Product Review
CliffsAP study guides help you gain an edge on Advanced Placement* exams. Review exercises, realistic practice exams, and effective test-taking strategies are the key to calmer nerves and higher AP* scores.
CliffsAP English Language and Composition, 2nd Edition, is for college-bound students who are preparing to take the AP English Language and Composition Exam, which colleges use to assess your ability to perform college-level work. This easy-to-use guide provides you with insight into both the multiple choice and free-response sections of the exam. Inside, you'll find
- Five full-length practice tests
- A detailed overview of the different types of multiple choice questions
- Explanations of how the essays are scored
- Sample topics with actual student essays
- A diagnostic mini-test to help you assess your test-taking strengths and weaknesses
The exam's multiple choice questions are designed to test your ability to analyze prose passages, and the free response section tests your writing ability in a variety of modes and for a variety of purposes. This guide shows you plenty of examples of each, covering the following areas:
- Rhetoric and rhetorical modes, and author meaning and purpose
- Organization and structure
- The main idea of a passage
- Planning and writing your essay
- Suggestions on writing style
- Plus, a glossary of terms for the multiple choice and free response sections
This comprehensive guide offers a thorough review of key concepts and detailed answer explanations. It’s all you need to do your best — and get the college credits you deserve.
*Advanced Placement Program and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse this product.Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(13 customer reviews) 23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
The ONLY book you'll need,
October 12, 2003 Julia (California, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cliffs AP English Language and Composition (Paperback)
This book is definitely the only book necessary for the AP English Language and Composition exam. Especially important for the multiple choice section of the exam, is knowledge of literary term definitions. This book has a short section devoted to clear and coherent definitions of such terms. The other part of the exam consists of writing three essays. While a book cannot teach how to write, this book does an excellent job of helping the test-taker understand what the essay question is asking, and how to answer it. Each essay question is followed by sample essays, and explanations of how each was scored. This book is absolutely essential for the exam, and it helped me get a 5.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Excellent prep book,
August 29, 2004 S. Layton (NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cliffs AP English Language and Composition (Paperback)
I basically took the AP Lang exam using only this book to prepare, and I scored a 5. I did walk into it with pretty developed writing skills, but this book helped me understand and improve my literary analysis. I did about ten of the sample essays and one of the multiple choice sections in the practice tests. The student written essays are helpful; the high scoring ones give you a good idea of what the scorers are looking for.
The main thing to keep in mind on the AP Lang test is sounding intelligent is most important, even if your points are simple. As Oscar Wilde so eloquently put it, "In matters of great importance, style, not sincerity, is what really matters."
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Not bad. I managed to get a 4 using this book only.,
December 5, 2004 Ken Jennings "Greg Focker" (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cliffs AP English Language and Composition (Paperback)
I'll be honest. I think I was well prepared for AP exam way before reading this book. I've had hardcore Honors English 2 to help prep me for the AP class.
I didn't use this book till the week before the exam. The multiple choice questions were nothing like the ones on the AP exam, which I thought were easier than the ones in the book. If you really want to do well on AP exam, just do the multiple choice and see what you missed. I scored low on each exam (missed 10 or so) and didnt grade myself on the essays.
The good parts of the book are the comprehensive review of glossary terms and the section on writing the essay. AP English is the easiest AP exam to prep for. You don't necessarily need the AP class. You just need to know literary terms and how to write concisely. Overall, 4 stars for getting me the 4 on the AP exam. For the most part, most people in my class got 4s and I dont necessarily think it has to do with the book, but I think if you need practice,...Read more
