As an English Literature student, you are required to write an AP English essay as part of your coursework to test your writing skills. An AP English essay has three essay prompts which include a synthesis essay, a rhetorical essay, and an argumentative essay. This article gives you a guide on how to write an AP English essay.
Attending AP English classes will boost your skills in writing a good AP English essay. The information gained from the classes will help you when writing AP English essay tests or exams. Every year, the college board gives AP teachers a syllabus for AP English language and composition course which is taught in class and you are required to follow it when writing your AP English essay. Writing an AP English coursework assignment or test can be challenging but with the help of the tips in this article, you will be able to compose a good AP English assignment and pass the test.
Best Tips for Writing an AP English Essay
Below are the best tips for writing an AP English essay:
- Understand the question
Before you start writing an AP English essay, you should read and understand the essay prompt. Underline the keywords in the prompts to get what your essay should entail. Clearly understanding the questions helps you write a good essay.
- Write an outline
Writing an outline helps you to plan your essay. In the outline, you can write down your thesis statement, the key points of the body paragraphs, and various important points would like to include in your essay. Planning your essay makes it easier to compose a well-structured English AP essay since you have already outlined the key points of your essay.
- Write s 5-paragraph essay
When writing an AP English essay, you should consider writing a 5-paragraph essay. The 5-paragraph essay should include:
a) An AP English essay introduction paragraph
The introduction paragraph of your AP essay should stand out. It shows if you clearly understood the essay prompt. You should describe your stance in the essay and acknowledge the contradictory side of the argument. You should explain in depth why you chose that particular side for your essay. You should end the introduction paragraph with a strong thesis explaining what your essay will entail.
b) 3-body paragraphs
After the introduction paragraph, you should write three body paragraphs explaining the theme of the essay in depth. Each paragraph should have a unique key point on the subject of the essay. Your paragraphs should have well-constructed sentences which include a topic sentence that introduces the paragraph’s key point, a mid-sentence that explains the key point in depth by giving evidence-based information or examples, and finally a concluding sentence that wraps up the whole paragraph.
c) An AP English essay conclusion
The conclusion of your AP English essay is the summary of your essay. You should not introduce new information in the conclusion. You should restate the thesis of your essay and briefly mention the body paragraphs key points. If the essay’s topic was on solving a problem you give recommendations and call to action. You can complete your essay with a memorable quotation or statement that impresses the reader. After completing your essay, always proofread it to remove any spelling mistakes.
- Structure your AP English essay properly
When writing your AP English, you should have a good flow of information throughout your essay. You should avoid fragmentation of sentences and write complete sentences that are well-detailed. In addition, you should avoid starting your sentences with pronouns like I, you, he, she, we, or they since pronouns tend to make phrases short and basic thus leading to a monotonous read without much variety in the sentences.
- Consistent practice
Writing a good AP English essay requires consistent practice. Write several essays and learn from the mistakes you make in those essays. This will improve your writing skills and you will be able to pass your AP English essay tests and exams.
Using the tips above you will be able to compose a good essay. You can also research various AP English essay examples to have a better understanding of how to compose your AP English essay.
AP English essay example
Below is an AP English example:
Should every school-going child in California be vaccinated?
Private or public-school students should have a current vaccination record to enroll in a California public or private school. Depending on the doctor’s recommendations and the grade level the child is enrolling in, a child should acquire a specific vaccination before starting a particular school. Different vaccinations are required for kids in pre-school and grade school due to the age difference. Tetanus, polio, measles, and Hepatitis B are just a few of the vaccines that Californian children are required to undergo, among many others. Depending on the degree of enrollment, there are multiple vaccine categories. Parents refusing to vaccinate their children put their children in danger of various diseases. This essay focuses on why every school-going child in California should be vaccinated.
Vaccination should be made compulsory in the state of California because it significantly reduces the incidence of diseases. Measles outbreaks or resurgences can only originate within the nation for there to be a national epidemic or resurgence. For instance, multiple outbreaks have been reported in Europe, and it is believed that this is because the nations there have not maintained an effective vaccination regimen. The state of California and other states in the US should take the necessary measures to ensure that this policy is followed and the number of people who disagree with it is decreased. As a result, the state’s health condition will always be maintained by helping to keep infection rates to a minimum.
Vaccination works to defend the lives of individual members and the general society. When people choose not to get vaccinated, especially children, run a higher chance of developing lethal infectious diseases than those who do, refusing vaccination puts both oneself and other people in danger. Communities that refuse vaccination for religious reasons are therefore more likely to contract the disease, which puts the residents of those areas in danger. The claim that vaccination breaches the unchangeable attribute and violates equal protection rights is a fallacy because vaccination benefits everyone.
The protection of people’s and children’s lives is a compelling interest, which is why this regulation should be upheld. The health risks posed by the diseases that children often receive vaccinations against far outweigh the danger associated with receiving the vaccinations. It is crucial to stop the spread of these diseases, especially in schools. Therefore, protecting people’s lives, especially the lives of children, comes before all other interests. This is one of the key justifications for why the vaccination requirement in California should always be respected and implemented.
Finally, let’s discuss whether or not to eliminate the exemptions from the immunization requirements for students. Opponents assert that the law is unconstitutional and that it does not provide them a choice, but they are mistaken in their assertions. The law established by the state of California does not violate the right to an education; instead, it upholds it by ensuring that anything that might obstruct instruction is eradicated. By ensuring that children’s health is protected, the law makes sure that the prerequisite for education is upheld. The law also complies with federal jurisprudence that establishes vaccination standards. As a result, in my opinion, the state should uphold this rule and make sure that everyone in the state follows it.
The above is an AP English essay example. When writing your AP English essay ensure you follow the tips above and all the instructions given.
AP English essay topics
Below are AP English essay topics:
- Is social media beneficial to teenagers?
- Should schools use virtual learning instead of physical learning?
- Should the US government offer free education to all?
- Should cutting down trees be banned?
- Are genetically modified foods healthy?
- Should the government abolish taxes for small businesses?
- Are electric vehicles eco-friendly?
- Should immunization be mandatory?
- Should the death penalty be revoked?
- Did curfews during the coronavirus pandemic help to curb the virus?
- Should children have access to smartphones?
- Should corporal punishment be allowed?
- Should marijuana be legalized?
- Do social campaigns make an impact on society?
- Should the government ban the use of plastics?
- Should women participate in all sports?
- Should people work 6 days a week?
- Should college be compulsory for everyone
- Do daily exercises improve your mental health?
- Should the government ban fast-food restaurants
In summary
Writing a good AP English essay requires you to consistently practice writing essays to improve your writing skills. The AP English essay tips in this article can help you compose a good essay. If you need help with your AP English essay, we professionally provide essay writing help.