AP English Language

AP English Language Open House

✍️ AP Lang 1-hour Cram Makeup Finale

Last-Minute Q+A with Kevin Steinhauser

✍️ AP Lang 5-hour Cram Finale

AP Language Cram Finale Review Trivia

What's poppin? 🎈 📌  You're probably here because you felt like you needed resources for AP Lang. Don't worry—we got your back!

Personally, I didn't use any prep books for this course; however, my AP Lang teacher required us to do writing exercises in a book that I'll include later on!

Unlike History or STEM courses, AP Lang does 

 follow a stringent unit by unit structure. In fact, the 

 (CED) is extremely flexible for teachers to fit their courses.

The textbooks that I recommend are just books that can build up your skills that will help you score well on the exam!

This title of the book is probably what your teacher will tell you at the beginning of the year! Image Courtesy of 

Many AP Lang teachers use this book. Depending on whether you want to practice or not, there is a version with readings and one without 🤔

In this textbook, you'll learn about the development of rhetoric throughout history and the application of rhetoric today. As the title says, you'll figure out that 

 is an argument, and you'll gain the skills to build an effective one after reading through 📕

With its clever use of two of the four words in AP Lang's full title, the Language of Composition is extremely informative about the course. Image Courtesy of 

From the table of contents alone, this book's content is extremely comprehensive, encompassing the entire CED. The 

 not only covers the basic skills for AP Lang but also the application of those skills in multiple sectors.

One of the strongest aspects of this book is the various examples and media that are linked to each core concept. For instance, you'll be able to apply ethos, logos, and pathos to historical texts, colorful posters, and recent editorials!

Whether you're learning through the e-book or the hardcopy, using this book will propel you towards the coveted 5️⃣

With witty language that won't drive you to sleep, this book will help you out with improving your writing. Image Courtesy of 

 is not written to the AP Lang curriculum; rather, it discusses techniques to understand rhetoric in multiple mediums.

This book focuses quite a bit on the modern-day. You'll learn how to better perceive and comprehend nonfiction. The book begins with the principles of nonfiction reading and dives into specific reading strategies for multiple genres. In How to Read Nonfiction, you'll also learn about argument analysis, critical thinking when encountering texts, and becoming a better citizen through better reading.

Thankfully you won't have to listen to a professor lecture about composition; instead, you'll get their advice in a nice book! Image Courtesy of 

The book is very recent — it came out in May 2020! It's available on Kindle, audiobook, and hardcover.

This very old book will help you out in the long run! Image Courtesy of 

I'll be frank with you: the publication date of 1969 is probably going to instantly make you think I'm crazy for recommending this. However, 

 was probably the single book that made my writing more advanced and more precise ✍️

This book (obviously) does not align with the Fall 2020 AP Lang curriculum; however, it teaches you how to develop a strong thesis, structure an essay, and using active rather than passive voice! One of the great parts of the book is that it specifically tells you common mistakes that you might make in your writing and how to fix them 🔨

It's available in hardcover, paperback, and even textbook binding 📕

With different ways to make their logo look ~ different ~ each year, Princeton Review's Lang book can be worth it to some. Image Courtesy of 

This book is known for the "best value for the money," and it includes a bunch of content that could very well help you earn a 5️⃣ on exam day. In the book, you'll get some strategies that can help you succeed on the exam, in addition to a review of the three essays.

Moreover, there are three full practice tests in the book with two online. There are also pacing drills for multiple-choice and sample scored essays to guide you throughout the studying process 🏛️

The 2020 and 2021 exams are pretty much the same in format, so feel free to buy whichever book you prefer.

Yep, the website that does summaries does books too! Image Courtesy of 

You might think of CliffsNotes as the company that helps you before reading quizzes, but they make prep books too! CliffsNotes' AP Lang book provides a diagnostic test, four full practice exams, and strategies for both the multiple-choice and free-response sections.

A great aspect of this prep book is that it uses real practice prompts from previous AP exams. It also claims to only give you the information you need to ace the exam.

For some, after using CliffsNotes' AP Lang review book, you'll feel the relief that these people are feeling on this cliff on test day. Image Courtesy of 

You might be familiar with CliffsNotes easily readable summaries for books; similarly, this prepbook offers a relatable and familiar writing style for you!

With plenty of practice tests and some review tips, 5 Steps to a 5 could help you with succeeding on the Lang exam. Image Courtesy of 

5 Steps to a 5 for AP Lang is truly a review book. You'll learn tips and strategies for the multiple-choice section and each of the three essays 🖋️

It offers lots of practice essays and questions and helps you out with creating a study plan before the May exam. There are three full practice exams in the book and three others online. This would be a good supplement to the prep you've done in your AP Lang class.

Ultimately, there are lots of options for textbooks and prepbooks for AP Lang. Make sure you carefully take everything in this guide into consideration before you purchase anything. Also, 

's AP Lang hub can help you throughout the year with building up your skills.

You're going to do fantastic! Hopefully, this post helped you out as you embark on your journey to a 5️⃣ on the exam.

Best AP English Language Textbooks and Prep Books

AP English Language is often the first AP English course that students will take, and many are unaware of what it entails. While it may seem incredibly intimidating at first, AP Lang will actually develop skills that you can use in several AP courses. Let's get into how you can score a five on the exam!

Before beginning your preparation, you need to understand the format of the AP Lang exam, which looks like this:

Your hand is going to get really tired after the Lang exam! Image Courtesy of 

For multiple-choice, you have about half rhetorical analysis and half composition questions to answer. Rhetorical analysis questions include questions about the function of devices, passage structure, and other literary analysis topics. On the other hand, composition questions are similar to SAT writing questions where you have to "think like a writer" and fix errors in writing ⚠️

You'll go through a bunch of pens in Lang, whether it's annotating on multiple-choice or writing your free-response essays. Image Courtesy of 

The three essays cover three completely different areas of writing. You'll have roughly 40 minutes to write each essay.

2. Take detailed notes in class and ask questions

One of the great aspects of AP Lang is that there is very little memorization required for the exam. Therefore, you need to absorb the information that your teacher gives you in class. Many AP Lang teachers have years of experience, some as AP graders, so make sure to listen and take good notes 👩‍🏫 
Also, asking questions can be applied to many classes, especially for AP Lang. See your teacher before or after class to ask specific questions❓about your essays or for advice on multiple-choice — it'll help you in the long run.

3. Read books beyond the scope of your class syllabus.

Many high school English classes teach a stringent five-paragraph essay structure or require reading literature that is often inapplicable to AP Lang. However, a great way to improve your analysis skills is to read books that may not be in your class syllabus.

Some of your teacher's classrooms may look like this. Image Courtesy of 

 are two fantastic books that you can learn how to analyze rhetorical devices. You can apply evidence from books like 

 in your argument and synthesis essays. This 

 from Knox County Schools is a good start if you're bored and want to pick up a good book to read 📚

Something that remains important for both the multiple-choice section and the rhetorical analysis essay is your literary vocabulary. While the AP Lang exam has moved away from questions that ask "what is a synecdoche," you still need to be able to apply certain literary devices across the exam. 
Fiveable's 

 is a fantastic start for your studying. Feel free to use paper flashcards or Quizlet to help you memorize some of these terms. In fact, Fiveable put together a great 

list of Quizlet decks based on AP Lang's units

Annotation is incredibly underrated! While reading through multiple-choice passages or looking at prompts for the first time, make sure you're actually internalizing the information on that page. There are two steps to annotation, and for the first step, you have a few options:

You can create your own system as to what each means so that certain things would pop out from the text.

Here's an example of a student's annotations—note the notes made throughout the passage. Image Courtesy of 

The second step, however, is often overlooked by students: jotting down notes. Putting ink near phrases won't help you memorize it, but you should paraphrase or write commentary, which will help you comprehend that information later on ✍️
On multiple-choice passages, you should annotate any information that could prove relevant for rhetorical analysis questions later on. For the three essays, annotating the prompt and making notes about important context or the prompt's task is crucial for your success.

6. Practice using both official and unofficial AP Lang resources

There are a lot of great resources that will help you succeed on the AP Lang exam.

—the website you're reading this blog post on! The Fiveable AP Lang content hub includes study guides about each of the free-response prompts and multiple-choice sections in addition to live reviews, stream replays, and relevant trivia games!

 (which includes sample multiple-choice and free-response prompts) in addition to Fiveable's 

. You'll have plenty of resources to practice for the AP Lang exam 🏁


Finally, if you want to do some unofficial practice, 

 offers some practice multiple-choice questions and free-response prompts to make you feel more confident before exam day.


While taking advantage of resources is fantastic, it's more important that you develop habits that'll aid you on test day. For instance, practicing to finish writing your essays 5 minutes before the time ends allows you to look over your essay. You'll figure out a common structure or phrases to make your essay writing more productive and efficient ⏲️

7. Get feedback from former and current AP Lang students.

While AP Lang teachers can be extremely helpful with feedback, obtaining advice and feedback from your peers is beneficial 💯

You can seek advice from former AP Lang students about their experiences in the class and on the exam. They may have different perspectives and strategies that you can try out when you're practicing, resulting in new ways to score higher on the exam!

All in all, getting the 5️⃣ on AP Lang is not as difficult as it may appear. You'll find that paying attention in your classes, committing to practice, and asking for help will heavily contribute to your high score in May!

How to Get a 5 in AP English Language 

AP Lang, often students' first AP English course, is one of the most taken AP courses. The course and exam teach argumentation, rhetoric, and analysis of texts.

Personally, I thought AP Lang was a fantastic course. It not only helped me learn how to write more effectively, but it also developed my skills of analysis that aided me in other courses, like US History and Government. Many people at my school ask me whether it's incredibly difficult or worth it—let's take a look 🔍

We'll start with the numbers (yes, atypical for an English class):

While 2018 and 2019 saw a 57.4% and 55.1% pass rate respectively, 2020 had a 62% pass rate, likely because the test was just writing a rhetorical analysis essay. This does, however, demonstrate that the exam is not 

 difficult, especially given the lack of memorization needed for the course. Yet, the workload in the course more than makes up for that! 👷

It really does depend teacher to teacher on your workload, but generally speaking, AP Lang requires substantial reading and writing assignments both in and out of the classroom. Making sure that you're balancing your time effectively between AP Lang and other courses is crucial for your success and mental health ⚖️

You might get stressed out while taking Lang—don't worry, you'll get through it! Image from 

You'll need to be a motivated student to take this course! Some AP Lang teachers require lengthy chapter readings, while others may make you write research papers to help you learn how to build an argument. Let's take a look at what some AP Lang students have to say about their experience in the course.

One former AP Lang student brings up a great point about studying in this course:

"Lang is difficult, like every AP course out there, but it is different than the AP histories, languages, and social sciences. You can’t necessarily 'study' for Lang. You just have to practice a lot and let your teacher grade your practice essays. I, personally, got one B in the class because I’m not an English person per se, and the APEXs are the hardest in the class. Lang requires you to write eloquent essays in a short amount of time, so I will say it has a 7/10 scale on difficulty." —Diane Fakinlede

Similarly, another Lang student concurs about how it varies from student to student:

"It really depends on the person and their skillset. In my opinion, if you have a strong understanding of essay writing and are ready to work for your grade, then you can do it." —Lipi Buch

While Lang's "difficulty" may often vary based on your teacher's rigor, the exam itself and its (practically existent) requirement of practice make it a pretty difficult course. So is AP Lang worth taking?

The short answer: absolutely! Even Trevor Packer, the Vice President of Advanced Placement, said 

 that the skills and knowledge tested on the AP Lang exam have "a very strong relationship to overall college success."

This is because AP Lang quite literally gives you the skillset to succeed in so many careers—you'll learn how to critically analyze issues, create and respond to arguments, and incorporate evidence in your rhetoric (the foundation of research) 🗣️

AP Lang not only helps you with other standardized tests and courses (like the SAT rhetorical analysis essay), but it also assists you professionally in the future. You'll have a leg up on peers who have never incorporated evidence in their analysis when writing research papers, and you'll be able to create a convincing argument to persuade people to take your position!

You'll be a lot more convincing in your real-life discussions after learning how to build an argument in Lang! Image from 

Moreover, getting a high enough score on the Lang exam can get you out of some general education courses. Some schools require a writing and argumentation course that you can skip as a result of your AP Lang credit. At other schools, you can receive elective credit for AP Lang.

This course can also help you determine if you're interested in majoring in a field like communications, or even English. AP Lang often includes passages from political speeches—consequently, you could even pursue political communication in higher education.

Don't just hear it from me though—other students unanimously agree that AP Lang is worth it!

"Yes, it teaches you critical thinking skills to build an argument, analyze text, and put your thoughts into words, all important things for adult life and navigating through self-reflection and conflict." —Avery Nelson

"Lang is 100% worth it. It forces you to become more efficient and concise with your writing, which will help you in pretty much anything involving writing in the future, which you have to do." —Amrita Arora

"Lang is so worth it. If you do well, you’ll be able to get college credit, which most colleges will accept, and it even helped me prepare for the SAT since I took lang my sophomore year and the SAT in junior year. I’ve become a much better writer through this class, and I would recommend everyone to take it, as written skills are needed for everyone in the future!" —Muni Bondu

One of our new initiatives here at Fiveable for the 2020-2021 school year is Fiveable Courses! You can sign up for the AP Lang Fiveable course to get access to a bunch of assistance throughout either the fall or spring semester. This can be super helpful — whether you are self-studying or looking for extra support to supplement your in-class work.

It's $55, and it'll be worth it for the long run! 🙂 Sign up for Fiveable's

AP English Language and Composition course

While many may complain about the difficulty of the workload throughout the year, AP Lang is very rewarding for students who complete the course. You'll find that this course will help you out beyond high school. So we vote yes!

Is AP English Language Hard? Is AP English Language Worth Taking

The AP English Language exam requires identification and 

analysis of rhetorical devices in the FRQs

Need a review on rhetorical analysis, check out this 

study guide overview about Rhetorical analysis


Here is a list of ten important rhetorical devices that will likely show up on your AP Language exam:

📖  - Comparing two things based on structure; used to explain a complex idea in simpler terms. (Example: The movie was a 

✅ ❌ - Two opposite ideas are parallelly constructed in a sentence to show contrast. (Example: Love is an 

 📚 - Using specific word choice to achieve an effect (Example: using 

👔 - Appealing to expert testimony or authority (Example: 

 😄 😢 - Placing two ideas together for contrast (Example: I thoroughly 

💻 - Appealing to reason/logic (Example: According to 

a meta-analysis of thousands of Americans

, more than 90% of people sleep with their eyes closed.)

 😠 - Appealing to emotion (Example: Our country is the 

 📝 - Use of spoken or written word to convey ideas (Example: Nearly 

 💡 - The way sentences are grammatically structured, such as length (Example: I was frightened for my life, as the footsteps grew louder and louder, closer and closer. 

 🗣 - The author's attitude towards a subject (Example: Can someone tell me what is going on instead of keeping secrets? - signifies an 

This is not a complete list, but these ten figurative devices can serve as a guiding tool for your AP English Language exam preparation.

To learn more, make sure you sign up for Fiveable's very own 

What important rhetorical devices do I need to know?

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. It began nearly 2,500 years ago in Ancient Greece when it was used by great philosophers like Aristotle. The word itself is derived from the Greek 

which means the "art of speech." 🏺 🇬🇷

Thus, rhetoric refers to the study and uses of both the written and spoken word. This critical pillar of communication and argumentation is still in use today and will appear constantly as you make your way through AP Lang. Want some practice? Check out this 🎥 

study guide of an Overview of Rhetorical Analysis

: what promoted an author to write.  ✍️

: what the author is trying to convey to the reader. ❗

Following the rhetorical situation are the rhetorical appeals - methods of persuasion used by the speaker or author to convince the audience of their argument. Often, these ethical strategies are formatted into what is known as 

The three rhetorical appeals are listed below, for more information watch Fiveable's 🎥 

: evidence of an author's credibility. 👩‍🎓

: an author's use of facts and logical supporting evidence. 📊

: the author's use of passion and emotion. 🗣️ ❤️

What are the Eight Patterns/Strategies of Rhetoric? 🧠

Rhetoric has eight main patterns or strategies:

 analysis of similarities and differences.

 the process of grouping from specific to general or from small groups to large groups. 

: denotative or connotative; usually includes class or group in which it belongs and how it is different from all other categories.

: aims to create a visual appeal with imagery. 

: the writer uses examples to illustrate, support, and clarify an argument via samples, detail, person, typical event or a specific organizational pattern such as chronological, spatial, or most important to least important.

: tells a story meant to entertain or support a moral principle. 

: step-by-step instructions explaining functionality or how to perform a task. 

✏️ These patterns are accompanied by 

: word choice; includes trope (figurative language) such as personification, simile, and metaphor. 

: sentence structuring. (periodic sentence, simple coordinate conj., etc.)

: a combination of diction and syntax like an antithesis or antimetabole. 

Best of luck this year. Once you've mastered rhetoric and its subsequent parts, you will be an AP Lang champ! 🏆


You want to learn more? Make sure to take Fiveable's 

 to gain incredible resources, and a teacher to help with any confusion!


AP English Language Exam Prep 2020-21

browse by unit

Free Reviews 2020

Multiple Choice Questions

Free Response #1: Synthesis

Free Response #2: Rhetorical Analysis

Free Response #3: Argument

Cram Review 2019

Blogs

creators

Stephanie Kirk

Jenni MacLean

Aaron Levin

Robby May

Kristie Camp

Kevin Steinhauser

Ashly Johnston

Shawna Lynch

Ruben Rodriguez

Brandon Wu

Justin Nazario

Kathryn Howard

Caytie Tedder

Aly Williams

Samantha Himegarner

Student Student

AP English Language Exam Prep 2020-21

browse by unit

Free Reviews 2020﻿

Multiple Choice Questions﻿

Free Response #1: Synthesis ﻿

Free Response #2: Rhetorical Analysis﻿

Free Response #3: Argument﻿

Cram Review 2019﻿

Blogs﻿

creators

Stephanie Kirk﻿

Jenni MacLean﻿

Aaron Levin﻿

Robby May﻿

Kristie Camp﻿

Kevin Steinhauser﻿

Ashly Johnston﻿

Shawna Lynch﻿

Ruben Rodriguez﻿

Brandon Wu﻿

Justin Nazario﻿

Kathryn Howard﻿

Caytie Tedder﻿

Aly Williams﻿

Samantha Himegarner﻿

Student Student﻿