how long should commentary be in an essay

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From Summary to Insight: A Guide to Writing Commentary Essays with Depth

Writing an essay can be daunting, let alone if you’re also providing commentary on it. But the reward of a job well done is worth the effort when you’re finished!

It has been noted that essays with thoughtful commentaries have a higher chance of being accepted for publication. So I’m here to help make it clear that essay writers need to understand the power of commentary and how to incorporate it into their work.

In this article, I’ll share my experience as a writer and provide insight on how to make your voice heard in an essay by using effective commentary. By following my advice, you’ll be able to craft a piece that stands out from the crowd and makes your thoughts shine through!

What Is Commentary In An Essay?

Over the course of your writing, you may have heard of the term ‘commentary’ in relation to essay writing. But what does it mean?

Simply put, commentary is analysis. It’s when you take a text and try to identify the deeper implications at play. In literary texts this could be symbolism, metaphors or dual meanings; with non-fiction texts it could include examining how an author makes use of evidence and arguments to support their position.

Writing a commentary essay requires close reading skills and the ability to interpret a wide range of information. It also requires you to think critically about how ideas are connected and draw conclusions about why certain elements are included in the text.

Commentary is an essential part of any essay because it allows your reader – who may not be as familiar with the text as you – to understand why you have drawn certain conclusions based on your interpretation.

It’s like giving them a guided tour through your thoughts and ideas so they can explore what makes your argument unique and interesting. Commentary also enables you to make connections between different aspects of the text that might not be obvious on first glance, helping bring out its significance even further.

By using commentary effectively, you can write an engaging essay that really gets your point across clearly.

The Significance Of Commentary In Essay Writing

Writing commentary in an essay can be a powerful tool for communicating ideas and arguments. It is essential to engage in critical thinking, interpretation, and analysis when writing commentary. Writing effective commentary requires the ability to construct a well-developed argument that supports the main point of the essay.

Here are 4 key elements of effective commentary:

A clear thesis statement
Relevant evidence that supports the argument
Interpretation and analysis of the evidence
A conclusion that summarizes the argument

Commentaries should be written with an engaging style that encourages readers to think critically about the topic at hand. Good literary commentary should be accessible, yet thought-provoking; it should both inform and entertain the audience. Additionally, it should challenge preconceived notions about a subject and provide an insightful perspective on why something matters or how it affects our lives.

In order to write effectively, one must first understand their audience and what they hope to communicate through their words. With this knowledge in mind, one can craft a compelling commentary that offers fresh insight into any given topic.

Transitioning seamlessly into the next section…

Key Elements Of Effective Commentary

Like the rising sun that signals a new day, effective commentary can offer a fresh perspective to an essay. With the right words and emphasis, it can engage readers in an entirely new way and bring them closer to understanding your argument.

Like a shimmering beacon of light, it has the power to grab their attention and draw them into your ideas.

Commentary does more than just summarize facts or provide background information – it also evaluates, interprets, and analyses information.

It’s an opportunity for you to delve into the heart of what you’re writing about, offering insight into its significance and exploring potential implications. By taking this approach, you can evaluate the importance of each point and develop your thesis with greater clarity.

Through thoughtful commentary, you can make connections between ideas that your readers may not have previously considered and help them reach their own conclusions about your argument.

Strategies For Writing Potent Commentary In Essays

Writing potent commentary in essays is essential to making a successful argument and gaining the reader’s interest. Here are four strategies that can help you write a good essay commentary:

Develop a strong thesis statement

A thesis statement serves as the core of your essay, and it should be explicit, engaging and supportable by evidence. It should also be concise so that readers can understand your main message immediately.

Understand the topic better

Spend some time researching the topic before you start writing to ensure you have a thorough understanding of it. This will give your commentary more depth and clarity.

Body And Paragraphs Organized

Make sure your body paragraphs are organized logically and clearly explain how your points relate to the overall theme or argument of your essay.

Each paragraph should have a single purpose, and make sure that all sentences within each paragraph work together to support that purpose.

Use literary analysis

When writing your commentary you can draw on elements like tone, imagery, diction, and syntax to make your argument more persuasive and compelling for readers. This will also help them better understand what you’re trying to communicate in your essay.

By incorporating these strategies into your essay writing process, you can create powerful commentary that effectively supports your argument and engages readers with meaningful insight into the text or topic at hand. With these tips in mind, let’s look at how to use quotations and examples in commentary to further enrich our arguments!

The Use Of Quotations And Examples In Commentary

Now that we’ve discussed strategies for writing powerful commentary in essays, let’s explore the use of quotations and examples when constructing these sentences.

Quotations and examples are essential for making strong commentary sentences that support an argument or analysis. When used correctly, they can be a great way to illustrate a point and add interest and texture to your argument.

When including a quotation in your commentary, it is important to make sure it is properly attributed. You should include both the author’s name and the source from which the quote was taken. This not only strengthens your argument by adding credibility, but it also shows you have done your research.

Examples are also effective for proving a point or introducing a new concept. They help to break up longer paragraphs, explain difficult concepts in more detail, and provide evidence or substantiation for an idea or opinion. When using examples in commentary sentences, it is important that they are relevant to the topic at hand and accurately represent what you are attempting to say in your essay.

With this information in mind, let’s move on to examining types of commentary in essays; comprehending the contrasts.

Types Of Commentary In Essays: Comprehending The Contrasts

As a student writing a commentary essay, it is important to understand the differences between analyzing, summarizing, and evaluating. To help comprehend these contrasts, let’s take a look at four main points:

1. Analyzing – Looking closely at something and breaking it down into smaller parts to better understand it.

2. Summarizing – Taking the information from a larger group of data and boiling it down into its key elements.

3. Relating – Exploring how two or more ideas are connected and how they affect each other.

4. Evaluating – Examining different aspects of an issue or argument and determining its worth or value by expressing an opinion about it.

Using these four points as a framework for writing your commentary essays can help you to be more effective in your analysis, summary and evaluation of any given topic.

Furthermore, this knowledge will also serve you well when crafting strategies for writing literary essays that contain thoughtful commentary elements.

With this in mind, let us now turn our attention to creating such strategies…

Strategies For Writing Commentary In Literary Essays

Having discussed the differences between types of commentary, let’s now turn to strategies for writing effective commentary in literary essays.

When it comes to providing commentary, it is important to understand that you are making a statement about something; whether it be an interpretation or opinion, you need to make a clear statement.

You should also comment on any phrases or passages that have stood out and explain why they are significant.

It is also important to identify the underlying message of the text. This means going beyond surface-level analysis and delving into the deeper meaning of the work.

To do this, think about what is not being said as much as what is being said.

Make sure your comments add depth to your analysis and provide new insights for your readers.

Finally, take care when constructing your sentences so that your points come across clearly and convincingly.

Writing Commentary For Convincing Essays

I’m sure you’re excited to finally get started on writing your commentary for a convincing essay! It can be intimidating to write about something without knowing what type of essay you’re working on. But if you take the time to read through the assignment and passage, you’ll have a much better idea of what you need to write.

When it comes to writing your commentary, try not to worry too much about “sounding smart” or “having all the right answers.” Instead, focus on writing like yourself—in your own voice, with your own ideas. The more authentic and engaging your writing is, the more persuasive it will be to readers.

So don’t be afraid to express yourself—you may just surprise yourself with how creative and interesting your thoughts can be! With that said, let’s move on to creating commentary that supports your thesis statement.

Creating Commentary That Supports Your Thesis Statement

As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. Looking back now, it’s clear that writing an effective commentary for a convincing essay requires some finesse and insight.

When starting to write, it’s important to have a good understanding of the topic you are discussing and to provide enough context for your audience to understand what you are discussing. Additionally, it helps to have an understanding of opposing viewpoints before you start writing so that you can avoid falling into common traps.

To create commentary that supports your thesis statement effectively, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1. Make sure your argument is sound and won’t be easily refuted by an opposing point of view.

2. Avoid introducing new evidence or topics in your commentary; instead focus on the evidence already presented in the essay body.

3. Take the time to help explain why certain evidence matters and why readers should care about it.

The goal of commentary is not just to express an opinion but also provide meaningful analysis that will help prove or disprove a point of view. By being mindful of these considerations when writing, it is possible to create effective commentary that will help readers better understand your argument and its implications.

Common Mistakes To Avoid In Commentary Writing

I think one of the biggest mistakes I can make when writing a commentary essay is to overgeneralize my points. It’s important to provide specific examples and evidence to back up my opinion and avoid making sweeping conclusions.

Additionally, when writing a commentary essay, it’s also easy to forget to include evidence to support my argument. Making sure to include evidence will make my piece of writing much more convincing and credible.

Avoiding Overgeneralization

When writing a commentary essay, it’s important to avoid overgeneralizing your topic.

Sure, it may be tempting to make sweeping statements about the issue at hand, but this won’t do justice to your argument.

Instead, try to focus on concrete evidence and facts that back up your opinion.

For example, include statistics or subjective accounts from experts in the field.

This will ensure that you don’t come off as too biased or uninformed in your commentary.

By avoiding overgeneralization and being specific in your evidence, you can present a much more convincing argument and captivate readers with innovation.

Remember: always strive for accuracy when building an argument!

Lack Of Evidence

When it comes to commentary writing, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not having enough evidence to back up their argument. Without any supporting evidence, your argument can easily be dismissed as biased and uninformed.

This is especially true when discussing contentious topics like politics or religion. It’s important to remember that you’re usually assigned a commentary essay for a reason—so make sure you have enough facts and figures to give your readers an informed opinion. Otherwise, you may struggle to convince them of your point of view.

To make sure your argument stands out from the crowd, research extensively and use concrete evidence whenever possible. This will show that you’ve put in the effort and will help ensure a more innovative outcome for your audience.

Tips For Revising And Editing Commentary

Revising and editing your commentary is an important step in writing an essay. It helps to ensure that you are conveying the most accurate and persuasive message.

To do this, it’s important to read through your writing again and summarize any points that you noticed while reading. This will allow you to make sure that each point is clear and concise. As students need to be able to write effectively, it is also important to pay close attention to the language used throughout the essay.

Looking for words that could be replaced with more precise ones or focusing on certain aspects of literature can help bring life to a paper.

It is also essential to check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other errors before submitting the essay. Making sure all of these elements are correct can help enhance the paper’s overall quality.

Additionally, as you review your work, look for any areas where clarification may be necessary. Taking a second look at what you wrote will help ensure that the reader fully understands all of your points and implications.

By following these tips when revising and editing commentary in an essay, readers can gain a clearer understanding of the author’s intended message.

Examples Of Strong And Poor Commentary In Essays

A necessary part of writing an essay is the commentary. It’s the all-important part that allows for a deeper understanding of what is being written and allows the reader to get a fuller picture of the writer’s thoughts.

Unfortunately, not everyone understands the need to understand commentary. Many writers think they can simply paraphrase their sources without paying attention to how they are using irony or antithesis, missing out on valuable opportunities to add depth and complexity to their work.

Commentary should be used to engage readers in a way that speaks directly to their subconscious desire for innovation. It should be written in a personal tone of voice with contractions and an engaging style that will grab readers’ attention and make them want more.

If done correctly, it can bring new life and insight into an essay, allowing it to stand out from the rest.

Paragraph Construction With Commentary

In this section, I’m going to be talking about paragraph construction with commentary. As part of writing an essay, it is important to think about how you are going to use literary elements and techniques to convey your main idea or argument. I was always taught by my instructor that the way you structure your paragraphs can really make a difference in how effective your message is.

So, let’s take a look at some tips for constructing well-crafted paragraphs that provide an engaging commentary.

First of all, try not to write too long of a sentence as this can lead to confusion for the reader.

Secondly, make sure that each paragraph has one clear point that ties back into the main argument or idea you are trying to convey in your essay.

Finally, use transition words and phrases as needed throughout the essay so that readers can easily follow along with your discussion.

All these steps help ensure that readers understand and appreciate what you have written in your essay. With these tips in mind, let’s move on to discussing transition words and phrases for commentary.

Transition Words And Phrases For Commentary

In the world of higher education, commentary is a powerful tool that can bring literature to life in a way that no other piece can. It’s almost magical how one can take an otherwise mundane poem and turn it into something extraordinary with just a few words. Commentary has the ability to transform isolation into coherence in ways that are simply astounding!

Here is a 4-point list for successful commentary:

1. Read the text multiple times before writing any comments.

2. Take notes on what stands out most to you.

3. Use concrete examples from the text to better illustrate your points.

4. Be sure to engage with your audience in a way that encourages them to think more deeply about the subject matter at hand.

Commentary is an invaluable skill for anyone looking to make their mark on a piece of literature, so use it wisely and always strive for excellence! With this knowledge, we can now move on to exploring how to write a conclusion with commentary – do’s and don’ts included!

Writing A Conclusion With Commentary: Do’s And Don’ts

Now that you know the transition words and phrases for commentary, it’s time to learn how to write a conclusion with commentary. It can seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.

One of the most important things to remember is not to rely too heavily on your homework. Spending too much time memorizing facts and figures won’t help you in the long run when it comes to showcasing your opinion. Therefore, try to focus on critical thinking skills instead of wasting time studying for hours on end.

While two sentences are usually enough for a conclusion, make sure that each one packs a punch and is full of insight and analysis. Hone your skills by getting feedback from others so you can refine your writing and develop a style that resonates with any reader.

This can help ensure that your concluding remarks leave an impactful impression on those who read them.

Overall, effective commentary is essential for producing a successful essay.

Writing commentary allows you to demonstrate your understanding and personal thoughts on the topic and can really amplify your argument.

By incorporating examples, quotations, and other evidence into your commentary, you are able to bring life to your writing in a manner that will make it stand out from the crowd.

As an age-old proverb says, “A picture paints a thousand words”; similarly, strong commentary paints an even grander picture of your argument.

With these tips in mind, I look forward to seeing you all write some truly standout essays!

How to Write a Commentary

Last Updated: May 19, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Richard Perkins . Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 674,106 times.

At some point in your life, you'll probably have to write a commentary. Whether you're a teacher, editor, student, or amateur critic, knowing how to constructively analyze someone's work is a useful skill. There isn't a magical formula for writing a commentary. The commentary you write depends upon what you're reviewing, why you're giving feedback, and what you think about the work. No matter what you’re working on, having a clear goal and strong writing will help make your commentary successful.

Writing a Literary Commentary

Your thesis is your argument or your point of view. This is where you take a stance, and spend the rest of the essay supporting your thesis.
Maybe you are writing a commentary on Great Expectations . Your thesis could be, “Not only is Dickens’ tale engaging, it is also an insightful commentary on the differences between social classes in industrial Britain.”

You might write at the top of your outline, “Important Themes in Great Expectations”. You could then make bullet points such as “Setting”, “Ambition”, “Class”, etc.

You might start by saying, “ Great Expectations is full of imagery that makes the reader feel as if they are in 19th century England with Pip. Dickens’ novel about class, ambition, and love sheds important light on the social divides of the time.”
You could then list the themes that you will discuss in the body of your commentary.

Step 4 Use specific examples to support your thesis.

An excellent specific example to illustrate this theme is pointing out that the character remains in her wedding dress, despite being jilted decades before.

Step 5 Connect your examples back to the theme.

You might write something like, “Miss Havisham is an example of the theme that love can sometimes go terribly wrong. This is also an important theme when examining the relationship between Pip and Estella.”
Make sure to use smooth transitions. When you move to a new example, use a good transition word or phrase. Some examples are “similarly”, “conversely”, and “again”.

In your commentary on Great Expectations , you would want to make sure that you emphasize your summary again: this is a good example of class divisions and how ambition is not always the best quality.
You might also choose to compare it to another book from the same period to illustrate why the work by Dickens is significant. However, you generally shouldn’t introduce new information in your conclusion.

Creating Data Commentary

You might also be asked by your boss or teacher to write a data commentary. Make sure to ask about their expectations, such as length.

For example, if the research is about the graduation rate in the Chicago Public Schools, you need to explain the numbers and illustrate why the results are important.

You might say something like, “As shown in Figure 1.2, the costs of healthcare have risen at a steady rate since 2000.”

As in the rest of your data commentary, your conclusion should refer to specific pieces of data.

You should include a specific section for resources at the end of your data commentary.
Any time you cite numbers or a quote, make sure to provide a reference.

Commentary Outlines

Expert Q&A

If you are writing a commentary for a class, make sure to carefully follow the instructions. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Make sure to carefully edit and polish your writing. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/HOWTOWRITEALITERARYANALYSISESSAY_10.15.07_001.pdf
↑ Richard Perkins. Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator. Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.
↑ http://www.udc.edu/docs/asc/Outline_Structure_for_Literary_Analysis_Essay_HATMAT.pdf
↑ https://www.germanna.edu/wp-content/uploads/tutoring/handouts/Literary-Analysis.pdf
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/writing-data-commentary/
↑ https://ebooks.hslu.ch/academicwriting/chapter/4-5-results/
↑ https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/modernlanguages/intranet/undergraduate/skills/commesswriting/commentarywriting/
↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789530/

About This Article

To write a commentary, write about your observations and analysis of the text you read. You should craft a clear and specific thesis statement about the novel, poem, or play you are evaluating. Your thesis statement should explain your stance or argument about the text. Use this thesis statement to build a brief outline of your commentary and then choose specific details from the text to support your argument. Then, add an introduction to give your reader some context for the themes you will discuss. For tips from our Education reviewer on how to write a data commentary, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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School of Modern Languages and Cultures

Writing a literary commentary: guidelines, what is a commentary.

First and foremost, a literary commentary is NOT an essay. The passage in front of you is not, therefore, an invitation to write a general essay about the work from which it has been taken.
A commentary is an analysis of the given passage, its function and its characteristics. It should examine the key themes and stylistic devices of the passage, showing how the language works to convey (or at times undermine) its content.
A commentary should relate the passage to the rest of the work (novel, collection of poems, etc.), but remain focused in the main on the details of the passage itself.
Make sure that your commentary covers the whole passage. For instance, if you are given a poem with five stanzas, you should try to say something about each stanza.
Use line numbers (in both poetry and prose) in your commentary, rather than wasting time by quoting at length.
When you do quote, make sure that your comments don't simply repeat what the quotation already says: 'In the line "Il pleut dehors", the poet tells us that it is raining outside ...'
Avoid verbosity or inaccurate terminology. Clarity and precision are top priorities, and polysyllabic words do not improve a commentary.
Don't use words like 'effective', 'atmospheric', or 'beautiful' unless you are also explaining what the effect, atmosphere or beauty of the passage are, and how they are achieved.

How should I write my commentary?

There are no fixed rules for writing a commentary, but a general structure will be suggested. You should always PLAN your commentary before you start writing it, following these guidelines where appropriate.

1 Introduction

Put the passage into context , and summarise its arguments briefly (in a few sentences): do not spend too much time discussing matters outside of the passage.
You should assume that your reader has read the work from which the passage has been taken.
You may want to point out the passage's most important thematic and structural aspects in your introduction.
Introduce the main themes and structural aspects of the passage.
What kind of passage is it (description/dialogue/free indirect speech), and what is its function (in the rest of the work)?
What is its overall structure (repetitious/circuIar/leitmotifs/develops to a climax)?
What is the narrative point of view (first-person/third-person/omniscient or not)?
What are the register (high/low) and tone (comic/surreal) of the passage?

3 Detailed Analysis

This is the most substantial part of the commentary. It should not be simple description or paraphrase, but an analysis of how the language of the passage functions. The following are aspects of the text that you should look for:

Sentence structure
Tense usage
Word order (balance or lack thereof, harmony, repetition, parallels)
Figurative language (imagery, metaphors, similes, symbolism, allegory, personification, myth, antithesis, irony, paradox)
Characterisation (or lack thereof)
Narrative technique/point of view (first/third person, limited point of view, stream of consciousness)
Punctuation
Alliteration, assonance, rhyme (poetry and prose)

Remember that no text is likely to have instances of all of these elements, and that it is best to concentrate on those that are most relevant to the passage in question. Also, you should avoid simply commenting on the appearance of a particular technique: make sure you say why this is worth noticing. Ideally, your comments should cohere to explain how the various linguistic devices combine to produce the overall effect intended by the author.

4 Conclusion

Summarise your findings, drawing together the different aspects of the text that you have discussed in your commentary.
Assess briefly the achievements and significance of the passage, both in itself and in relation to the work from which it is taken.

Some useful aids to commentary-writing

Nurse, P. (ed.), The Art of Criticism: Essays in French Literary Analysis (Edinburgh, 1969) (sample commentaries of French literary texts)
Biard, J. D., Lexique pour I 'explication de texte (Exeter, 1980)
Benac, H., Vocabulaire de la dissertation (Paris, 1949)

(Binac and Biard provide lists of technical terms used in close analysis of a literary text in French, and give explanations and examples of usage)

What Is a Commentary in an Essay | Writing Guide & Examples

22 December 2023

last updated

When people need to express their thoughts or ideas about something, they need guidelines on how to write a commentary essay. This article begins by defining what is a commentary essay, its meaning, and outlining its basic structure. Some insights students can learn are that introductions should have hooks, background information, and thesis statements. Body paragraphs of a commentary essay should have topic sentences; evidence, mainly quotes; comments after the evidence; and transitions. The conclusion part should restate the thesis and summarize the main ideas. This guideline also gives a sample outline template, possible topics, and a practical example of a commentary essay. Lastly, the article teaches students 10 dos and 10 don’ts and 20 tips for writing a high-standard commentary essay.

How to Write an Outstanding Commentary Essay & Examples

Reading is an academic exercise that develops a person’s mental faculties of intellect, memory, reason, intuition, perception, and imagination. These faculties develop when people utilize what they have acquired through reading to write different types of papers , including essays, reports, and research papers. Therefore, reading and writing are related because they both induce intellectual development. This guideline on how to write a commentary in an essay teaches students and anyone passionate about writing how to create a good argumentative position that meets the quality standards for intellectual discourse and publication. The guideline also offers vital insights, including the definition of what is a commentary essay, its basic essay structure , different types, possible essay topics, 10 dos and 10 don’ts, and 20 tips for producing a high-standard essay. Therefore, reading this guideline is beneficial to students and others who may, from time to time, write a commentary in an essay to communicate ideas to specific audiences.

What Is a Commentary in an Essay | Writing Guide & Examples

Definition of What Is a Commentary in an Essay and Its Meaning

From a definition, a commentary is a descriptive account of an event, an expression of opinions about a political, economic, social, or cultural issue, or elucidating a point or topic of public interest. From this perspective, a commentary essay is a document that students write to express opinions about an issue or topic through a descriptive expression and explanation of ideas. In this respect, a commentary essay differs from other types of essays , including an argumentative essay , a personal narrative , a cause and effect essay , compare and contrast essay , or a problem and solution essay , as well as a report and a research paper , because it means expressing the writer’s perspective concerning an issue or topic. Commentaries are products of a critical analysis of societal problems across political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. When writing a commentary essay, students should analyze and interpret the source under discussion, such as a text, film, article, video, advertisement, event, object, subject, book, poem, speech, presentation, literary work, novel, sculpture, or image, among others, using a basic sandwich rule: giving a commentary after each quote or citation.

Use exceptional writing services that guarantee original and well-researched papers.

Basic Structure of a Commentary Essay

Like other texts, a commentary paper has a basic essay structure that dictates how writers should organize their content. This structure has three components: an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . The introduction is where writers introduce their assigned topics using a hook , context, and an argumentative thesis statement . Although this type of commentary essay is not an argumentative essay, an argumentative thesis indicates the writer’s perspective on the issue, which can be contentious in the eyes of readers. The body of a commentary essay is where authors construct a defense of their perspective through body paragraphs; each body paragraph should have a topic sentence that establishes a claim ; supporting evidence, like quotes, data, or examples; a commentary that analyzes and explains information cited in an essay; and a concluding sentence with a transition to create a logical connection to the next paragraph. In turn, the conclusion restates the thesis and makes a final remark.

5 Main Types of Commentary

Because a commentary in an essay expresses the writer’s perspective about an issue, idea, or topic, it is evident in the body section of a commentary essay, where people describe their perspectives every time they provide evidence. In this respect, there are different types of commentary. The first one is an opinion essay where writers analyze evidence, such as a quote, text, or image, and state their stands with their critics. The second type of a commentary essay is an interpretation, where authors explain a complex concept to enhance the reader’s understanding. The third type is character or subject’s feelings, where students depict the emotional state of the person they have described in a commentary sentence. The fourth type of commentary essay is a personal reaction, where people communicate their stances on an issue, while the fifth type is an evaluation, where writers evaluate a section and gives a critical judgment.

Alternative Commentary Types and Examples

Besides the types of commentary above, students may write alternative commentary types when their essay is part of a bigger writing project, such as a systematic exposition of an idea, theme, or topic. Students must know the unique features of each type, including when to use it, what to focus on, and how to organize a commentary essay’s content.

1️⃣ Close, Direct Analysis of Passages

An example of an alternative commentary is a close, direct analysis of robust passages from the source, such as an article, film, poem, literary work, book, or novel. In this respect, they are standard in bigger writing projects, like expositions or being part of a critic’s work. Students adopt this type of commentary when they have to read a passage in a text or pick a speech in a movie and write a film analysis essay that expresses the writer’s perspective on the central issues, ideas, or concepts. The following example of a commentary essay demonstrates a close, direct examination of the first stanza of the poem “Night Wind” by Christopher Dewdney:

Tonight the wind blows through

all the worlds I have known and

through all the lives I have led.

The wind blows in the trees,

deeper into each.

The wind blows forever,

strains like something

endlessly departing.

Restless, impatient,

it races without burden.

Example of a Commentary on Celebration of Nature in the First Stanza of Christopher Dewdney’s Poem “Night Wind”

Christopher Dewdney’s 1984 poem “Night Wind” celebrates nature by depicting the night wind as a permanent, free expression of nature. The poet describes the wind on a particular night in the first stanza. By using a first-person perspective in the first three lines, Dewdney depicts himself as an observer. This writing style expresses a personal dialogue in which the poet directly relates his senses, experiences, and impressions. Dewdney opens the poem with the words: “Tonight the wind blows through / all the worlds I have known and / through all the lives I have led.” In this passage, the author expresses to the reader how the unity of the wind in whatever time or place leaves a lasting impression on him. Ideally, he views the wind as an omnipresent force but also regards it as very transient and fleeting. The words “endlessly departing” indicate to the reader the sense that the wind encompasses the entire continuum of the poet’s existence. Nonetheless, it is always in a rush to be at another location. The reader gets the impression that wind is a celebration of nature when Dewdney mentions its interactions with nature: “The wind blows in the trees, deeper into each.” This statement induces an imagination of trees fighting against a pervasive wind. The poet ends the stanza by personifying the wind, and he assigns it human qualities of restlessness, impatience, and playfulness. In this respect, the first stanza uses the wind as a reason to celebrate nature.

2️⃣ Commentary Annotations

Annotations are another type of alternative commentary where writers use a short claim on a source, like a text, film, or image. This kind of commentary essay also looks like an annotated bibliography . Typically, writers adopt annotations when they need to explain complex words, phrases, or concepts to readers; give a historical or cultural context of the topic; support or challenge the author’s arguments in an essay; expose literary devices, like contrast, irony, or sarcasm, or rhetorical devices, like ethos, pathos, and logos; provide a personal interpretation of the text under analysis. Therefore, annotations aim to enhance the reader’s understanding of a short passage from a source. Below are three examples of annotations of complex content in writing a commentary essay for Christopher Dewdney’s Poem “Night Wind.”

3 Examples of a Commentary With Annotations

➖ “The night wind is an empire / in exodus, a deliverance / beside the dark shape of trees.”

This statement is in lines 13-15 of Dewdney’s poem, where the poet alludes to a biblical concept, exodus, to express the wind’s freedom. By stating that the wind is “… in exodus, a deliverance…,” Dewdney makes the reader compare the wind to the incident in the book of Exodus in the Bible where Moses leads the children of Israel, God’s chosen people, to Canaan, the promised land, after freeing a life of bondage in Egypt. In this respect, lines 13-15 confirm that the wind is free and expresses nature’s freedom.

➖ “The wind takes / me in its giddy rush and / gathers me into a storm of longing, / rising on wings of darkness.”

In this statement in lines 18-21, the phrase “wings of darkness” emphasizes the wind’s freedom and mystery. The poet contextualizes the wind as an unpredictable force that can take a person anywhere .

➖ “Along oceans and rivers, / the gale’s mysterious, unspoken imperative / is a joyous delirium with / nothing at its end.”

This passage in lines 36-39 expresses Dewdney’s excitement in not knowing where the wind may take him. It suggests that it does not matter where the wind takes him because he is truly free. In essence, the statement makes the reader imagine the wind as a mystery because it can take one anywhere, emphasizing the theme of freedom.

3️⃣ Data Commentary

Data commentary is another type of alternative essay commentary where writers summarize a study by analyzing critical information that helps readers have a sneak peek of the project. The features students should incorporate in a commentary essay include visual illustrations, like charts, diagrams, graphs, and tables, to capture statistical data, allowing readers to compare them easily. In this respect, data commentary reflects the results section of a research paper because that is where scholars use visual illustrations to report statistical data. Another feature is a conclusion summarizing a commentary essay by reiterating the key points and expressing the writer’s final remark, meaning the main perspective on the topic. Lastly, people must provide a reference page listing credible sources they consulted to write data commentaries, such as reports and research articles. Below is an example of data commentary.

Example of Data Commentary

Table 3 shows respondents’ responses to statements about the barriers to exercise prescription for people with mental illness. Those who agreed that patients’ mental health denies them the opportunity to exercise was 58%, while those who agreed that obtaining an injury during exercise is a concern was 45%. There was an overwhelming response by 87% of the respondents who agreed that exercise is beneficial and were interested in prescribing it for patients with mental health problems. However, only 13% agreed that prescribing exercise falls outside their job description. Nonetheless, 16% stated that they did not know how to prescribe exercise for the population. Overall, 71% approved that exercise professionals are best suited to prescribe exercise for people in the population.

Possible Uses of Block Quotations for Writing a Good Commentary Essay

When writing a commentary essay, students can use block quotations to organize comments. However, this feature is suitable mainly for extensive passages. In a simple definition, a block quote is a text that captures direct quotations longer than 40 words, which the writer offsets from the main text and does not include quotation marks. The text appears on a new line with a 0.5 inches indentation or five to seven spaces. Using single space for a block quote is standard, even in an essay requiring double spacing. Hence, students must know how to format block quotes in APA , MLA , Harvard , and Chicago/Turabian referencing styles when writing a commentary essay.

📕 APA Format

There are two ways in which students can write block quotes in the APA style when organizing their commentary essays.

I. The first block captures the author’s name before the quote:

In their tabulation of results, Vancampfort et al. (2019) showed:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescription for people with mental illness, in particular related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (p. 2178).

“[Your comments on a block quote starts here]”

II. Alternatively, a block quote can have the author’s surname at the end:

According to the findings:

📕 MLA Format

Similarly, the MLA style has two ways of formatting a block quote when organizing commentary essays.

I. Having the surname of the author preceding a block quote in an essay:

The results by Vancampfort et al. indicate:

II. Having the author’s surname at the end of the quote:

📕 Harvard Format

The Harvard style also has two ways of formatting a block quote when organizing commentary essays.

I. Indicating the author’s surname before a block quote in an essay:

In their findings, Vancampfort et al. (2019) established that:

II. Citing the author’s surname at the end of a block quote:

📕 Chicago/Turabian Format

The Chicago/Turabian style also has two ways of formatting a block quote when organizing commentary essays.

I. Mentioning the author’s surname before a block quote in an essay:

According to Vancampfort et al.:

II. Showing the author’s surname in a footnote:

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Key Features of Formatting Block Quotes When Writing a Commentary Essay

Looking at the examples of writing a commentary in an essay above, there are some similarities and differences in formatting block quotes. APA and Harvard are similar because they show the research article’s publication year and the page number of the information the writer cites in their commentary essay. The main difference is the arrangement of these details, including the place of putting comas. On the other hand, the MLA and Chicago/Turabian styles are similar in that they do not show the research article’s publication year. The main difference is that the Chicago/Turabian style uses footnotes to show the author(s) and all the bibliography details at the commentary essay’s end. The MLA style shows only the author’s surname and the page number in the text. In turn, people begin writing their commentaries in the following line after a block quote as a standard paragraph in all the formats.

Easy Sample Topics for Writing a Great Commentary Essay

Students should choose easy essay topics when writing a commentary essay to avoid complicating their tasks. Ideally, a specific topic should indicate a particular source document one is commenting on, such as a text, film, or image. The standard practice is that instructors define essay topics or commemorative speech topics students should write about. However, people can choose other themes they are comfortable with if such instructions do not exist for writing a commentary essay. The best approach to choosing an easy topic is to engage with course content and read widely to generate and incubate ideas. When the time for writing a commentary essay comes, one finds it easy to construct arguments fitting the task. The following are possible commentary essay topics because they suggest analyzing and examining a source from the writer’s perspective.

In Memory of Amelia Earhart: Sky’s Fearless Lady
The Central Themes in Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”
“The Great Gatsby” Through Contemporary Lens
The Rhetorical Stance in Jessica Grose’s “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier”
The Message in Robert Frost’s Poem “The Road Not Taken”
Maya Angelou’s Magic in “And Still I Rise”
Demystifying Mental Disorders Through the Film “Black Swan (2010)”
The Essence of Margaret Atwood’s “Negotiating With the Dead: A Writer on Writing”

Sample Outline Template for Writing a Commentary Essay

Title of a commentary essay must be precise to an assigned topic.
Title must be short, clear, and easily understandable.
Title must be interesting, catchy, and with relevant keywords.

I. Introduction Section of a Commentary Essay

College essay introduction must have a hook that interests readers enough to grab their attention and stirs a curiosity to continue reading.
Introduction must refer to a specific source (text, film, or image) and its author(s).
Introduction must summarize an assigned source that includes the main characters (if any), themes, or concepts.
Introduction must have a clear thesis statement that states the writer’s claim.

II. Body Section of a Commentary Essay

Body paragraphs (at least three):

Each body paragraph of a commentary essay must have a topic sentence that emphasizes a single idea central to the main claim in the thesis statement that the writer will defend in the paragraph.
Each body paragraph must include evidence from a source under analysis, such as a quote, indicating the character responsible and the context.
Each body paragraph must give a commentary about the evidence through relevant analysis, linking the information to the idea at the beginning of the paragraph and the claim in the thesis.
Each body paragraph must end with a closing statement and a bridge sentence to facilitate a logical flow to the next paragraph or section.

III. Conclusion Section of a Commentary Essay

Sum up a commentary essay by:

Restating the thesis.
Emphasizing the main ideas of a commentary essay.
Giving a final remark that confirms the importance of the essay topic.

Example of a Commentary Essay

Commentary Essay’s Title: The Rhetorical Stance in Jessica Grose’s “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier”

I. Example of an Introduction of a Commentary Essay

A woman never rests, not with society constantly demanding her value at every turn. This idea is the message in Jessica Grose’s famous article, “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier.” The author argues that cleaning remains a feature of women’s value in society, despite men’s growing involvement in childcare and cooking. The article also opens with personal accounts and convincing facts, suggesting its credibility as a source of information about the dynamics confronting American women. In her article, Grose communicates her message effectively by adopting a rhetorical stance characterized by emotional appeals.

II. Example of Body Paragraphs of a Commentary Essay

A. commentary on the main idea of the article.

Grose opens the article with a personal story of her and her husband cleaning their house after Hurricane Sandy forced them indoors. She uses the uneven distribution of the cleaning task in her marriage to point out the larger feminist issue of who between a husband and wife should do the job. The article gives three reasons why men shy away from the cleaning task, including the fact that it is women who receive praise for a clean house, the media focuses on men’s growing involvement in childcare and cooking, and it is not fun. According to Grose, even distribution of the cleaning task can happen by creating a task chart that shows who does what on the basis of skill and ability and adopting cleaning gadgets to make cleaning more fun.

Throughout the article, Grose uses sources to appeal to the readers’ ethos and build her argument. Some of the sources she uses to achieve these goals include a study by sociologists Judith Treas and Tsui-o Tai and an article by Matthew Krehbiel, North America Fabric Care Brand Manager for P&G. Citing these sources helps the author to build her credibility in the eyes of readers.

Regarding appeals to logos, Grose mentions statistics and interesting facts that help to enhance the logical progression of ideas central to her argument. To emphasize the uneven distribution of the cleaning task, she says, “My husband and I both work…I do the dishes nine times out of ten, and he barely knows how the washer and dryer work.” Such facts confirm and support the idea that women do more household chores than men. She also cites statistics, showing “55 percent of mothers working full-time in America do some housework daily compared to 18 percent of fathers.” In this respect, the article is factual about the uneven distribution of household chores that disadvantages women. As a result, the personal details and statistics from credible sources help Grose to impress upon the reader how society uses the domestic environment to subjugate women.

The article appeals to the readers’ pathos in the beginning and middle sections, where Grose uses emotionally-charged words and phrases to induce the audience’s sympathy. For example, Grose laments that, while she “was eight months pregnant,” her husband experienced the complexity of fighting “a massively pregnant person.” These words evoke an image in the readers’ mind that portrays women as vulnerable in the domestic space because of natural factors, like high emotions and pregnancy. Indeed, readers may feel sympathetic to Grose and the women who generally live in this social context. Moreover, using words and phrases, like ‘argued,’ ‘sucks,’ ‘be shunned,’ ‘be judged,’ and ‘headachey,’ evokes readers’ negative feelings about cleaning. As such, they are more drawn to sympathize with men and view men as selfish.

III. Example of a Conclusion of a Commentary Essay

Grose takes a rhetorical stand throughout the article to persuade her audience of the unfair distribution of cleaning labor in the domestic space. By referencing credible sources, citing statistics and interesting facts, and portraying women as adversely disadvantaged, Grose effectively appeals to the readers’ ethos, logos, and pathos. This rhetorical stand is critical in communicating how society remains unfair to women in the domestic space despite men’s growing involvement in some household chores like childcare and cooking.

4 Easy Steps for Writing a Commentary Essay

Writing a commentary essay is a technical process that requires students to grasp essential details. For example, these details reflect 4 writing steps: preparation, stage setup, writing a first draft, and wrap-up. Typically, each step’s details of writing a commentary essay reflect the wisdom writers should exhibit when creating any scholarly text.

Step 1: Preparation

Preparation is the first step of writing a commentary essay. As the name suggests, it is when writers take time to create a favorable environment to write their papers. The first task is identifying a single source, where students should select good sources they can analyze easily, including poems, novels, or films. The second task is to create a topic, where students must write short topics that communicate a precise message of a commentary essay.

Step 2: Stage Setup

Setting the stage is the second step of writing a commentary essay. The first task is to read, watch, or examine an assigned source to identify key themes and ideas. The second activity is to research reliable sources that help to generate ideas that align with these themes and concepts. The next task is to create a clear essay outline emphasizing the introduction, body, and conclusion with all the essential details.

Step 3: Writing a First Draft of a Commentary Essay

Writing a first draft is the third step in creating a commentary essay, and the focus is generating a paper that can be used for further editing and improvement. As such, students should organize their ideas into text, emphasizing the claim in the thesis statement, ideas in the topic sentences, evidence (quotes), and transitions in the body paragraphs. Students should also ensure the conclusion restates the thesis, summarizes the main ideas of a commentary essay, and gives a final remark about their commentaries, focusing on an assigned source and topic.

Step 4: Wrap-Up

The wrap-up is the last step in writing a commentary essay. The main focus is transforming a first draft into a final text by eliminating all mistakes and flaws. Typically, students should revise all sections that do not make sense to a central claim or those that affect the paper’s logical progression. They should also edit a commentary essay by adding or deleting words and phrases and eliminating grammatical mistakes, missing punctuation, formatting errors, and incorrect citations.

20 Tips for Writing a Commentary Essay

Looking at the information in the preceding sections, writing a great commentary essay is a complex task that requires students to demonstrate knowledge of what it takes to create a quality paper. Some of the tips for writing a commentary essay include identifying a single source, which can be a text, film, or image; noting the source’s basic information, like the author, title, and publication date; identifying the central themes in the source; writing an introduction that emphasizes the source’s basic information; creating a thesis that communicates a claim about the source; adopting the unique structure as above; beginning paragraphs with a topic sentence; incorporating quotes from the source into body paragraphs; commenting on the quotes and their significance; and concluding a commentary essay with a summary that makes a final remark about a single source and topic.

10 things to do when writing a commentary essay include:

identifying a source for writing a commentary essay;
reading, watching, or analyzing an assigned source carefully and closely;
outlining critical details, like themes, ideas, and literary devices;
writing an introduction with a hook and an argumentative thesis statement;
providing body paragraphs with topic sentences, concluding sentences, quotes, commentary, and transitions;
maintaining a formal tone in a commentary essay;
using the applicable format (APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian) correctly;
presenting an introduction that summarizes a commentary essay;
avoiding grammatical mistakes;
proofreading a final version of a commentary essay.

10 things not to do include:

failing to document the source’s essential details, like the author’s name and surname;
concentrating on the introduction more than the body;
not incorporating quotes in body paragraphs;
focusing on too many ideas in a commentary essay;
not defending the claim in the thesis;
ignoring a unique outline of a commentary essay;
writing with too many grammatical mistakes;
using different formatting styles (APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian);
not implementing transitions in body paragraphs;
creating a commentary essay without a logical flow of ideas and thoughts.

Summing Up on How to Write a Perfect Commentary Essay

Choose a single source that is simple to analyze.
Create a clear thesis that emphasizes the focus of a commentary essay, such as a claim.
Identify passages or themes in an assigned source that help to build an argumentative claim.
Use an introduction paragraph for its purpose: to introduce a specific topic. As such, it should be short and precise.
Use a body section for its purpose: to analyze a particular source and defend a central claim comprehensively. Therefore, it should be long and have quotes as evidence.
Use a conclusion part to summarize a commentary essay, and it should be concise. More importantly, it should leave readers with a lasting impression of a defined source and topic.

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Commentary Essay Example, Writing Guide, and Tips

Introduction

Welcome to The Knowledge Nest, your go-to resource for all things related to commentary essay writing. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of crafting an impactful commentary essay, providing useful examples and valuable tips to help you enhance your writing skills.

What is a Commentary Essay?

A commentary essay is a type of academic writing that aims to analyze and provide an in-depth interpretation of a particular text or topic. It offers a critical examination and evaluation of the subject matter, exploring various perspectives and providing evidence-based arguments to support the author's viewpoint.

Why Write a Commentary Essay?

Writing a commentary essay allows you to develop critical thinking skills, enhance your analytical abilities, and strengthen your written communication. It provides a platform to express your ideas and opinions, engage with different viewpoints, and present a well-rounded analysis of the chosen subject matter.

Key Components of a Commentary Essay

1. Introduction: Begin your essay with a captivating introduction that presents the topic and provides context for the reader.

2. Thesis Statement: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines your main argument or perspective.

3. Body Paragraphs: Develop your analysis in well-structured body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point or theme. Use relevant evidence, examples, and expert opinions to support your claims.

4. Counterarguments: Address potential counterarguments or alternative viewpoints and offer thoughtful rebuttals to strengthen your position.

5. Conclusion: Summarize the main points of your essay and reiterate your thesis statement, leaving the reader with a lasting impression.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Commentary Essay

Step 1: choose a relevant topic.

Select a topic that aligns with your interests and falls within the scope of your assignment or academic requirements. Consider the relevance and significance of the subject matter to engage your readers.

Step 2: Conduct Extensive Research

Gather information from credible sources such as academic journals, books, reputable websites, and scholarly articles. Engage with different perspectives and take diligent notes to support your analysis.

Step 3: Outline Your Essay

Create a clear and well-structured outline that outlines the main points, arguments, and supporting evidence you will present in your essay. A well-organized outline ensures a cohesive and logical flow of ideas.

Step 4: Craft an Engaging Introduction

In your introduction, provide a brief overview of the topic and its significance. Hook the reader's attention with an intriguing opening sentence or a thought-provoking question.

Step 5: Develop Your Arguments in the Body Paragraphs

Divide your essay into distinct body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point or theme. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that establishes the main idea, and support it with relevant evidence, examples, and analysis.

Step 6: Address Counterarguments

Acknowledge alternative viewpoints and counterarguments to demonstrate your awareness of different perspectives. Articulate thoughtful rebuttals that strengthen your arguments and distinguish your viewpoint.

Step 7: Conclude with Impact

In your conclusion, summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis statement. Leave the reader with a compelling closing thought or call-to-action that invites further reflection or discussion on the topic.

Commentary Essay Example

To provide you with a better understanding, let's consider an example of a commentary essay on the topic of climate change:

Introduction:

Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing global issues of our time. This commentary essay aims to analyze the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to address this environmental crisis.

Body Paragraph 1: The Causes of Climate Change

The first body paragraph delves into the primary causes of climate change, such as greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and industrialization. It explores how human activities have contributed to the accelerated pace of global warming.

Body Paragraph 2: The Impacts of Climate Change

In the second body paragraph, we examine the far-reaching impacts of climate change on ecosystems, weather patterns, and human livelihoods. We explore the devastating consequences of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the loss of biodiversity.

Body Paragraph 3: Potential Solutions to Climate Change

The third body paragraph focuses on potential solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It explores renewable energy sources, sustainable agricultural practices, and international collaboration as key strategies to combat this global crisis.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the commentary essay emphasizes the urgent need for collective action to address climate change. By understanding its causes, impacts, and potential solutions, we can work towards a sustainable future for generations to come.

Writing a commentary essay enables you to dive deep into a specific topic, critically analyze it, and articulate your thoughts effectively. By following our comprehensive guide and utilizing the provided tips, you will be well-equipped to create impactful commentary essays and improve your writing skills.

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The Role of Commentary in Rhetorical Analysis

Call it what you will—analysis, evaluation, commentary—this piece of rhetorical analysis is OPINION. Evidence is FACT, and commentary is OPINION. (When I’m training students to recognize the difference between the two, we use color coding. You can read more about how I do that here. )

Where students get tripped up is in misunderstanding the actual role of commentary; perhaps they see it as filler or some kind of semi-important text that is loosely associated with nearby evidence. If the latter is the case, they’re in the ballpark, so let’s get those writers into an actual seat. For the purpose of this post, we’ll talk specifically about rhetorical analysis since so many teachers begin with that skill set.

Commentary’s Jobs in Rhetorical Analysis

Job #1: make connections.

I made this super short video to explain visually what you’ll read below.

WHAT IS COMMENTARY? VIDEO (TWO MINUTES)

Analysis—what we’re calling commentary—is the student’s opinion about the way evidence proves the truth of a topic sentence, which defends the truth of the controlling thesis statement. Here’s how the connecting works. A rhetorical analysis essay has a thesis, which is a controlling idea. All ideas within the essay defend this one. If an idea does not defend this one, it has to go. I call that trimming the fat.

On the front lines of the defense of that thesis are the topic sentences. For a timed essay, we’re probably looking at two or three of those. Each of those topic sentences is a debatable idea that must also be defended. What defends each topic sentence is evidence, factual information taken from the text. Evidence defends the topic sentence, which defends the thesis. Here we go: The job of commentary is to tie the evidence to the topic sentence. This is where the student offers OPINION about how the factual evidence illustrates the truth of the topic sentence.

By connecting the evidence to the topic sentence and the topic sentence to the thesis, the commentary defends the thesis. This chain of defense is the way I wrap my mind around line of reasoning.

Done well, it’s beautiful. Done poorly, it looks like A LOT what we see in student essays.

J ob #2: Illustrate Critical Thinking

Commentary separates the men from boys, the wheat from the chaff, the analogies from the metaphors. Every writing rubric I’ve ever seen rewards it heavily.

On the AP Language Question 2 rubric, take a look at this wording for the column that awards all four points for evidence and commentary:

EVIDENCE: Provides specific evidence to support all claims in a line of reasoning. AND COMMENTARY: Consistently explains how the evidence supports a line of reasoning. AND Explains how multiple rhetorical choices in the passage contribute to the writer’s argument, purpose, or message.

That’s THIS illustration! There are only four points to be had on this rubric, and FOUR of them are awarded to the process I described in that short little video above.

A student who creates that defense chain consistently with depth could even earn the sophistication point. That’s five out of six. Without a defensible thesis, that student could never have earned the four points for evidence and commentary because there was nothing to defend. That’s six out of six.

Translation: A student who understands the defense chain of a topic sentence being defended by topic sentences that are supported by evidence with connecting commentary is in the five-six range because that student’s maturity of thought is on full display to a reader.

What Commentary’s Role is NOT

Commentary’s job is not to provide proof from the text, either through direct quotations, paraphrasing, summarizing, or repetition of the actual evidence. When training students to write strong commentary, I suggest that we put off sentence combining; have students differentiate evidence from commentary through color coding so that both you and they can see that each piece of evidence has a tendon, a connector that ties the evidence to the topic sentence.

Once kids know what commentary is and isn’t–and all their English teachers communicate so they’re all using the same terminology–they can produce insightful, connected analysis.

Be on the lookout for more rhetorical analysis tips in your inbox. not on my email list you can join here, and i’ll send you a commentary anchor chart..

I’m a recovering high school English teacher and curriculum specialist with a passion for helping teachers leave school at school. I create engaging, rigorous curriculum resources for secondary ELA professionals, and I facilitate workshops to help those teachers implement the materials effectively.

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How to Write Commentary for Rhetorical Analysis

February 4, 2022 by Beth Hall

Wondering how to write commentary for rhetorical analysis? When writing a rhetorical analysis essay, having well thought out and strong commentary will make a significant difference in your writing.

So, what exactly is commentary? And how can you deliver high-quality commentary in your rhetorical analysis?

Commentary is your analysis and interpretation of the passage. Commentary explains how the evidence you present in the body paragraph proves your thesis. For more information about what commentary is, click here .

Your body paragraphs in your rhetorical analysis will consist of a topic sentence, analysis, and commentary. Many students think evidence is the most important piece, and while evidence is certainly important, commentary is paramount because it is what contains your argument and analysis. You can think of your evidence as answering the “what” and commentary answering the “how” or “why.”

In order to effectively write commentary in your body paragraphs, you need to have an understanding of the rhetorical situation. The rhetorical situation includes the following elements: the writer or speaker, the audience, the (historical) context, the exigence (ie. what prompted the writer to write), the purpose, and the message or argument.

The rhetorical situation is key to your commentary because it is what you are analyzing. Your commentary should address why the rhetorical choice the author is making is important to the rhetorical situation. (You can learn more about the rhetorical situation by reading this blog.)

How to Develop Your Commentary

Many students don’t develop their commentary enough because they aren’t sure what to say, or they feel they are running out of time.

When writing a rhetorical analysis essay, be sure to include precise verbs to convey what the writer is “doing.”

Here’s a list of rhetorically accurate verbs:

Acknowledges

Once you’ve made a claim about what the writing is “doing” (the rhetorical choice they are making,) then you need to explain the significance of that choice. Why is the writer “doing” that? This is commentary.

Here are some verbs that can help you generate commentary:

demonstrates
illustrates
underscores

The step to knowing how to write commentary for rhetorical analysis is knowing the right kinds of questions to ask. When you are addressing the rhetorical situation, you want to do more than scratch the surface level. Let’s look at examining the writer or speaker, for example. You may ask some of the following questions to help you create commentary about the rhetorical choice you are analyzing:

What are the speaker’s qualifications?
What does the choice reveal about the speaker’s beliefs/values/needs?
What do the choices reveal about the speaker’s relationship with the audience?

If you want more questions to guide you on analyzing the rhetorical situation, check out this blog.

How do I write a body paragraph with commentary?

Now that you know the parts that make up the commentary, and you understand how to examine the rhetorical situation, let’s put it all together. Let’s look at an excerpt of a body paragraph, and notice how commentary is used.

Albright references recent political examples in which countries could have settled but chose the more arduous path instead. By noting that America “must choose to turn inward” or “seize opportunities,” Albright suggests the value of making challenging, sometimes “trailblazing” decisions as opposed to selecting the easier, more isolating path . While this comment also serves as affirmation of President Clinton’s leadership and thus a subtle reminder of Albright’s credentials as Secretary of State , the contrast between “turning inward” and “seizing opportunities” introduces Albright’s message of perseverance.

In just this small excerpt, you can see how different elements (underlined) of the rhetorical situation are being addressed. When you are writing your own body paragraphs, it may be helpful to color-code the different elements of the rhetorical situation and identify them in your writing. This will help you check to make sure most of the elements are present.

How do you fix limited commentary?

If you find yourself writing with cliches, idioms, vague wording, or sentences that don’t directly address the rhetorical situation, you are likely writing limited commentary. You want each sentence to address your specific passage, so aim to create specific, clear analysis.

Here is what your writing may look like if you have limited commentary:

You use phrases like “the author uses diction”
You use cliches like “opens the reader’s eyes”
You use idioms like “touches the audience’s heart”

This type of writing is common and also fixable. Once you’ve identified these mistakes in your writing, you want to work on changing them.

First, you can fix phrases such as “the author uses” by strengthening your word choice. You want to add a descriptor or adjective in front of the item you are referring to, such as diction. This might mean changing “diction” to “patriotic diction.” Then, analyze why the author uses this rhetorical choice.

Second, you want to avoid cliches. Try rewording the cliche. Instead of “opens the reader’s eyes” try “forces the reader to consider.” This makes our language more precise and helps you expand your commentary.

Lastly, you want to stay away from idioms. These prepackaged expressions don’t tell the reader the why and the how behind the author’s writing choices. Instead of saying “touches the audience’s heart” try to identify what the writer is doing to evoke that emotional response. Specify which emotion the audience is experiencing and why the writer wants to elicit such an emotion.

Now that you know how to write commentary for rhetorical analysis, go rock your next AP® Lang essay!

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with The College Board. The advice and opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

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A Research Guide
Writing Guide
Assignment Writing

How to Write a Commentary Essay

What is a literary commentary, steps to prepare for a commentary, steps to write the commentary, it takes a broad thinking and analysis, it should be critical yet with a respectful tone, prepare before writing, outline the main points.

Useful information: Check research paper outline example and learn how to write it.

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Identifying the basic information

Mention about the theme, subject, and audience, observe the structure and genre of the content, identify how the text is presented, understand the tone, look for the literary devices that deepen the meaning, take the quotes included in the text, wrapping up your commentary with a summary, make your commentary presentable, ask for the feedback.

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Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being

Guidelines for writing a commentary

A commentary is a comment on a newly published article. A commentary may be invited by the chief editor or spontaneously submitted. Commentaries in International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being are peer reviewed. We now welcome commentaries!

What is a commentary?

The goal of publishing commentaries is to advance the research field by providing a forum for varying perspectives on a certain topic under consideration in the journal. The author of a commentary probably has in-depth knowledge of the topic and is eager to present a new and/or unique viewpoint on existing problems, fundamental concepts, or prevalent notions, or wants to discuss the implications of a newly implemented innovation. A commentary may also draw attention to current advances and speculate on future directions of a certain topic, and may include original data as well as state a personal opinion. While a commentary may be critical of an article published in the journal, it is important to maintain a respectful tone that is critical of ideas or conclusions but not of authors.

In summary, a commentary may be:

A critical challenge to one or more aspects of the focal article, arguing for a position other than that taken in the focal article.
An elaboration or extension of the position taken in the focal article, basically sympathetic to the position taken in the focal article but pushing the argument further.
An application of a theoretical or methodological perspective that sheds light on the issues addressed in the focal article.
A reflection on the writer's experiences in applying the issues addressed in the focal article, in particular health and well-being settings.
A comment on the applicability of the issues raised in the focal article to other settings, or to other cultures.

How to write a commentary

Commentaries in International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being should not exceed 10 manuscript pages. A tightly argued four- to six-page commentary is likely to be better received than a meandering 10-page ditto. Use these simple guidelines:

Do not summarize the focal article; just give the reference. Assume the reader has just read it. Move directly to identifying the key issues you want to raise.
Do not include general praise for the focal article.
Use only essential citations. For commentary purposes, cite only works absolutely essential to support your point.
Use a short title that emphasizes your key message. (It should be clear in context that all commentaries are a reaction to a particular paper).
Do not include an abstract.
Make clear your take-home message.
Make sure there is full author information (name, affiliation, address, phone, email) for all authors. Authors must be individuals.

Review process

Commentaries will be peer reviewed and most likely accepted if they are in line with the definitions and guidelines outlined. A small set of reviewers will read and evaluate all commentaries as they need to compare commentaries for issues of redundancy and to make evaluations of relative merit.

Queries for the editor

Authors should feel free to correspond with the chief editor prior to submitting a commentary if there are questions about any aspect of the evaluation and publication process. Authors may prepare a brief outline of the key points they desire to present in the commentary and send it to the chief editor.

Does it cost anything to submit a commentary?

Spontaneously submitted commentaries incur a cost of €65 per typeset page. The author will be invoiced once the commentary has been accepted for publication.

We hope you will send us a commentary whenever you think there is a need to broaden the perspectives on health and well-being presented in our journal.

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How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example

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What is the ap lang synthesis essay, how will ap scores affect my college chances.

AP English Language and Composition, commonly known as AP Lang, is one of the most engaging and popular AP classes offered at most high schools, with over 535,000 students taking the class . AP Lang tests your ability to analyze written pieces, synthesize information, write rhetorical essays, and create cohesive and concrete arguments. However, the class is rather challenging as only 62% of students were able to score a three or higher on the exam.

The AP Lang exam has two sections. The first consists of 45 multiple choice questions which need to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for around 45% of your total score. These questions ask students to analyze written pieces and answer questions related to each respective passage. All possible answer choices can be found within the text, and no prior knowledge of literature is needed to understand the passages.

The second section contains three free-response questions to be finished in under two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score and includes the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.

The synthesis essay requires you to read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three sources.
The rhetorical analysis essay requires you to describe how a piece of writing evokes specific meanings and symbolism.
The argumentative essay requires you to pick a perspective of a debate and create an argument based on the evidence provided.

In this post, we will take a look at the AP Lang synthesis essay and discuss tips and tricks to master this part of the exam. We will also provide an example of a well-written essay for review.

The AP Lang synthesis essay is the first of three essays included in the Free Response section of the AP Lang exam. The exam presents 6-7 sources that are organized around a specific topic, with two of those sources purely visual, including a single quantitative source (like a graph or pie chart). The remaining 4-5 sources are text-based, containing around 500 words each. It’s recommended that students spend an hour on this essay—15 minute reading period, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes of spare time to check over work.

Each synthesis essay has a topic that all the sources will relate to. A prompt will explaining the topic and provide some background, although the topics are usually broad so you will probably know something related to the issue. It will also present a claim that students will respond to in an essay format using information from at least three of the provided sources. You will need to take a stance, either agreeing or disagreeing with the position provided in the claim.

According to the CollegeBoard, they are looking for essays that “combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.” This means that you must state your claim on the topic and highlight relationships between several sources that support your specific position on the topic. Additionally, you’ll need to cite clear evidence from your sources to prove your point.

The synthesis essay counts for six points on the AP Lang exam. Students can receive 0-1 points for writing a thesis statement, 0-4 based on the incorporation of evidence and commentary, and 0-1 points based on the sophistication of thought and demonstration of complex understanding.

While this essay seems extremely overwhelming, considering there are a total of three free-response essays to complete, with proper time management and practiced skills, this essay is manageable and straightforward. In order to enhance the time management aspect of the test to the best of your ability, it is essential to divide the essay up into five key steps.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

As soon as the clock starts, carefully read and analyze what the prompt asks from you. It might be helpful to markup the text to identify the most critical details. You should only spend around 2 minutes reading the prompt so you have enough time to read all the sources and figure out your argument. Don’t feel like you need to immediately pick your stance on the claim right after reading the prompt. You should read the sources before you commit to your argument.

Step 2: Read the Sources Carefully

Although you are only required to use 3 of the 6-7 sources provides, make sure you read ALL of the sources. This will allow you to better understand the topic and make the most educated decision of which sources to use in your essay. Since there are a lot of sources to get through, you will need to read quickly and carefully.

Annotating will be your best friend during the reading period. Highlight and mark important concepts or lines from each passage that would be helpful in your essay. Your argument will probably begin forming in your head as you go through the passages, so you will save yourself a lot of time later on if you take a few seconds to write down notes in the margins. After you’ve finished reading a source, reflect on whether the source defends, challenges, or qualifies your argument.

You will have around 13 minutes to read through all the sources, but it’s very possible you will finish earlier if you are a fast reader. Take the leftover time to start developing your thesis and organizing your thoughts into an outline so you have more time to write.

Step 3: Write a Strong Thesis Statement

In order to write a good thesis statement, all you have to do is decide your stance on the claim provided in the prompt and give an overview of your evidence. You essentially have three choices on how to frame your thesis statement: You can defend, challenge or qualify a claim that’s been provided by the prompt.

If you are defending the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is correct .
If you are challenging the claim, your job will be to prove that the claim is incorrect .
If you choose to qualify the claim, your job will be to agree to a part of the claim and disagree with another part of the claim.

A strong thesis statement will clearly state your stance without summarizing the issue or regurgitating the claim. The CollegeBoard is looking for a thesis statement that “states a defensible position and establishes a line of reasoning on the issue provided in the prompt.”

Step 4: Create a Minimal Essay Outline

Developing an outline might seem like a waste of time when you are up against the clock, but believe us, taking 5-10 minutes to outline your essay will be much more useful in the long run than jumping right into the essay.

Your outline should include your thesis statement and three main pieces of evidence that will constitute each body paragraph. Under each piece of evidence should be 2-3 details from the sources that you will use to back up your claim and some commentary on how that evidence proves your thesis.

Step 5: Write your Essay

Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline. Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis. These sentences are critical to the overall flow of the essay and where you will be explaining how the evidence supports or undermines the claim in the prompt.

Also, when referencing your sources, write the in-text citations as follows: “Source 1,” “Source 2,” “Source 3,” etc. Make sure to pay attention to which source is which in order to not incorrectly cite your sources. In-text citations will impact your score on the essay and are an integral part of the process.

After you finish writing, read through your essay for any grammatical errors or mistakes before you move onto the next essay.

Here are six must-have tips and tricks to get a good score on the synthesis essay:

Cite at least four sources , even though the minimum requirement is three. Remember not to plagiarize and cite everything you use in your arguments.
Make sure to develop a solid and clear thesis . Develop a stable stance for the claim and stick with it throughout the entire paper.
Don’t summarize the sources. The summary of the sources does not count as an argument.
You don’t necessarily have to agree with the sources in order to cite them. Using a source to support a counterargument is still a good use of a source.
Cite the sources that you understand entirely . If you don’t, it could come back to bite you in the end.
Use small quotes , do not quote entire paragraphs. Make sure the quote does not disrupt the flow or grammar of the sentence you write.

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Here is an example prompt and essay from 2019 that received 5 of the 6 total points available:

In response to our society’s increasing demand for energy, large-scale wind power has drawn attention from governments and consumers as a potential alternative to traditional materials that fuel our power grids, such as coal, oil, natural gas, water, or even newer sources such as nuclear or solar power. Yet the establishment of large-scale, commercial-grade wind farms is often the subject of controversy for a variety of reasons.

Carefully read the six sources, found on the AP English Language and Composition 2019 Exam (Question 1), including the introductory information for each source. Write an essay that synthesizes material from at least three of the sources and develops your position on the most important factors that an individual or agency should consider when deciding whether to establish a wind farm.

Source A (photo)

Source B (Layton)

Source C (Seltenrich)

Source D (Brown)

Source E (Rule)

Source F (Molla)

In your response you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis presents a defensible position.
Select and use evidence from at least 3 of the provided sources to support your line of reasoning. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the description in parentheses.
Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

[1] The situation has been known for years, and still very little is being done: alternative power is the only way to reliably power the changing world. The draw of power coming from industry and private life is overwhelming current sources of non-renewable power, and with dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, it is merely a matter of time before coal and gas fuel plants are no longer in operation. So one viable alternative is wind power. But as with all things, there are pros and cons. The main factors for power companies to consider when building wind farms are environmental boon, aesthetic, and economic factors.

[2] The environmental benefits of using wind power are well-known and proven. Wind power is, as qualified by Source B, undeniably clean and renewable. From their production requiring very little in the way of dangerous materials to their lack of fuel, besides that which occurs naturally, wind power is by far one of the least environmentally impactful sources of power available. In addition, wind power by way of gearbox and advanced blade materials, has the highest percentage of energy retention. According to Source F, wind power retains 1,164% of the energy put into the system – meaning that it increases the energy converted from fuel (wind) to electricity 10 times! No other method of electricity production is even half that efficient. The efficiency and clean nature of wind power are important to consider, especially because they contribute back to power companies economically.

[3] Economically, wind power is both a boon and a bone to electric companies and other users. For consumers, wind power is very cheap, leading to lower bills than from any other source. Consumers also get an indirect reimbursement by way of taxes (Source D). In one Texan town, McCamey, tax revenue increased 30% from a wind farm being erected in the town. This helps to finance improvements to the town. But, there is no doubt that wind power is also hurting the power companies. Although, as renewable power goes, wind is incredibly cheap, it is still significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. So, while it is helping to cut down on emissions, it costs electric companies more than traditional fossil fuel plants. While the general economic trend is positive, there are some setbacks which must be overcome before wind power can take over as truly more effective than fossil fuels.

[4] Aesthetics may be the greatest setback for power companies. Although there may be significant economic and environmental benefit to wind power, people will always fight to preserve pure, unspoiled land. Unfortunately, not much can be done to improve the visual aesthetics of the turbines. White paint is the most common choice because it “[is] associated with cleanliness.” (Source E). But, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb, and make the gargantuan machines seem more out of place. The site can also not be altered because it affects generating capacity. Sound is almost worse of a concern because it interrupts personal productivity by interrupting people’s sleep patterns. One thing for power companies to consider is working with turbine manufacturing to make the machines less aesthetically impactful, so as to garner greater public support.

[5] As with most things, wind power has no easy answer. It is the responsibility of the companies building them to weigh the benefits and the consequences. But, by balancing economics, efficiency, and aesthetics, power companies can create a solution which balances human impact with environmental preservation.

More examples can be found here at College Board.

While AP Scores help to boost your weighted GPA, or give you the option to get college credit, AP Scores don’t have a strong effect on your admissions chances . However, colleges can still see your self-reported scores, so you might not want to automatically send scores to colleges if they are lower than a 3. That being said, admissions officers care far more about your grade in an AP class than your score on the exam.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, expert's guide to the ap literature exam.

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you're planning to take the AP English Literature and Composition exam, you'll need to get familiar with what to expect on the test. Whether the 2023 test date of Wednesday, May 3, is near or far, I'm here to help you get serious about preparing for the exam.

In this guide, I'll go over the test's format and question types, how it's graded, best practices for preparation, and test-day tips. You'll be on your way to AP English Lit success in no time!

AP English Literature: Exam Format and Question Types

The AP Literature Exam is a three-hour exam that contains two sections in this order:

An hour-long, 55-question multiple-choice section
A two-hour, three-question free-response section

The exam tests your ability to analyze works and excerpts of literature and cogently communicate that analysis in essay form.

Read on for a breakdown of the two different sections and their question types.

Section I: Multiple Choice

The multiple-choice section, or Section I of the AP Literature exam, is 60 minutes long and has 55 questions. It counts for 45% of your overall exam grade .

You can expect to see five excerpts of prose and poetry. You will always get at least two prose passages (fiction or drama) and two poetry passages. In general, you will not be given the author, date, or title for these works, though occasionally the title of a poem will be given. Unusual words are also sometimes defined for you.

The date ranges of these works could fall from the 16th to the 21st century. Most works will be originally written in English, but you might occasionally see a passage in translation.

There are, generally speaking, eight kinds of questions you can expect to see on the AP English Literature and Composition exam. I'll break each of them down here and give you tips on how to identify and approach them.

"Pretty flowers carried by ladies" is not one of the question types.

The 8 Multiple-Choice Question Types on the AP Literature Exam

Without further delay, here are the eight question types you can expect to see on the AP Lit exam. All questions are taken from the sample questions on the AP Course and Exam Description .

#1: Reading Comprehension

These questions test your ability to understand what the passage is saying on a pretty basic level . They don't require you to do a lot of interpretation—you just need to know what's going on.

You can identify this question type from words and phrases such as "according to," "mentioned," "asserting," and so on. You'll succeed on these questions as long as you carefully read the text . Note that you might have to go back and reread parts to make sure you understand what the passage is saying.

#2: Inference

These questions ask you to infer something—a character or narrator's opinion, an author's intention, etc.—based on what is said in the passage . It will be something that isn't stated directly or concretely but that you can assume based on what's clearly written in the passage. You can identify these questions from words such as "infer" and "imply."

The key to these questions is to not get tripped up by the fact that you are making an inference—there will be a best answer, and it will be the choice that is best supported by what is actually found in the passage .

In many ways, inference questions are like second-level reading comprehension questions: you need to know not just what a passage says, but also what it means.

#3: Identifying and Interpreting Figurative Language

These are questions for which you have to either identify what word or phrase is figurative language or provide the meaning of a figurative phrase . You can identify these as they will either explicitly mention figurative language (or a figurative device, such as a simile or metaphor ) or include a figurative phrase in the question itself.

The meaning of figurative phrases can normally be determined by that phrase's context in the passage—what is said around it? What is the phrase referring to?

Example 1: Identifying

Example 2: Interpreting

#4: Literary Technique

These questions involve identifying why an author does what they do , from using a particular phrase to repeating certain words. Basically, what techniques is the author using to construct the passage/poem, and to what effect?

You can identify these questions by words/phrases such as "serves chiefly to," "effect," "evoke," and "in order to." A good way to approach these questions is to ask yourself: so what? Why did the author use these particular words or this particular structure?

#5: Character Analysis

These questions ask you to describe something about a character . You can spot them because they will refer directly to characters' attitudes, opinions, beliefs, or relationships with other characters .

This is, in many ways, a special kind of inference question , since you are inferring the broader personality of the character based on the evidence in a passage. Also, these crop up much more commonly for prose passages than they do for poetry ones.

#6: Overall Passage Questions

Some questions ask you to identify or describe something about the passage or poem as a whole : its purpose, tone, genre, etc. You can identify these by phrases such as "in the passage" and "as a whole."

To answer these questions, you need to think about the excerpt with a bird's-eye view . What is the overall picture created by all the tiny details?

#7: Structure

Some AP Lit questions will ask you about specific structural elements of the passage: a shift in tone, a digression, the specific form of a poem, etc . Often these questions will specify a part of the passage/poem and ask you to identify what that part is accomplishing.

Being able to identify and understand the significance of any shifts —structural, tonal, in genre, and so on—will be of key importance for these questions.

#8: Grammar/Nuts & Bolts

Very occasionally you will be asked a specific grammar question , such as what word an adjective is modifying. I'd also include in this category super-specific questions such as those that ask about the meter of a poem (e.g., iambic pentameter).

These questions are less about literary artistry and more about the fairly dry technique involved in having a fluent command of the English language .

That covers the eight question types on the multiple-choice section. Now, let's take a look at the free-response section of the AP Literature exam.

Keep track of the nuts and bolts of grammar.

Section II: Free Response

The AP Literature Free Response section is two hours long and involves three free-response essay questions , so you'll have about 40 minutes per essay. That's not a lot of time considering this section of the test counts for 55% of your overall exam grade !

Note, though, that no one will prompt you to move from essay to essay, so you can theoretically divide up the time however you want. Just be sure to leave enough time for each essay! Skipping an essay, or running out of time so you have to rush through one, can really impact your final test score.

The first two essays are literary analysis essays of specific passages, with one poem and one prose excerpt. The final essay is an analysis of a given theme in a work selected by you , the student.

Essays 1 & 2: Literary Passage Analysis

For the first two essays, you'll be presented with an excerpt and directed to analyze the excerpt for a given theme, device, or development . One of the passages will be poetry, and one will be prose. You will be provided with the author of the work, the approximate date, and some orienting information (i.e., the plot context of an excerpt from a novel).

Below are some sample questions from the 2022 Free Response Questions .

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Essay 3: Thematic Analysis

For the third and final essay, you'll be asked to discuss a particular theme in a work that you select . You will be provided with a list of notable works that address the given theme below the prompt, but you can also choose to discuss any "work of literary merit."

So while you do have the power to choose which work you wish to write an essay about , the key words here are "literary merit." That means no genre fiction! Stick to safe bets like authors in the list on pages 10-11 of the old 2014 AP Lit Course Description .

(I know, I know—lots of genre fiction works do have literary merit and Shakespeare actually began as low culture, and so on and so forth. Indeed, you might find academic designations of "literary merit" elitist and problematic, but the time to rage against the literary establishment is not your AP Lit test! Save it for a really, really good college admissions essay instead .)

Here's a sample question from 2022:

As you can see, the list of works provided spans many time periods and countries : there are ancient Greek plays ( Antigone ), modern literary works (such as Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale ), Shakespeare plays ( The Tempest ), 19th-century English plays ( The Importance of Being Earnest ), etc. So you have a lot to work with!

Also note that you can choose a work of "comparable literary merit." That means you can select a work not on this list as long as it's as difficult and meaningful as the example titles you've been given. So for example, Jane Eyre or East of Eden would be great choices, but Twilight or The Hunger Games would not.

Our advice? If you're not sure what a work of "comparable literary merit" is, stick to the titles on the provided list .

You might even see something by this guy.

How Is the AP Literature Test Graded?

The multiple-choice section of the exam comprises 45% of your total exam score; the three essays, or free-response section, comprise the other 55%. Each essay, then, is worth about 18% of your grade.

As on other AP exams, your raw score will be converted to a score from 1-5 . You don't have to get every point possible to get a 5 by any means. In 2022, 16.9% of students received 5s on the AP English Literature test, the 14th highest 5 score out of the 38 different AP exams.

So, how do you calculate your raw scores?

Multiple-Choice Scoring

For the multiple-choice section, you receive 1 point for each question you answer correctly . There's no guessing penalty, so you should answer every question—but guess only after you're able to eliminate any answer you know is wrong to up your chances of choosing the right one.

Free-Response Scoring

Scoring for multiple choice is pretty straightforward; however, essay scoring is a little more complicated.

Each of your essays will receive a score from 0 to 6 based on the College Board rubric , which also includes question-specific rubrics. All the rubrics are very similar, with only minor differences between them.

Each essay rubric has three elements you'll be graded on:

Thesis (0-1 points)
Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)
Sophistication (0-1 points)

We'll be looking at the current rubric for the AP Lit exam , which was released in September 2019, and what every score means for each of the three elements above:

To get a high-scoring essay in the 5-6 point range, you'll need to not only come up with an original and intriguing argument that you thoroughly support with textual evidence, but you’ll also need to stay focused, organized, and clear. And all in just 40 minutes per essay!

If getting a high score on this section sounds like a tall order, that's because it is.

Practice makes perfect!

Skill-Building for Success on the AP Literature Exam

There are several things you can do to hone your skills and best prepare for the AP Lit exam.

Read Some Books, Maybe More Than Once

One of the most important steps you can take to prepare for the AP Literature and Composition exam is to read a lot and read well . You'll be reading a wide variety of notable literary works in your AP English Literature course, but additional reading will help you further develop your analytical reading skills .

I suggest checking out this list of notable authors in the 2014 AP Lit Course Description (pages 10-11).

In addition to reading broadly, you'll want to become especially familiar with the details of four to five books with different themes so you'll be prepared to write a strong student-choice essay. You should know the plot, themes, characters, and structural details of these books inside and out.

See my AP English Literature Reading List for more guidance.

Read (and Interpret) Poetry

One thing students might not do very much on their own time but that will help a lot with AP Lit exam prep is to read poetry. Try to read poems from a lot of eras and authors to get familiar with the language.

We know that poetry can be intimidating. That's why we've put together a bunch of guides to help you crack the poetry code (so to speak). You can learn more about poetic devices —like imagery and i ambic pentameter —in our comprehensive guide. Then you can see those analytical skills in action in our expert analysis of " Do not go gentle into that good night " by Dylan Thomas.

When you think you have a grip on basic comprehension, you can then move on to close reading (see below).

Hone Your Close Reading and Analysis Skills

Your AP class will likely focus heavily on close reading and analysis of prose and poetry, but extra practice won't hurt you. Close reading is the ability to identify which techniques the author is using and why. You'll need to be able to do this both to gather evidence for original arguments on the free-response questions and to answer analytical multiple-choice questions.

Here are some helpful close reading resources for prose :

University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center's guide to close reading
Harvard College Writing Center's close reading guide
Purdue OWL's article on steering clear of close reading "pitfalls"

And here are some for poetry :

University of Wisconsin-Madison's poetry-reading guide
This guide to reading poetry at Poets.org (complete with two poetry close readings)
Our own expert analyses of famous poems, such as " Ozymandias ", and the 10 famous sonnets you should know

Learn Literary and Poetic Devices

You'll want to be familiar with literary terms so that any test questions that ask about them will make sense to you. Again, you'll probably learn most of these in class, but it doesn't hurt to brush up on them.

Here are some comprehensive lists of literary terms with definitions :

The 31 Literary Devices You Must Know
The 20 Poetic Devices You Must Know
The 9 Literary Elements You'll Find In Every Story
What Is Imagery?
Understanding Assonance
What Is Iambic Pentameter in Poetry?
Simile vs Metaphor: The 1 Big Difference
10 Personification Examples in Poetry, Literature, and More

Practice Writing Essays

The majority of your grade on the AP English Lit exam comes from essays, so it's critical that you practice your timed essay-writing skills . You of course should use the College Board's released free-response questions to practice writing complete timed essays of each type, but you can also practice quickly outlining thorough essays that are well supported with textual evidence.

Take Practice Tests

Taking practice tests is a great way to prepare for the exam. It will help you get familiar with the exam format and overall experience . You can get sample questions from the Course and Exam Description , the College Board website , and our guide to AP English Lit practice test resources .

Be aware that the released exams don't have complete slates of free-response questions, so you might need to supplement these with released free-response questions .

Since there are three complete released exams, you can take one toward the beginning of your prep time to get familiar with the exam and set a benchmark, and one toward the end to make sure the experience is fresh in your mind and to check your progress.

Don't wander like a lonely cloud through your AP Lit prep.

AP Literature: 6 Critical Test-Day Tips

Before we wrap up, here are my six top tips for AP Lit test day:

#1: On the multiple-choice section, it's to your advantage to answer every question. If you eliminate all the answers you know are wrong before guessing, you'll raise your chances of guessing the correct one.
#2: Don't rely on your memory of the passage when answering multiple-choice questions (or when writing essays, for that matter). Look back at the passage!
#3: Interact with the text : circle, mark, underline, make notes—whatever floats your boat. This will help you retain information and actively engage with the passage.
#4: This was mentioned above, but it's critical that you know four to five books well for the student-choice essay . You'll want to know all the characters, the plot, the themes, and any major devices or motifs the author uses throughout.
#5: Be sure to plan out your essays! Organization and focus are critical for high-scoring AP Literature essays. An outline will take you a few minutes, but it will help your writing process go much faster.
#6: Manage your time on essays closely. One strategy is to start with the essay you think will be the easiest to write. This way you'll be able to get through it while thinking about the other two essays.

And don't forget to eat breakfast! Apron optional.

AP Literature Exam: Key Takeaways

The AP Literature exam is a three-hour test that includes an hour-long multiple-choice section based on five prose and poetry passages and with 55 questions, and a two-hour free-response section with three essays : one analyzing a poetry passage, one analyzing a prose passage, and one analyzing a work chosen by you, the student.

The multiple-choice section is worth 45% of your total score , and the free-response section is worth 55% . The three essays are each scored on a rubric of 0-6, and raw scores are converted to a final scaled score from 1 to 5.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the exam:

Read books and be particularly familiar with four to five works for the student-choice essays
Read poetry
Work on your close reading and analysis skills
Learn common literary devices
Practice writing essays
Take practice tests!

On test day, be sure to really look closely at all the passages and really interact with them by marking the text in a way that makes sense to you. This will help on both multiple-choice questions and the free-response essays. You should also outline your essays before you write them.

With all this in mind, you're well on your way to AP Lit success!

What's Next?

If you're taking other AP exams this year, you might be interested in our other AP resources: from the Ultimate Guide to the US History Exam , to the Ultimate AP Chemistry Study Guide , to the Best AP Psychology Study Guide , we have tons of articles on AP courses and exams for you !

Looking for practice exams? Here are some tips on how to find the best AP practice tests . We've also got comprehensive lists of practice tests for AP Psychology , AP Biology , AP Chemistry , and AP US History .

Deciding which APs to take? Take a look through the complete list of AP courses and tests , read our analysis of which AP classes are the hardest and easiest , and learn how many AP classes you should take .

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We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools .

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

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How to Write a Concrete Detail Essay

How to Start a Good Book Report

Concrete details describe things that can be detected with the senses, while abstract details describe ideas that cannot be seen, smelled, heard, tasted or felt. “A blue book” is concrete, while “happiness” is abstract. Your essay built around concrete details should tie together particular details through commentary and, like most essays, should contain an introduction, body and conclusion.

According to San Francisco State University, commentary or discussion about concrete details can make connections between details more obvious. For example, when writing about college-level education, you could describe concrete details about a classroom that relate to teaching methods: “Forty seats aligned in five rows of eight desks and an elevated lectern at the front represent the teacher-centered approach to instruction.” Discussing concrete details rather than simply listing them helps to insure that readers understand the relationship between those details and the reasons that you have included them.

Introduction

Concrete details are useful for introducing a subject. For example, if you have to write about a type of animal, describing details that characterize the animal is a logical starting point. If the essay's purpose is simply to describe a location or event, an introduction might start with broad but still concrete details. For example, in an essay describing a wedding, you might choose to include details about the weather, landscape or reception hall to set the scene in the introduction. Added discussion about those details can then tie them together: “The rain, mud and lack of power made for an interesting wedding.”

Body Paragraphs

With an essay focused on concrete details, it may be helpful to focus on one detail or group of details per paragraph. For example, when writing about a baseball game, you can describe the stadium’s size and color in one paragraph, the layout of walkways in a second paragraph and the colors of the players’ uniforms in a third paragraph. Paragraphs can also use concrete details to prove or reinforce abstract ideas: "It was hot: People in the stadium rolled up their sleeves, hiked up their pants and turned on the portable fans."

In conclusions, concrete details can help to sum up your essay and provoke further thought. For example, if you are writing about a specific type of product, a concluding paragraph could restate the most important details such as size, shape and color. Conclusions should discuss details that are the most interesting, that make the most impact in day-to-day life and that make readers think more about your subject. For example, a conclusion in an essay about a product could compare its physical attributes to competitor versions.

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San Francisco State University: Concrete Detail and Commentary

Writing in the Lehigh Valley, Jordan Weagly has been a professional writer since 2007. His work has appeared in “Travel Host” and “The Keystone.” Weagly has more than four years of experience as an English tutor and holds a MA in English as well as a BA in professional writing from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Commentary: Thinking for yourself in the age of AI

The artificial intelligence wave is here. Thanks to the arrival of “large language models” like ChatGPT and other generative AI tools almost a year and a half ago, AI is now hitting us like a truck – head on.

We all remember the dire predictions several years back. AI will take over your job, it will spread disinformation like you wouldn’t believe, deepfakes will be ubiquitous, nefarious actors and regimes will lap it up and use it against us, and soon AI will become sentient and realize it can throw humans into the trash bin.

Well, some of that has certainly come to pass. Election disinformation bots, deepfake nudes, China and Russia’s frantic race to harness AI for their own authoritarian ends – these are just a few of the headlines in recent days.

But doomsday scenarios of AI taking over the world or turning you into an Energizer Bunny à la “The Matrix”? That was a great movie (way ahead of its time) and we can understand the anxiety, but for now, let’s take it down a notch or two.

Dystopian fears distract us from what AI and other technologies are doing to us right now on a more mundane level. AI promises to liberate us from tedious tasks by automating them away, but the risk is that we’re automating away much more than that – our own intuitions and unique thought processes. Let’s just say thinking.

These ideas flashed in my head as I read an essay by the 19th-century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer titled “On thinking for yourself.” It’s only a few pages long and certainly worth reading.

In many ways, books were Schopenhauer’s form of AI. For him, if you’re always reading, then you’re never thinking for yourself. “For reading forcibly imposes on the mind thoughts that are as foreign to its mood and direction at the moment of reading as the signet is to the wax upon which it impresses its seal,” he writes.

“Reading is merely a surrogate for thinking for yourself; it means letting someone else direct your thoughts,” he adds. So put down that damn book! You can almost hear the old grump himself (Schopenhauer had a reputation for being one) yelling at you from the grave.

Thinking for yourself … hmm … what does it mean? Schopenhauer says it is “following your own inclinations” or “basic thoughts,” which only you can understand through and through. These are your truths. The next step is to order and compare these truths to other truths.

Let’s say you do this and come to a new understanding or insight. Congrats, you’ve gone organic! But what happens if someone else has already discovered it and written it down in some book? Schopenhauer says the insight will still be “a hundred times more valuable if you have arrived at it by thinking for yourself.” For it has “entered into your thought-system as an integral part and living member… thus it will stay firmly and forever lodged in your mind.”

Self-thinking gives us immense power, he concludes. By exercising it, we’re like an absolute monarch without anyone above us.

Now that’s wonderful and humanistic sounding, but let’s get real, nobody’s going to do it. Give up books or reading the thoughts of others? Yeah, sure thing Herr Schopenhauer.

And what to do about AI? Well, we’re not going back. We have no choice but to develop it further while (let’s hope) working just as hard to devise safeguards that address the societal and global ills it will inevitably spawn (or has already). AI’s potential for good – helping us devise new drugs to cure diseases for example, among other benefits – is simply too great. Plus, increasingly sketchy regimes like China and Russia will march forward on AI anyway. So should we (although not march).

But let’s get back to Mr. Grump for a second before concluding. How can we mold Schopenhauer’s ideas into ones we can use today?

The self-thinker, he writes, “becomes acquainted with the authorities for his opinions only after he has acquired them and merely as a confirmation of them.” In other words, self-thinkers first come up with their own ideas and only after that measure them against the thoughts of others, or increasingly in our case, a machine. Not a bad idea.

Before using ChatGPT for answers or Googling or YouTubing our questions away, it might be fruitful to take a microsecond to think first. What do we believe about this topic? What are we expecting to discover? And how does this inquiry help us advance our goals?

“How to debone a salmon filet”? OK, maybe not these kinds of questions, but more consequential ones.

It might be useful to jot down our ruminations before heading off into AI Neverland. At least it’s a way to slow things down a bit, helping us become better acquainted with our own minds, and forcing us to be more purposeful about how we use tech – as an aide to our thinking and not just a driver of it.

And, let’s face it, these dug-out-of-the-past ideas and practices can also serve us as acts of human defiance in the face of fast-paced technological change. They remind us of our connection to humans long ago and help us preserve our humanity going forward, as we sail briskly into uncharted waters.

Terrance J. Mintner is a news editor and writer living in the Midwest. He writes a newsletter on Substack called Feral Brain (feralbrain.substack.com).

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Ben Lowenthal: Courts Should Not Give Prosecutors A Pass For Using Tainted Evidence

Failed prosecutions are no reason to roll back protections against unconstitutional search and seizure.

By Ben Lowenthal

March 22, 2024 · 6 min read

About the Author

Ben Lowenthal

Our criminal procedural class in law school was getting tired of the Fourth Amendment — the one that protects “persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures” and requires warrants based on probable cause before the police can look for evidence.

One of my classmates had had enough. She felt that all of this was silly. These rules, exceptions, and exceptions to exceptions were pointless. The police got the evidence. The guy is guilty. And now we can’t use it? He’s freed on a technicality. Is that really how we should look at this?

The exclusionary rule means that when the police or other law enforcement officers violate someone’s constitutional rights, then prosecutors cannot use that evidence gathered as a result of that violation against the person.

That’s the exclusionary rule. And it still manages to upset people.

Some feel that crime is so rampant and so egregious that we’re hindering police efforts to reduce it.

That’s what frustrated my classmate so much. The exclusionary rule can be devastating to the prosecution’s case. Strong, incriminating evidence just vanishes. Why have such a rule?

It wasn’t always this way. In the early decades of the 20th century, state police forces didn’t have to abide by the exclusionary rule, only federal agents in federal court.

Think about those old detective novels and movies. The cops burst into a smoky room where gangsters are counting money or doing something illegal, a detective punches someone in the face, and the case is closed.

There’s no search warrant. There’s no elaborate way to, as Sen. Kurt Fevella recently put it, “figure out a way so we can break legs.” What’s the big deal?

Consider the case that put the exclusionary rule on the map.

Photo of the U.S. Supreme Court building.

The defendant was a difficult, strong-willed woman — and that’s how her loved ones described her.

In 1957, the Mississippi native Dollree Mapp moved to Cleveland, Ohio, divorced from an abusive boxer husband and living with her daughter.

Then the police came over. Someone tried to blow up Don King’s house (yeah, the same guy made famous for promoting Mike Tyson in the 1980s and ‘90s) and suspected Mapp was hiding the bomber in her home. They demanded entry to search the house. Mapp called her lawyer, who advised her not to let them in without a warrant. She did just that and the police left.

More officers returned hours later. A lieutenant waved a piece of paper at her and said it was a warrant. Mapp demanded to see it. The lieutenant refused.

Not taking no for an answer, she grabbed the paper from him and stuffed it into her blouse. Such a bold move from a woman of color must have surprised the police. One of them asked, “what do we do now?”

An officer stepped forward and announced he was “going down after it,” struggled with Mapp, and reached into her blouse to get the paper back. She never got to read it. No one did.

The police handcuffed Mapp, went into her house and sure enough found the suspect hiding in her house. But they didn’t leave. They searched every room and opened every box and drawer. They found books and nude sketches considered obscene. Although Mapp told them that they belonged to a long-gone lodger, she was arrested for possessing obscene material — a felony in 1957.

It took the jury 20 minutes to convict her. The judge sentenced her to up to seven years in prison.

The suspect, by the way, was cleared of bombing King’s house.

Mapp appealed her sentence and lost in the Ohio courts. It was far from surprising. As one professor later wrote, what the police did was “nothing extraordinary; it was an everyday fact of life for blacks and other racial minorities. Police throughout America were part of the machinery of keeping blacks ‘in their place,’ ignoring constitutional guarantees against unreasonable arrests and searches and those that barred the use of ‘third-degree’ tactics when questioning suspects.”

But Mapp persisted and appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her case made history. In 1961, the Supreme Court held for the first time that the states were obligated to enforce the exclusionary rule against local police. It would not be limited to federal courts anymore.

The Supreme Court explained that “the right to be secure against rude invasions of privacy by state officers is . . . constitutional in origin” and “we can no longer permit that right to remain an empty promise.” It is not “revocable at the whim of any police officer who, in the name of law enforcement itself, chooses to suspend” the Fourth Amendment.

Of course, that was Earl Warren’s Supreme Court, and the justices changed the way police investigate crime and the way we prosecute people. It was before the conservative backlash led by William Rehnquist and decades of Supreme Court justices who have watered down the exclusionary rule and made it a difficult doctrine to understand.

And while the erosion has been accelerating for generations in federal court, the exclusionary rule is strong in Hawaii. The Hawaii Supreme Court recognizes the need to deter police misconduct while investigating crime and even goes a step further.

The state Supreme Court has also made it clear that trial courts cannot allow tainted evidence to be used as a matter of principle .

It means the courts should not give prosecutors a pass for using tainted evidence. If the guilty go free because our law enforcement violated the law, the exclusionary rule says so be it. As Justice Sonya Sotomayor wrote, “when courts admit illegally obtained evidence as well, they reward manifest neglect if not an open defiance of the prohibitions of the Constitution.”

So going back to my classmate’s complaint. Freed on a technicality? No way. The Fourth Amendment isn’t just a technicality. And is this how we should look at it? Absolutely.

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Ben Lowenthal grew up on Maui. He earned his undergraduate degree studying journalism at San Francisco State University and his law degree at the University of Kansas. He is a deputy public defender practicing criminal defense in trial and appellate courts. He also runs “Hawaii Legal News,” a blog covering Hawaii appellate courts . The author's opinions are his own and don't necessarily reflect those of Civil Beat. You can reach him at [email protected] .

Latest Comments (0)

Excellent article! It is a standard of conduct to protect constitutional guarantees when engaging in law enforcement which includes due process. Police officers not properly trained or who care not to due diligence in the course of their duty serve as a source of embarrassment and liability for the Federal and state governments.

AHawaiianMan · 9 minutes ago

My question is, what is the penalty for officers ignoring this Constitutional right? If there is no penalty, will not ignore it?

manoafolk · 21 hours ago

This is a nice story from your law school days about a case decades old. Glad these days we have a strong defense bar and competent judges that serve as "checks and balances" to any state action.

Internet_Stranger · 22 hours ago

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FREE 7+ Commentary Writing Samples and Templates in PDF
Five Ways to Target Commentary for Essay Writing
Teaching Students How to Write Commentary for the Literary Analysis
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Five Ways to Target Commentary for Essay Writing
FREE 7+ Commentary Writing Samples and Templates in PDF

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Helping students with essays I The best essay 2023

COMMENTS

From Summary to Insight: A Guide to Writing Commentary Essays with Depth
Writing potent commentary in essays is essential to making a successful argument and gaining the reader's interest. Here are four strategies that can help you write a good essay commentary: Develop a strong thesis statement. A thesis statement serves as the core of your essay, and it should be explicit, engaging and supportable by evidence.
3 Ways to Write a Commentary
Make sure to ask about their expectations, such as length. 2. Present your summary. One of the key components of a data commentary is synopsis of the research. You need to concisely write about the results of the study and why it is important. Make sure to analyze and summarize the data.
Commentary Essay ⇒ Writing Guide with Analysis Examples
A commentary essay is a written piece that provides an opinion on a particular subject. This type of essay is usually written in response to another piece, such as a blog post, article, or book passage. In a commentary essay, the writer will typically offer their own take on the situation, using evidence and examples to support their claims.
Writing a Literary Commentary: Guidelines
A commentary should relate the passage to the rest of the work (novel, collection of poems, etc.), but remain focused in the main on the details of the passage itself. ... Essays in French Literary Analysis (Edinburgh, 1969) (sample commentaries of French literary texts) Biard, J. D., Lexique pour I 'explication de texte (Exeter, 1980)
Commentaries and Gobbets Guidelines
A commentary or gobbet is largely concerned with the explication of a single passage of text; an essay is directed towards a different goal, making a more general argument or arguments on a set topic, using a wide range of primary and secondary evidence. Here are some guidelines on commentary- and gobbet-writing which may be of use.
What Is a Commentary in an Essay
1️⃣ Step 1: Preparation. 2️⃣ Step 2: Stage Setup. 3️⃣ Step 3: Writing a First Draft of a Commentary Essay. 4️⃣ Step 4: Wrap-Up. 💡 20 Tips for Writing a Commentary Essay. 10 things to do when writing a commentary essay include: 10 things not to do include: 💭 Summing Up on How to Write a Perfect Commentary Essay.
Commentary Essay Example, Writing Guide, and Tips
Key Components of a Commentary Essay. 1. Introduction: Begin your essay with a captivating introduction that presents the topic and provides context for the reader. 2. Thesis Statement: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines your main argument or perspective. 3.
How to Write a Good Essay: Stop Summarizing, Start Commentating
Rule Two: Maintain a 2:1 Ratio of Commentary to Summary. In general, you should provide approximately two points of commentary for every specific detail you offer. While summary is still important for giving your reader context, commentary is critical to writing a good essay.
Five Ways to Target Commentary for Essay Writing
Commentary should be highlighted the most because most of the essay should be commentary/ analysis. There should be twice as much commentary in an essay as evidence. If this is not the case, students haven't taken their commentary to a deep level, and they need to go back and add more commentary where it is needed.
The Role of Commentary in Rhetorical Analysis
Analysis—what we're calling commentary—is the student's opinion about the way evidence proves the truth of a topic sentence, which defends the truth of the controlling thesis statement. Here's how the connecting works. A rhetorical analysis essay has a thesis, which is a controlling idea. All ideas within the essay defend this one.
How to Write Commentary for Rhetorical Analysis
In order to effectively write commentary in your body paragraphs, you need to have an understanding of the rhetorical situation. The rhetorical situation includes the following elements: the writer or speaker, the audience, the (historical) context, the exigence (ie. what prompted the writer to write), the purpose, and the message or argument.
Elements of an Essay: Writing Commentary
2) Interpretation: your explanation of something that is not clear. 3) Character and Subject's Feelings: when you describe what the character or subject of the detail is feeling (ideal for literary analysis papers) 4) Personal Reaction: your personal emotions about the detail. 5) Evaluations: your objective judgment of a detail.
How to Write a Commentary Commentary Writing in an Essay
Outline the main points. Once you have read the text several times and highlighted the words, you can create an outline of your commentary. This is a general way to prepare a commentary, unlike an essay which requires a thesis statement. Analyse the structure of the article and its content and prepare an outline accordingly.
Guidelines for writing a commentary
Use a short title that emphasizes your key message. (It should be clear in context that all commentaries are a reaction to a particular paper). Do not include an abstract. Make clear your take-home message. Make sure there is full author information (name, affiliation, address, phone, email) for all authors.
PDF FR1: GUIDELINES FOR COMMENTARY WRITING
be concise, and should serve to illuminate the passage in some way. A commentary is not an essay on a text as a whole: it is a focussed account of the operation of a specific extract. 5. It is not necessary to write out quotations from the passage. Passages for commentary in examinations always have the lines numbered and it is easier and
How Long is an Essay? Guidelines for Different Types of Essay
Essay length guidelines. Type of essay. Average word count range. Essay content. High school essay. 300-1000 words. In high school you are often asked to write a 5-paragraph essay, composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. College admission essay. 200-650 words.
Writing a Commentary Sentence in an Essay
In this video, you will learn how to write a Commentary Sentence that explains the significance of the Concrete Details of a paragraph.
How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay + Example
Step 5: Write your Essay. Use the remaining 30-35 minutes to write your essay. This should be relatively easy if you took the time to mark up the sources and have a detailed outline. Remember to add special consideration and emphasis to the commentary sections of the supporting arguments outlined in your thesis.
AP English Language and Composition Exam
45 Questions | 1 hour | 45% of Exam Score. Includes 5 sets of questions: 23-25 Reading questions that ask students to read and analyze nonfiction texts. 20-22 Writing questions that ask students to "read like a writer" and consider revisions to stimulus texts.
Expert Guide to the AP Language and Composition Exam
The exam has two parts: the first section is an hour-long, 45 question multiple-choice section. ... Evidence and Commentary (0 to 4 points): Does the essay include supporting evidence and analysis that is relevant, specific, well organized, and supports the thesis? #3: Sophistication ...
PDF AP English Language and Composition
Argument Essay 6 points . Many people spend long hours trying to achieve perfection in their personal or professional lives. Similarly, people often deman d perfection from ... In your response you should do the following: ... Stronger essays used commentary to explain how the evidence supported the larger claim. Sample: 3A Score: 1-4-1 ...
Expert's Guide to the AP Literature Exam
The AP Literature Exam is a three-hour exam that contains two sections in this order: An hour-long, 55-question multiple-choice section. A two-hour, three-question free-response section. The exam tests your ability to analyze works and excerpts of literature and cogently communicate that analysis in essay form.
How to Write a Concrete Detail Essay
Body Paragraphs. With an essay focused on concrete details, it may be helpful to focus on one detail or group of details per paragraph. For example, when writing about a baseball game, you can describe the stadium's size and color in one paragraph, the layout of walkways in a second paragraph and the colors of the players' uniforms in a ...
Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay
Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes. 5. Think About Your Response. Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you're genuinely enthusiastic about your subject.
Commentary: Thinking for yourself in the age of AI
These ideas flashed in my head as I read an essay by the 19th-century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer titled "On thinking for yourself." It's only a few pages long and certainly worth ...
Ben Lowenthal: Courts Should Not Give Prosecutors A Pass For Using
Although Mapp told them that they belonged to a long-gone lodger, she was arrested for possessing obscene material — a felony in 1957. It took the jury 20 minutes to convict her. The judge ...
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From Summary to Insight: A Guide to Writing Commentary Essays with Depth

What Is Commentary In An Essay?

The Significance Of Commentary In Essay Writing

Key Elements Of Effective Commentary

Strategies For Writing Potent Commentary In Essays

Develop a strong thesis statement

Understand the topic better

Body And Paragraphs Organized

Use literary analysis

The Use Of Quotations And Examples In Commentary

Types Of Commentary In Essays: Comprehending The Contrasts

Strategies For Writing Commentary In Literary Essays

Writing Commentary For Convincing Essays

Creating Commentary That Supports Your Thesis Statement

Common Mistakes To Avoid In Commentary Writing

Avoiding Overgeneralization

Lack Of Evidence

Tips For Revising And Editing Commentary

Examples Of Strong And Poor Commentary In Essays

Paragraph Construction With Commentary

Transition Words And Phrases For Commentary

Writing A Conclusion With Commentary: Do’s And Don’ts

Recommended Reading...

How to Write a Commentary

Writing a Literary Commentary

Creating Data Commentary

Commentary Outlines

Expert Q&A

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How should I write my commentary?

Some useful aids to commentary-writing

What Is a Commentary in an Essay | Writing Guide & Examples

How to Write an Outstanding Commentary Essay & Examples

Definition of What Is a Commentary in an Essay and Its Meaning

Basic Structure of a Commentary Essay

5 Main Types of Commentary

Alternative Commentary Types and Examples

1️⃣ Close, Direct Analysis of Passages

Example of a Commentary on Celebration of Nature in the First Stanza of Christopher Dewdney’s Poem “Night Wind”

2️⃣ Commentary Annotations

3 Examples of a Commentary With Annotations

3️⃣ Data Commentary

Example of Data Commentary

Possible Uses of Block Quotations for Writing a Good Commentary Essay

📕 APA Format

📕 MLA Format

📕 Harvard Format

📕 Chicago/Turabian Format

Key Features of Formatting Block Quotes When Writing a Commentary Essay

Easy Sample Topics for Writing a Great Commentary Essay

Sample Outline Template for Writing a Commentary Essay

Example of a Commentary Essay

I. Example of an Introduction of a Commentary Essay

II. Example of Body Paragraphs of a Commentary Essay

III. Example of a Conclusion of a Commentary Essay

4 Easy Steps for Writing a Commentary Essay

Step 1: Preparation

Step 2: Stage Setup

Step 3: Writing a First Draft of a Commentary Essay

Step 4: Wrap-Up

20 Tips for Writing a Commentary Essay

10 things to do when writing a commentary essay include:

10 things not to do include:

Summing Up on How to Write a Perfect Commentary Essay

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

Commentary Essay Example, Writing Guide, and Tips

Introduction

What is a Commentary Essay?

Why Write a Commentary Essay?

Key Components of a Commentary Essay

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Commentary Essay

Step 2: Conduct Extensive Research

Step 3: Outline Your Essay