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How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay (With Example)

November 27, 2023

Feeling intimidated by the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? We’re here to help demystify. Whether you’re cramming for the AP Lang exam right now or planning to take the test down the road, we’ve got crucial rubric information, helpful tips, and an essay example to prepare you for the big day. This post will cover 1) What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? 2) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric 3) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis: Sample Prompt 4) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example 5)AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example: Why It Works

What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

The AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis 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.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric

The AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay is graded on just 3 rubric categories: Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . At a glance, the rubric categories may seem vague, but AP exam graders are actually looking for very particular things in each category. We’ll break it down with dos and don’ts for each rubric category:

Thesis (0-1 point)

There’s nothing nebulous when it comes to grading AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay thesis. You either have one or you don’t. Including a thesis gets you one point closer to a high score and leaving it out means you miss out on one crucial point. So, what makes a thesis that counts?

• Make sure your thesis argues something about the author’s rhetorical choices. Making an argument means taking a risk and offering your own interpretation of the provided text. This is an argument that someone else might disagree with.
• A good test to see if you have a thesis that makes an argument. In your head, add the phrase “I think that…” to the beginning of your thesis. If what follows doesn’t logically flow after that phrase (aka if what follows isn’t something you and only you think), it’s likely you’re not making an argument.
• Avoid a thesis that merely restates the prompt.
• Avoid a thesis that summarizes the text but does not make an argument.

Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)

This rubric category is graded on a scale of 0-4 where 4 is the highest grade. Per the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis rubric, to get a 4, you’ll want to:

• Include lots of specific evidence from the text. There is no set golden number of quotes to include, but you’ll want to make sure you’re incorporating more than a couple pieces of evidence that support your argument about the author’s rhetorical choices.
• Make sure you include more than one type of evidence, too. Let’s say you’re working on your essay and have gathered examples of alliteration to include as supporting evidence. That’s just one type of rhetorical choice, and it’s hard to make a credible argument if you’re only looking at one type of evidence. To fix that issue, reread the text again looking for patterns in word choice and syntax, meaningful figurative language and imagery, literary devices, and other rhetorical choices, looking for additional types of evidence to support your argument.
• After you include evidence, offer your own interpretation and explain how this evidence proves the point you make in your thesis.
• Don’t summarize or speak generally about the author and the text. Everything you write must be backed up with evidence.
• Don’t let quotes speak for themselves. After every piece of evidence you include, make sure to explain your interpretation. Also, connect the evidence to your overarching argument.

Sophistication (0-1 point)

In this case, sophistication isn’t about how many fancy vocabulary words or how many semicolons you use. According to College Board , one point can be awarded to AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essays that “demonstrate sophistication of thought and/or a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation” in any of these three ways:

• Explaining the significance or relevance of the writer’s rhetorical choices.
• Explaining the purpose or function of the passage’s complexities or tensions.
• Employing a style that is consistently vivid and persuasive.

Note that you don’t have to achieve all three to earn your sophistication point. A good way to think of this rubric category is to consider it a bonus point that you can earn for going above and beyond in depth of analysis or by writing an especially persuasive, clear, and well-structured essay. In order to earn this point, you’ll need to first do a good job with your thesis, evidence, and commentary.

• Focus on nailing an argumentative thesis and multiple types of evidence. Getting these fundamentals of your essay right will set you up for achieving depth of analysis.
• Explain how each piece of evidence connects to your thesis.
• Spend a minute outlining your essay before you begin to ensure your essay flows in a clear and cohesive way.
• Steer clear of generalizations about the author or text.
• Don’t include arguments you can’t prove with evidence from the text.
• 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 Rhetorical Analysis: Sample Prompt

The sample prompt below is published online by College Board and is a real example from the 2021 AP Exam. The prompt provides background context, essay instructions, and the text you need to analyze. For sake of space, we’ve included the text as an image you can click to read. After the prompt, we provide a sample high scoring essay and then explain why this AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay example works.

Suggested time—40 minutes.

(This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)

On February 27, 2013, while in office, former president Barack Obama delivered the following address dedicating the Rosa Parks statue in the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol building. Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist who was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Obama makes to convey his message.

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer’s rhetorical choices.
• Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

In his speech delivered in 2013 at the dedication of Rosa Park’s statue, President Barack Obama acknowledges everything that Parks’ activism made possible in the United States. Telling the story of Parks’ life and achievements, Obama highlights the fact that Parks was a regular person whose actions accomplished enormous change during the civil rights era. Through the use of diction that portrays Parks as quiet and demure, long lists that emphasize the extent of her impacts, and Biblical references, Obama suggests that all of us are capable of achieving greater good, just as Parks did.

Although it might be a surprising way to start to his dedication, Obama begins his speech by telling us who Parks was not: “Rosa Parks held no elected office. She possessed no fortune” he explains in lines 1-2. Later, when he tells the story of the bus driver who threatened to have Parks arrested when she refused to get off the bus, he explains that Parks “simply replied, ‘You may do that’” (lines 22-23). Right away, he establishes that Parks was a regular person who did not hold a seat of power. Her protest on the bus was not part of a larger plan, it was a simple response. By emphasizing that Parks was not powerful, wealthy, or loud spoken, he implies that Parks’ style of activism is an everyday practice that all of us can aspire to.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example (Continued)

Even though Obama portrays Parks as a demure person whose protest came “simply” and naturally, he shows the importance of her activism through long lists of ripple effects. When Parks challenged her arrest, Obama explains, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood with her and “so did thousands of Montgomery, Alabama commuters” (lines 27-28). They began a boycott that included “teachers and laborers, clergy and domestics, through rain and cold and sweltering heat, day after day, week after week, month after month, walking miles if they had to…” (lines 28-31). In this section of the speech, Obama’s sentences grow longer and he uses lists to show that Parks’ small action impacted and inspired many others to fight for change. Further, listing out how many days, weeks, and months the boycott lasted shows how Parks’ single act of protest sparked a much longer push for change.

To further illustrate Parks’ impact, Obama incorporates Biblical references that emphasize the importance of “that single moment on the bus” (lines 57-58). In lines 33-35, Obama explains that Parks and the other protestors are “driven by a solemn determination to affirm their God-given dignity” and he also compares their victory to the fall the “ancient walls of Jericho” (line 43). By of including these Biblical references, Obama suggests that Parks’ action on the bus did more than correct personal or political wrongs; it also corrected moral and spiritual wrongs. Although Parks had no political power or fortune, she was able to restore a moral balance in our world.

Toward the end of the speech, Obama states that change happens “not mainly through the exploits of the famous and the powerful, but through the countless acts of often anonymous courage and kindness” (lines 78-81). Through carefully chosen diction that portrays her as a quiet, regular person and through lists and Biblical references that highlight the huge impacts of her action, Obama illustrates exactly this point. He wants us to see that, just like Parks, the small and meek can change the world for the better.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example: Why It Works

We would give the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay above a score of 6 out of 6 because it fully satisfies the essay’s 3 rubric categories: Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . Let’s break down what this student did:

The thesis of this essay appears in the last line of the first paragraph:

“ Through the use of diction that portrays Parks as quiet and demure, long lists that emphasize the extent of her impacts, and Biblical references, Obama suggests that all of us are capable of achieving greater good, just as Parks did .”

This student’s thesis works because they make a clear argument about Obama’s rhetorical choices. They 1) list the rhetorical choices that will be analyzed in the rest of the essay (the italicized text above) and 2) include an argument someone else might disagree with (the bolded text above).

Evidence and Commentary:

This student includes substantial evidence and commentary. Things they do right, per the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis rubric:

• They include lots of specific evidence from the text in the form of quotes.
• They incorporate 3 different types of evidence (diction, long lists, Biblical references).
• After including evidence, they offer an interpretation of what the evidence means and explain how the evidence contributes to their overarching argument (aka their thesis).

Sophistication

This essay achieves sophistication according to the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay rubric in a few key ways:

• This student provides an introduction that flows naturally into the topic their essay will discuss. Before they get to their thesis, they tell us that Obama portrays Parks as a “regular person” setting up their main argument: Obama wants all regular people to aspire to do good in the world just as Rosa Parks did.
• They organize evidence and commentary in a clear and cohesive way. Each body paragraph focuses on just one type of evidence.
• They explain how their evidence is significant. In the final sentence of each body paragraph, they draw a connection back to the overarching argument presented in the thesis.
• All their evidence supports the argument presented in their thesis. There is no extraneous evidence or misleading detail.
• They consider nuances in the text. Rather than taking the text at face value, they consider what Obama’s rhetorical choices imply and offer their own unique interpretation of those implications.
• In their final paragraph, they come full circle, reiterate their thesis, and explain what Obama’s rhetorical choices communicate to readers.
• Their sentences are clear and easy to read. There are no grammar errors or misused words.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay—More Resources

Looking for more tips to help your master your AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis 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 blog post.

Considering what other AP classes to take? Read up on the Hardest AP Classes .

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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.

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• Mar 18, 2021

Write Your Best AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay with These Expert Tips

It should come as no surprise that the AP English Language and Composition Exam requires students to do a lot of writing. In addition to the multiple choice section at the beginning of the test, the AP Lang exam includes 3 free-response prompts: a Synthesis Question, a Rhetorical Analysis, and an Argument. The second essay task, the Rhetorical Analysis, provides students with a non-fiction text and asks them to write an organized essay that analyzes how the writer’s language choices contribute to the text’s intended meaning and purpose.

If you’re reading this as a current AP Lang student, your teacher should have already taught you many of the ins and outs of a good rhetorical analysis and had you do at least a few practice rounds. The intent of this blog post is not to break down the entire process of writing a successful AP essay, but to give you a few final tips to keep in mind as you prepare for the exam. Check out these expert tips for writing your best AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay.

1. Take notes as you read the text the first time.

It’s very important to read the non-fiction text included in the prompt carefully, as it’s the basis for your essay. However, you know that the AP exam also doesn’t give you all day to do this. Make your reading process more efficient by taking notes right off the bat - not on the second reading, but the first time you lay eyes on it.

As for what kind of notes to take, I recommend making just one little note per paragraph that establishes that part’s particular purpose. This will help you stay focused and engaged with the text. In addition to this, make sure to be circling/underlining and labeling all the rhetorical devices you can find. Then you can go back and decide which ones you’d like to write about.

2. Outline before writing!!!!!

If you don’t think you have time to outline before you start writing, consider any time that you’ve tried to do a timed write without planning and then lost your focus, realized you forgot some information, or realized in the middle that you should have organized everything differently. Sound familiar? Outlining prevents all of these little crises.

I recommend just sketching out your thesis and topic sentences and writing down a couple of bullet points for the examples and commentary in the body paragraphs. As for the intro and conclusion? These you can make up as you go along, as (except for the thesis in the intro) these parts are much less important than a strong body. Which brings me to my next point...

3. Don’t agonize over a clever/impactful intro or conclusion.

I know you’ve learned that these parts of an essay are your opportunities to either be

very clever/eloquent or make some sort of emotional impact on your reader, but a

timed essay like this one is neither the time nor the place for such things. Treat the intro

as simply a vehicle for your thesis. Two or three sentences total is enough. As for the

conclusion, AP readers like to see one merely for the sake of overall structure, but if

you’re running out of time, just restate your thesis in one sentence and call it a day.

4. Include the function of the rhetorical devices you’re writing about in your thesis.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but this is among AP readers’ pet peeves when it comes to the Rhetorical Analysis. A student can write an otherwise great essay, but if the thesis just says, “The author uses X and Y,” they’re likely to lose out on the thesis point. The point of this kind of essay is not just to explain what kinds of rhetorical strategies are present, but to detail how these devices come together for the author’s specific purpose(s). Make sure to reflect that in your thesis.

5. Explain the effect that each example has on the audience.

As a related point, in your explanations of each example, make sure to write about the

specific effect the example has on the audience. Don’t just say something like “the author uses humor when they write ‘X’” and just move on to the next thing. Perhaps the author uses humor in that instance to lighten the mood and/or attempt to earn the trust of a skeptical audience. Even if the function seems obvious to you, the reader can’t know you understand the concept if you don’t show them you do.

6. Avoid relying on boring, overused signal verbs.

“Signal verbs” refer to the verbs we use when explaining what an author is doing. Too

often, students rely on the same old boring signal verbs (i.e. the author “explains, says, writes, tells us,” etc.). As easy as these words are to fall back on, they’re both boring and nonspecific. Practice using more interesting, specific verbs like “argues, emphasizes, clarifies, acknowledges,” etc. These words will elevate your style and allow you to write with more precision. For even more great signal verbs, check out this helpful page from the University of Illinois’ Center for Academic Success.

7. Study student samples.

This last tip differs from the others in that it’s not something you can do in the moment of

writing; it’s something you have to carve out separate time to do. This may sound like just another pre-exam chore, but studying student samples from past tests is helpful in so many ways. The main reason why I recommend it is so you can see how different samples are organized. As you’re probably aware, the Rhetorical Analysis is more flexible in that multiple methods of organizing information can be effective. To keep yourself from getting stuck in the same old organizational rut (or just to see how high scorers do it), take a look at past samples to analyze other students’ strengths and weaknesses. The College Board’s online collection of sample responses to AP Lang prompts can be found here .

I’d like to conclude this post with the reminder that no amount of tips will suddenly allow you to just start writing a perfect Rhetorical Analysis overnight. Getting better at writing any kind of free-response question is a process that requires lots of practice and revision. With that being said, I hope these tips help you along the way as you develop more organized, efficient ways to answer these challenging essay questions.

If you’re anxious about preparing for the AP exams this year, I encourage you to check out ThinquePrep’s edition of our annual AP review classes , taking place this April.

If you’d like a little more in-depth academic support, take a look at our academic coaching services , too.

Nina Calabretta is a college English instructor, tutor, and writer native to Orange County, CA. When she’s not writing or helping students improve their skills as readers, writers, and critical thinkers, she can be found hiking the local trails with friends and family or curled up with a good book and her cat, Betsy. She has been part of the ThinquePrep team since 2018.

With offices located in beautiful Orange County, ThinquePrep specializes in the personalized mentorship of students and their families through the entire college preparation process and beyond. With many recent changes to college admissions - standardized tests, financial aid, varied admissions processes - the educational landscape has never been more competitive or confusing. We’re here from the first summer program to the last college acceptance letter. It’s never too early to start thinking about your student’s future, so schedule your complimentary consultation today!

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How to Answer AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis FRQs

3 min read • december 14, 2021

Stephanie Kirk

Question 2: The Rhetorical Analysis FRQ

The AP Lang exam's free-response section is a writing section comprised of three essays within 2 hours and 15 minutes. The second essay is on Rhetorical Analysis, in which you look at a variety of nonfiction sources - newspaper articles, essays, letters, et cetera - and make connections between the author's rhetorical strategies and techniques, their central arguments, and their overall purpose.

Here's an overview on what you should expect and do in preparation for the AP exam!

General Information

Since the essays are 55% of your total score, it is helpful to have a plan before game day. Aim for around 40 minutes on reading this nonfiction text, creating a quick outline, and writing an essay that analyzes the author’s choices and their impact on meaning and purpose. While the exact prompt will vary, all prompt will follow this general description.

Source: For more information on the variety of FRQ 2 prompts, check out this list of past AP Lang free response questions.

Break Down the Process

Before the test.

Here at Fiveable, we recognize the essays can be tricky.  For that reason, we suggest the following process to help you earn the FIVE you want on the AP Exam.

Know what to expect.   According to the 2019-2020 Course and Exam Description,

• Learn a few key devices.   While naming devices isn’t required, it is helpful to know a few rhetorical terms so you can recognize them in the stimulus text and write about them clearly in your essay.  Learning the device also comes with knowing the effect it SHOULD have, and that means it will be easier for you in building your essay -- if you know WHAT is being done and HOW it should impact the audience, the WHY should be easy to find. We created this list of 40 rhetorical devices for AP Lang to help you out!
• Practice Rhetorical Analysis.   You are going to be doing this in class, but have you considered the rhetorical situation of songs you love?  Practice RA outside of class in places where you see it -- songs, commercials, discussion with other people.  The rhetoric of songs can be fun because you can generally look up the author’s story of the song after you have made your own prediction.
• Use the Rhetorical Precis.   The RP can be a great tool for your introduction paragraph because it offers a tool to organize the tone, purpose, and intended audience right from the start.  Next, it outlines the text, the rhetorical facilities employed, and the impact of the text as a whole.

During the Test

BAT the prompt to create your writing plan.  When writing the prompt, the College Board will give you plenty of information to jumpstart your analysis of the rhetorical situation.  Look for any background  you are given to help set the stage for the text, purpose, audience, or anything else.  Next, pay attention to the advice  you are given about what to do and how to do it.  Finally, process the task  at hand. Make sure you understand the question, including any implied sections you will need to answer to completely and correctly respond.

• Read and annotate the text.
• Clear flow with headings and subheadings.

After the Test

Don’t post anything about the content of the exam.

• Post on social media and let us know how prepared you felt.
• Celebrate your success!

FRQ #2 on Rhetorical Analysis might seem intimidating at first, but once you know your rhetorical devices, do some practice essays, and sleep tight the night before test day, you are going to be more than ready to take on the writing section of the AP Lang exam!

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AP ® Lang teachers: looking to help your students improve their rhetorical analysis essays?

Coach Hall Writes

clear, concise rhetorical analysis instruction.

5 Rhetorical Analysis Activities for AP® Lang

October 2, 2022 by Beth Hall

Let’s face it. Sometimes teaching rhetorical analysis can become monotonous. That’s why I’ve put together a list of 5 rhetorical analysis activities that will help reinforce important AP ® Lang skills without adding a ton of grading to your plate.

Rhetorical Analysis Activity 1: Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

In one of our recent teacher chats, Timm Freitas from the Garden of English and I were discussing our progression of writing assignments. We both focus on thesis statements and topic sentences before moving on to full body paragraphs and essays.

(Teachers, if you are interested in being notified about upcoming teacher chats, please sign up for my email list here. When you do, you’ll receive my 5 Tips for Teaching Rhetorical Analysis.)

Focusing on thesis statements and topic sentences helps students create a line of reasoning.

How it Works

One way I like to incorporate this skill is to give students sentence frames and have them write the thesis and topic sentences, essentially the skeleton of their essay.

When scoring the assignment, if I see a thesis or topic sentence I think is particularly strong, I will paper clip an index card to the paper and ask the student to rewrite the sentence on the index card. Then, I’ll display the sentences on my bulletin board. (Teacher tip: the Better than Paper bulletin board rolls are incredibly durable for those of us who like to/have to display student work and switch it out regularly.)

When attaching index cards to student work, I use a different color for the thesis, 1st body paragraph, and 2nd body paragraph. The color coordination helps me quickly assess which skills the class is excelling in and which skills we need to revisit. It also helps me look at the responses that don’t merit an index card so that I can determine common mistakes I want to address in the next class.

I’ve also done this activity where each student writes the sentences on one or multiple index cards. Sometimes this is to display or to do a gallery walk so students can learn from each other. Other times, it serves as a “cheat sheet” for their timed essay. (Anyone else have a teacher who let them have an index cards to use during tests? I’d rewrite my card 5 times trying to get all the info organized, and then I wouldn’t end up needed the card. Pretty sure that was my teacher’s goal.)

Having students write a defensible thesis and topic sentences is a great way to quickly assess their understanding of the text and introduce the concept of line of reasoning.

Thesis Statement and Topic Sentence Frames

When having students write a thesis statement and topic sentences, I’ve found it is helpful to provide them with sentence frames.

I generally start by giving students a few options. Doing so helps students find their voice and articulate their ideas.

Thesis statement sentence frame: In his/her TONE speech to AUDIENCE, SPEAKER, credentials, CHOICE 1 and CHOICE 2 in order to PURPOSE.

Students can modify the same sentence above in multiple ways. For example, they can move the credentials to go before the speaker’s name. They can also omit the tone and the speaker’s credentials if desired.

If the prompt asks about the message or argument, students can include that instead of purpose.

The key is to try to include rhetorically accurate verbs, even though students are allowed to include rhetorical devices on the AP Lang exam.

Here are two sentence frame options for the first topic sentence: SPEAKER begins his/her speech by -ing verb in order to… OR In order to…, SPEAKER begins his/her speech by…

For the second body paragraph, have students try to connect their main idea or acknowledge a shift.

Here are two sentence frames for the second topic sentence: Having already (refer to main idea 1,) SPEAKER (main idea 2) in order to… OR SPEAKER shifts from (main idea 1) to (main idea 2) in order to…

Looking for more rhetorical analysis sentence frames? Then check out this resource.

Rhetorical Analysis Activity 2: Line of Reasoning Chains

This rhetorical analysis activity is relatively easy, but it requires a bit more prep than the index card activity. However, it is a great way to reinforce the concept of a line of reasoning and is more interactive than a regular outline. (There’s nothing wrong with a normal outline. I assign those too.)

For this rhetorical analysis activity, you’ll need colored paper. Construction paper works fine. I happen to have an abundance of the astro brights paper , so that’s what I use.

You can adjust the instructions for the line of reasoning paper chains to make it easier or more complex. If you’re limited in paper color options, or if you want to keep the activity relatively simple, you’ll need 4 colors: thesis, topic sentences, evidence, and commentary.

I tend to encourage my students to have “layers of evidence and commentary” and more commentary than evidence, so their chain might be something like this: thesis, topic sentence 1, evidence, commentary (2), evidence, commentary (2), topic sentence 2, evidence, commentary (2), evidence, commentary (2.)

Alternate Line of Reasoning Activities

If you don’t have access to construction paper, or perhaps if you’ve already had students write an essay, another similar option would be to have students use highlighter to track their line of reasoning. Have then highlight the choices in their thesis using a different color for each choice. For example, choice 1 could be yellow, and choice 2 could be blue. Then have them use the same colors to highlight evidence and commentary that effectively proves the thesis. Encourage students to highlight phrases, not whole sentences, and have them look for synonyms or similar words, as they should not repeat their exactly phrasing from their thesis too many times throughout the essay.

You can also have students use three different colors to highlight claims, evidence, and commentary to prove their line of reasoning. This activity is better for students who are just learning the components of an essay, whereas the activity above is more for refining a line of reasoning.

For more line of reasoning activities, check out this post.

Rhetorical analysis activity 3: is it defensible.

I love using this activity for bell-work when I’m introducing (or wanting to reinforce thesis statements.)

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about this activity, as I’ve mentioned it in a couple videos and have included it in many of my rhetorical analysis lessons plans and my 9-week rhetorical analysis unit .

Here’s what I love about the Is it Defensible Thesis Statement Activity:

• I can customize it to the prompt we’re talking about it class, but it can also be done even if students haven’t read the passage.
• It can be done for all 3 FRQs; it’s not just a rhetorical analysis activity.
• It reinforces that there is a range of what makes a thesis defensible.
• It reinforces what a defensible thesis is.
• It demonstrates different styles of writing a thesis, which some students may use as a model.

Want to add this activity to your instruction? Then check out these thesis statement activities.

Rhetorical analysis activity 4: one-pagers.

There is more than one way to express learning, and one-pagers are a great way to have students focus on various elements of the text. Plus, teachers can adapt the instructions in so many ways.

When I’ve had students make one-pagers, I’ve given them colored pencils, but crayons or markers can work too.

This rhetorical analysis activity is great if your students need a “brain break.” It’s a way for them to be creative and decompress while still engaging with the text.

Have students who dislike drawing? Consider allowing them to make a digital one-pager on Canva.

Rhetorical Analysis Activity 5: Rhetorically Accurate Verb Sort

When writing a rhetorical analysis essay, students should try to incorporate rhetorically accurate verbs.

There are many good rhetorically accurate verb lists out there. Admittedly, though, they can be a bit overwhelming. There are too many words to choose from, and students are not readily familiar with some of the meanings, making it more difficult to use the words correctly.

The premise of the rhetorically accurate verb sort is simple: students work in pairs or small groups to sort the verbs into groups.

Within the groups, students should then organize the words based on their connotation.

For example, “states” is less ‘severe’ than “claims,” which is less severe than “asserts” or “contests.”

Grouping and arranging the rhetorically accurate verbs helps reinforce the meaning of these terms, so students are more inclined to vary their word choice–and use the verbs correctly–when writing an essay.

After grouping and arranging the verbs, students can them make their own rhetorically accurate verb list. You can have students indicate 5 verbs they’d like to start incorporating into essays.

For added engagement, have groups share how they arranged the verbs and why. Justifying their arrangement will continue to reinforce the verbs’ meanings.

Click here for a free rhetorically accurate verbs sorting activity resource.

Bonus tip: hexagonal thinking.

While hexagonal thinking is more commonly used for argument and synthesis, it can be used as a rhetorical analysis activity too. My students loved getting to write on these dry erase hexagons.

Check out this blog post for more info!

These 5 quick-and-easy rhetorical analysis activities are a great addition to your existing curriculum.

If you try any of these activities, let me know how it goes!

And, for more rhetorical analysis activities sent straight to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my email list! When you do, you’ll get my 5 Tips for Teaching Rhetorical Analysis.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay

AP language exams are held for numerous subjects. Students have to choose a specific subject and get higher scores. The higher the score, the higher the chance of pursuing the best 700 colleges or universities overall in the world, including the United States and Canada.

When it comes to AP English language, it involves a section called rhetorical analysis essay. This is a part of three free-response essays that have to be answered within 2 hours and 15 minutes from the overall 3 hours 15 minutes exam. 

If you are taking the AP Lang exam this year, guidance on how to answer this part will be useful. This article is specially curated to help you score the best. Read on to learn more about the AP language rhetorical analysis essay and get an idea of how to prepare for the associated exam successfully.

What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay ?

AP elaborated that the Advanced Placement is the exam conducted by the College Board in the United States of America. The exam is generally offered at the high school level and helps students to pursue higher education at the university level. The exam holds two sections: MCQs and Rhetorical Essay. MCQ sections are for 1 hour, and the rest of the time is for the essay section. The free-response essay holds three essays: rhetorical analysis essay, synthesis essay, and argumentative essay. 

• The rhetorical analysis essay in the AP Lang exam involves students having to discuss how the authors’ contribution to the passage gives a theme or meaning. 
• A synthesis essay involves students creating arguments on the passage or piece of information delivered to them.
• An argumentative essay requires students to pick a side ‘for or against ‘ for an argument or debate.

Since we are here to discuss rhetorical analysis essays in AP language, you must know the essay is added to test students’ ability to analyze and interpret the deeper meaning in the provided passage. Through rhetorical essays, the examiner examines how students connect with the author’s style of writing and syntax within 40 minutes. Some students may face challenges while dealing with this essay because it requires a better understanding of rhetorical strategies and the method to apply them.

Tips to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay AP Lang ?

Since a rhetorical essay is quite tricky in comparison to other essays, it requires certain tips for a better approach to answering. Let us explore the method of writing a rhetorical essay for the AP Lang exam that helps you score well.

• Outline Essay Prior to Writing

Not only good content but providing a readable structure is an important part of the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang . First, you must read the passage thoroughly and develop a brief outline or key points before writing the essay. This helps you write with respect to the chronology of the given passage and maintain the flow of writing.

• Understand Rhetorical Strategies

You aren’t alone in thinking about where to start writing a rhetorical essay. Many students face the same and are required to learn and implement rhetorical strategies. First, understand what rhetoric actually means. It refers to language sensibly chosen and structured for an impressive effect on the audience. This involves persuasive appeal, logical fallacies, and syntax such as anaphora, anthesis, parallelism, and so on. There is a vast range of elements that you can assess in the provided essay and develop a strong grasp with consistent practice.

• Make your Essay Well-Structured

Sometimes, students understand the rhetorical strategies but still get confused about where to initiate. It is recommended to start with an introduction that delivers the purpose of your writing. In the last introductory line, you must talk about the rhetorical strategies you will discuss in the piece. However, there are so many styles, syntax, and tones. You must be specific while listing them and then move to develop a body paragraph. 

Now, you have to collect all the rhetorical strategies you mentioned in the introduction to discuss your point of view chronologically. Be specific while discussing strategy, as only the crucial ones among them must be discussed. Never forget to cite the line from the original passage. Your write-up must maintain the flow and should include relativity among the paragraphs. End the rhetorical essay by summarising key points.

• Never Forget to Explain your Examples

Do not just state the examples or deliver statements like ‘this is an example of pathos or logos.’ It is advisable to explain the example you have listed in context to the rhetorical elements you have mentioned and how it aids the author in their viewpoint. Stay detailed yet precise while writing the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang .

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Rubric

Did you know that the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang is graded into three rubric categories? Students must pay heed to the categories, as the examiner seeks specific things in each of them. Also, learn about some dos and don’ts to score well.

When it comes to grading the thesis of the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang , there is nothing nebulous. Either you get one point, or you lose one. Thesis points help you get close to higher scores, and thus, you must be mindful of the following points.

• Developing an argument states that your interpretation leads to a risk of disagreement. Thus, your thesis statements must be in context with the author’s rhetorical choice. 
• If you create a phrase in your mind initiating with ‘I think that..’, your phrase should not go in a negative argumentative direction.
• Never provide a thesis with summaries but not an argument.
• Try not to provide the thesis with repeated prompts.

Evidence is provided to prove the argumentative context in the thesis. This rubric category is graded from 0 to 4 points. To score higher, you must follow the points below.

• You must aim to provide multiple types of evidence in your argumentative thesis.
• Each statement you provide must be backed up with evidence in context to the text or arguments about the author’s theoretical choices.
• Add more and more evidence, which must be specific.
• Examine whether your evidence is linked with your overarching argument.
• Deliver your interpretation and never rely on just quotes or phrases. 
• Steer clear of generalization for text or author
• Avoid quotes that speak for themselves. You must elaborate on the evidence you provided.
• Sophistication

According to The College Board, this category holds 0 to 1 points. The higher grading in rhetorical analysis essays indicates the delivery of the sophistication of thoughts or a complex understanding of rhetorical elements. In this, you have to mainly focus on the number of semicolons you use and not the fancy terms. Here is what you need to follow:

• Focus on delivering the right connection between the thesis and your evidence.
• Create a brief framework and then proceed with writing the essay in the right flow to stay precise and clear in your piece.
• Do not include arguments that you won’t be able to provide evidence for.
• Ignore complex or fancy words or phrases that are hard to follow.

Ways to Improve Your Rhetorical Analysis Essay AP Lang

Now that you know what a rhetorical analysis essay is and how it is developed, you must be thinking about how tricky it is to understand the passage. Many find themselves in a completely blank position when it comes to where to begin during the exam. They find the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang quite challenging to deal with and understand the author’s perspective and viewpoint. Practicing rhetorical strategies does not help if you do not have the right approach, which only comes from the field experts and their guidance.  Turito offers a platform where you get mentors to teach you all the concepts and approaches you apply in writing effective rhetorical essays in less time. Their course helps you get higher scores, which you can use to get college admission to your favorite college and country. Hey, you ambitious one, what are you waiting for? Contact us now and give your dreams a flight!

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AP® English Language

The ultimate list of ap® english language tips.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: May 9, 2022

The AP® Language and Composition exam tests your ability to not only read content, but also to analyze what you have read and draw conclusions to present in an argument. The test consists of two parts: multiple choice and free response, and it lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes. It is a long and difficult test, but with the right amount of practice, consideration of AP® English language tips, and determination, you will score a 5!

While we recommend Albert for your online prep, we also recommend that you augment your studies with AP® English Language review books. These AP® English Language tips can help you feel confident about scoring a 5 on the AP® Language and Composition exam. Let’s get started.

What We Review

How To Study for AP® English Language: 5 Tips for 4s and 5s

Before you learn how to study for the specific portions of the AP® Language exam, it’s time to learn how to study for AP® courses in general. AP® stands for Advanced Placement; meaning, the courses are designed to challenge you more so than a regular high school class. It’s safe to say that it’s nearly impossible to pass the AP® Language and Composition exam if you don’t have a grasp on how to study for a class as stimulating as an Advanced Placement course. Let’s review some general AP® English Language tips!

1. Become familiar with the style of AP® English Language questions

Before you can even begin to study for the AP® exams, you need to familiarize yourself with the overall format of the questions being asked on the exam. The test is broken into two sections: multiple-choice and free-response.

Starting with the 2021 exam, the multiple choice section will contain 45 questions broken down into 23-25 reading questions and 20-22 writing questions. The reading questions will ask you to read, analyze, and respond to nonfiction texts, while the writing questions will ask you to “read like a writer” and consider revisions to the texts.

The free-response section will contain three essay questions: one synthesis question, one rhetorical analysis question, and one argument question. The synthesis essay will have you read six-seven texts about a topic and compose an argument that relies on at least three of the sources to support your argument. The rhetorical analysis section will make you read a nonfiction text and analyze how the writer’s language choices contribute to the intended meaning and purpose of the text. Finally, the argument que requires that you create an evidence-based argument that responds to a certain prompt.

While your AP® course will familiarize you with the nature of these questions, we recommend that you check out AP® Central’s sample questions and catalog of old exams to further your understanding. We also offer a comprehensive How to Study for AP® English Language review that covers all things AP® English Lang, so check it out for tips on how to approach these questions.

2. Increase your understanding of the basic five-paragraph essay format

Since a huge component of the AP® English Language exam tests your writing abilities, you will need to come to the test with a solid understanding of how to write academic essays. One significant key to success is organization. Your essay must display some clear sense of organization if you want to score a 4 or 5.

The standard method of organization, the five-paragraph format, is likely the simplest way to go about organizing your argument. The paragraphs are ordered like this: Intro-Body-Body-Body-Conclusion. It’s a straightforward method that keeps your writing taut and cogent, and it’s the most common form we see on the test. Here’s a video that goes further into the five-paragraph essay.

3. Strengthen your critical thinking skills by making reading part of your daily schedule

A good portion of Advanced Placement courses is designed to test your ability to think, read, and write critically. Perhaps the most straightforward and simplest way to develop these vital skills is to incorporate reading into your daily schedule, and by reading, we mean material more complex than, say, Buzzfeed-style listicles.

You could go about this a few ways. For one, you could subscribe to a major editorial publication like The New York Times , The New Yorker, The Economist , or The Guardian and incorporate reading them into your daily routine.

Another way to strengthen your critical thinking skills through daily reading is to comb through a combination of smart fiction and nonfiction such as The Great Gatsby or Freakonomics . Consult our Ultimate AP® English Reading List for a comprehensive catalog of recommendations.

4. Develop your rhetorical and literary vocabulary by using online quizzes and word banks

The AP® English Language exam, of course, tests your abilities and knowledge within the fields of rhetoric, composition, and the English language, so it is imperative that you approach the test with a strong vocabulary.

One way to develop your academic vocabulary is to use online quiz programs like Quizlet (which includes tons of stuff on AP® Eng Lang) and Vocabulary.com . These will allow you to hone your vocabulary skills in an engaging and interactive way, and they also feature a variety of different memorization games such as flashcards, quizzes, and more.

We also recommend that you consult an AP® English Language vocabulary word bank. A quick Google search yields tons of results, but this handout and this one are solid places to start.

5. Form a study group

One of the most effective ways to study for any exam is to form a study group. Ideally, this group will contain members of all knowledge levels. Each person will bring something to the table—maybe you know more about symbolism than Sam, while Sam understands literary devices better than Ryan, and so on. Try and meet at a coffee shop or friend’s house either weekly or biweekly to maintain focus.  Learning other people’s viewpoints on the subjects covered on the different exams will help you approach questions from every angle.

Now that you’ve followed the previous general Advanced Placement study tips, you can focus on studying specifically for the AP® Language and Composition exam.

This part of this article will focus on the multiple-choice portion, which amounts to 45% of your overall score. So you could say that it’s pretty important.

Return to the Table of Contents

AP® English Language Multiple Choice Review: 13 Tips

1. Create a daily study routine early in the semester

The most important tip for acing any standardized exam is to develop good study habits. Start at the beginning of the semester. We know that other classes take up time, but we recommend that you set a daily alarm on your phone to remind you to study for AP® Lang. Carve out at least 30 minutes per day. The process should go on throughout the semester which will be a surefire way to remember important content at the end of the year and to build your stamina. In addition to studying classwork, we recommend that you consult an AP® English Language Guidebook or use one of our many practice modules to augment your daily studies.

2. Test yourself using practice exams

If you’re one of the many high school students who doesn’t spend most of their time studying, preparing early, and following the system of the previous study tip, we understand. Studying every single night may be a bit of a struggle. If this sounds like you, then the best option for studying for the AP® Language exam is to test yourself. Periodically throughout the semester, look up practice exams to test your comprehension of the material. We offer a variety of different practice exams , and the College Board also keeps samples of older exams to work from. We highly recommend you work through these before the exam.

3. Choose a multiple-choice strategy: read the passages first or read the questions first

Everyone knows the classic shortcut when it comes to multiple choice tests—read the questions first, then scan the passages to look for the answers. This method of approaching the exam can give you a more focused, determined approach on what to look for when reading the passage. But it can also be distracting to some.

On the other hand, you can read the passages first and then answer the questions. This is the more straightforward, perhaps more traditional way of approaching the multiple-choice section, and it works best for people who like to do things in logical, sequential ways. Work through a few practice exams, and then decide which works best for you and stick with it.

4. Read the questions thoroughly and more than once

This goes without saying. If you don’t have a good grasp on the content of the question, you’re going to get it wrong. Read the questions carefully and determine what it is asking, where in the text the answer can be found, and whether any of the choices provide a logical answer to the question.

Read the question more than once, definitely at least twice. Underline key words and phrases within the question if you find it helpful. Sometimes the answer to the questions can be complicated and rather unnerving. To avoid getting overwhelmed by this, try covering up the multiple choice answers with your hand or ignore them completely while you read just the stem of the question. Try to come up with an answer to the question before you even glance at the possible choices.

5. Reread portions of the text that are pertinent to the question

Remember that each and every question refers to the passage. Therefore, every answer can be found either within the text itself or where the text points.  When you have determined where in the passage an answer can be found, reread that portion. Dissect it thoroughly and from there, decide what the correct answer might be. Constantly return to the text, and mark it up. Highlight or underline key words or phrases, or things that stick out to you.

6. Use the process of elimination

This tip may be a little bit obvious. If you’re familiar with the subject matter of the question, it should not be hard to rule out at least one of the choices that you have determined not to be the answer. Physically mark out the answers you believe are wrong. It will help you to visually see which answers couldn’t possibly be the right one. Sometimes the writers of the test will write two answer choices that seem almost identical. However, one of them will have the slightest difference that makes it incorrect.

It might also help you to circle or underline the terms within the wrong answer choices that prove they are incorrect. If you get stumped on a similar question, you may look back onto these incorrect responses. With this information, you can deduce which answers are incorrect and which are correct.

7. Skip difficult questions and return to them later if you have time

Because the multiple-choice portion is timed, you may not have time to answer every single question if you are unsure of a few. The simplest way to clear your mind and focus on the easier questions is to skip the more difficult questions that you simply cannot answer. If you find yourself stuck on a question for more than, say, one-and-a-half minutes, then skip it, move onto the next one, and return to it after you’ve completed the questions you can answer.

Getting hung up on the more difficult questions can not only waste valuable time but also derail your focus and mess with your determination.

8. Mark-up key moments and phrases within the text

Treat the text passages like a blank canvas in which you are required to jot down your thoughts, reflections, questions, analysis, and more. Highlight, underline, or circle moments within the text that stick out to you. Whether you find a certain phrase or word central to the author’s argument, or you find a sentence particularly confounding, mark it!

If you skip a question, be sure to circle its number. That way, when you’re going back through your test, the search time for unanswered questions will be cut drastically. Alternatively, you can put a check mark beside every question you have answered, leaving unanswered questions with a blank space beside the numbers. By marking up the text, you essentially construct an analytical road map for yourself, one that makes the overall exam much easier.

9. When in doubt, guess

On the AP® English Language and Composition exam, your score on the multiple-choice portion is based on the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect answers. So there’s no logical reason not to guess on questions you are stumped on. So if you get to the end of a set of questions, and you return to some you’ve skipped, and you still can’t decide on an answer—just make an educated guess. It’s worth it.

10. Use Quizlet or paper flashcards to pin down vocabulary

For terms or concepts that are crucial for you to memorize, make flashcards. It may seem like an elementary study tip, but it truly works. Review the flashcards at least 30 minutes per day to develop a strong memory. You’ll find the test to be much easier if you have a strong command of rhetorical and compositional terms and phrases.

Quizlet offers tons of flashcard sets for AP® English Language and Composition, or you can use the site to simply make your own. We also provide many helpful modules over vocabulary and AP® English Language at large . And remember: pay special attention to terms or concepts that you don’t fully understand.

11. Study before bed

If you’ve made flashcards, a great time to study them, or really any notes you’ve taken, is before you go to bed. The brain remembers the most information right before you go to sleep. This is because when you’re asleep, it processes the most important memories of your day for storage.

If you review right before bedtime, your brain prioritizes this information and stores it for quick access. Because of this, it’d be a good idea to study first thing in the morning, too. This will remind your brain that the subject you’re studying really needs to be remembered. Instead of checking Instagram or Tik Tok at night, try and make it a habit to run through a set of flashcards or work through a few practice questions.

12.  Learn how to answer “all of the above” and “none of the above” questions

These are often dreaded multiple choice questions among students taking this exam. The “all of the above” or “none of the above” questions can throw students off because they indicate a certain totality that can be difficult to parse out. In “All of the above,” every single answer choice must be correct, so if one answer sounds iffy then avoid “all of the above.” “None of the above” is the same thing—each answer must be incorrect.

13. Do a breathing exercise if you find yourself getting too stressed out

We’ll be first to say it: the AP® English Language exam is stressful. But if you let your nerves get the best of you, the test will become even harder to ace. If you find yourself panicking, try this: Rest your hand on your abdomen, relax your shoulders and chest. Inhale through your nose slowly and feel your abdomen rise as you count to five in your head. Exhale. Repeat. This method will calm you.

Have confidence that you know the material well enough to get through this portion with ease. If you let your anxiety or nerves overwhelm you, the test will become much, much more difficult. It’s an anxiety-inducing test, sure, but also remember: it’s just a test. It’s not an end-all or a panacea. It’s a test. So breathe and approach it in a calm and collected manner.

The next part of this article will focus on the seemingly daunting free response portion of the AP® Language and Composition exam , worth 55% of your score. This portion consists of three different essays you must write within a two-hour period after a mandatory fifteen-minute reading period. Ultimately, these essays will assess your ability to quickly formulate arguments from inferences and analysis drawn from the sources provided to you. If you don’t understand early on how to go about following the instructions that are asked on the exam, you might find this portion more difficult than the multiple-choice section.

Here are some tips to help you ace the free response portion of the exam:

AP® English Language Free Response Question Review: 19 Tips

1. Spend time analyzing the question

Make sure you read the essay prompt many times and identify the key question being asked. AP® English Language questions can be tricky and demand multiple readings. Approach the question from each side of the possible argument that it poses. Consult our how-to guide on constructing arguments for extra help.

2. Choose your side of the argument

Based on the evidence provided for you in the passages you’ve read, come up with an argument. It is often helpful to choose an argument that has more evidence and references to support it, even if you do not necessarily agree with every tiny detail. The AP® English Language rhetorical analysis essay, for example, will require you to choose a side of an argument and develop your point.

3. Create a compelling and well-developed thesis statement

Come up with a strong thesis statement that clearly and effectively approaches the topic and the argument you are presenting. Don’t bother regurgitating the prompt in your introductory paragraphs—the scorers will just assume you are filling space and it will make your argument seem weak and lacking confidence. Answer all of the questions asked by the prompt in your introductory paragraph and include the main point of your argument in your thesis.

Remember: the thesis offers a concise summary of the main point or claim of the essay, research paper, etc. It is your claim, your argument, the essence of your paper summarized in one clean, well-developed statement.

Here’s an example of a good thesis: 

• As Wilde claims, disobedience is a valuable human trait without which progress could not be made because, in situations like the American Revolution, it is only deviance from the norm that can change the norm.

And here’s an example of a not-so good thesis: 

• Disobedience is a good trait for humans, because historically, disobedient men and women made history.

Be concise, detailed, and clear.

4. Build a strong set of body paragraphs

Once you have your thesis statement, construct strong, well-developed body paragraphs that expand and augment your central claim in your thesis. Be sure to mention how the supporting evidence you are citing within your essays relates back to your argument, but do not merely summarize the evidence. Unpack and analyze it.

5. Use specific, concise language

Ambiguity and vague sentences have no place within an AP® Language and Composition exam essay. The readers of your essay expect you to be exact and to the point. They want you to prove a point to them, not dance around it aimlessly. The more specific you are with your information, the better. Words and phrases like “about,” “kind of,” “sort of,” “thing,” and “stuff” should be avoided at all costs.

6. Cite your sources

You’re given textual sources for a reason. Use these to strengthen your argument and convince your audience of its legitimacy. In fact, in order to score high, you must thoroughly engage with your sources. Cite specific moments and phrases within the text, and avoid merely paraphrasing. However, you cannot merely summarize the source but critically read and analyze it. Failing to use the resources provided to you will result in an incredibly low score.

7. Develop a persuasive tone

The tone of an essay is what sets the stage for your argument. If there is no tone, it makes the essay seem sloppy and poorly structured. The argument itself may even seem scattered and all over the place. The tone of your essay should reflect your side of the argument and persuade the reader of your position.

If it doesn’t, how can the readers be expected to understand completely what side you are taking? You can successfully develop tone by using strong, sophisticated vocabulary, complicated verb and sentence forms, and by engaging with the texts in thorough, critical ways. Take a look at Princeton’s Writing Center’s handout on tone and tone words for extra help!

8. Don’t be afraid to make assumptions

A great deal of the scoring of this portion is based on the assumptions you make, your unpacking of the text’s implications. The assumptions and inferences made from your sources are crucial. Use them to explain your viewpoints and strengthen your argument.

Logical assumptions give interesting perspectives to the scorers of the essays. The use of inferences and assumptions in your essays also demonstrates your ability to think critically (as we discussed earlier). AP® English Language prompts will force you to think beyond the text.

9. Organize your thoughts using an outline

As you work through planning your argument in the essays, make sure you take time to organize your thoughts by creating an outline or map during prewriting. 

This will strengthen your argument and the overall structure of your essay. If your essay is neat and clean, the scorers can easily find what they are looking for in a well-written argument. One way to make this easier is to use an outline, guide, or an essay map. Here’s an example of what this would look like.

10 Use a strong organizational format

If you are unfamiliar with the structure of an essay, you definitely need to learn it before the exam. Think of an essay as a skeleton: the introductory, body, and conclusion paragraphs are the bones; the actual muscle, tendons, and organs holding it together are the bulk of the essay. 

This is what you add to it, including arguments and supporting evidence. Following (and also expanding on) a basic organization structure like this will make your essay much more sophisticated and readable.

11. Use a diverse body of sentences and vocabulary

If you write your essay with choppy, short sentences having a simple vocabulary, the reader is going to assume that you are not well-versed in the English language, or that you could not address the prompt in college-ready level of sophistication. This can severely hurt your score—especially considering you are taking an exam in AP® Language and Composition. You can strengthen your vocabulary and writing skills by developing a daily reading habit and consulting a list of common words found on the AP® English Language test.    

12. Work quickly

Although you want to keep all of these tips in mind, remember that this is still a timed portion of the exam. You don’t have much time to spend trying to make every single part of your essays perfect. So if you find yourself getting caught up trying to perfect a sentence or find yourself deliberating at length over choosing the perfect word, remind yourself to stop and move on. Nothing will be perfect, so use your time wisely. 

13. Build up your time management skills

Learning time management skills early on can help tremendously when it comes to timed exams. Practice taking timed exams frequently throughout the semester to build confidence and skill.

When you take one of our practice exams or one from the Princeton Review , set a time on your phone and record how long it takes you to work through the test. Try and increase your time with each practice exam. This will really help when you’re forced to formulate multiple arguments for different essays in a limited amount of time.

14. Know the rubric inside and out

Knowing the rubric is an incredibly strategic move in acing the AP® Language and Composition essay portion. When you know what exactly it is the scorers usually look for, you can be at ease. This is because you know exactly what to put into your arguments to make for a high-scoring essay. The rubric has recently been updated, and we highly recommend you take a look at it here .

Simply put, the FRQ rubric is broken down into three main sections: thesis , evidence and commentary , and sophistication . The thesis component addresses—you guessed it—your thesis statement. The evidence and commentary section of the rubric involves your ability to cite and analyze evidence from the text. And finally, the sophistication component addresses the overall “smartness” of your essay. 

15. Read widely in your spare time

This may seem obvious, but many students don’t understand how much reading is required for this course. AP® Language and Composition covers writing styles throughout several centuries, so it’s crucial to become familiar with all of them.

Reading a few books for leisure in between assignments will help drastically in developing a writing style of your own as well. And, as we mentioned before, developing a sturdy reading daily reading habit with The New York Times, The New Yorker, or another major publication will familiarize you with sophisticated writing and higher levels of thinking.

16. Practice dissection of rhetorical texts

No, don’t worry; you won’t have to know how to dissect a dead frog for the AP® Language exam. However, it is a good idea to practice dissecting everything you read. By this we mean that you approach reading with a highly critical eye. When doing your daily reading, ask yourself: Who is the audience in this piece? What is it that the author is trying to accomplish by writing this? What is the main idea? Is there any symbolism used in vague sentences?

17. Write neatly

Legible writing is a scorer’s best friend. Scorers are very busy people with thousands of essays to grade. They do not have much time trying to decipher your chicken scratch. The more the scorers can read, the more there is to grade.

18. Avoid clichés

Sure, a cliché may bring a sense of familiarity to your writing. But mostly, it just bores the reader. If you must use a common cliché phrase, try to change it up a bit by using synonyms for the verbs. Avoid banal phrases like “all that glitters isn’t gold;” cliches like this are so overused that they’ve lost their meaning. Take a look at this list of cliches for further understanding. 

19. Learn at least three stress management techniques

Stress can take a toll on each and every one of us. Learning how to handle it is a skill that is vital to every aspect of life, especially when it comes to school. One, you could try meditation using meditation apps like Headspace . Two, you could begin a daily jogging routine and use apps like RunKeeper to pace yourself. Or, three, you could develop a yoga routine. Take a look at our Teacher Self-Care Kit for tips on how to stay positive. Even if you’re a student and not a teacher, we offer plenty of great advice on how to stay calm.

Study Tips by AP® English Language Teachers

Ap® english language multiple choice tips:.

• Multiple choice questions differ in difficulty. Multiple choice always presents a combination of easy, medium, and hard questions for each passage. Generally speaking, these questions follow the chronology of the passage, but they are all worth the same amount of points. Therefore, the best approach is to go for easy and medium questions first and skip questions that will require a significant amount of time up front. Thanks for the tip from Fred B.
• Reread questions that deal with context. When dealing with questions asking about things in context, the best approach is to return to the beginning of the sentence or the previous sentence and read the end of that sentence to understand its meaning. It may also be a good idea to read the sentence that follows as well. Thanks for the tip from Fred B.
• Consolidate when you begin to run out of time. If you’re running out of time, you should either scan the remaining questions and find the shortest questions or look for questions that contain the answer without requiring you to refer back to the text. Thanks for the tip from Fred B.

AP® English Language Free Response Tips:

• Keep source credibility in mind. Say you have to read two articles, one in the San Francisco Chronicle and one posted on a blog. You know nothing about either author. You know nothing about the content (topic). Brainstorm about what credibility factors you can deduce before you even see the articles . Thanks for the tip from Mark M.
• Create your own excitement about the prompt and what you have to say about it. If you can find a way to be passionate about it, you will write faster, easier, and better. After this year’s test, one of my students said she remembered the tip and intentionally generated her own enthusiasm about her topics, so she came out feeling happy about what she wrote. She scored a 4. Thanks for the tip from Pam S.

AP® English Language Preparation Tips:

• Develop a repertoire of strong verbs and verb forms. Students need to enhance their vocabulary by adding quality verbs in order to read and write more effectively. This study should embrace the verb in both active and passive voice; likewise, the verb should be mastered for gerundive and participial uses. Thanks for the tip from Mike M.
• Read credible newspapers daily. Connect current world events to classic essays and memoirs. Look for the connection between the human condition and the speaker’s purpose. Always ask why? Why that word? Why that tone? Why that call to action? Thanks for the tip from Bobbi C.
• Overall, focus your studies on argument and rhetorical analysis. The two skills of the course are argument and rhetorical analysis. One bit of advice that is central to impart to students is the tenet “acknowledge complexity.” This is relevant in arguments (e.g. take time to address reasonable counter-arguments) and rhetorical analysis (e.g. a letter can be both threatening and conciliatory — check out Banneker’s letter to Jefferson from the 2010 test). Passing the AP® English Language and Composition exam is never going to be easy. But with the right amount of studying, motivation, and understanding (along with these tips, of course), you should have more than what it takes to score well on this exam. Prepare early, be confident in your comprehension of the material, and watch yourself work through the exam with certainty. Thanks for the tip from Peter D.

Are you a teacher or student? Do you have an awesome tip? Let us know!

Wrapping Things Up: The Ultimate List of AP® English Language Tips

The AP® English Language and Composition exam is a difficult test, but with the right amount of practice, preparation, and hard work, it is possible to score a 5. The exam is designed to test your critical thinking and reading skills, so it is imperative that you sharpen your skills months before actually taking the test.

The best way to begin studying for this test is simply through practice. Consult a previous exam on College Board or take one of our practice exams to get a feel of what the AP® English Language exam looks like. From there, develop a daily reading habit by subscribing to a major publication like The New York Times or The New Yorker to hone your reading and critical thinking skills. Moreover, start a daily vocabulary routine through Quizlet or physical flashcards to develop your understanding of rhetorical and compositional vocabulary. 

Approach the multiple-choice questions and the free-response questions with strategies pertinent to each section. Remember that the multiple-choice section is graded holistically, so it doesn’t hurt to guess. Acing the free-response section will require practice and a thorough understanding of how to write a thesis statement, so it’s important that you practice and hone this skill before taking the test. We offer a comprehensive guide to acing the free-response question that’s worth a look, too! 

And remember, at the end of the day, it’s just a test. Do not psych yourself out or let your nerves and anxiety overwhelm you. Stress will just distract you from succeeding. If you come to the test prepared and even-keeled, you will do great!

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How to Write the AP Lang Argument Essay + Examples

What’s covered:, what is the ap language argument essay, tips for writing the ap language argument essay, ap english language argument essay examples, how will ap scores impact my college chances.

In 2023, over 550,148 students across the U.S. took the AP English Language and Composition Exam, and 65.2% scored higher than a 3. The AP English Language Exam tests your ability to analyze a piece of writing, synthesize information, write a rhetorical essay, and create a cohesive argument. In this post, we’ll be discussing the best way to approach the argumentative essay section of the test, and we’ll give you tips and tricks so you can write a great essay.

The AP English Language Exam as of 2023 is structured as follows:

Section 1: 45 multiple choice questions to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for 45% of your score. This section requires students to analyze a piece of literature. The questions ask about its content and/or what could be edited within the passage.

Section 2: Three free response questions to be completed in the remaining two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score. These essay questions include the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

• Synthesis essay: Read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three of the sources.
• Rhetorical analysis essay: Describe how a piece of writing evokes meaning and symbolism.
• Argumentative essay: Pick a side of a debate and create an argument based on evidence. In this essay, you should develop a logical argument in support of or against the given statement and provide ample evidence that supports your conclusion. Typically, a five paragraph format is great for this type of writing. This essay is scored holistically from 1 to 9 points.

Do you want more information on the structure of the full exam? Take a look at our in-depth overview of the AP Language and Composition Exam .

Although the AP Language Argument may seem daunting at first, once you understand how the essay should be structured, it will be a lot easier to create cohesive arguments.

Below are some tips to help you as you write the essay.

1. Organize your essay before writing

Instead of jumping right into your essay, plan out what you will say beforehand. It’s easiest to make a list of your arguments and write out what facts or evidence you will use to support each argument. In your outline, you can determine the best order for your arguments, especially if they build on each other or are chronological. Having a well-organized essay is crucial for success.

2. Pick one side of the argument, but acknowledge the other side

When you write the essay, it’s best if you pick one side of the debate and stick with it for the entire essay. All your evidence should be in support of that one side. However, in your introductory paragraph, as you introduce the debate, be sure to mention any merit the arguments of the other side has. This can make the essay a bit more nuanced and show that you did consider both sides before determining which one was better. Often, acknowledging another viewpoint then refuting it can make your essay stronger.

3. Provide evidence to support your claims

The AP readers will be looking for examples and evidence to support your argument. This doesn’t mean that you need to memorize a bunch of random facts before the exam. This just means that you should be able to provide concrete examples in support of your argument.

For example, if the essay topic is about whether the role of the media in society has been detrimental or not, and you argue that it has been, you may talk about the phenomenon of “fake news” during the 2016 presidential election.

AP readers are not looking for perfect examples, but they are looking to see if you can provide enough evidence to back your claim and make it easily understood.

4. Create a strong thesis statement

The thesis statement will set up your entire essay, so it’s important that it is focused and specific, and that it allows for the reader to understand your body paragraphs. Make sure your thesis statement is the very last sentence of your introductory paragraph. In this sentence, list out the key points you will be making in the essay in the same order that you will be writing them. Each new point you mention in your thesis should start a paragraph in your essay.

Below is a prompt and sample student essay from the May 2019 exam . We’ll look at what the student did well in their writing and where they could improve.

Prompt: “The term “overrated” is often used to diminish concepts, places, roles, etc. that the speaker believes do not deserve the prestige they commonly enjoy; for example, many writers have argued that success is overrated, a character in a novel by Anthony Burgess famously describes Rome as a “vastly overrated city,” and Queen Rania of Jordan herself has asserted that “[b]eing queen is overrated.”

Select a concept, place, role, etc. to which you believe that the term “overrated” should be applied. Then, write a well-developed essay in which you explain your judgment. Use appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or observations to support your argument.

Sample Student Essay #1:

[1] Competition is “overrated.” The notion of motivation between peers has evolved into a source of unnecessary stress and even lack of morals. Whether it be in an academic environment or in the industry, this new idea of competition is harmful to those competing and those around them.

[2] Back in elementary school, competition was rather friendly. It could have been who could do the most pushups or who could get the most imaginary points in a classroom for a prize. If you couldn’t do the most pushups or win that smelly sticker, you would go home and improve yourself – there would be no strong feelings towards anyone, you would just focus on making yourself a better version of yourself. Then as high school rolled around, suddenly applying for college doesn’t seem so far away –GPA seems to be that one stat that defines you – extracurriculars seem to shape you – test scores seem to categorize you. Sleepless nights, studying for the next day’s exam, seem to become more and more frequent. Floating duck syndrome seems to surround you (FDS is where a competitive student pretends to not work hard but is furiously studying beneath the surface just like how a duck furiously kicks to stay afloat). All of your competitors appear to hope you fail – but in the end what do you and your competitor’s gain? Getting one extra point on the test? Does that self-satisfaction compensate for the tremendous amounts of acquired stress? This new type of “competition” is overrated – it serves nothing except a never-ending source of anxiety and seeks to weaken friendships and solidarity as a whole in the school setting.

[3] A similar idea of “competition” can be applied to business. On the most fundamental level, competition serves to be a beneficial regulator of prices and business models for both the business themselves and consumers. However, as businesses grew increasingly greedy and desperate, companies resorted to immoral tactics that only hurt their reputations and consumers as a whole. Whether it be McDonald’s coupons that force you to buy more food or tech companies like Apple intentionally slowing down your iPhone after 3 years to force you to upgrade to the newest device, consumers suffer and in turn speak down upon these companies. Similar to the evolved form of competition in school, this overrated form causes pain for all parties and has since diverged from the encouraging nature that the principle of competition was “founded” on.

The AP score for this essay was a 4/6, meaning that it captured the main purpose of the essay but there were still substantial parts missing. In this essay, the writer did a good job organizing the sections and making sure that their writing was in order according to the thesis statement. The essay first discusses how competition is harmful in elementary school and then discusses this topic in the context of business. This follows the chronological order of somebody’s life and flows nicely.

The arguments in this essay are problematic, as they do not provide enough examples of how exactly competition is overrated. The essay discusses the context in which competition is overrated but does not go far enough in explaining how this connects to the prompt.

In the first example, school stress is used to explain how competition manifests. This is a good starting point, but it does not talk about why competition is overrated; it simply mentions that competition can be unhealthy. The last sentence of that paragraph is the main point of the argument and should be expanded to discuss how the anxiety of school is overrated later on in life. 

In the second example, the writer discusses how competition can lead to harmful business practices, but again, this doesn’t reflect the reason this would be overrated. Is competition really overrated because Apple and McDonald’s force you to buy new products? This example could’ve been taken one step farther. Instead of explaining why business structures—such as monopolies—harm competition, the author should discuss how those particular structures are overrated.

Additionally, the examples the writer used lack detail. A stronger essay would’ve provided more in-depth examples. This essay seemed to mention examples only in passing without using them to defend the argument.

It should also be noted that the structure of the essay is incomplete. The introduction only has a thesis statement and no additional context. Also, there is no conclusion paragraph that sums up the essay. These missing components result in a 4/6.

Now let’s go through the prompt for a sample essay from the May 2022 exam . The prompt is as follows:

Colin Powell, a four-star general and former United States Secretary of State, wrote in his 1995 autobiography: “[W]e do not have the luxury of collecting information indefinitely. At some point, before we can have every possible fact in hand, we have to decide. The key is not to make quick decisions, but to make timely decisions.”

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Powell’s claim about making decisions is valid. 

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.

Sample Student Essay #2:

Colin Powell, who was a four star general and a former United States Secretary of State. He wrote an autobiography and had made a claim about making decisions. In my personal opinion, Powell’s claim is true to full extent and shows an extremely valuable piece of advice that we do not consider when we make decisions.

Powell stated, “before we can have every possible fact in hand we have to decide…. but to make it a timely decision” (1995). With this statement Powell is telling the audience of his autobiography that it does not necessarily matter how many facts you have, and how many things you know. Being able to have access to everything possible takes a great amount of time and we don’t always have all of the time in the world. A decision has to be made with what you know, waiting for something else to come in while trying to make a decision whether that other fact is good or bad you already have a good amount of things that you know. Everyone’s time is valuable, including yours. At the end of the day the decision will have to be made and that is why it should be made in a “timely” manner.

This response was graded for a score of 2/6. Let’s break down the score to smaller points that signify where the student fell short.

The thesis in this essay is clearly outlined at the end of the first paragraph. The student states their agreement with Powell’s claim and frames the rest of their essay around this stance. The success in scoring here lies in the clear communication of the thesis and the direction the argument will take. It’s important to make the thesis statement concise, specific, and arguable, which the student has successfully done.

While the student did attempt to provide evidence to support their thesis, it’s clear that their explanation lacks specific detail and substance. They referenced Powell’s statement, but did not delve into how this statement has proven true in specific instances, and did not provide examples that could bring the argument to life.

Commentary is an essential part of this section’s score. It means explaining the significance of the evidence and connecting it back to the thesis. Unfortunately, the student’s commentary here is too vague and does not effectively elaborate on how the evidence supports their argument.

To improve, the student could use more concrete examples to demonstrate their point and discuss how each piece of evidence supports their thesis. For instance, they could discuss specific moments in Powell’s career where making a timely decision was more valuable than waiting for all possible facts. This would help illustrate the argument in a more engaging, understandable way.

A high score in the “sophistication” category of the grading rubric is given for demonstrating a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation (purpose, audience, context, etc.), making effective rhetorical choices, or establishing a line of reasoning. Here, the student’s response lacks complexity and sophistication. They’ve simply agreed with Powell’s claim and made a few general statements without providing a deeper analysis or effectively considering the rhetorical situation.

To increase sophistication, the student could explore possible counterarguments or complexities within Powell’s claim. They could discuss potential drawbacks of making decisions without all possible facts, or examine situations where timely decisions might not yield the best results. By acknowledging and refuting these potential counterarguments, they could add more depth to their analysis and showcase their understanding of the complexities involved in decision-making.

The student could also analyze why Powell, given his background and experiences, might have come to such a conclusion, thus providing more context and showing an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

Remember, sophistication in argumentation isn’t about using fancy words or complicated sentences. It’s about showing that you understand the complexity of the issue at hand and that you’re able to make thoughtful, nuanced arguments. Sophistication shows that you can think critically about the topic and make connections that aren’t immediately obvious.

Now that you’ve looked at an example essay and some tips for the argumentative essay, you know how to better prepare for the AP English Language and Composition Exam.

While your AP scores don’t usually impact your admissions chances , colleges do care a lot about your course rigor. So, taking as many APs as you can will certainly boost your chances! AP scores can be a way for high-performing students to set themselves apart, particularly when applying to prestigious universities. Through the process of self-reporting scores , you can show your hard work and intelligence to admissions counselors.

That said, the main benefit of scoring high on AP exams comes once you land at your dream school, as high scores can allow you to “test out” of entry-level requirements, often called GE requirements or distribution requirements. This will save you time and money.

To understand how your course rigor stacks up, check out CollegeVine’s free chancing engine . This resource takes your course rigor, test scores, extracurriculars, and more, to determine your chances of getting into over 1600 colleges across the country!

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