AP Essay Types Overview
During the AP English Language Exam, you’ll spend the majority of your time on the writing portion (2
hours total).
You will have 15 minutes to review your sources and prompts then 1 hour and 45 minutes to write
three essays (approximately 35 minutes per essay). This is not much time to compose an essay so it is of
utmost importance to know as much as you can about the essays before taking the exam. Though you
can't predict the exact essay prompts, the types of prompts are the same on every AP English Language
Exam:
Synthesis: For your first essay question, you'll have to put together an argument about a
relevant issue. An example prompt is: it is appropriate for libraries to shrink or eliminate their
book and print sources in an effort to optimize their space for digital and Web-based
research?) based on 6 or 7 short passages about the topic. Some of the sources provided will
take one side of the issue, while some will take the other, and some may not address it directly.
The question will typically only require that you use at least 3 of the sources, meaning that you
could theoretically choose only sources that support one side of the issue and use them to argue
together for the stance that they all share. However, you will score higher on your synthesis
essay if you are able to bring together sources that don't take the same position. You should still
choose one position to argue, but address at least one of the arguments that comes up in a
source for the other side and discuss why it is wrong. And, if you can find a point in one of the
neutral sources and explain why it supports your position, it will earn more points, as well.
Analysis: The second essay is about close reading. You will only have one passage to consider for
this essay, but you will be expected to comment about in depth. An example prompt is: write an
essay that analyzes what rhetorical strategies Staples uses to convey his view of what it means
to be an African American man in society today. The key to doing well on this essay is to develop
a strong thesis about how and how well the author conveys his message. In the case of the
example prompt above, it may seem that a test-taker could write about the rhetorical devices in
the passage without actually addressing what his view is about being an African American man.
However, students who articulate what the author's message is and show how it is expressed
through rhetorical strategies will score much higher. This can be tricky because, in discussing the
author’s message, you do not want to use summary but rather analysis.
Persuasion: The final essay is a position argument like the first one, but without any sources
provided. It will present a debatable statement, and then ask you to take one side of the
argument, and support your argument with appropriate evidence from your reading,
observation, or experience. For this essay, the key to your success is to pay attention to the news
and current events, as well as your history and English class content, before you take the AP
English Language Exam. You can bring up events in your personal life that relate to the question,
but you will make a better impression on the graders if you can draw relevant connections to
current events, historical knowledge, and literature in order to make your case.
We will study and practice each of the three patterns of development in depth before the exam in April.
During Quarter 1, we will focus on writing analysis essays, and we will dedicate Quarter 2 to writing
arguments, as well as to practicing and honing analysis skills. Then, during Semester 2, we will tackle
synthesis writing, as well as continue to practice writing analysis and argument essays.
Source: https://benchprep.com/blog/the-ap-english-language-exam-the-three-types-of-essay-questions/