<p>I had a question about AP English Language. My teacher gave my class some past free response questions. I noticed one in which one has to defend, challenge, or qualify a certain statement. I understand "defend" and "challenge," but what does "qualify" exactly mean? Is it in the middle between "defend" and "challenge?" Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>make more specific; "qualify these remarks"</p>
<p>Essentially, support them.</p>
<p>qualify does not mean support</p>
<p>support means support</p>
<p>qualify means support but not completely; support conditionally; say you agree with something, but not at all instances, or not as much as the quotation</p>
<p>In my experience, you're almost always better off taking a "qualified" position on an AP prompt. It gives you more to say.</p>
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In my experience, you're almost always better off taking a "qualified" position on an AP prompt. It gives you more to say.
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<p>I disagree. It seems to me that if you choose to qualify the argument, you'd be taking a wishy-washy stance; this tends to weaken your thesis and make your paper pointless. You'll wind up with a thesis like "Affirmative action has both good and bad points.", and that's not something you want to base an essay around.</p>
<p>The "defend, challenge qualify" essay on the Eng Comp AP test are argumentative essays - the reader is especially looking to see persuasive rhetoric. If you feel that you can make a compelling argument by qualifying, then go right ahead. But don't just qualify because it's the easiest way to go.</p>
<p>Qualify means to clarify, to make more specific. At least that's the denotation of the word.</p>
<p>I don't think it <em>is</em> the easiest way to go, but maybe my memory is failing me--I remember the AP prompts being a lot more subtle than, say, the current SAT I prompts. As I recall them, they were often longer quotes with a good deal of subtlety, so that if you chose to agree or disagree completely you essentially had to take an extremely black-and-white view on a prompt that was deliberately gray. By qualifying the prompt, you could consider it point-by-point and ultimately say a lot more.</p>
<p>But I haven't looked at an AP test in almost 10 years (although I did get a 5 on every English AP at that time), so if I'm wrong then please disregard my advice.</p>
<p>mike</p>
<p>Does the test focus on any types of certain books? I havn't read most of the AP English books so am I screwed?</p>
<p>Tufts: No, it doesn't</p>
<p>so should I try and defend a position or try to defend both?</p>
<p>also, one of the FR questions on a past exam say to defend a position on a controversial topic. Should I be nondogmatic and defend both positions?</p>
<p>I think defending both would be diastrious. I would pick one.</p>
<p>Can we use Pen on the essay? I hate writing with a pencil.</p>
<p>I think we can use pen. Vtran: Well it's important to at least aknowledge the other side of your argument, but don't try to defend both.</p>
<p>Also, on the current issue type questions, definitely don't choose something like the Iraq war or abortion ... choose something small like high school parking, chewing gum or cell phones</p>
<p>true, fireflyscout. </p>
<p>Be sure to avoid too controversial of an issue. You may be able to argue it very well, but that pro-life reader may not think you're too clever and give you a 5 on your essay. Stay safe.</p>
<p>Am I in bad shape if i didn't "study" for this one? I feel like I know how to write essays and the mc is kinda like verbal sat. Any last minute tips?</p>
<p>Get a good night's sleep!</p>
<p>You might want to familiarize yourself with some common rhetorical terms, michelec.</p>
<p>"Can we use Pen on the essay? I hate writing with a pencil."</p>
<p>I was under the impression that we can't use anything but a pen. Either way, yes, you can use a pen.</p>
<p>Yes you must use a pen.</p>
<p>I just did a practice test from the Peterson's book...and it really surprised me.</p>
<p>1) Are there questions on the MC about strict grammar? ie, do they ask you to identify gerunds, proverbial clauses, complex-compound senteces, etc?</p>
<p>2) For each passage on the MC, is there always a question asking you to identify the mode of discourse?</p>
<p>Both of these occurred on the practice test I just took.</p>
<p>Again, I'm working on 8 year-old information, but I don't remember seeing anything like that. Maybe somebody with more recent info can be more help.</p>
<p>Mike</p>