AP English Language and Composition · Exam guide

AP English Language Argument Essay Explained: How to Earn the 6 Points

The argument essay gives you a general idea or claim and asks you to argue a position, using evidence you choose. Evidence can come from reading, history, current events, observation, or experience. What matters is that it is specific and that you explain how it proves your claim. Plan on about 40 minutes.

What the rubric asks for

Row	Points	What earns it
A: Thesis	1	A defensible position. Choosing a side counts; saying there are pros and cons does not. A qualified position is fully defensible.
B: Evidence and commentary	4	Specific evidence in a line of reasoning, with commentary that consistently explains how it supports the claim.
C: Sophistication	1	A nuanced argument, such as exploring complexities or limits, or effective, consistently vivid style.
Total	6

Our sample prompt: Write an essay that argues your position on the claim that people learn more from failure than from success.

Point 1: the thesis

Does not earn the pointFailure and success can both teach people important lessons.

It avoids a position and states something nobody would dispute.

Earns the pointPeople learn more from failure than from success when failure is examined honestly, because failure exposes assumptions that success hides, but only if the people involved have the safety to study what went wrong.

It takes a qualified position and gives reasons the essay can develop.

Points 2 to 5: evidence and commentary

General evidenceMany famous people failed before they succeeded, which taught them important lessons.

It is general and names no one, so there is nothing for commentary to work with.

Specific evidence with commentaryAfter the Apollo 1 fire in 1967 killed three astronauts during a launch rehearsal, NASA redesigned the spacecraft: the hatch was changed to open outward quickly, flammable materials were reduced, and the pure-oxygen atmosphere on the launch pad was replaced. This shows how a failure can expose a flaw that earlier successful tests had not revealed, because the dangers of the design had never been tested under real conditions.

It uses a specific event and explains how it supports the claim.

Point 6: sophistication

Earns the pointSuccess teaches too, but it teaches less urgently, because a working design invites people to repeat it rather than question it. Failure is more instructive only when an institution is willing to study it, which is why the Apollo 1 investigation mattered as much as the accident.

It qualifies the claim and explores a tension instead of dismissing the other side.

How to choose evidence

Pick evidence you know in detail. A specific personal experience beats a vague historical example.
Use two or three well-developed examples rather than five quick ones.
Mix kinds of evidence when you can, such as one event from history and one from your own experience.
Before the exam, collect five examples you know well that you could use for different topics.

Common mistakes

Using a general statement as evidence, such as "throughout history, people have...".
Telling an anecdote without commentary. The story is not the evidence. The explanation is.
Avoiding a position by saying both sides are right.
Writing a polished introduction and running out of time for the body paragraphs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use personal experience as evidence?

Yes, if it is specific and you explain how it supports your claim. A detailed example from your life can earn full credit.

Does the argument essay need a counterargument?

It is not required by the rubric, but acknowledging a limit or opposing view often leads to the sophistication point.

How many examples do I need?

There is no set number. Two or three well-developed examples are usually enough for 40 minutes.

Can my thesis be qualified?

Yes. A qualified position is fully defensible. Taking a side with conditions is stronger than refusing to choose.

What if I do not know much about the topic?

Choose the side where you can give the most specific examples. The rubric rewards your evidence and commentary, not your opinion.

Keep practicing

The AP English Language course has five practice prompts for each of the three essay types, with a writing space that scores your response against the official 6-point analytic rubric. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:

See the AP English Language and Composition course Free lessons and lesson list

Other free-response guides:

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