AP English Literature and Composition

Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition studying literary analysis and interpretation.

Study Strategies

Crafting Strong Thesis Statements

Building a Powerful Thesis

Your thesis is the backbone of your essay. Make sure it’s specific, arguable, and directly answers the prompt. Avoid vague claims—state exactly what you’ll prove. Practice writing thesis statements for different questions to get comfortable with the process.

Examples

  • Writing: 'In Macbeth, Shakespeare explores how unchecked ambition leads to destruction.'

  • Revising a thesis from 'Pride and Prejudice is about love' to 'Austen uses Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship to challenge social expectations about marriage.'