AP English Language and Composition · Exam guide

AP English Language Commentary and Line of Reasoning Explained: Earning the Four Evidence Points

Row B is worth four of the six points, and it is where most essays gain or lose their score. It rewards specific evidence that is arranged in a line of reasoning and explained by commentary. Evidence is what you cite. Commentary is what you say about it. This guide shows the difference and how to build both.

Evidence versus commentary

	What it is	Example
Evidence	A specific detail: a quotation, a fact, a number, an event.	Douglass says, "You may rejoice, I must mourn."
Commentary	Your explanation of how the evidence supports your claim.	The two short clauses set the audience's joy against his grief, so that the celebration no longer feels innocent.

A line of reasoning

A line of reasoning is a chain of ideas in which each paragraph supports one part of your claim, and the order makes sense. It is the opposite of a list of examples. A good test is to read only the first sentence of each paragraph: they should add up to your argument.

A worked paragraph

Evidence, little commentaryDouglass says, "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine." He also says, "You may rejoice, I must mourn." This shows he is angry.

It quotes twice but the commentary is one vague conclusion.

Evidence with commentaryDouglass opens by splitting his audience from himself: "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine." The pronouns turn a shared holiday into a dividing line. He sharpens the split with parallel clauses, "You may rejoice, I must mourn", which place his audience's celebration beside his grief. By making the two lines the same length and shape, he invites listeners to weigh them against each other, and the comparison exposes how little the holiday means to those still enslaved.

Each quotation is followed by an explanation of how it works, and the paragraph builds toward one claim.

Sentence frames for commentary

This shows that... because...
By choosing..., the writer makes the audience...
This matters because it suggests...
The effect is to..., which supports the claim that...

The ladder (score from 0 to 4)

Score	What the essay shows
0	Only restates the thesis or the prompt.
1	General evidence, with commentary that only summarizes.
2	Some specific evidence, and commentary on some of it, but no clear line of reasoning.
3	Specific evidence supporting each claim in a line of reasoning, with commentary on some of it.
4	The same, with commentary that consistently explains how the evidence supports the reasoning.

Common mistakes

Quoting and moving on with no explanation.
Commentary that summarizes the quotation instead of explaining its effect.
Paragraphs that could be rearranged without changing the argument.
Words like "powerful" or "effective" with no explanation of how.
Evidence that is general ("many people") instead of specific.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a score of 2 and a score of 3 in Row B?

At 3, specific evidence supports every claim in a line of reasoning. At 2, there is some specific evidence and commentary, but no clear line of reasoning.

How much commentary do I need?

More than the evidence itself. A common guide is at least two sentences of commentary for each piece of evidence.

Is summary ever useful?

Briefly, to set up evidence. But summary alone earns little.

How do I show a line of reasoning?

Start each paragraph with a claim that builds on the last, and use transitions that show how ideas connect.

Where can I find the official scoring rules?

Exam formats change a little from year to year, so check the current course and exam description on the College Board site before test day.

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

More AP English Language and Composition guides (10)

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AP English Language FRQ Guide: The Three Essays and the 6-Point Rubric

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Multiple choice

AP English Language Multiple-Choice Guide: Reading and Writing Questions

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