A.P. Exam Resources:
This resource section is invaluable to preparing for the A.P. English Literature & Composition exam. Familairize yourself with all of these and review the prompts.
Exam Description for A.P. English Literature & Composition -- what'll be on the exam, you ask?
An A.P. Exam Reader's Advice on Writing -- tips from someone who may be reading your essay
A.P. Multiple-Choice Stems -- types of multiple-choice questions you can expect
A.P. Open-Ended Prompts 1970-2012 -- all the "open" essay questions from the past 42 years
A.P. Poetry Prompts 1970-2012 -- all the poetry essay questions from the past 42 years
A.P. Poetry Prompts with Poems -- includes full text of poems
A.P. Prose Prompts 1970-2012 -- all the prose essay questions from the past 42 years
Sample A.P. English Literature Exam -- this is the actual exam offered in 1987 (same format as today!)
A.P. Exam Practice Strategies & Questions A.P. Poetry multiple choice question strategies and practice questions
A.P. Open-ended prompt essay rubric (PDF)
How to Write a Passage Analysis of Prose (PDF)
Multiple Choice Test Taking Strategies (PPT)
Preparing for the A.P. ExamStudents who do well on the A.P. exam are those who can clearly, thoughtfully, and skillfully analyze and discuss literature. This means you will need to:
1. Know a wide variety of literature. This means being able to pull specific examples and quotes off the top of your head from both poetry and prose.
2. Be able to effectively recognize and use (not just memorize) literary terms and techniques such as tone, symbolism, diction, and imagery in written analysis of a poem, prose passage, or book.
3. Construct your written discussion of literature in a concise and effective manner. (You will have to write three college-level quality essays in 120 minutes on the exam.)
How-To & Why-To Downloads
Introductory Reading on Writing Rose's Rules of Writing -- The Top 36 (PDF)
How to Write a Literary Essay -- essential: This is what this course is all about (DOCX)
Sample Literary Analysis Essay -- use this as a model (PDF)
Good Readers and Good Writers by Vladimir Nabokov (PDF)
How to Answer Short Essay Questions on Exams (DOC)
How to Write a Synopsis of a Short Story or Novel (DOC)
How to Complete a SIFT Analysis (DOC)
How to Write a Thesis About Theme / How to Build a Thesis About Theme (DOC)
Essential PowerPoints
Five-Paragraph Essay Basics (PPT)
How to Move Beyond the Formulaic Essay (PPT)
Other Helpful How-To'
How to Read a Book -- full text (Adler)
How to Understand a Play (Dixon)
How to Do a Close Reading (Harvard)
How to Read Dickens (Epstein)
How to Read Literature Like a Professor (Thomas Forster)
How to Read a Writing Prompt for Timed Writing
How to Succeed on PSAT/SAT Critical Reading Passages
Rubrics
Analytical Essay Rubric (PDF)
Short Essay Exam Answers Rubric (PDF)
Literary Response Journal Rubric (PDF)
Other Downloads
Vocabulary & Literary Terms
#1 Overview of Basic Literary Terms -- start with this hand-out and then move to the one below
#2 Full list of Literary Terms for A.P. English -- once you have mastered the "glossary" above
Word Roots Dictionary -- very helpful when studying for ACT/PSAT/SAT
Literature & Literary Analysis Helpers
Conventional Symbols in Literature
Sample Five-Paragraph Analytical Essay -- use this as a model
Sample -- Literary Analysis Data Sheet (for Jane Eyre)
Literary Analysis Data Sheet -- blank in DOC
SIFT Worksheet -- blank in DOC
Composition Resources
The Elements of Composition
Pre-Writing Worksheet for the 5-paragraph essay
Sample Five-Paragraph Analytical Essay -- use this as a model
Essay Revision Self-Evaluation Form -- can also be used for peer reviews
Grading Rubric for Analytical Essay on Literature
Never, Never List
This resource section is invaluable to preparing for the A.P. English Literature & Composition exam. Familairize yourself with all of these and review the prompts.
Exam Description for A.P. English Literature & Composition -- what'll be on the exam, you ask?
An A.P. Exam Reader's Advice on Writing -- tips from someone who may be reading your essay
A.P. Multiple-Choice Stems -- types of multiple-choice questions you can expect
A.P. Open-Ended Prompts 1970-2012 -- all the "open" essay questions from the past 42 years
A.P. Poetry Prompts 1970-2012 -- all the poetry essay questions from the past 42 years
A.P. Poetry Prompts with Poems -- includes full text of poems
A.P. Prose Prompts 1970-2012 -- all the prose essay questions from the past 42 years
Sample A.P. English Literature Exam -- this is the actual exam offered in 1987 (same format as today!)
A.P. Exam Practice Strategies & Questions A.P. Poetry multiple choice question strategies and practice questions
A.P. Open-ended prompt essay rubric (PDF)
How to Write a Passage Analysis of Prose (PDF)
Multiple Choice Test Taking Strategies (PPT)
Preparing for the A.P. ExamStudents who do well on the A.P. exam are those who can clearly, thoughtfully, and skillfully analyze and discuss literature. This means you will need to:
1. Know a wide variety of literature. This means being able to pull specific examples and quotes off the top of your head from both poetry and prose.
2. Be able to effectively recognize and use (not just memorize) literary terms and techniques such as tone, symbolism, diction, and imagery in written analysis of a poem, prose passage, or book.
3. Construct your written discussion of literature in a concise and effective manner. (You will have to write three college-level quality essays in 120 minutes on the exam.)
How-To & Why-To Downloads
Introductory Reading on Writing Rose's Rules of Writing -- The Top 36 (PDF)
How to Write a Literary Essay -- essential: This is what this course is all about (DOCX)
Sample Literary Analysis Essay -- use this as a model (PDF)
Good Readers and Good Writers by Vladimir Nabokov (PDF)
How to Answer Short Essay Questions on Exams (DOC)
How to Write a Synopsis of a Short Story or Novel (DOC)
How to Complete a SIFT Analysis (DOC)
How to Write a Thesis About Theme / How to Build a Thesis About Theme (DOC)
Essential PowerPoints
Five-Paragraph Essay Basics (PPT)
How to Move Beyond the Formulaic Essay (PPT)
Other Helpful How-To'
How to Read a Book -- full text (Adler)
How to Understand a Play (Dixon)
How to Do a Close Reading (Harvard)
How to Read Dickens (Epstein)
How to Read Literature Like a Professor (Thomas Forster)
How to Read a Writing Prompt for Timed Writing
How to Succeed on PSAT/SAT Critical Reading Passages
Rubrics
Analytical Essay Rubric (PDF)
Short Essay Exam Answers Rubric (PDF)
Literary Response Journal Rubric (PDF)
Other Downloads
Vocabulary & Literary Terms
#1 Overview of Basic Literary Terms -- start with this hand-out and then move to the one below
#2 Full list of Literary Terms for A.P. English -- once you have mastered the "glossary" above
Word Roots Dictionary -- very helpful when studying for ACT/PSAT/SAT
Literature & Literary Analysis Helpers
Conventional Symbols in Literature
Sample Five-Paragraph Analytical Essay -- use this as a model
Sample -- Literary Analysis Data Sheet (for Jane Eyre)
Literary Analysis Data Sheet -- blank in DOC
SIFT Worksheet -- blank in DOC
Composition Resources
The Elements of Composition
Pre-Writing Worksheet for the 5-paragraph essay
Sample Five-Paragraph Analytical Essay -- use this as a model
Essay Revision Self-Evaluation Form -- can also be used for peer reviews
Grading Rubric for Analytical Essay on Literature
Never, Never List
- Never begin a sentence with a pronoun.
- Never begin a paragraph with a pronoun.
- Never start a sentence with the word "me," which is, of course, also a pronoun.Never use a word you don't know the meaning of or a word that is not comfortable for you to use (especially if your purpose is to impress instead of explain).
- Never ramble. Keep a tight check on your digression. If you find yourself out there in ramble-land, rein in your brain--stay focused on the main idea.
- Use sentence fragments, even for effect, in scholarly writing.
- Never "suck up" to the writer by stating how great he or she is. It is unlikely that you have read everything this author has written, so your assessment of his or her work is not going to be valid anyway. And, it sounds hollow. And, it doesn't add anything to your argument. Focus on the text as if you don't know who wrote it.
- very
- whole (as in "the whole story" or "the whole novel")
- the reader
- Am I saying what I mean?
- Does this make sense?
- Have I made good connections between ideas?
- Are my ideas logical?
- Understand the prompt.
- Use the literary present tense. In literature, a character is living in the present.
- Assume your reader has read the text.
- Assume your reader has a full understanding of literary elements and conventions.
- Focus on the text, not on a personal feeling or reaction to the text. Personal insight is important to your understanding, but ignoring the text in favor of personal response will result in an "empty" essay.
- Learn from your mistakes. Be analytical in assessing what you do well as a writer and what you need to improve on.