Preparing for the AP* English Language and Composition Exam

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This course is designed to help students become skilled readers and writers through engagement with the following course requirements:

Composing in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects

Writing that proceeds through several stages or drafts, with revision aided by teacher and peers

Writing informally (e.g., imitation exercises, journal keeping, collaborative writing), which helps students become aware of themselves as writers and the techniques employed by other writers

Writing expository, analytical, and argumentative compositions based on readings representing a variety of prose styles and genres

Reading nonfiction (e.g., essays, journalism, science writing, autobiographies, criticism)

Analyzing graphics and visual images both in relation to written texts and as alternative forms of text themselves

Developing research skills and the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary and secondary sources

Conducting research and writing argument papers in which students present an argument of their own that includes the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of sources

Citing sources using a recognized editorial style (e.g., Modern Language Association, The Chicago Manual of Style)

Revising work to develop:

A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively;

A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination;

Logical organization, enhanced by techniques such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis;

A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail; and

An effective use of rhetoric, including tone, voice, diction, and sentence structure.

Learn more about our High School and AP* Exam Preparation Courses

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What you'll learn

• To analyze different types of texts
• To write for a variety of purposes
• To understand and employ rhetorical strategies
• To evaluate and incorporate sources into researched arguments
• To prepare for the AP English Composition exam