AP English Writing Guide

Sep 20, 2026

AP English Writing Guide focuses on strategies for analyzing and writing about literature, guiding students through close reading, vocabulary and diction work, pattern recognition, point of view, and symbolism. It outlines academic writing approaches such as crafting an essay in academic voice, using specific rhetoric analysis verbs, and organizing ideas with effective transitions and paragraph hooks. It also addresses style analysis, common writing errors, figurative language, and quotation integration, including MLA citation fundamentals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages54

Reading Time1 h 23 min

AccessFree to download

Close Reading of a Literary Passage

Academic Writing: The Essay

General Themes Taught in all Literature Classes

APE Verbs to Use in Analyzing Rhetoric Or Literature

Style Analysis

Format for "9" Essays

For revision you need to CRISP it!

Elements of Style

Rules for Literary Analysis

Literary Analysis SOAPS & TPCASTT

Annotating Texts

Using Quotations

Integrating Quotations

AP English Writing Guide AP strategies to help you with analyzing and writing about literature. TABLE OF CONTENTS Close Reading of a Literary Passage……………………………………………………………p. 1-2 Academic Writing: The Essay……………………………………………………………………p. 2-3 General Themes Taught in all Literature Classes…………………………………………...……p. 3 APE Verbs to Use in Analyzing Rhetoric Or Literature……………………………...…………p. 4 Style Analysis…………………………………………………………………………...…………p. 4-6 Format for "9" Essays………………………………………………………………………...…p. 6-7 For revision you need to CRISP it!………………………………………………………...………p. 8 Elements of Style……………………………………………………………………...…………p. 8-10 Language Words-Used to describe the force or quality of the entire piece……………...……p. 10 Rules for Literary Analysis……………………………………………………………………p. 10-11 Literary Analysis SOAPS & TPCASTT….……………………………………………..……p. 11-12 Annotating Texts………………………………………………………………………..…………p. 12 Using Quotations…………………………………………………………………………….…p. 12-14 Integrating Quotations…………………………………………………………………...……p. 14-15 Sample Sentences Using Assertions, Data Sentences, and Quotations……………...…………p. 15 Theme Statements…………………………………………………………………………………p. 15 Abstract Ideas and Concepts to Consider…………………………………………..……………p. 16 Transitions and Paragraph Hooks……………………………………………………...…………p. 16 Tone Words Vocabulary List………………………………………………………………...……p. 17 Avoiding Common Writing Errors…………………………………………………....………p. 18-19 Figurative Language……………………………………………………………………………p. 19-20 Literary Criticism Purpose and Types…………………………………………..……………p. 20-27 Literary Forms Terms…………………………………………………………………….……p. 27-29 Basic MLA Citation Format…………………………………………………………...………p. 30-35 Archetypes and Symbols……………………………………………………………….………p. 36-39 Making Effective and Efficient Notes……………………………………………………..………p. 40 How to Read a Poem………………………………………………………………….……………p. 41 How to Read a Short Story………………………………………………………...………………p. 42 Literary Terms for AP English Literature & Composition………………………….………p. 43-48 Allusions…………………………………………………………………………………………p. 48-52 A Guide to Writing the College Application Essay…………………………………………...p. 53-54 Close Reading of a Literary Passage To do a close reading, you choose a specific passage and analyze it in fine detail, as if with a magnifying glass. You then comment on points of style and on your reactions as a reader. Close reading is important because it is the building block for larger analysis. Your thoughts evolve not from someone else's truth about the reading, but from your own observations. The more closely you can observe, the more original and exact your ideas will be. To begin your close reading, ask yourself several specific questions about the passage. The following questions are not a formula, but a starting point for your own thoughts. When you arrive at some answers, you are ready to organize and write. You should organize your close reading like any other kind of essay, paragraph by paragraph, but you can arrange it any way you like. I. First Impressions: 􀁸 What is the first thing you notice about the passage? 􀁸 What is the second thing? 􀁸 Do the two things you noticed complement each other? Or contradict each other? 􀁸 What mood does the passage create in you? Why? II. Vocabulary and Diction: 􀁸 Which words do you notice first? Why? 􀁸 How do the important words relate to one another? 􀁸 Do any words seem oddly used to you? Why? 􀁸 Do any words have double meanings? 􀁸 Look up any unfamiliar words. For a pre-20th century text, look in the Oxford English Dictionary for possible outdated meanings. III. Discerning Patterns: 􀁸 Does an image here remind you of an image elsewhere in the book? 􀁸 How might this image fit into the pattern of the book as a whole? 􀁸 Could this passage symbolize the entire work? Could this passage serve as a microcosm--a little picture--of what's taking place in the whole work? 􀁸 What is the sentence rhythm like? Short and choppy? L

FAQs

How does the guide define close reading, and what should students do to start?

Close reading selects a specific passage and analyzes it in fine detail, focusing on style and personal observations. Students begin by asking specific questions about first impressions, vocabulary and diction, and patterns within the text.

What characteristics define academic voice in academic writing?

Academic voice emphasizes the material over the author’s persona, so most academic papers are written in third person. Using first person can draw attention to the author, while second person focuses on the reader.

What guidance does the guide provide for using quotations in writing?

The guide includes sections on using quotations and integrating quotations, which stress selecting relevant quotes and embedding them into the argument. It also provides sample sentence structures using assertions, data sentences, and quotations.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Lucas Martin