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Award-Winning 8th Grade AP English Language Tutors
Certified Tutor
2+ years
Rachelle
I am a graduate of The University of South Carolina School of Music where I received a Master of Music in Composition. Since graduation, I have composed and recorded works for multiple ensembles, but my true passion is music education. I enjoy seeing people gain confidence with learning. Celebratin...
University of South Carolina-Union
Master's/Graduate
Full Sail University
Bachelor
Certified Tutor
2+ years
Beth
I am eager to encourage and inspire my students to reach their educational goals. I have forty plus years of classroom teaching experience with an exceptional track record and over ten years of experience in successfully leading and supervising other teachers as elementary principal.
Baylor University
AB
Certified Tutor
2+ years
Jessica
I have a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Southern Nevada, where I graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2015. I also earned a minor in Mathematics, which gave me a great foundation in both math and science. I am passionate about helping students understand math and scien...
College of Southern Nevada
BS
Certified Tutor
I am a licensed physician from Florida who is currently changing careers. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and have extensive tutoring and editing experience. While a student, I became a certified writing tutor through the Critical Writing Department. Since I completed my writ...
Nova Southeastern University
PHD, Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelors, History
University of Pennsylvania
undergraduate
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Jai
I'm a recent Stanford graduate (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), and have been working at a major Management Consulting firm for a few years now. I personally scored a 2360 (out of 2400) on the SAT and 35 on the ACT and was successful in gaining admission to several top universities. I'...
Stanford University
Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Certified Tutor
Kate
I'm available to tutor biology, chemistry, physics, math from Algebra up through AP Calculus, SAT test prep, and French. I've been tutoring students in science and math for 7 years. I also spent 8 months working and studying in France, and have tutored high school and adult students in French. When ...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Masters, Environmental Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bachelors
Certified Tutor
Erika
I am available to tutor middle and high school math, history and test prep. I have tutored math and history in the past and I previously taught a test prep course at a school in Hanoi, Vietnam. I have a lot of experience teaching all the need-to-know tricks to doing great on the SATS/ACTS! When I am...
Harvard University
Master of Public Policy, Public Policy
Certified Tutor
6+ years
Jeffrey
I am enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering PhD program at Rice University which will begin Fall 2020, and I am hoping to return to academia as a professor after earning my PhD. In the meantime, I am looking to share my passion for gaining knowledge, specifically in STEM, by educating the up and com...
University of Notre Dame
Bachelor of Science
Rice University
Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering
Certified Tutor
6+ years
Rhea
I am a current student at the University of Chicago. I am working towards a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, and I am on the pre-medical track. I am extremely passionate about tutoring, and I have several years of experience tutoring students in my high school's learning center in various...
University of Chicago
Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Samantha
I'm a first-year medical student and recent graduate from Duke University, where I studied Global Health Determinants, Behaviors, and Interventions. From running a piano program at a nonprofit children's theatre to private tutoring in math, science, and standardized test prep, I enjoy helping my stu...
Duke University
Bachelors in Global Health Determinants, Behaviors, and Interventions
Harvard Medical School
Current Grad Student, MD
Top 20 English Subjects
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Samuel
AP Calculus AB Tutor • +29 Subjects
I am a freshman at Caltech majoring in Applied and Computational Mathematics. My favorite subject to tutor is math because I find it very rewarding to simplify complex topics to aid in understanding. I have lots of tutoring experience. In high school, I ran and taught an SAT prep class and was vice president of my school's NHS chapter where I ran our tutoring program, and I, myself, tutored. I also was a teaching assistant in the summer of 2020 for a class in discrete mathematics through a program called PACT (Program in Algorithmic and Combinatorial Thinking). I love learning and hope to make the process enjoyable for you!
Quinn
Calculus Tutor • +17 Subjects
I am willing to address any issue with an open mind and I try to develop strategies that play to a student's strengths. I would like to think I am very approachable and personable, and I have had very positive experiences with many students in the past using this philosophy. Outside of academics, I love playing basketball and watching sports, as well as chilling with friends, listening to music, and keeping up with politics and current affairs.
Zachary
Trigonometry Tutor • +35 Subjects
I am passionate about teaching and tutoring and I thoroughly enjoy helping students gain an understanding and a drive for their studies. I have a long history of working with students of all grade levels and abilities (elementary school through college), and I have a good understanding of strategies to excel in both general academics and standardized tests.
Sharon
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +29 Subjects
I am a graduate of the University of Chicago, and I will be starting a graduate program at Columbia in August. I am about to complete a year of service with City Year, an education non-profit that places young adults into under-served schools. As a City Year member, I worked full-time in the classroom with middle-school students who were in approximately the 10th percentile for math (meaning they score lower than 90% of students). One-fourth of those students were able to grow around 15 percentile points by the end of the year! Hobbies: reading, cooking, gardening, music, art, nature, books, writing
Pinelopi
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +25 Subjects
I am a Duke University graduate with a Bachelors degree in Psychology. I have experience tutoring all levels of Spanish language, all sections of the SAT, as well as algebra, pre algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus! I love kids & I have a very flexible schedule and a lot of patience! Let me help you :)
Charles
AP Calculus AB Tutor • +25 Subjects
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals! Hobbies: art, books, running, reading, music, writing
Tiffany
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +56 Subjects
I am available to tutor a broad range of subjects, I am passionate about test preparation, Accountancy, and Algebra.
MaryAnn
Calculus Tutor • +21 Subjects
I am a published author who has enjoyed “coaching” our daughter, as she navigated through high school, college and graduate school. I mentor college juniors who are seeking careers in financial services, and I serve as a peer resource to professionals who are transitioning from private industry to the nonprofit sector. Hobbies: reading, cooking, writing, books, music, art, travel
Earnest
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +26 Subjects
I am comfortable with either setting. I'm confident that I can help you (or your student) achieve to the best of their ability, so please don't hesitate to get in touch!
Matthew
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +39 Subjects
I'm a highly creative person who works best with visual thinkers. Very recently graduated from Stanford University, I majored in Human Biology with a concentration in Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Science. Technical though my background may be, I am currently gigging as a singer/songwriter/composer in NYC and tackle even the most hard-science of problems with a top-down, big-picture, holistic approach. If you have a propensity to look at problems in a cross- or inter-disciplinary manner (or want to learn how to do so), I'm the tutor for you!
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Most 8th graders struggle with moving beyond surface-level identification of rhetorical devices to actually analyzing their effect on the audience. Many students can spot a metaphor or parallel structure, but they can't explain why the author chose that device or what it accomplishes rhetorically. A tutor can help you develop a framework for connecting device → effect → purpose, so you're analyzing the "why" behind every technique rather than just listing what you see.
The 40-minute constraint is brutal for 8th graders because you need time to read the passage, plan your essay, write, and revise—but most students spend too long on the passage or get stuck perfecting their introduction. Effective pacing means spending 8-10 minutes on active reading and annotation, 5 minutes on planning your thesis and structure, 20 minutes writing, and 5 minutes revising. A tutor can help you practice this timing repeatedly so it becomes automatic, and teach you which parts of your essay to prioritize if you run short on time.
Identifying a claim is just stating what the author believes ("The author argues that social media is harmful"), but analyzing the argument means examining how they build that case—what evidence they use, what assumptions underlie their reasoning, and what counterarguments they address or ignore. In AP Language, you need to evaluate the strength and effectiveness of the entire argument, not just restate the main point. Tutors can show you how to break arguments into their component parts and assess whether the author's evidence actually supports their claim.
Diction is the specific word choices an author makes, while tone is the attitude or mood those choices create. For example, calling someone "thrifty" versus "stingy" is a diction choice that affects tone—one sounds approving, the other critical. In your essays, you need to identify specific diction examples and then explain how that word choice contributes to the overall tone and persuasive effect. Many 8th graders use "tone" and "diction" interchangeably, but AP graders expect you to understand they're connected but distinct elements of rhetorical strategy.
Effective evidence in AP Language isn't just any quote from the passage—it needs to be specific, representative of a larger pattern, and directly tied to your analytical point. Instead of quoting a single sentence, you might reference how the author uses short, declarative sentences throughout the passage to create urgency, then analyze why that rhetorical choice works for the intended audience. Weak evidence is vague ("the author uses descriptive language") or disconnected from your thesis. Tutors can teach you how to select evidence that actually proves your analytical claims rather than just illustrating them.
Understanding audience and purpose is central to AP Language because rhetoric is fundamentally about persuasion—an author makes specific choices based on who they're trying to reach and what they want them to believe or do. If the author is writing to convince policymakers, they'll use different evidence and tone than if they're writing to inspire teenagers. In your essay, you should identify the intended audience and purpose early, then use that context to explain why each rhetorical device is effective. This moves your analysis beyond "the author uses pathos" to "the author uses pathos because their teenage audience responds to emotional appeals about peer pressure."
Your AP Language thesis shouldn't just state what rhetorical devices the author uses—it should make a claim about the author's overall rhetorical strategy and its effectiveness with the intended audience. A weak thesis says "The author uses ethos, pathos, and logos." A strong thesis says "By establishing credibility through personal experience and appealing to readers' shared values, the author effectively persuades a skeptical audience to reconsider their assumptions about climate change." Your thesis should set up the analytical framework for your entire essay, making clear what you'll prove about how and why the author's rhetoric works.
Many 8th graders write a practice essay, check the rubric, and move on—but that doesn't build the skills you need. Instead, write under timed conditions, then review by comparing your thesis and evidence selections to high-scoring sample essays. Ask yourself: Did I identify the most important rhetorical strategies, or did I get distracted by minor devices? Did I explain the effect on the audience, or just name the device? Did my evidence actually support my analytical points? A tutor can help you identify patterns in your mistakes across multiple essays, so you're not just fixing individual errors but building stronger analytical habits.
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