AP English

Language &
Composition
What The Princeton Review
Says:
What the multiple choice section
looks like
 5 to 7 passages
 5 to 12 questions per passage
 50-55 questions total
 60 minutes total = 8 – 12 minutes PER
PASSAGE (includes reading & answering)
 At least one passage written before 1800
 Little or no context or introduction given
with the passages
Focus on the Big Picture
 DO NOT read the questions before reading the
passage
 Read the passage quickly for the “big picture”
 Read to determine the author’s goal, tone, and
point of view – take brief notes next to the
passage as you read!
 ( USE: “subject, audience, and purpose” to help
you find the goal, tone & P.O.V.)
The Two-Pass System
 After reading the passage for the big picture:
 1. Answer all of the easy questions first
 The “Big picture” questions are usually at the
beginning and (or) end of question set
 2. Circle the “hard” questions in your test
booklet (when you can’t use POE)
 3. ALWAYS Check your watch before going
back to answer the hard questions
Other Tips
 Use the process of elimination (POE) to
make educated guesses on some
questions
 On detail questions, always reread the
sentence or section the question refers to
 Also, always reread the sentences before
and after it for context.
To Sum Up
 Begin each passage by reading for
the big picture.
 Actively underline inside the text – or
– take paraphrased notes next to
each paragraph
 Concentrate on the author’s goal
(purpose), tone, and point of view.
To Sum Up
 Do not read stubbornly; you do not
need to understand or follow
everything; some (even many) details
can escape you — focus on the big
picture of the passage.
 Always return to the passage when
multiple-choice questions refer to
specific lines!!! (Do not try to answer
by memory)
To Sum Up
 Always read around the lines; the
context of the lines is almost always
very critical in determining the correct
answer.
 Pace yourself – but keep your eye on
the time!!!
 Remember the two-pass system.
To Sum Up
 Also - Dividing the section into chunks
for each passage should help you
out.
 Don’t forget about POE and educated
guessing! If you can eliminate two
answer choices, your chances of
guessing correctly increases a lot.
AP English Language &
Composition

What the
Cliffs Notes: AP English
Language and Composition
review guide says:
What the Multiple Choice Section
looks like:
 60 minutes long
 Usually consists of approximately 55
questions
 Expect about 4 – 5 reading passages
(about 300 – 800 words in length)
 Each passage is followed by 10 – 15
questions
 Passages may be up to 400 years old
NEW to the AP Lang. Test:
 Beginning in 2007 – you can expect at
least a couple of questions about
footnotes
 BE FAMILIAR WITH MLA CITATIONS!!!
(Be able to decipher the type of source &
the purpose of footnotes used by the
author)
Suggested Testing Strategy:
 1st – Skim the question stems BEFORE you read the passage
 2nd – Read the passage ACTIVELY
 3rd - Underline &/or paraphrase the passage as you go
 4th – Read each question completely & carefully AFTER
you’ve read the passage
 5th – Read every answer choice completely & carefully to
determine the best answer!
 Any questions you cannot use POE to answer quickly – circle them
& return to those questions if you have time!
Question Categories to Expect:
 Questions about Rhetoric (syntax, diction,
P.O.V., figurative language & its effect!)
 Questions about the Author’s Meaning &
Purpose (get inside the author’s head)
 Questions about the Main Idea (The Big Picture,
tone, theme, etc.)
 Questions about Organization & Structure
 Questions about Rhetorical Modes (know the
difference between: Narration, Description,
Argumentation, & Exposition)
Reasons Answers Could Be Wrong
 Contradictory to the passage (can be ruled out
if you’ve read the entire passage)
 Irrelevant or Not Addressed in Passage (can
be ruled out if you’ve read the entire passage)
 Unreasonable (can usually be spotted quickly)
 Too Vague/General or Too Specific (compare
them to the question stem to see which answer
they are asking for!)
To Sum Up:
 TIME MANAGEMENT is crucial to making sure
you complete the test
 Read the Question Stems before the Passages
 Read the Passages – ACTIVELY
 Then read the Questions & Answer choices
COMPLETELY
 Use POE to rule out any of the 4 types of wrong
answers
 Choose the BEST answer available!
To Sum Up:
 Make sure that you answer the questions
that you are able to eliminate 2+ answers
on FIRST
 Then circle any questions that you are
unsure about
 Return to the circled questions AFTER
you have completed every passage in the
Multiple Choice Section
For More Information:
 Hartzel, Richard. Cracking the AP English
Language and Composition Exam. 2008
Edition. New York: Random House, 2008.
 Swovelin, Barbara. Cliffs AP: English
Language and Composition. 3rd Ed.
Wiley Publishing, 2008.
 Baron’s, Kaplan, and others also make
excellent study guides.