AP Literature Test Practice and Review Session #3 The Essay

AP Review Session 3_ESSAY Essays will always come in three formats: 1.A passage of prose. 2.A passage of poetry or a comparison of two thematically related poems. 3.An open essay: an essay on a given topic, supported by your own reading. NOTE: Each essay is graded by an individual who is an “expert” in that particular passage’s content or the content you selected for the “open” essay. Readers have no idea who you are, what school you come from, or how you are doing on the rest of the test. They have no idea of your other scores on any other section.

AP Review Session 3_ESSAY PROSE PASSAGES: The reader wants to read an essay that is “easy” to read, so think of/consider: Writing carefully, in large, dark handwriting. Be clear! Making your paragraph indentations easy to spot. Using paragraph breaks logically. Your first paragraph should be grammatically perfect. Your reader will make a judgment about your ability to write quickly. Write neatly! Using solid vocabulary—don’t use words you don’t know the meaning to and avoid slang or clichés Use clear nouns and verbs. Keep them parallel. Understand the question and write to the question! Don’t go off on tangents or give too many examples. Identify KEY WORDS from the prompt. SKIM the passage Don’t write an outline—you’ll waste time. Use STRATEGIES [7-MINUTE or IDEA machine]—next slide Order your sections—do the best essay you like the most first. Keep track of time—40 minutes per/essay…that’s it! DEVELOP a solid conclusion [HANDOUT]

AP Review Session 3_ESSAY “The 7-minute Passage” technique As you arrive at the last passage, check your time. If you have seven minutes or fewer left, use the technique: –Don’t read the passage to look for anything missed. –Answer the questions going from the questions that require no knowledge of the passage to those that require complete comprehension. If you’re left with between seven and 15 minutes for the last passage, use whatever technique best helps you arrive at more [and possibly] correct answers.

AP Review Session 3_ESSAY IDEA MACHINE: Images, Description, Emotion, Association / Analysis What is the meaning of the work? –What is the literal, face-value meaning of the work? –What feeling (or feelings) does the work evoke? How does the author get that meaning across? –What are the important images in the work and what do those images suggest? –What specific words or short phrases produce the strongest feelings? –What elements are in opposition?

AP Review Session 3_ESSAY For the “Open Essay” the best practice is to think of a work/works you know really well and practice writing opening paragraphs and conclusion paragraphs. Practice makes perfect for these! Stick with acceptable classics [as well as age appropriate]. If possible, reread the classic work/s you are thinking of using at least 4 weeks before the test to make sure you correctly identify the author and characters when making references to them.