<p>Next year, I am going to take an AP English Language and Composition class and I am hoping on how I could improve my writing skills and reading comprehension. Have any suggestions?</p>
<p>read a lot of books, in leisure, for class, etc. </p>
<p>the process of understanding a book is the ability to sustain your attention… so the more you read, the more you’re training your mind…</p>
<p>oh
and try reading
the elements of style by strunk and white</p>
<p>it’s pretty useful</p>
<p>For our school’s AP English program, where my current teacher had a 100% pass rate, we learn most of the AP exam styles for writing, comprehension, analysis etc using the “Patterns of College Writing Book.” [Amazon.com:</a> Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide: Laurie G. Kirszner, Stephen R. Mandell: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-College-Writing-Rhetorical-Reader/dp/031240431X]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-College-Writing-Rhetorical-Reader/dp/031240431X)</p>
<p>We use this 9th edition, and it explains everything for descriptive essays, exposition and the different modes of discourse (AP word) used like comparison/contrast, cause/effect, process, definition, etc. Lots of helpful tips for learning how to write, redraft, revise, edit, and work in several different styles. Speaking of that…</p>
<p>The number one thing about AP English Language is about style - how to understand what style is, how to dissect style from another author, how to refine your style, etc. It’s all about breaking the mold of 5 paragraph mode of writing and the generic manner of spitting back out answers. It also wouldn’t hurt to look at the list of AP English vocabulary words, and try to use those to analyze authors (which are required for the MC, essay writing, and to be a better English person in general).</p>
<p>For AP prep, we use Kaplan. I just finished making flashcards for all of the words haha. I also totally agree with reading more things, like The New Yorker, Newsweek, Slate, etc. Not only are they socially aware of things that are not necessarily the mainstream, they have distinctive writing which helps in the looong run. Plus they usually have really funny articles too that are sophisticatedly written, so you could analyze how they write it and then adapt it to your own.</p>