AP English Language Exam: 9 Key Concepts

Concept 1: Active Reading

• Passages are often dense with long sentences and complex vocabulary.

• Active reading is essential for understanding passages quickly.

• Engage with the passage by asking key questions:

  • What is the author's main point?

  • How does it connect to the previous paragraph?

  • Where is it likely to lead in the next paragraph?

Strategies for Active Reading

• Annotate key points: Highlight the main arguments, evidence, and rhetorical devices used by the author.

• Summarize each paragraph: Briefly note the main idea of each paragraph to maintain focus and comprehension.

• Question the author's claims: Evaluate the validity and reliability of the author's arguments and evidence.

Concept 2: Understanding Words in Context

• Develop the ability to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from their context.

• Example: "The speaker's passion and ebullience began to cut through the dour mood of the audience that confronted him."

  • Ebullience, paired with passionate, suggests enthusiasm and exuberance.

Contextual Clues

• Look for synonyms or antonyms: Identify words or phrases that have similar or opposite meanings to the unfamiliar word.

• Analyze surrounding sentences: Examine how the word is used in relation to other words and ideas in the passage.

• Consider the author's tone: Infer the word's meaning based on the overall tone and purpose of the passage.

Concept 3: Rhetoric and Language, Style, Tone, and Theme

• Familiarize yourself with key terms related to rhetoric and stylistic devices.

• Understand the three classical rhetorical appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos.

• Know the definitions of style, tone, and theme.

• Understand diction, syntax, denotation, and connotation.

• Study the vocabulary of rhetorical and literary devices commonly found on the exam.

Rhetorical Strategies

• Logos: Appealing to logic and reason with facts, statistics, and evidence.

• Ethos: Establishing credibility and authority through expertise, trustworthiness, and ethical character.

• Pathos: Appealing to emotions, values, and beliefs to connect with the audience.

Concept 4: Figurative Language

• Most written works incorporate figurative language.

• Figurative language deviates from literal meaning for special effect.

• Review common terms:

  • Imagery

  • Hyperbole

  • Understatement

  • Simile

  • Metaphor

  • Symbolism

  • Personification

  • Euphemism

• Analyze texts containing figurative language.

Purpose of Figurative Language

• Enhances imagery: Creates vivid mental pictures and sensory experiences for the reader.

• Adds depth and complexity: Conveys layers of meaning and enriches the text with symbolism and nuance.

• Heightens emotional impact: Evokes feelings, associations, and empathy in the reader.

Concept 5: Basic or Complex Rhetorical Modes

• Rhetorical modes are the ways writers organize their arguments.

• Basic rhetorical modes:

  • Example/Illustration

  • Classification

  • Analogy

• More complex rhetorical modes:

  • Process analysis

  • Cause and effect

  • Definition

  • Description

  • Narration

  • Induction

  • Deduction

• Knowing rhetorical modes helps in recognizing them in passages and using them in essays.

Practical Application

• Recognizing rhetorical modes enables identifying the author's organizational strategy and persuasive techniques.

• Utilizing rhetorical modes proficiently enhances writing skills and conveys arguments effectively.

Concept 6: Rhetorical Fallacies

• Writers use faulty reasoning (rhetorical fallacies) to persuade readers.

• Be prepared to identify these fallacies in passages.

• Common rhetorical fallacies:

  • Ad hominem

  • Dogmatism

  • Sentimental appeals

  • Scare tactics

  • Red herrings

  • Faulty casualty

• Question assumptions and evidence: "Why should I believe this?"

• Recognize faulty reasoning to avoid being misled in multiple-choice questions or using them in your essays.

Detecting Fallacies

• Question Evidence: Verify if the provided evidence genuinely supports the argument.

• Spot Logical Gaps: Identify missing links or unsupported jumps in reasoning.

• Check Objectivity: Determine if emotional manipulation or bias is clouding the argument.

Concept 7: Having a Conversation with Your Sources

• In the synthesis essay, use at least three sources to support your response.

• Cite sources and incorporate them into your argument.

• Judge the best sources to support your position.

• Incorporate other writers' claims into your argument.

• Use sources to develop your argument in a logical and persuasive manner.

• Weave sources together seamlessly to support your position.

• Imagine sources in conversation, responding to and building upon each other's comments.

• Identify fallacies in opposing sources to strengthen your argument.

Synthesis Strategies

• Selecting Relevant Sources: Choose credible sources that directly address the essay's topic.

• Integrating Diverse Perspectives: Combine insights from various sources to formulate a well-rounded argument.

• Analyzing Source Relationships: Identify agreements, disagreements, and nuances between sources to enrich analysis.

Concept 8: The Rhetorical Diamond

• AP evaluators assess your ability to analyze an author's techniques and how they contribute to the author's purpose.

• Demonstrate three skills:

  1. Understanding the author's intended purpose (through active reading).

  2. Identifying the chief rhetorical strategies used.

  3. Analyzing how strategies contribute to the effectiveness of the writer's argument.

• Imagine a baseball diamond with these four points:

  • Author

  • Purpose

  • Audience

• Understand how the passage interacts with each point to predict rhetorical strategies.

Applying the Rhetorical Diamond

• Author: Acknowledge the writer's views, background, and biases to comprehend their persuasive tactics.

• Purpose: Determine the author's arguments, objectives, and objectives to dissect their rhetorical methods.

• Audience: Comprehend the intended reader's traits, viewpoints, and expectations to evaluate the effectiveness of the author's communication.

Concept 9: The Argument Essay Checklist

• In the argument essay, argue a position based on your own knowledge and experience.

• Follow these four steps:

  1. Take a definite position.

  2. Develop an argument that builds and moves forward.