Award-Winning AP English Language and Composition Tutors
serving Washington, DC

Hi! I'm a recent Yale grad tutoring in English language, literature, and public speaking for middle school and high school. I'm also available to tutor in Spanish and Russian languages. I also completed the IB program in high school so I am happy to advise on the EE, CAS, IA, and exam process for that.

AP English Language is fundamentally about argument — how writers build it, how readers dissect it, and how students replicate it under timed conditions. Sarina's background in competitive Impromptu speaking sharpened her ability to analyze rhetorical strategies like appeals, tone shifts, and structural choices on the fly. She applies that same analytical rigor to synthesis essays, rhetorical analysis prompts, and multiple-choice passage work.

AP Lang is ultimately about argument — dissecting how writers use evidence, tone, and structure to persuade, then doing it yourself under timed conditions. Molly's experience editing for newspapers sharpened her ability to evaluate rhetorical choices quickly, and she walks students through synthesis and argument essays with an emphasis on building claims that actually hold up to scrutiny.

Denay's public policy training at the University of Chicago — where every seminar meant tearing apart policy arguments and rebuilding them with sharper evidence — maps directly onto what AP Lang essays require: identifying how authors construct claims, deploy data, and anticipate opposition. She teaches the synthesis essay as a policy brief in miniature, showing students how to integrate multiple sources into a single coherent argument rather than summarizing each one in sequence. Rated 5.0 by students.

AP English Language is ultimately about rhetoric: understanding how writers persuade and then doing it yourself under a forty-minute clock. David digs into the synthesis, rhetorical analysis, and argument essays individually, teaching students to identify techniques like juxtaposition, appeals to authority, and strategic concession before they ever start writing. His dual English degrees and library science training make him especially sharp on evaluating sources and constructing evidence-driven arguments.

AP Lang isn't really about writing well — it's about arguing precisely, which means dissecting how authors use rhetorical strategies like appeals, tone shifts, and structural choices to persuade. Sophie tackles the synthesis and argument essays by teaching students to read sources like a debater: identify the claim, evaluate the evidence, then build a counter. Her 1570 SAT score reflects the same close-reading and analytical skills the AP exam demands.

The rhetorical analysis essay trips up even strong writers because it requires naming what an author is doing and explaining why it works. Rebecca breaks down argument structure, rhetorical strategies like appeals and syntax choices, and the synthesis essay's demand for integrating multiple sources into a cohesive position. Her 5.0 rating speaks to how clearly she communicates these skills.

Rhetoric is really applied philosophy: every AP Lang prompt asks students to dissect how an author persuades, and then do it themselves. Julie studies philosophy at Princeton, where she spends her days analyzing argument structure, identifying logical appeals, and writing precisely — the same toolkit that earns high scores on synthesis and rhetorical analysis essays.

Rhetoric is everywhere once you learn to see it, and that's exactly what AP English Language asks students to do — dissect how writers use tone, structure, and evidence to persuade. Cynthia's arts background and love of reading give her a sharp eye for the synthesis and argument essays that make or break AP Lang scores. She walks students through real exam prompts, teaching them to construct thesis-driven responses under timed conditions.

Rhetoric is everywhere, and AP Lang is the class that finally makes students see it — in speeches, editorials, even advertisements. Jack's dual background in theatre and economics means he can unpack both the emotional persuasion of a Kennedy address and the logical structure of an economic policy argument. He zeroes in on building the synthesis and argument essays, where students often struggle to integrate sources without losing their own voice.

AP Lang asks students to dissect how authors build arguments — identifying rhetorical strategies, evaluating evidence, and constructing their own persuasive essays under time pressure. Rithi approaches this analytically, teaching students to map an argument's structure before writing about it, a skill she honed through years of reading and critiquing scientific literature in her neuroscience and biotechnology programs.

Years of writing, directing, and performing theater in New York City taught Harry how to construct an argument that lands with a live audience — a skill that translates directly to AP Lang's argument and synthesis essays, where every structural choice needs to serve a persuasive purpose. His Northwestern communications training sharpens his approach to nonfiction prose analysis, particularly when it comes to unpacking how authors calibrate tone and audience awareness to make a case.

I'm a current PhD student in the history department at Georgetown University who is also an experienced instructor with Varsity Tutors. As a recipient of several degrees, the most recent being a BA in history from Hillsdale College and a MA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies from Stanford University, I have long sought to make teaching my profession. Meanwhile, as a volunteer grade school teacher and a tutor with this company, I have many years' experience helping students reach their full potential. I am capable of teaching students in many subjects, including reading, mathematics, test prep, Latin, and especially writing, history, and literature. In practice, I am comfortable adapting to different learning styles and specific student preferences. Outside of my academic and career endeavors, I enjoy cooking, reading, and listening to and making music.

Rhetorical analysis is the backbone of AP Lang, and it trips students up because they confuse identifying a device with explaining how it functions in context. Stephanie approaches each passage as an argument to dissect — examining how authors deploy ethos, strategic concessions, and syntactic choices to persuade specific audiences. Her experience writing and editing at the college level at Princeton keeps her feedback concrete and actionable.