Ch 17: AP English: Writing & Structuring an Essay
About This Chapter
AP English: Writing and Structuring an Essay - Chapter Summary and Learning Objectives
After you've determined what you're going to write about, it's time to actually write the essay. In this chapter, we'll go over the different parts of the essay, from the introduction to the conclusion, and provide guidelines to help you figure out how to write effectively. You'll learn about arguments, personal essays, and rough drafts. After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
- Craft an engaging introduction
- Write strong supporting body paragraphs
- Conclude your essay with conviction
- Persuade your target audience
- Create an effective flow throughout your essay
Video | Objective |
---|---|
Essay Introduction: Write a Thesis and Capture Your Audience | Learn about the introductory paragraph and its components, including the thesis. |
How to Write a Strong Essay Body | Understand how to achieve unity and coherence in well-developed body paragraphs. |
How to Write and Use Transition Sentences | Explore transitions between thoughts in an essay and how to write from paragraph to paragraph. |
How to Write a Great Essay Conclusion | Learn how to wrap up your essay by reiterating your points in a memorable closing paragraph. |
How to Structure an Argument in Your Essay | Understand sufficient evidence and possible challenges to your thesis. |
How to Write a Strong Personal Essay | Explore the guidelines involved in creating an effective personal essay. |
How To Write a Persuasive Essay and Use Several Sources | Learn about researching and using sources in an essay that makes an argument. |
Writing the Rough Draft | Understand the importance of a rough draft and the process involved in writing one. |

1. Essay Introduction: Write a Thesis and Capture Your Audience
An essay introduction should include a thesis and a form of attention-getter to capture the audience. Explore the importance and rules of introductions, different types of attention-getters, the bridge between the attention-getter and the thesis, and the thesis statement.

2. How to Write a Strong Essay Body
Learn how to write a strong essay body by understanding what makes an essay confusing and recognizing how to organize an essay logically. Explore how to write an essay that has unity and coherence while staying on point.

3. How to Write and Use Transition Sentences
Transition sentences are a vital tool to enhance the flow of well-written documents. Learn about transition sentences and understand why they are important, plus explore ways to use them between paragraphs to create writing that flows smoothly.

4. How To Write Effective Conclusions: Importance and Elements
The conclusion, or summary of main points, can be crucial when presenting information. In this lesson, readers will learn the importance, and elements in establishing a convincing confection by restating main points, using interesting anecdotes, acknowledging opposition, and more clever tips to make a conclusion universal.

5. How to Structure an Argument in Your Essay
Some essays are used to argue a perspective and persuade an audience. Learn how to structure and organize an argument in an essay and recognize the components needed to create a strong argument.

6. How to Write a Strong Personal Essay
There are many reasons to write a personal essay in academic settings and the best ones have a clear purpose. Learn how to write a strong personal essay by identifying your purpose, narrowing your scope, editing your ideas, and not meandering.

7. Writing the Rough Draft of an Essay
The writing process for starting the rough draft of an essay can be complicated. Discover how to write the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion of a rough draft in this lesson.
Earning College Credit
Did you know… We have over 220 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level.
To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page
Other Chapters
Other chapters within the AP English Literature: Exam Prep course
- AP English: Literary Analysis Intro
- AP English: Interpreting Literature
- AP English: Literary Devices
- AP English: Poetry
- AP English: Types of Poetry
- AP English: Prose
- AP English: Prose Fiction
- AP English: American Literary Periods and Movements
- AP English: Examples of American Literary Analysis
- AP English: English Literary Periods and Movements
- AP English: Examples of English Literary Analysis
- AP English: Grammar Review
- AP English: Sentence Basics
- AP English: Essay Basics: Types of Essay
- AP English - Essay Basics: Conventions in Essay Writing
- AP English: Beginning the Writing Process
- AP English: Writing Revision and Skill Development
- About the AP English Literature Test
- AP English Literature Flashcards