AP Lang Essay Examples & Practice Prompts
The fastest way to understand the 6-point rubric is to see it applied to real essays. This library collects scored AP English Language samples for all three tasks — synthesis, rhetorical analysis, and argument — each annotated to show exactly what earned (or cost) every rubric point. High-scoring and mid-scoring samples sit side by side so you can see the difference a stronger thesis or sharper commentary makes.
Reading a scored sample answers the question students actually have, which is not “what is a good essay?” but “what is the difference between my essay and a 6?” Because every sample here is broken down row by row, you can see that the gap is almost never vocabulary or length — it is the quality of the commentary and whether the essay takes a real position. Read a high and a low sample for the same task back to back, then scroll down for original practice prompts you can write against.
Synthesis essays
Rhetorical Analysis essays
Argument essays
AP Lang practice prompts
Reading samples is only half the work; the other half is writing under time. These are original practice prompts in the style of each task — not real exam prompts, which are copyrighted by the College Board, but close enough in shape to train the right skills. Set a timer for about 40 minutes, write one, then grade it on the essay grader.
Synthesis essay prompts
- Some schools have replaced letter grades with pass/fail marking. Using at least three sources, develop a position on whether schools should drop letter grades.
- Cities increasingly use public money to attract large companies. Using at least three sources, argue whether these incentives are worth the public cost.
Rhetorical analysis prompts
- Read a commencement address of your choice. Analyze the rhetorical choices the speaker makes to prepare graduates for life after school.
- Read a historical public letter (for example, an open letter to a government body). Analyze the choices the writer makes to move a resistant audience.
Argument essay prompts
- Some argue that convenience is quietly eroding valuable skills. Develop your own position on the relationship between convenience and competence.
- “The most important lessons are the ones no one teaches you.” Develop your own argument about the value of learning that happens outside instruction.
Grade your own essay against these
Once you've read a sample and written against a prompt, paste your response into the AP Lang essay grader to see how it scores on the same rubric. For task-specific strategy, read the guides to the synthesis essay, rhetorical analysis essay, and argument essay, or start from the FRQ overview.
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