Customer Reviews

Cliffs Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Examination Preparation Guide

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Going into Ap English, I didn't think I could learn anything but this book really helped me because it went over all the tips and strategies I needed for the test and was very thorough. I would give it a five... but it only helped me get a four. (I thought the book deserved as many stars as points I get on the test.) I highly reccomend it!

I found this book very helpful for two reasons: the practice tests, and the terminology. If you know the terminology thoroughly, it will undoubtedly boost your score. The writing samples are decent, although its quite hard to capture that in a book. The practice tests are excellent, and as is implied by their name, the best way to prepare for the test. I reviewed with this book the week before the test and got a 5. I would recommend it as the best guide for this test.

Actually, that's about all that there is in the book. Well, it's got an intro to the test section, but all AP books have that. Other than that, it's got a list of terms, which are pretty helpful, but once you've taken enough practice tests, you pretty much already know what most of the words mean. Use this book, however, primarily for the practice tests. I found that the multiple sections in this book are the closest to the actual AP test. The actual AP test is slightly easier, but due to the variation from year to year, I would say that this book gives a pretty good approximation of the difficulty level. What I would not look for in this book, though, is help with writing. It does not give too many pointers and its sample essay responses are a little bit skewed. I felt that they were superficial and that they got to the point too quickly. Most of them mentioned the thesis in the first sentence, which may or may not be bad, but I think that most teachers and AP readers prefer a solid introduction. If you want help with your writing, take a look at the Barron's or even better, ask your teacher. As for the multiple choice sections, this book defintely hyped up my performance and I owe part of my five on the test to this book.