TELLING:

“The writeruses ethos”

SHOWING:

  • "the writer establishes hisauthority by... "
  • "the writer makes herselfsympathetic to theaudience by..."
  • "the writer clearly has agood reputation because..."

TELLING:

“The writeruses logos”

SHOWING:

  • "the writer uses a carefullyreasonedcause-and-effectargument that showsunequivocally that X leadsto Y"
  • "the writer uses plenty ofexamples to support her point that..."
  • "the writerreaches a logicalconclusion that..."

TELLING:

“The writerappeals topathos”

SHOWING:

  • "the author appeals to the (specific) emotions of the audiencewhen he..."
  • "the author makes theaudience afraid of theconsequences, and sosways their opinion whenshe..."

Verbs to Use in AP Writing

Instead of using verbs like shows,uses, or utilizes, use stronger verbs like:

Asserts hints at ignites

Details highlights changes

alludes to constrainsinvokes

Implies explores exemplifies

Clarifies alters conveys

Portrays manipulates repudiates

Inspires conjures up compares

Describes produces masters

suggestsevokes creates

connoteselicits refutes

Reveals juxtaposes documents

delineatesconstrues enunciates

Shifts solidifies maintains

specifiesdifferentiates demonstrates

evokestranscendsstirs

Notes emphasizes dispels

Depicts explains twists

Tackles enhances elucidates

Imbedding Evidence

  • All quotes are not created equal. Choose carefully which words you wish to quote.
  • Do NOT use a quote as a topic sentence. Topic sentences are part of YOUR structure and should be your unique thoughts and wording.
  • Remember that a mere quote doesn't show anything, prove anything, or make anything obvious or evident. YOU, as the writer, have that job.
  • Students often think the words states and quotes are interchangeable. They're not. Charles Dickens states, "It was the best of times..." not quotes. To quote is to repeat what someone else said.
  • It's okay to use an ellipsis in a quote as long as the quote still makes sense.

Insertion of Quotes as Support

Weak Strong

When Jerry says, "You Attacking Peter's sense

have everything, and of honor, Jerry orders

now you want this him off the bench and

bench. Are these the tauntingly asks if a

things men fight for?" it mere park bench "are

shows that he is trying the things men fight

to intimidate Peter byfor" in Peter's small world.

making fun of his

honor.

When Peter finallyJerry, now desperate to

says, "Get up andfulfill his suicidal

fight," Jerry inquires,mission, resorts to

"Like a man?" Thisattacks on Peter's

shows that Jerry ismanliness, provoking

attacking Peter's sensehim into fighting "like a man."

of manliness.

In responding to Jerry'sAlthough Peter knows

comments aboutthat the gender of his

having a male child, children is "a matter of

Peter says "It's agenetics, not manhood," he

matter of genetics, notnevertheless lashes out

manhood, youat Jerry's insults,

monster." It is obviousleaving the reader to

that Peter is angry atdoubt Peter's sense of security.

Jerry's insinuations.

SYNONYMS

CITIZEN: civilian, inhabitant, native, resident, denizen, voter, taxpayer, society

EMPHASIZE: stress, punctuate, spotlight, highlight, reiterate, accentuate, dramatize

SAID:voice, orate, proclaim, vocalize, pronounce, deliver, speak, convey, express, assert