Search results
For the AP exam, you should be able to describe an author's diction (for example, formal or informal, ornate or plain) and understand the ways in which diction can complement the author's purpose. Diction, combined with syntax, figurative language, literary devices, etc., creates an author's style.
On the AP language exam, expect the majority of the passages to be from the following genres: autobiography, biography, diaries, criticism, essays, and journalistic, political, scientific, and nature writing. Hyperbole – a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.
In this article I'll provide two lists: one of essential key AP Language and Composition terms to know for the exam, and one list of useful bonus words that will serve you well on the exam. Then I'll advise how to learn and use these terms for AP success!
- Ad Hominem: An argument based on the failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case; a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack.
- Adjective: The part of speech (or word class) that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
- Adverb: The part of speech (or word class) that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
- Allegory: Extending a metaphor so that objects, persons, and actions in a text are equated with meanings that lie outside the text.
Download free-response questions from past AP English Language & Composition exams, along with scoring guidelines, sample responses, and scoring distributions.
The updated AP English Language and Composition framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills that students should practice throughout the year—skills that will help them learn to think and act like writers.
People also ask
How many AP Lang terms are there?
What is AP Language?
What does antecedent mean in AP Language?
What is a aphorism in AP Language?
What makes the AP program unique?
In your response you should do the following: Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position. Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning. Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning. Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.