Multiple choice: whether you love it or hate it, it’s a reality that you have to deal with on the AP® English Language and Composition test. For some, the multiple choice section is the easiest, but for others, we would rather write our own answer than have to pick one of five. Don’t worry, we feel you there, but these five tips are helpful in tackling multiple choice.
1. Know the Categories.
The AP® English Language and Composition multiple choice is split into five categories: questions about rhetoric, the author’s meaning and purpose, the main idea, organization and structure, and rhetorical modes.
Knowing the categories can help you in two ways. Firstly, it will cut down the time you would otherwise spend trying to comprehend each question. It can also help you approach the test in a systematic way, knocking out the questions you know will be easy first. All you have to do is figure out which of the AP® Language multiple choice categories you are best at answering.
A great way to know which questions fall into which categories is to study a list of questions stems. You will also want to study with real questions, so that you get used to categorizing them as you go. We have a variety of questions that you can use in your AP® English practice here.
2. Do Whatever It Takes to Understand the Passages.
When you take the AP® English Language and Composition multiple choice, each question will correspond to a passage. There will be four to five passages, and understanding them is vital to understanding the questions.
Find what it takes for you to be engaged in the passage. Try underlining words, or mouthing them as you read. Actively look for the main idea, and circle any rhetorical devices that pop out at you. Doing this will prep your mind for the questions to come, and it will keep you from being distracted or bored while you read.
3. Don’t Read the Questions First!
Now, we realize that some people rely on reading the questions before the passage, and for that reason we’re not going to say that this is a hard and fast rule. We are, however, going to advise against it on the AP® Language exam.
Here’s the thing: the way the AP® English Language and Composition multiple choice section is structured, the most important thing for you to do is to understand what the author is saying and how they say it. Typically, previewing the questions benefits you by allowing you to focus on what the questions ask, but for this test you need to understand the passage as a whole before you attack the questions because most of them deal heavily with the overall theme of the work. You can always go back and find the details, but if you miss the main idea, you miss everything.
Again, we’re not going to say that everyone is going to have better results without reading the questions first, but at least try it on a couple practice AP® English Language multiple choice tests and see if the method works for you.
4. Know Your Citations.
Every year, the AP® English Language and Composition exam includes questions over citations that many students miss because they are unfamiliar with the format. We encourage you to learn MLA, APA, and Chicago Style citations well enough to be able to analyze them.
Take for example this question, available in the AP® Language and Composition Course Description.
“52. The purpose of footnote 4 is to inform the reader that the quotation in line 49
(a) has been attributed to three different designers
(b) was first cited in 1918
(c) was the inspiration for an exhibit at The Brooklyn Museum
(d) is in an article in The Machine Age in America 1918–1941 written by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
(e) appears in a book written by Wilson, Pilgrim, and Tashjian and published in 1986”
The footnote in question is as follows:
“Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne H. Pilgrim, DickranTashjian, The Machine Age in America 1918–1941 (New York: The Brooklyn Museum in association with Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1986), p. 85.”
If you are unfamiliar with citations it may be difficult to decipher this question, but a basic knowledge of Chicago Style makes it obvious that the answer must be E. The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great tool to learn about citations.
5. Be on the Lookout for Decoys and Made Up Words.
It is not rare to be caught between two answers on the AP® Language and Composition multiple choice that both seem correct. If you encounter that problem, chances are one of the answers is a decoy. Decoys are written so that they are almost correct, but for one small error.
One sign that an answer may be a decoy is an absolute statement. After all, there are exceptions to almost every rule. If the answer uses words such as always, never, or every, it is unlikely to be correct. If you can think of a single case that proves an answer wrong, then the entire answer is wrong. Furthermore, if there are two answers that are almost identical, but one is more specific than the other, it is probably the correct answer.
When it comes to questions about rhetoric, remember that sometimes the AP® English writers will make up words to throw students off. If you have been paying attention in class and studying diligently, you can probably assume that a term you’ve never heard of is made up.
Conclusion:
When you’re taking the AP® English Language and Composition multiple choice, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. If you keep these tips in mind, both in your practice and in the actual test, you’ll thank yourself when scores come back. Are there any tips you don’t see here that you recommend to others? If so, leave them in the comments!
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1 thought on “5 Ways to Improve Your AP® English Language and Composition Multiple Choice Score”
Always be an active reader and take deep breaths! There’s nothing wrong with doing a little bit of AP® yoga before an exam. Breathe like nobody’s watching and also circle the best choice like nobody’s watching!
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