The poetry section of the Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature test will assess your ability to read, dissect and interpret poetic prose. If you receive a passing score on the exam, you may be able to receive college credit and bypass one or more college courses. If you have done well in your AP English course, chances are you will also do well on the exam. AP English courses typically give students the tools needed to pass the test. These tools include reading with a purpose, paying attention to tone and taking notes in the margins of the paper. One of the other keys to scoring well on the test is to become familiar with classic works of literature and poetry. Getting a good night's sleep the night before the exam and eating a healthy breakfast may also contribute to your success.
 

Instructions
●Read the title and poem with purpose. Your purpose should be based on the essay question. You should keep the question in mind as you read the poem; this will prevent you from going off topic.

●Take notes in the margin. Your margin notes should be a one sentence summary of what the stanza was about and the key phrases or words that stood out while reading the text. Referring to the notes when you write the essay will save time.

●Pay attention to the tone of the poem. In many cases, the author's tone in the poem is a significant contribution to the poem's meaning. When reading, look for specific details, diction and imagery that point you in the direction of the tone.

●Pay attention to shifts in the poem. Shifts in a poem are rarely coincidental. Many authors purposely create shifts in a poem to offer the reader insight. When you are reading, look for key words that suggest there is a shift. Frequently used words are however, but and yet.

●Identify the literary elements that can help you write the essay. Evaluate how these elements contribute to the author's overall message in the poem. Some literary elements you should consider looking for are imagery, diction and foreshadowing.

●Read the poem more than once. By reading the poem more than once, you will gain a better understanding of the poem. You have to avoid making incorrect assumptions about the author's meaning. When you read the poem a second time, you can clear out the loose ends and gain a better understanding.

●Support your answer to the essay question by using quotes directly from the poem. You can reference the quote in your essay by writing the line number or stanza. Do not assume the test evaluator will know where the quote is in the text.