Below, you will see a selection of short prose selections and authors that have appeaered on the AP exam. Choose any FIFTEEN of those prose selections on the linked PDF document of AP poets. Annotate your FIFTEEN prose selections thoroughly, paying particular attention to diction, literary devices, tone, and overall message. You will need to find and print copies of each of the prose selections you have chosen.
List of All AP Prose Passages on the Exam from 1970-2022
Underline the first and last SENTENCES (NOT JUST LINES). Preview the passage by reading the first sentence, the last sentence, and by skimming the text in between to determine the scope of the work. By carrying out this step first, you gain an overview that allows for effective pacing. You also have a road map on which to base predictions and questions about the text.
Find all different or “funky” punctuation or SYNTAX and circle it. Discover obvious concentrations of unusual or otherwise significant syntax and their purpose. Look for changes in sentence length, sentence order, use of punctuation, and typographical elements such as italics, sentence inversion that creates rhetorical questions, etc. Mark this predominant syntax. This marking provides visual cues throughout the passage which will often guide the reader to the part of the passage that conveys the most meaning-the crux.
Discover the SPEAKER; write the name and point of view label at the top of the passage. Look for such things as the number of speakers and the narrator’s point of view-this is most often either first person (narrator as major character, narrator as minor character) or third person (omniscient, limited omniscient or objective). Unless otherwise specified, analyze from the speaker’s vantage point. Note anything that gives a clue about the speaker’s attitude. Be able to specify who is talking and how that person(s) feels about what is happening in the passage.
Discover the SITUATION; write one clear sentence on the top of the page about what happens in the passage. (Be sure to examine the title of the piece if it has one.) All passages have aconflict of some kind. Be able to answer the questions: What is the conflict? How is it resolved?
Draw a line in the passage where the major SHIFTS occur. Look for diction or word choice changes in the time, speed, or character attitude/speech to find the shift. SHIFTS are often indicated by changes in structure, syntax, or diction, such as wording that evokes certain connotations and sudden changes in tone, sentence length, rhythm, punctuation, or patterns of imagery. Find areas of the passage where you can locate the most changes, and closely annotate them.
MESSAGE: What was the overall point or message of this work? Please do NOT have this answer exceed more than about one or two lines total. DO NOT write a long disquisition.