Writing for the AP^® Exam: English Language and Composition

Authors: Dr. Brandon Abdon, Timothy Freitas, Beth Hall

Grades 11–12

Free-response questions make up 55% of the overall score on the AP Language exam

Provide students with a consistent plan for successfully approaching each FRQ type on exam day

How to use the information the exam gives them.
How to efficiently plan their response.
How to effectively write their response.

AMSCO Writing for the Advanced Placement Exam cover

Authentic AP Testing Experience

Give students a true AP exam dry run with full‑length, AP‑style practice tests in a digital player that mirrors test day, including realistic timing, planned section breaks, and exam‑like tools. Students practice pacing, reduce anxiety, and build confidence before the real exam. Teachers get data reports to inform instruction.

1.

Students can practice full length exams using a test player just like what they will experience on test day.

(Showing AP U.S. History as example)

2.

Multiple choice questions with the ability to eliminate answer choices or mark questions for review.

(Showing AP U.S. History as example)

3.

Students can navigate to other questions with the section—or revisit responses that are flagged within time remaining.

(Showing AP U.S. History as example)

4.

Authentic testing experience includes section breaks.

(Showing AP U.S. History as example)

5.

Students are given spaces to write responses online and use word processing tools for formatting.

(DBQ Example: students can navigate between sources and write responses online.)

(Showing AP U.S. History as example)

6.

The long essay question includes the essay prompt options just as students will have on exam day.

(Showing AP U.S. History as example)

The program provides individual lessons focused on the very specific and unique aspects of each type of essay. Each FRQ section starts with lessons focused on the Prompt. The remaining lessons follow the order of the College Board^® rubric used to score the essay.

The Learn section explains the lesson concept and provides direct, modeled instruction based consistently on one prompt.

AMSCO Writing for the Advanced Placement Exam Prompt and Learn sample page

Practice explores the concept through practice activities. These activities are based consistently on a second prompt.

AMSCO Writing for the Advanced Placement Placement Exam Practice sample page

Write extends the concept into composing, reflecting a skill required on the AP Lang exam.

AMSCO Writing for the Advanced Placement Exam Write sample page

After the FRQ-specific lessons, students:

Answer questions about the rubric to be sure they understand expectations and strategies for success.
Evaluate sample essays by practicing how to improve a 3 to a 4 or a 4 to a 5
Respond to a new FRQ question practicing the skills they have learned.

The Companion Website includes links to all videos referenced in the student lessons. These videos provide another mode of learning to help all students comprehend the concepts in the lesson.

Most videos are produced by the experienced author team of Dr. Brandon Abdon, Timm Freitas, and Beth Hall.

A how-to video providing strategies for implementing the program is presented by AP Language teacher, Lauren Peterson, co-author of the core AP English Language and Composition coursebook by AMSCO.

AMSCO Writing for the Advanced Placement Exam Companion Web site image

AMSCO Writing for the Advanced Placement Exam teacher resources image

Teacher Resource

Sample answers and CED skills covered by each lesson.
Reproducibles for each FRQ type.

Downloadable Digital Resources

Digital versions of FRQ-specific reproducibles.
Classroom Presentation Slides.
Pacing Guides.
A correlation to the Course and Exam Description.

Brandon Abdon image

BRANDON ABDON
Doctor of Arts, English

Former College Board Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for AP English. Fifteen years of experience teaching AP Language and AP Literature. Currently a College Board-endorsed consultant working as a curriculum, instruction, and assessment coach and affiliate faculty at Murray State University (KY).

Timothy Freitas image

TIMOTHY FREITAS
Master of Arts in Teaching, Secondary English Education

College Board-endorsed AP Language consultant teaching AP Language and AP Literature for 10+ years. AP Reader, Table Leader, Question Leader, and member of the College Board’s instructional design team for the current AP Language framework. Currently an English teacher at Whitinsville Christian School (MA) and oversees The Garden of English—a website and YouTube instructional channel.

Beth Hall image

BETH HALL
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

A College Board-endorsed AP Language consultant and AP reader. Teaching AP Language for nearly a decade. Founder of Coach Hall Writes, a platform providing writing resources for AP Language teachers and students. Currently teaches honors, AP, and concurrent credit classes in Arkansas.