Essay Tips: 5 Ways to Improve Your Essay Scores
- Connect the purpose (thesis) of your essay to the "big picture." This technique can be especially useful in the conclusion of your essay. Don't just restate your thesis!
- Be original. Answer the prompt with creativity! Everyone else is likely answering the prompt with the same approach. Take a risk, and be original! Most AP scorers will reward you for not putting them to sleep with a boring yet "safe" essay.
- Vary your sentence structure. Use short sentences. Mix those in with longer sentences to add variety and sophistication to your writing.
- Be specific. Which literary devices did the author use? Why did he use these particular literary devices? The more specific you are, the more credibility you'll get from the AP scorer.
- Avoid passive voice. Active voice is more direct and powerful than passive voice.
- Good: The author used alliteration to emphasize his point.
- Bad: Alliteration was used by the author to emphasize his point.
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How to cite this note (MLA)
Aboukhadijeh, Feross. "Essay Tips: 5 Ways to Improve Your Essay Scores" StudyNotes.org. Study Notes, LLC., 17 Nov. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2025. <https://www.apstudynotes.org/english/sample-essays/improve-essay-scores/>.
