Get Started with AP English Language

AP English Language is one of the more difficult AP classes offered by Collegeboard with only a 10.4% 5 rate. The reason many people find it difficult is mostly because of the time crunch many find themselves in. When you have to write 3 high-quality, complex essays, 2 of which require reading and analyzing material, in a little over 2 hours, one tends to stress. However, there are various tips and tricks you can employ to master each of the 3 essays in the allotted time. If you are enrolled in the AP Classroom for your class, make the most of the practice resources and videos provided for you there. Here is an in-depth overview of AP English Language plus the resources, notes, and videos I used to get a 5.

Units and Weighting

AP English Language is a unique course in that it doesn't require you to know content knowledge: it's all skill-based in that you need to know how to read and write in certain ways. The MCQ section is very similar to the reading section of the SAT. The questions are divided into reading comprehension and writing style. On the other hand, the FRQ (essay) section requires many skills, the basis of which being thesis/claim writing, detailing relevant evidence, providing reasoning for your evidence, and exhibiting a level of complexity in your writing.

AP Lang Tips & Tricks Notes

AP Lang Notes PDF

Here are the notes that I made while studying for the AP English Language exam. Obviously, it's hard to make notes for a skill-based English class. However, I tried my best to detail each part of the exam (from MCQ to the 3 essays) and explain how best to tackle each part with various tips and tricks. I personally have always has my strong suit in English, so I didn't worry about this exam until a day before. However, if you know you struggle with essay writing and reading comprehension, the best advice I can give you is to practice, practice, practice.

Lecture Videos & Other Resources

If you're self-studying AP Lang or just need that extra help in concepts or units you don't quite understand, video lectures can be the fix for you. There are always the AP Classroom videos, but if you don't find those to your taste, here are the ones I used to help clarify and review for the exam. One of the best resources for understanding the exam format is using past papers (which are found on Collegeboard's website) to practice with a timer and grade.

Ms. Peer Editor

The night before the exam, I used Ms. Peer Editor's playlist on the AP Lang exam to help prepare for each of my essays. Not only did she highlight the basic essay format, she also goes over various strategies and approaches you can take to maximize you time and energy. She also has a lot on the rhetorical appeals you use in the rhetorical essay, which is often the hardest part for students.

Fiveable

Fiveable is one of my favorite resources. If you don't have a textbook, Fiveable's study guides for each unit and chapter will serve the purpose just as well. They also have a variety of videos, FRQ examples, and cheatsheets.

SS English Lang

These Simple Studies Review PDFs contain to-the-point, comprehensive bullet points perfect for quick review and recall.

Coach Hall Writes

Coach Hall Writes has incredible videos detailing and explaining each section of the exam plus many things you should review and study before then. She's clear and concise and has excellent past essay grading videos that are helpful to spot and correct errors in your own writing. She aso has good tips for the MCQ portion of the exam, something I haven't seen very much online.

Exam Format

Section I: Multiple Choice

45 Questions | 1 hour | 45% of Exam Score

Includes 5 sets of questions:
- 23–25 Reading questions that ask students to read and analyze nonfiction texts.
- 20–22 Writing questions that ask students to “read like a writer” and consider revisions to stimulus texts.

Section II: Free Response

3 Questions | 2 hours 15 minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period | 55% of Exam Score

Students write essays that respond to 3 free-response prompts from the following categories:
- Synthesis Question: After reading 6–7 texts about a topic (including visual and quantitative sources), students will compose an argument that combines and cites at least 3 of the sources to support their thesis.
- Rhetorical Analysis: Students will read a nonfiction text and analyze how the writer’s language choices contribute to the intended meaning and purpose of the text.
- Argument: Students will create an evidence-based argument that responds to a given topic.