Best Ways to Study for the AP Language and Composition Exam
Step 1: Assess Your Skills
Take a practice test to assess your initial knowledge. Though the College Board AP Language and Composition website provides a number of sample test questions, it does not provide a complete sample test. You can find a practice test in many of the official study guides, and some even include a diagnostic test to act as your initial assessment. Varsity Tutors offers a handful of free AP Language and Composition diagnostic tests on its website. You’ll also find a free practice exam from College Countdown to use for your assessment.
Once you have taken some kind of formative assessment, score it to identify your areas of strength and areas in need of improvement. It can be helpful to have a teacher or friend score your free-response essays, as these are a bit more subjective than the multiple-choice section. With an accurate formative assessment, you’ll have a better idea of where to focus your studying efforts.
Step 2: Know Your Material
In the case of AP English Language and Composition, this means focusing on your reading and writing skills.
When reading, make sure to preview important elements such as the title, author’s name, and any other information available like the table of contents or introduction. As you read, make sure to stop periodically to consider the main ideas and the way the author supports them. Underline important evidence as you go. Reread complex or important sentences.
One consultant to the College Board writes about the “SOAPSTone” approach to reading, which is an acronym for a series of questions that students should ask themselves when analyzing a
piece of prose. The questions are:
- Who is the Speaker?
- What is the Occasion?
- Who is the Audience?
- What is the Purpose?
- What is the Subject?
- What is the Tone?
For more about using this technique, read about it on the College Board website.
Writing high-quality free-response essays takes practice and time. Make sure to organize your ideas using a rough outline before you begin writing. Use direct evidence from the text to support your ideas, and quote judiciously with correct citations. As you’re writing, be aware of rhetorical elements and use them effectively.
For more specific information about the test, consider using a formal study guide, such as Barron’s AP English Language and Composition, 7th Edition or the Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP English Language & Composition Exam 2020, Premium Edition.
Alternatively, there are many online study resources available. Some AP teachers have even published their own study guides or review sheets online, like this AP Lang guide by Mrs. Smith at Pinnacle High School.
Another way to study is to use one of the recently-developed apps for AP exams. These are a great way to get practice questions in while on-the-go. Make sure you read reviews before choosing one, as their quality varies widely. This AP Lang app by Varsity Tutors has decent reviews, and might be worth checking out.
Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions
Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing multiple-choice questions. You can find these in most study guides or through online searches. Here are some AP Lang practice questions and tests, and more are available in the College Board’s course description.
Try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Keep in mind, the key to answering questions correctly is understanding the passage, so practice active reading skills as you tackle the multiple-choice questions. This includes underlining, mouthing words, and circling key points. Remember, the answer will always be found in the text.
Step 4: Practice Free-Response Essays
As indicated on your exam, it is recommended that you spend 15 minutes reading the question, analyzing, and evaluating the sources, and 40 minutes writing your response. Try to stick to this timeline when practicing your free-response essays to see if it works for you. You do not have to follow it on exam day, but having a good idea of how much time it typically takes for you to plan and write will be an advantage.
As you tackle your open responses, identify what each is asking you to do. When asked to synthesize, you know you will be taking pieces of evidence from multiple sources to form a single argument. Use specific examples and make them stand out by explicitly stating, “For example…” or “As Source C indicates in paragraph 3…” Also, be sure to cite your sources appropriately while writing.
When writing an analysis of rhetorical strategies used, first consider the elements of SOAPSTone as discussed above. Also consider the five canons of rhetoric. This means thinking about the author’s invention, arrangement, and style. Memory and delivery are obviously less apparent in written pieces, but their roles in a speech are still important. As you read, try to underline specific places that highlight relevant examples.
Finally, when writing your own persuasive argument, support your ideas with concrete examples from current events, literature, etc. Try to vary your sources to build credibility and address counterpoints to craft an even stronger response.
As you prepare for the writing portion of your exam, be sure to review how your free responses will be scored. The College Board supplies free response questions and authentic scored student responses with written explanations dating back to 1999; these are an invaluable tool for this exercise.
Step 5: Take Another Practice Test
Take another practice test to evaluate the progression of your knowledge, as well as identify persistent areas of weakness. Study.com offers a free online practice AP Language and Composition exam. Over time, you should begin to notice areas in which your studying should be increased and those which you are strong in. Repeat the above steps if time permits to incrementally increase your score.
Step 6: Exam Day Specifics
If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams.
For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?
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For more guidance about the AP exams, check out these other informative articles:
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