AP U.S. Government
What writing is required for AP Gov?
Free Response Questions
4 on the AP exam
Outlines
Essay Outline
Claim: Rephrases the question
Evidence: highlights a key term�
Reason: “This shows that…”�“This is significant because…”�“One effect of this was…”
FRQ Outline
Carefully answer the only question that is being asked.
Watch out for words like “describe” or “explain”
What kinds of FRQs to expect
Concept Application: Respond to a political scenario, describe and explain the effects of a political institution, behavior, or process
Quantitative Analysis: Analyze quantitative data, identify a trend or pattern, or draw a conclusion from a visual representation and explain how it relates to a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior
SCOTUS Comparison: Compare a nonrequired Supreme Court case with a required Supreme Court case, explaining how information from the required case is relevant to the nonrequired one
Argument Essay: Develop an argument in the form of an essay, using evidence from required foundational documents and course concepts
(collegeboard)
Examples
Sample FRQ from 2022
Received full points
Sample FRQ from 2022
Received full points
Sample FRQ from 2022
Received full points
What you need to know if you are taking the AP exam.
Number of Questions
Timing
1 hour and 40 minutes for the FRQ section
Review this page!
Review the page linked above to give you a general overview of the writing section of the AP exam.
4 FRQs
This is a set of sample FRQ questions from College Board. The style mimics the AP test.
Here, Kaplan walk you through everything about the argumentative essay, and includes an example.
Khan Academy lists their best tips for succeeding in the writing portion of AP Gov.
This is a Youtube channel commonly used by Mr.Naar. Just search up “writing” or “FRQ” to find the assistance you are looking for.
Need more resources?
These are past FRQs from College Board, including the questions, answers, scores, score guidelines, and score explanations.
Need more resources?
These are some prep book recommendations, including tips and practice for the writing section of the exam, compiled by Exam Shazam.