AP® English Language & Composition Crash Course Book + Online (Advanced Placement (AP) Crash Course) Green ed. Edition

This book is a fantastic for an AP student looking for a resource for helping them review for an upcoming Language and Composition exam. As other reviewers have attested, it is also very helpful for instructors to use as a means of covering important material on this exam. As the title would imply, the book is a summation of many different areas that a student would be up against on the AP Language and Composition test. However, there is quite a bit of depth covered in several areas, especially the types of essay prompts as well as strategies for these prompts. Another particularly impressive aspect is the way the book defines the various terms of rhetorical devices and strategies that a student is sure to encounter on the exam (style, diction, figurative language devices, connotation, narrative stance, etc), and then goes about citing examples for these as well as giving insight as to why a device is used.The format and layout of the book makes it easy to navigate and follow. The book is broken up into four parts. The first part is an introduction that covers information about the test itself, tips to ensure success, as well as types of authors and texts that often show up on the test. The next part goes into argument, style and rhetoric, covering language, rhetorical strategies, diction, syntax as well as a brush up on grammar. The following part explores ways to be an active and analytical reader, including a chapter on point of view as well as some helpful information on irony and satire. There is also a part on Research and Writing which covers some beneficial tips for researching and gives advice for the three types of prompt questions (Synthesis, Argumentative, and Prose Analysis). Finally, the last section covers tackling the multiple choice section, with some tips for reading the questions.Obviously the book is not a substitute for a student practicing for the exam, but it is an extremely helpful guide in detailing how to practice those skills. For instance, a student encountering a difficult reading passage could use this book as a tool to help them identify what they should be looking for in a passage, and get tips on how to annotate and take notes. They could also use this book to identify a rhetorical term that they weren't sure about.This is an excellent resource for any AP Language student or instructor.

As a first year AP Language and Composition teacher, I have been searching for clear directions on what I should be working on with my students. This book is invaluable! It is clear, engaging, well-thought out in organization, full of examples - in short, the miracle I wanted back in August! I purchased other AP prep books, even another by REA, and this leaves them all in the dust. Next year, I will have my kids buy this as a required study workbook. Thanks, Dawn!

This crash course is good but personally, I feel the best way to study for the AP Lang exam is to practice writing essays and take as many pactice exams as possible. I barely used this at all, really only good for vocabulary.

I took this test in 2014 and received a 3, however I will still give this book 5 stars because I can't really blame the book! I thought it was an excellent study tool to go along with my high school course and after reading it I felt much more prepared for the test. I probably would not have even scored a 3 on the test without the use of this book.

This book really was a little bit too much for me to swallow since I was pretty pressed for time. Although very thorough and well-written, it is A LOT of specific info. That's just the nature of the course. If you're too time-pressed, good luck. If you have at least a month to spare before your test, go ahead and look through! It can only help. I personally feel like taking the actual course and remembering the practiced skills I learned helped more than anything. If you feel like you've done a good enough job in your course, this book is pretty helpful, really. If you feel like you still need some work on your actual skills, I think you should definitely just go get tutored by your teacher!

Excellent tool for refreshing your information and preparing students to take the AP. I’m not a student. I’m a teacher, and think this book is a great crash course for freshman college English and Philosophy.

The overview is no better than what is on the AP Central site. Go for the 5 Steps to a 5 series. For this class, it is the superior book.

I used this book while reviewing for the AP Language test. When I say review, I mean REVIEW. There is no way to study for the AP English Language Test except by doing practice multiple choice questions that will give you a glimpse of where you stand. In the crash course, the author tells you that this book will help you achieve a 4 or a 5. I managed to score a 4, so it is pretty accurate. Use this in addition to practice tests and you'll ace that test!