The AP English Literature Exam

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The AP English Literature Exam

• Section I - Multiple Choice Questions
• 45 of grade
• 53 - 55 questions (some literal, some figurative)
• 4 6 passages
• 60 minutes allotted
• Be ruthless! About only 10-15 minutes per
  passage.
• Remember, as of 2011, you will not lose any
  fraction of a point for a wrong answer so always
  guess something. Do NOT leave any question blank!

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Advice on Multiple Choice Questions

• First look at questions, then annotate and scan
  each the readings
• Note the number of questions associated with each
  reading might want to pick readings with the
  largest number of questions first
• Answer the easy questions first - there are easy
  and hard questions on each reading
• Some easy questions can help you with the harder
  ones

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Advice on Multiple Choice Questions

• Of the five choices4 are distracters
• 1 is clearly wrong
• 1 is partially wrong
• 1 is the opposite of the right answer
• 1 is nearly right or right, but not MOST right )
• 1 is the most right (key)
• Remember, just because an answer is obvious
  does not mean that its wrong.
• Some of these questions ARE asking for literal
  answers. I know its the worst.

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REASONS ANSWERS ARE WRONG

• Irrelevant to the question
• Contradictory to the passage
• Unreasonable (the Huh? choice)
• Too general or too specific
• Never addressed in the passage
• Absolutes and/or qualifiers (close, but not
  actually correct)
• Look for the SPECIFIC WORDS that make the answer
  wrong

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Advice on Multiple Choice Questions

• Footnotes are a recent addition to the exam, so
  be on the lookout for them!
• At least one of the readings will include
  footnotes and there will be 2 4 questions
  associated with that reading that refer (directly
  or indirectly) to the footnotes

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III. The Prompts

• Read each prompt carefully before you read the
  sources or passage and again before you begin
  writing.
• Remember, you will be penalized harshly for
  failing to answer the right question. (Ex
  character vs. characters)
• Recognize there is a pattern to the prompts
• Read the selection ANNOTATE, but watch your
  time
• Write an essay in which you
• Pay close attention to what the question is
  asking!

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Essay section (55)

• Spend 1-2 minutes reading the prompt carefully
• Spend 5-6 minutes to organize the essay once
  youve read the passage/poem/prompt
• know what your thesis is (and that it answers the
  entire prompt),
• Organize your body paragraph divisions, topic
  sentence concepts
• Intro, 2 3 body paragraphs, conclusion
• Plan what examples you will use
• Spend 25-30 minutes writing essay!
• Try to save about 2 minutes to proofread. It is
  acceptable to scratch words out or add them in
  with carrots.

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Opening paragraph

• 2-3 sentences introducing the topic or subject
  and leading into the thesis
• Avoid rephrasing the prompt
• Dont define the words in the prompt (too
  cliché), or restate the prompt too directly
• Put a clear thesis statement at the end of the
  introduction paragraph

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Body paragraphs

• 3 body paragraphs is your best chance at a high
  score, but if youre struggling, just do the best
  you possibly can to make a strong and confident
  argument!! ?
• Style alone can raise your score, so choose
  your words carefully.
• Remember who your graders are and write
  accordingly. Be academic and professional, not
  casual and conversational. NO PERSONAL PRONOUNS
  (In my opinion, It tells us, We understand
  that, I think etc.)

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Concluding paragraph

• Try to give enough time to write a concluding
  paragraph, even if its only a couple sentences
  long (even ONE sentence).
• If you do run out of time, at least try to bring
  a sense of finality to your last body paragraph.
• Abrupt endings leave a bad taste in graders
  mouths.

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Tips that help with your writing

• 1. Be thorough and specific Do not simply
  point out strategies. Explain how they are
  used, give examples, and show how they establish
  attitude. ANALYZE!
• 2. Use clear transitions that help the reader to
  follow the flow of your essay Keep your
  paragraphs organized do not digress.
• 3. Write to express, not to impress Keep
  vocabulary and syntax within your zone of
  competence. Students who inflate their writing
  often inadvertently entertain but seldom explain.
  NO NAME DROPPING (Much like Faulkner NO! Just
  focus on the passage/your chosen text)

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Tips that help with your writing

• 4. Demonstrate that you understand style Show
  the reader how the author has developed the
  selection to create the desired effect. This
  indicates that you understand the intricacies of
  the creative process.
• 5. Write legibly If a reader cannot read half
  the words (especially at 530 PM on the sixth day
  of reading), you will not get a fair readingeven
  if your essay is passed on to a reader with
  keener eyesight. Patience decreases as the
  reading progresses.
• 6. Let your work stand on its own merit DO NOT
  WRITE pity me notes (I was up all night. I
  have a cold, etc.) to the reader. They will hate
  you more. )

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Remember to use quotations and explain them

• To score at least a 3, you must make use of
  pertinent references (paraphrases and/or quotes)
  from the text.
• Usually, a combination of the two works best.
• Shorten quotes to a few key words (no more than a
  few words) to avoid bogging down your essay and
  making it appear unoriginal.
• Remember to explain each quote clearly and
  demonstrate how it is relevant to your thesis.

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You can do this! ?

• Rather than dwelling on and panicking over the
  hard stuff, focus on the questions you can get
  right and do the best you can on the essays.
• If you struggle to interpret the poetry or prose,
  BS with confidence!! The stronger your
  assertions, the more likely the graders are to
  believe them! )
• BREATHE! Remember, its only a test, not a
  judgement of your worth as a person.
• If you get college credit, GREAT! But if not,
  youll only be that much better prepared for the
  course.
• No matter what happens, IM VERY PROUD OF YOU,
  and I know that you will do your best! ?

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Tomorrow Morning

• Be here (in my room) at 7ish for breakfast.
• Bring your own coffee if you want or need it.
• Be sure to get a hall pass before you leave
  today.
• Ill supply you with a magic pen and pencil, but
  youre welcome to bring your own.
• Wear a watch if possible to keep track of time
  during the test.
• We will parade down to the competition gym at
  725! ?