal
• World War II
• Postwar diplomacy

Unit 8: Period 8: 1945–1980

You’ll learn about the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States, the growth of various civil rights movements, and the economic, cultural, and political transformations of this period.

• The Cold War and the Red Scare
• America as a world power
• The Vietnam War
• The Great Society
• The African American civil rights movement
• Youth culture of the 1960s

Unit 9: Period 9: 1980–Present

You’ll learn about the advance of political conservatism, developments in science and technology, and demographic shifts that had major cultural and political consequences in this period.

• Reagan and conservatism
• The end of the Cold War
• Shifts in the economy
• Migration and immigration
• Challenges of the 21st century

Credit and Placement

Search AP Credit Policies

Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.

Course Resources

Ap classroom resources.

Once you join your AP class section online, you’ll be able to access AP Daily videos, any assignments from your teacher, and your assignment results in AP Classroom. Sign in to access them.

• Go to AP Classroom

United States History Reading Study Skills

Review these tips to help you better understand and analyze the material you’ll read in this course.

United States History Writing Study Skills

Read these suggestions for writing a good essay, such as one you’d write as a response to a document-based question or other free-response question on the exam.

AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general.

See Where AP Can Take You

AP United States History can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors

Additional Information

• AI in action
• AI in the enterprise
• Humans of AI

Words at work

• Inside Writer
• Content strategy
• Inspiration

– 12 min read

A comprehensive guide to the AP style of writing

Devon Delfino

The Associated Press Stylebook (a.k.a. AP Stylebook) is to journalists what HubSpot is to content marketers: the industry “bible.” 

For more than 50 years, journalists have turned to AP Style for everything from grammar and style rules to trusted best practices. But for content writers and content marketers who aren’t formally trained in AP style, mastering the 500-page book, which is updated annually can be a herculean undertaking.

Fortunately, the nuts and bolts of AP style can be simplified into five main categories:  numbers, dates, citations, capitalization , and headlines. By following AP guidelines for these elements, writers can enforce a sense of consistency that makes content easier to write and more pleasant to read through.

Editor’s Note: Looking for a simple way to make sure you and your team of writers are using the AP Style correctly? An AI writing platform, such as Writer’s app can ensure that your writing is consistent. Sign up for a free trial here .

What is AP style?

Associated Press (AP) style is the go-to English style and usage guide for journalism and news writing, such as magazines and newspapers. AP style dictates basic rules for grammar and punctuation, as well as specific styles for numbers, spelling, capitalization, abbreviations, acronyms, and much more.

The ins and outs of AP style can be found within the “Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law.”. While the AP style guide was originally sold as a handbook for reporters, it’s rapidly become the leading reference for the majority of public-facing communication, including websites, white papers, and press releases to reflect new additions to the English language or address common verbiage seen in the media. For instance, the latest edition included new or revised entries for digital wallets, smart devices, and the novel coronavirus. If you’re ever in doubt about acceptable word use or modern jargon, the style guide is continuously refreshed to keep up with trends.

What are the benefits of using AP style?

AP style was originally developed with print media in mind. Back in the 1950s, when the guide was first published, writing space was limited, and it was extremely costly for news outlets to correct errors. 

Today, the ease of online media outlets and blogs makes available space much less of an issue. However, that’s not to say that many of AP’s earliest benefits for journalists don’t still benefit the content marketers of today. 

For one, the continued use of AP style means that writing style is uniform across all outlets. This helps ensure that content marketing is easy to read and concise, so it can connect with a wide audience. Plus, it creates a writing style readers can come to expect and recognize, assisting in branding efforts.

Secondly, content marketers can benefit from the “inverted pyramid” approach of AP style. The most important information is presented first, in the lead or introduction. Supporting information is presented lower in the copy, and the least important details are always included last. 

Of course, this approach stems from the days where newspapers were printed with very limited space. With the “inverted pyramid” thought process, printers could simply cut off the bottom of a story if it didn’t fit in the allotted column. Today, content marketers should always present their audience with the most important information first, so if a reader leaves the page mid-way through, they’ve at least instilled the most relevant part of their message.

AP style cheat sheet 

Unless you’re prepared to invest several hours into scanning hundreds of pages in the AP style guide, it’s easier to review the most common best practices for AP style. When it comes to content marketing, best practices typically revolve around numbers, dates, citations, capitalization, and headlines.

AP style guidelines for numbers

According to AP style, content writers should spell out numbers one through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and higher. But readers be warned, there are exceptions to this rule.

Instances in which a writer should always use numerals instead of writing out numbers include:

However, there are also a few exceptions to AP style guidelines for numbers. Writers should always spell out numbers used at the beginning of a sentence, such as, “Forty students…” but years should always be written with numerals, such as, “1980 was…” 

When making a number plural, a writer should add an s but no apostrophe. This rule applies to decades as well. So, a content marketer could write that they rolled all 7s in dice or they loved music from the 90s.

AP style guidelines for dates

When it comes to dates, writers should always use a numeral without the addition of “st, nd, rd, or th.” When a month is used with a specific date, the month should be abbreviated. In other words, a writer would refer to New Year’s Day as Jan. 1 — not January 1, January 1st, or January first. 

Months that should be abbreviated when used in a full date include:

February (Feb.)

If a writer is using only a month and a year to refer to a time period, the month should be spelled out fully. There should be no comma between the month and year. For example, the second month of this year would be written as February 2020. 

If a phrase refers to a month, day, and year, the year should be separated with a comma — i.e. March 10, 1990, or Oct. 14, 1995.

For days of the week, you should always capitalize the specific day but never abbreviate it.  

In addition, if you are referring to a specific day that is more than one week away, you should also reference the month and year. 

When it comes to time, even hours do not require a colon and two zeroes at the end. For instance, “eight o’clock” in AP style is simply 8, not 8:00. To distinguish between night and day, a writer should always include “a.m.” or “p.m.” after the numeral. However, it’s best to use “midnight” or “noon” instead of 12 a.m. or 12 p.m.

AP style guidelines for citations

Most writers are familiar with MLA or APA citations used in high school and college essays. Unlike these style guides, AP style doesn’t specify page formatting and citation rules quite as harshly. However, it does provide a standardized way of referencing people, dates, and things.

When referencing people, always use the person’s first and last name upon the first mention. Only use the person’s last name on the second reference. It’s unnecessary to utilize courtesy titles, such as Miss, Ms., Mrs., or Mr., unless they’re part of a direct quote or necessary to differentiate between individuals with the same last name (i.e. Mr. and Mrs. Smith). 

Always be sure to use the word said to attribute a quote to an individual. Alternatively, writers can substitute ‘said’ for a more impactful verb, such as exclaimed, yelled, or asked. Punctuation for quotes should always remain within the quotation marks — “Like that?” you asked and “Like this,” I said.

When citing print and news articles on the first mention, writers must include:

1. The name of the author or writer

2. Title of work

3. Date of work

4. Where it was published

Once the writer fully identifies the source, including the name, title, and date of publication, it’s only necessary to identify the source by their last name upon second or later mentions. 

For books, writers must include the author and title of the book as well as the year it was published on the first mention. Upon second or later mention, only the author’s last name is necessary.

For websites, citation varies slightly in AP style. A writer should only use a website citation when citing a study or a statistic. An article on the website would simply be cited as an article.

For instance, Statista.com is loaded with statistics. To cite this source, you would identify the name of the website and briefly describe it — such as, “According to Statista.com, which collects the results of national, state and local surveys, remote work grew by 80 percent in four years.”

In content marketing, proper attribution should also include a link back to the original website source whenever possible.

AP style guidelines for capitalization

AP style incorporates what’s known as a “downstyle” for capitalization. This means that words are all lowercase unless a specific rule says to capitalize them, such as proper nouns like specific state names in the United States.

For example, when it comes to state names, if the state is used upon first reference in the description by itself, you should spell it out. 

However, if the state and city are used together, you should abbreviate the state.  For example, Tallahassee, Fla., Montgomery, Ala., Tulsa, Okla., Madison, Wis., or Little Rock, Ark. 

However, there are 8 states that should always be spelled out in full and never abbreviated, which include Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.

Some additional capitalization rules to be aware of include:

Common nouns such as river or street should be capitalized only when used as part of a proper name for a person, place, or thing, such as the Colorado River or Democratic Party.

The seasons should only be capitalized when used in a proper name, such as the Winter Olympics. Similarly, directional indicators such as east or west should all be lowercase — unless they refer to specific geographic regions or popularized names for certain regions, such as the “the Midwest.”

For the most part, job descriptions should never be capitalized. For instance, police officers, teachers, or accountants do not need to be capitalized in AP style. However, formal titles, such as Doctor Evans or President Lincoln, should be capitalized when they come directly before a name.

AP style guidelines for headlines

AP style guidelines for headlines may differ from what certain content writers or marketers are used to. Generally speaking, AP style uses title case for headlines, which means all words are capitalized except for certain short words, such as articles and short prepositions. 

In AP style, headlines capitalize the first word, proper names, or proper abbreviations, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs.

If that sounds like a lot to remember, think of it this way instead: as a general rule of thumb, any word that’s three letters or less should not be capitalized.

Words that should not be capitalized include:

• Articles (a, an, the)
• Short (fewer than 5 letters)
• Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, for)
• Prepositions (at, by, from, etc.)

AP style writing examples

Now that you’re more familiar with AP style for various aspects of content writing let’s combine a few style guidelines to demonstrate best practices.

Best practices for numbers

Do you have five minutes to discuss numbers? Yesterday, I spent $3 on a slice of pizza. Then, my 13-year-old niece asked me to order 11 pizza pies for her friends. So, I spent another $150 on pizza. I predict that by the time I’m 70-years-old, I’ll have spent $1 million on pizza!

→ Numbers less than 10 are spelled out fully.

→ Numbers greater than 10 expressed with numerals.

→ Ages, dollar, and millions are expressed with numerals.

→ When referring to a person’s age as an adjective, make sure to use hyphens.

Best practices for dates

Can you believe it’s Jan. 1 already? I’m planning for a party on Feb. 5, 2021. I’m hoping that by February 2021, there will be more venues available. The ideal time slot for the party is 1 p.m., but I could settle for noon.

→ Specific dates should be abbreviated, without the use of “st, nd, rd, or th.”

→ Time periods should use the full month and year with no comma.

→ Time should include a.m. or p.m., aside from noon and midnight.

Best practices for citations

→ Citing an article must include the author’s full name, article title, where it was published, and when.

→ Use the author’s full name on first mention and last name on secondary mention.

→ Use “said” to attribute a quote and keep punctuation within the quotation marks.

Best practices for capitalization

I traveled south down the Colorado River to reach the area of the Midwest I wanted to see. It’s a shame I missed the Winter Olympics this year. I heard Doctor Smith attended. My favorite athlete didn’t participate. They visited a doctor last fall for a bad injury.

→ Common nouns are only capitalized when used as part of a proper name

→ Directions and seasons are only capitalized when used in a proper name.

Best practices for headlines 

How to Decorate the Perfect Christmas Tree

Top Tips for Writing an Ebook from Beginning to End

Stop by the Local Farmers’ Market this Weekend

→ The first and last word in a headline should always be capitalized.

→ Short words (less than three letters) are typically lowercase.

→ Articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions are typically lowercase.

Best practices for referring to technology and social media 

It can be hard to keep up with the proper AP Style guidelines for common tech terms.

→ Use iPhone and iPad.

→ Website is one word, not two words. However, a web page is two words.

→ Hashtag is one word, along with email and smartphone. However, there should be a hyphen for the following words, such as e-book and e-reader.

→ When referring to a website in a post, reference the site’s title and not the full webpage address. For example, it is Google NOT www.Google.com

From a more concise writing style to a simplified approach to content, there are several benefits of adapting to the AP style. Fortunately, content writers and content strategists don’t need to memorize all of the ins and outs of AP style to master the basics of clearer writing. By adding the details to your style guide and using an AI writing platform, like Writer , you can incorporate these best practices seamlessly across each content asset you produce.

--> “A wide screen just makes a bad film twice as bad.” -->

May Habib CEO, Writer.com

Here’s what else you should know about Ascending.

More resources

– 11 min read

The content marketing metrics that matter — according to experts

The Writer Team

– 7 min read

Quotation marks: rules and usage in sentences

Jessica Malnik

– 10 min read

Working as a Content Strategist in Financial Services

Ashley Coolman

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election results
• Google trends
• AP & Elections
• U.S. Open Tennis
• Paralympic Games
• College football
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Boar’s Head plant linked to deadly outbreak broke food safety rules dozens of times, records show

An aerial view of the Boar’s Head processing plant that was tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak Thursday Aug. 29, 2024, in Jarratt, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

This sign marks the entrance of the Boar’s Head processing plant that was tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak Thursday Aug. 29, 2024, in Jarratt, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

This photo provided by the family in August 2024 shows Gunter “Garshon” Morgenstein of Newport News, Va., who died at the age of 88 on July 18, 2024, from a brain infection caused by listeria bacteria after eating Boar’s Head Liverwurst tied to a deadly outbreak. (Family photo via AP)

This image provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in July 2024 shows a label for Boar’s Head liverwurst. The company recalled 7 million pounds of deli meats on July 30, 2024, expanding an initial recall on July 25 after a liverwurst sample collected in Maryland tested positive for listeria. (USDA via AP)

An aerial view of the Boar’s Head processing plant Thursday Aug. 29, 2024, in Jarratt, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Aerial view of the Boar’s Head processing plant that was tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak Thursday Aug. 29, 2024, in Jarratt, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

• Copy Link copied

A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak repeatedly violated federal regulations, including instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment, newly released records show.

Government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules in the past year, including several in recent weeks, according to documents released through federal Freedom of Information Act requests.

Inspections at the plant have been suspended and it will remain closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” U.S. Agriculture Department officials said in a statement Thursday. Boar’s Head officials halted production at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant in late July.

The plant has been linked to the deaths of at least nine people and hospitalizations of about 50 others in 18 states. All were sickened with listeria after eating Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Inc. deli meats. The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of products last month after tests confirmed that listeria bacteria in Boar’s Head products were making people sick.

Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors found “heavy discolored meat buildup” and “meat overspray on walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.” They also documented flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling. One inspector detailed blood puddled on the floor and “a rancid smell in the cooler.” Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the documents showed.

“I think it is disgusting and shameful,” said Garshon Morgenstein, whose 88-year-old father, Gunter, died July 18 from a listeria infection traced to Boar’s Head liverwurst. “I’m just even more in shock that this was allowed to happen.”

The plant was inspected by Virginia officials through a partnership with the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service. When problems were found, Boar’s Head took “corrective actions in keeping with FSIS regulations,” officials said. Federal reports show no enforcement actions against Boar’s Head between January and March, the latest records available.

The documents, first reported by CBS News, didn’t contain any test results that confirmed listeria in the factory. The bacteria thrive on floors, walls and drains, in cracks and crevices and hard-to-clean parts of food processing equipment. Pests such as flies can easily spread the bacteria through a plant and the germ can survive in biofilms — thin, slimy collections of bacteria that are difficult to eradicate.

Officials with Boar’s Head did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press, but a spokesperson told CBS that the company regrets the impact of the recall and prioritizes food safety. On its website, the company said all the issues raised by government inspectors were addressed immediately.

Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, said the records raise a lot of red flags.

“It makes me wonder why additional actions weren’t taken by management of that company and the regulators,” she said.

Donald Schaffner, a Rutgers food science and safety expert who reviewed the inspection documents, said reports of condensation throughout the plant are concerning because that’s a known risk factor for listeria.

“The fact that they are having the same problems over and over again weeks apart is an indication that they really struggling to keep up with sanitation,” Schaffner said.

Listeria infections cause about 1,600 illnesses each year in the U.S. and about 260 people die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People older than 65, those who are pregnant or who have weakened immune systems are most vulnerable.

Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who has sued companies over food poisoning outbreaks, said the conditions described in the inspections reports were the worst he’s seen in three decades.

Garshon Morgenstein said his father bought Boar’s Head products because of the company’s reputation.

“For the rest of my life, I have to remember my father’s death every time I see or hear the name Boar’s Head,” he said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

The Household Chores You’re Avoiding Are Key to a Deeper Life

By Lydia Sohn

Ms. Sohn is a United Methodist minister and writer. Her book, “Here: A Spirituality of Staying in a Culture of Leaving,” is forthcoming.

In the early days of motherhood, I found myself taking an interest in the steady stream of ads and apps that promised to help my husband and me stay on top of our piling-up chores. Seemingly every household task could be subcontracted for a fee — offers to pick up, clean and fold our laundry; handymen to put together new furniture; sleep experts to sleep-train our toddler; a bevy of meal-kit purveyors, each vying for my attention with promotional postcards and sign-up bonuses.

I was becoming immersed in a self-help world of books, essays and podcasts that encouraged busy parents with full-time careers to outsource as much as they could to optimize what truly mattered to them — in my case, being really good at my job and having the maximum level of quality time with my family and friends. I no longer wanted to return home after a long day of work to cook a meal for the family (or have my husband do it either). And if outsourcing domestic labor meant having less money, it also meant doing less of what I didn’t want to do so that I could do more of what I did want to do.

We have a modern-day obsession with efficiency. Market research projects that 80 percent of dual-income households in America will use some kind of cleaning service in the coming years. And though there have been precipitous fluctuations in growth rates, share prices and usage statistics (especially during and after the pandemic), the gig economy, which includes convenience platforms like Grubhub, TaskRabbit and Instacart, has seen consistent growth in recent years.

It wasn’t until I read “The Wisdom Way of Knowing,” by Cynthia Bourgeault, an Episcopal priest, that I began to wonder if something was getting lost in our culture’s emphasis on time management. In the book, Ms. Bourgeault describes her rationale for how she organized a retreat for participants seeking to deepen their spirituality: “On Eagle Island, certainly, we could have doubled the instructional time and hired out the cooking and chores. It would have been vastly more efficient. The only problem — at least if the road maps we were following are correct — is that none of the sacred alchemy would have taken place.”

Such an idea isn’t new; it finds its roots in many ancient spiritual traditions, including the Christian tradition of the Benedictine monastic order. Indeed, it lies at the heart of the unofficial Latin motto of the Benedictines, “Ora et labora” (“pray and work”).

As Western Europe fell into political and cultural disarray during the early Middle Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire, some scholars claim that the Benedictines served as a steady but silent pillar through their devotion to “Ora et labora.” The Benedictines introduced cutting-edge agricultural methods that their neighbors were unfamiliar with, helping them to cultivate wastelands for food and welfare. And during a time when a majority of the continent was illiterate, the Benedictines promoted literacy and preserved classic manuscripts, laying the foundation for European universities. When the monks weren’t laboring in the fields or copying manuscripts, they were engaging in their regular spiritual practices of chanting, lectio divina (a contemplative method of reading the Bible) and meditation.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

AP United States Government and Politics

Review the free-response questions from the 2024 ap exam., updates for 2023-24.

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, AP U.S. Government and Politics will have an updated course framework and instructional materials.

Exam Overview

Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the  AP U.S. Government and Politics Course and Exam Description  (CED).

Encourage your students to visit the  AP U.S. Government and Politics student page  for exam information.

Tue, May 6, 2025

12 PM Local

AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam

Exam format.

The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam has consistent question types, weighting, and scoring guidelines every year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day.

Section I: Multiple Choice

55 Questions | 1 Hour 20 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score

• Individual questions (no stimulus): ~30
• Quantitative Analysis : Analysis and application of quantitative-based source material
• Qualitative Analysis : Analysis and application of text-based (primary and secondary) sources
• Visual Analysis : Analysis and application of qualitative visual information

Section II: Free Response

4 Questions | 1 Hour 40 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score

• Concept Application : Respond to a political scenario, describe and explain the effects of a political institution, behavior, or process
• Quantitative Analysis : Analyze quantitative data, identify a trend or pattern, or draw a conclusion from a visual representation and explain how it relates to a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior
• SCOTUS Comparison : Compare a nonrequired Supreme Court case with a required Supreme Court case, explaining how information from the required case is relevant to the nonrequired one
• Argument Essay : Develop an argument in the form of an essay, using evidence from required foundational documents and course concepts

Exam Questions and Scoring Information

Ap u.s. government and politics: exam questions and scoring information.

View free-response questions and scoring information from this year's exam and past exams.

Score Reporting

Ap score reports for educators.

Access your score reports.