---
title: "AP English Language Argument Essay Practice"
description: "76 Argument Essays written in the AP format, each scored part by part."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-lang/frqs/argument-essay"
type: "frq-type-practice"
subject: "AP English Language"
---

# AP English Language Argument Essay Practice

## What the Argument Essay asks

The argument essay is FRQ 3 on the AP English Language exam. You get a short quotation or claim and write an essay that argues your own position, using evidence you bring yourself.

- **40 min**: suggested time
- **6 points**: across rows A to C
- **55%**: of your score, across all three essays

| Part | What it asks | Points |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A: Thesis | A defensible position on the claim in the prompt | 1 |
| B: Evidence and commentary | Specific examples you bring, with commentary that explains your reasoning | 4 |
| C: Sophistication | Nuance, such as the limits of your position or why others disagree | 1 |

## How Argument Essay practice works

1. **Read the full prompt.** The quotation, its context, and the prompt, laid out the way the exam shows them.
2. **Write on a 40-minute timer.** The time to plan for on exam day. Pause it or turn it off, and your response saves as you go.
3. **Submit for a score out of 6.** Your response is scored against the scoring guidelines written for that question. Your first score is included.

## All 76 questions

### Unit 5: Organization and Style (1)
- [Growth and comfort: tension and validity](/ap-lang/frq-practice?id=69672adb4301e58f0c1c4aef&type=frq-3-argument)

## Sample question

**Individual action's effectiveness in climate change mitigation**

In a 2019 interview with NPR regarding the urgency of the global climate crisis, author and environmentalist Bill McKibben stated: "The most important thing an individual can do is not be an individual. We can't solve this crisis one Tesla at a time. We have to join together in movements big enough to break the power of the fossil fuel industry."

Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which McKibben's claim about the role of individual action in addressing climate change is valid.

Response Requirements:
  - Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position.
  - Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.
  - Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
  - Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

## Questions

**How many responses can I get scored?**

You can read every question without a plan. Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.

**Where does my evidence come from?**

From you: history, current events, literature, or your own experience. There are no sources to cite, so specific examples carry the essay.

**How is the argument essay different from the synthesis essay?**

The synthesis essay gives you six sources and asks you to use at least three. The argument essay gives you no sources, so all of your evidence is your own.

**Are these real College Board questions?**

No. We wrote them in the AP format, with the same 6-point rubric, and wrote scoring guidelines for each one.

**Can I write my answer by hand?**

Yes. Switch the editor to handwrite, write on paper, and add a photo of your page.

## Related

- [Argument Essay exam guide](/ap-lang/ap-english-language-exam/ap-lang-frq-3-argument-essay/study-guide/ap-lang-frq-3-argument-essay)
- [AP English Language Synthesis Essay practice](/ap-lang/frqs/synthesis-essay)
- [AP English Language Rhetorical Analysis Essay practice](/ap-lang/frqs/rhetorical-analysis)
- [AP English Language FRQs](/ap-lang/frqs)
- Any question by id: the `get_frq` tool on the [Fiveable MCP server](/mcp/docs)

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