AP Exam Tips
This page is dedicated to helping you conquer the AP Lit test. It includes advice for the multiple choice portion and the three different essays you will be required to write. Good luck!
how to master multiple choice
The first portion of the AP Test is multiple choice. Though many would argue that it's easier than the essays, the questions in the multiple choice section can often be very ambiguous and interpreted in a myriad of ways. Here are ten tips to master those multiple choice questions:
1. Read the questions first! 2. Eliminate choices! 3. For any line questions, read above and below the sentences for context. 4. Find lines that prove and justify answer. 5. Don't forget to annotate! 6. When choosing an answer, beware of the answer that is 99% right and the one that is 100% right. 7. Read whole passage to understand the overall tone. 8. Pay attention to title and footnotes. 9. Find the odd answer out (look for tone words). 10. Go with your gut! |
win at writing
The AP essays come in three types: prose (focused on text), poem (focused on poetry), and pick (focused on you picking a piece of literature to write about). You have 120 minutes to write all three essays. In order to survive and conquer, here are a few tips to help you write an AP essay:
1. Make introduction short and sweet. 2. Include the author and title in your introduction and state your claim clearly. 3. Use each paragraph to connect back to your claim and the overall prompt. 4. Don't leave your quotes hanging! 5. Annotate the prompt and write out claim! 6. Plan. Write out claim and plan your evidence. 7. Integrate evidence as often as you can and use the "lotsa sauce" method. 8. Use ending paragraph to talk about title, connect back to prompt, make a real world connection, be punny, or discuss overall message. 9. Use a variety of AP-level words. 10. Make sure to answer everything the prompt asks you to answer. |
PERSONAL ESSAY EXAMPLES
SCORE: 4.5 |
SCORE: 8 |
What I Did Wrong:
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What I Did Right:
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lessons learned
1. Eliminate choices and look for evidence in the text.
2. Use every paragraph to connect back to prompt.
3. Integrate lots of evidence, but don't leave hanging quotes!
2. Use every paragraph to connect back to prompt.
3. Integrate lots of evidence, but don't leave hanging quotes!