AP English Language study guide
AP English Language · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
AP English Language and Composition is an introductory college-level composition course offered through the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. It is designed for high school students who want to read nonfiction through the eyes of a writer - examining the choices writers and speakers make to persuade an audience - and then apply those choices to their own persuasive writing. The AP English Language study guide has 8 sections and about 1,990 words.
01Rhetorical Situation: Reading
The rhetorical situation is the full set of conditions surrounding a text: the exigence (the occasion or problem that prompts it), the writer's purpose , the audience (their values, knowledge, and resistance), the context (time, place, cultural moment), and the speaker's persona or ethos as constructed in the text. When you read, ask: Who is speaking, to whom, why now, and what does the audience already believe?
302 words, about 2 min02Rhetorical Situation: Writing
When you write , you control the rhetorical situation. Establish a clear purpose and let it drive every choice: evidence selection, sentence length, diction, and structure.
278 words, about 1 min03Claims and Evidence: Reading
A claim is an assertion that needs support; evidence is what backs it. Distinguish claim types: factual (verifiable), causal (X produces Y), evaluative (X is good/bad), and policy (we should do X).
251 words, about 1 min04Claims and Evidence: Writing
Strong writing pairs a precise claim with well-chosen evidence and explicit commentary explaining how the evidence supports the claim. Use a range of evidence types-facts, examples, expert testimony, personal experience-selected for the audience.
247 words, about 1 min05Reasoning and Organization: Reading
Track the line of reasoning : how claims build, what each paragraph does, and how parts connect. Identify organizational patterns -chronological, compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, claim/counterclaim/refutation-and transitional logic (however, therefore, nevertheless).
216 words, about 1 min06Reasoning and Organization: Writing
Organize around your line of reasoning , not around a list of points. Choose a structure that fits your argument: problem/solution, cause/effect, or claim/counterclaim/refutation.
233 words, about 1 min07Style: Reading
Style is the writer's characteristic use of diction, syntax, figurative language, and tone to achieve purpose. Analyze word choice (connotation, concreteness, formality), sentence structure (length, parallelism, fragments, cumulative vs.
238 words, about 1 min08Style: Writing
Control diction for precision and connotation, syntax for emphasis and rhythm, and tone for consistency with purpose and audience. Vary sentence length: short sentences land points; longer cumulative sentences build nuance.
225 words, about 1 min