Mode Essay ExamplesFor everybody, not just Griffin.
Keep in mind these are merely examples of how to approach discussing the topics of your books and how to structure your essays. They are not necessarily perfect essays but are just good examples of each Mode. As I have said, any attempt to copy portions of these essays is considered plagiarism and will result in a failing grade. Do your own work.
Example Cause-Effect Essay Name 1
Student Name
9/18/15
AP Language
Essay #2 Cause and Effect
The Effect of the War on Drugs
In June of 1971 President Richard Nixon declared a war that nobody saw coming. It’s
cost our county countless millions of dollars, and it’s cost our citizens even more, something you
can’t put a price tag on- it’s taken people’s sense of security away and robbed them of their
rights. This war is fought not on foreign soil, but in our very own homes. 46 years ago President
Nixon declared a war on drugs. The consequences have been more extreme than he could have
possibly imagined.
The declaration of the War on Drugs was only the beginning of a long, gruesome fight,
one that has waged on long after Nixon’s presidency. Advocates of this war include presidents
Ford, Reagan, Bush (both Jr. and Sr.), Clinton, and Obama. With each of these presidents have
come new regulations, laws. And policies that are stricter than ever on offenses involving drugs.
The “One Strike and You’re Out” initiative, which was put in place by Bill Clinton during the
War on Drugs, says that residents who commit drug crimes may be evicted immediately.
Mandatory minimum sentencing laws for those caught with drugs such as cocaine or marijuana
have become increasingly more tough as a part of the war. For example, anyone caught with five
grams of crack cocaine (the equivalent of five packets of sugar) has a minimum sentence of five
years without parole. This war also involves the mass militarization of police departments
because of funding given to them by the federal government, training and intelligence given to
them by the DEA, and military intelligence and firepower given to them by the Pentagon. All of
Topic Sentence
The topic
Notice the intro mentions the topic and is not focused on summarizing the book.
Example Cause-Effect Essay Name 2
this turned the figurative war on drugs into a literal one, which has had innumerable
consequences, one being mass incarceration.
For nearly 50 years the United States has been fighting a war against the use of drugs.
The ramifications of this go far beyond what we are currently able to see, but one result that
cannot be disputed is mass incarceration. With funding provided by the federal government for
endorsing the war on drugs, state and local law enforcement agencies have been able to employ
strong military tactics in order to target drug users. In 2001 the SWAT team was deployed an
estimated 40,000 times, a great majority of which was for nonviolent drug crimes. Although
some presidents, like Bill Clinton, have at one point advocated for rehabilitation and health care
rather than incarceration for those with drug charges, they all end up supporting the War on
Drugs. As a result of the military-style approach used and the excessive funding put toward this
war the rate of arrests for drug related charges has skyrocketed. Approximately 31,000,000
arrests have been made in connection to drugs since he year1980, and roughly 61% of prison
expansions have been made to accommodate the growing population of those charged for drug
law violations. In the city of Chicago there has been a 2,000% increase in the number of people
imprisoned for drugs, not including those who only received jail time or probation. It’s clearly
evident that because of this War on Drugs a system of mass incarceration has taken hold in
America.
When President Nixon officially announced the United States’ War on Drugs there was
no way he could have predicted the effect it has had on incarceration rates. A multitude of factors
have played a role in the development of mass incarceration in America, but the biggest of these
is the war that is being waged against drugs and their users.
Notice the paragraphs use details from the book to explain the topic and aren't just focused on summarizing the book.
Example Cause-Effect Essay Name 3
Works Cited
Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow. New York: The New Press. Print.
“A Brief History of the Drug War”. Drug Policy. August 2015. Web. 17 September, 2015.
Example Classification/Division Essay Name 1
Student Name
09/19/2016
AP Lang
Classification/Division
Schools of America
Public schools are not the only way to teach the youth of America. Throughout America
parents, communities, and organizations join forces to create private schools and charter schools
that operate differently than public schools and provide many different curriculums. The three
main schools in America consist of public schools, private schools, and charter schools. It is hard
to conclude which school is the best since each type of school has its own advantages and
disadvantages.
Public schools are the main type of schooling, funded by the government to provide
education for communities. Public schools are the most populous school type because of its cost
and availability to most kids. Public school expenses are mostly subsidized by taxes and the
government which allows all types of kids to enroll in a public school. Socioeconomic class is a
small factor when kids go to a school. Kids from all different places are able to receive public
education without having to pay huge expenses. In fact, in many public schools, lunch is free
through the National School Lunch Program. This program provided over 31 million children
with low-cost or free lunches in 2012 based on financial needs. Public schools provide students
many opportunities to succeed in life no matter their background. If anyone wants to succeed,
they can through diligence and perseverance. However, public schools also have the potential to
be very bad for students. Since public schools are government funded, if the government can’t
fund schools, schools go into disrepair, constantly reuse old school supplies and pay teachers
The topic sentence identifies the topic of the paragraph
The three types or groups the main subject can be divided into
The main subject
Example Classification/Division Essay Name 2
less. This constructs a poor learning environment where students are not encouraged to succeed
and study.
In contrast to public schools, private schools, backed by private organizations instead of
the government, provides a different method to educating students. Because private schools are
supported by private institutions, they are less restricted when it comes to education. They are
freely able to make their own curriculum and set up their own guidelines on what kids should
learn. Private schools entertain certain minority groups that want their child in a specific
environment like all boys, all girls, or all Catholic. Private schools also consist of smaller class
sizes which enables more direct teacher to student discussions. Despite these perks, private
schools have remarkably high tuition costs. In the state of Washington, the average tuition is
$9,450 for one year and can reach $20,000 or even $30,000 in other states. Private schools lack
government control and therefore aren’t regulated as tightly as public schools. The educational
curriculum is different in every private school making it hard to compare or match data and
results.
In addition, charter schools exhibit a new innovative way of schooling. Charter schools, a
combination of private schools and public schools, are public schools that are independently run
as a public school under a charter. Charter schools are supported by the government like public
schools, but under a charter, are not regulated like private schools. Charter schools have more
accountability than public schools so charter schools feel encouraged to provide a better
environment of learning or else they lose their charters when results are poor or parents are
displeased. Like private schools, some charter schools are specifically designed for specific types
of people which improves the learning experience if a student feels comfortable in his/her
surrounding. Charters in its natural form sounds solid until corporations took control. In The
New topic in the topic sentenceTransition!
Example Classification/Division Essay Name 3
Death and Life of the Great America School System, Diane Ravitch explains because charter
schools are schools of choice, many are formed around a market model (Ravitch 127). The
market model revolves around the ideas of competition and deregulation which is commonly
practiced in businesses, but it does not always work in the education setting. Competition
between charter schools and public schools causes the better test taking students to transfer to
charter schools which skews the data of test results. It’s immensely hard to say which schools are
better when one is mostly made up of upper class students and one is made up of lower class
students. As a result of deregulation in schools, corporations that run charter schools primarily
focus on tests and teaching students to take tests in order to increase scores which doesn’t teach
kid substantial, applicable skills for the future.
When making a decision on where a kid should go, one must weigh all the advantages
and the disadvantages of public schools, private schools, and charter schools. Each schools
provides a different setting for learning, some are more open to all students whereas some create
high tuition barriers to filter out students. Evidently, the pros and cons of each school instills
competitions between the schools which can be perceived positively or negatively depending on
one’s opinions. No matter what, going to school and receiving an education is ultimately better
than not going to any type of school.
Example Classification/Division Essay Name 4
Works Cited
"Average Private School Tuition Cost (2016-2017)." Private School Review. Private School
Review. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
"National School Lunch Program (NSLP)." Food and Nutrition Service. 18 Aug. 2016. Web. 20
Sept. 2016.
Ravitch, Diane. The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and
Choice Are Undermining Education. New York: Basic, 2010. Print.
Again, notice the essay used all the sources to describe the topic but wasn't focused on the sources themselves. They are just support.
Example Compare-Contrast Essay Name 1
Student Name
9/16/2016
AP Language
Compare-Contrast Mode
Men vs Women on Minimum Wage
Throughout history women have been seen as inferior to men. As time has passed respect
for women has increased dramatically, however women do still struggle in today’s society. They
are still often taken advantaged of and are paid less than men making living off a low wage
especially difficult. Women of the lower class struggle a little bit more than men do.
It’s no secret that there’s a gap between the wages of men and women. This is an issue
because people with low wage jobs already struggle with stretching their low salary, on top of
that women make less than men for the same jobs. “Institute for Women’s Policy Research”
found that in 2015 the wage gap between men and women was 80%. This means that for every
dollar a man makes, a woman makes 80 cents for the same job. Because of this, many women
need to work two jobs in order to pay rent and buy food or, split rent with other people. In Nickel
and Dimed, by Barbara Erenreich, the author spoke about a co-worker who was living in a $250
a week flophouse with a male friend who she disliked, but she had no choice but to live with him
because paying the rent by herself was impossible. The fact that women make less than men and
have to compete for the same housing costs is a big issue.
Living conditions are far more dangerous for women than men. Living off low wages
limits the options for housing. As stated before, Erenreich’s co-worker was forced to split rent
with someone she disliked because she couldn’t afford not to. Those who choose to try and live
on their own can normally only afford housing in unsafe neighborhoods. For example, when
New Topic of Comparison
Focusing on this Topic of Comparison
Comparing these two topics
Example Compare-Contrast Essay Name 2
Erenreich went to work in Minnesota, she lived in a run down motel room until she could find a
place to rent. The room was small with no screen on the only window and there was no lock on
the door. This meant someone could break into her room at anytime. Many women living off low
wages live in conditions like this and it’s extremely dangerous. Unlike a man who can defend
himself against another man, it’s harder for a woman to defend herself because of strength and
power. Erenreich stated that, “Poor women- perhaps especially single ones… really do have
more to fear than women who have double locked doors and an alarm system and husband…”
Single women living off low wage jobs, are constantly in danger of getting taken advantage of.
Women working low wage jobs arguably struggle more than men do. They pay for the
same products as men yet get paid less and are not always put in the safest of living conditions.
However, they still work hard, many working multiple jobs, and manage to get by every month.
If somehow, people manage to close the wage gap, maybe women wouldn’t need to work as hard
to get by.
Notice that these essays don't have to be too long. 2 or 3 body paragraphs are enough.
Example Compare-Contrast Essay Name 3
Work Cited
Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting by in America. New York:
Metropolitan, 2001. Print
"Pay Equity & Discrimination". IWPR. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
Example Exemplification Essay Name 1
Student Name
9/17/15
AP Language
Exemplification Essay
Companionship
Loyalty, respect, companionship. I discovered the true meaning of all these words
through reading the book Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. A certain group of people would
do anything for each other, die for each other. I’m proud to say I’m talking about U.S. soldiers.
They never leave each other behind.
A man named Wilkinson does an amazing job of showing how much he cares for his
comrades. Wounded men are in dire need of IV bags, but the medics are pinned down and can’t
get to the wounded soldiers. Wilkinson steps up to the plate. “He ran across, again moving at
what seemed tortoise pace, and again arriving unscathed. The men watching from their positions
hunkered down around the intersection were amazed at Wilkinson’s bravery. Wilkinson told
Fales that he would have to go back for good this time. Rodriguez was in a critical state. He
needed to be taken out immediately. Wilkinson would care for him until that happened. Then,
with the fluids cradled in his arms, head down, he dashed across the road for the third and last
time” (Mark Bowden). Without giving it a second thought Wilkinson risked his life multiple
times to get injured soldiers supplies to save their life. He might be scared, heck he’s probably
terrified, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he gives it his all to save his friends, his
family.
Carlson also shows bravery through his epiphany during battle. In the middle of a
firefight he is shot and what he recalls of it is really inspiring. “And then, in that moment of
Each paragraph will focus on a separate example that describes the topic
Example Exemplification Essay Name 2
maximum terror, he felt it all abruptly, inexplicably fall away…his own life no longer mattered.
All that did matter were his buddies, his brothers, that they not get hurt, that they not get killed.
These men around him, some of whom he had only known for months, were more important to
him than life itself” (Mark Bowden). This just amazed me. After being shot in the knee he must
be in unimaginable pain and yet that doesn’t matter to him. There aren’t a lot people like this in
the world. Many people won’t even do simple favors for each other because it’s “inconvenient”
for them. I look up to Wilkinson so much for his selfless acts, we need so many more people like
him in the world.
Along with Carlson and Wilkinson, Jim Telscher is one of those guys who would never
leave a man behind. When Joyce is shot, Telscher’s initial reaction is to run through the
hailstorm of bullets and save him. “One of the .50 cals promptly blasted gaping holes in the wall
around the window where the gun had appeared, and Sergeant Jim Telscher, ignoring the heavy
fire, sprinted out to Joyce, grabbed him by the shirt and vest, and, without even slowing down,
dragged him back to the column” (Mark Bowden). This was another one of those moments that
really spoke to me. All it takes is one bullet, one bullet is enough to end a life. Without a second
of hesitation Telscher ran through the spray of bullets to save his comrade.
These men are my inspiration. They never leave each other no matter what. It must have
been absolutely horrifying to risk their lives and yet they do it in the blink of an eye. No matter
the danger, they always have each other’s back. There is no way in the world that you could
show a greater friendship.
Works Cited
Should be on a separate page!!!
Example Exemplification Essay Name 3
Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1999. Print.
Eversmann, Mathew. “Battle of Mogadishu”. Wikipedia. 9/10/15. Web. 9/14/15
Example Process Essay Name 1
Student Name
September 18, 2015
AP Language period 5
Process Essay
Getting the girl in the early 1900s
“I’ll never find a bae.”
“Hashtag forever alone.”
“Lol got another date night with me, myself and Netflix.”
These phrases that are seen all over social media and heard on a daily basis are words that
were never spoken in the 1900s. The dating life was so much simpler back then. There was no
worrying about how to build up enough courage to ask out that cute girl, and being asked on
dates by random strangers was never considered creepy. Back then, men were go-getters. They
would find a beautiful woman, and go for it. Rejection wasn’t a very big deal. They would just
brush it off, and move onto the next girl. Today, finding a significant other is considered to be
the biggest struggle that some people have ever faced in their lives. What was it about the early
1900s that made romance so easy? This is what the courting process looked like.
The first step is how the man asks out the girl. Men were spared the potential humiliation
of being declined after asking the question, “Will you go out with me?” They didn’t even have to
make any interaction with the woman in order to make the magic happen. All they had to do was
knock on the door of their possible future soulmate, and hand their calling card to the doorman or
servant of the woman’s household. If she and her parents were home and if she was up to
meeting him at that moment, then the caller1 would be invited inside. If the mistress was not
home, she would see on the calling card, the name and address of her suitor, and if she was
1 At the time, suitors were also called “gentleman callers.”
Example Process Essay Name 2
interested, she would reply, and set up a date for their first encounter. This method causes much
less stress than the system of asking a girl out than the one we presently undergo. This way, the
girl doesn’t feel any guilt for turning a guy down, and he won’t feel any embarrassment.
After the girl replies “yes” and sets up a rendezvous, the first date is held inside her
home. Today, teenage girls would drop dead from mortification if her first date, or any date for
that matter, had to be supervised by her parent. However, back then that was the norm. The
gentleman caller would have dinner with the girl’s family and they would all talk and play games
together. This was because whether or not the man was good enough to marry was always
decided by the parents. In the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, which was set
in 1937, the character Amanda is desperately searching for a gentleman caller for her daughter
Laura, who is terribly shy, has a crippled leg, and has never in her life been sought after by any
man. Her brother Tom invites his coworker Jim over for dinner, making him Laura’s first
prospective suitor. He was outgoing and charming, which was completely the opposite of
Laura’s timid nature. Amanda highly approved of Jim and was constantly giving him praise.
“Why Mr. O’Connor, nobody, nobody’s given me this much entertainment in years—as you
have!” she exclaims. Sadly, the audience later finds out that he is already engaged and was only
there to be nice; but that’s beside the point. If the man and woman are both interested in each
other after their first encounter, then they set up a second date.
People had much more freedom on the second date. The 1930s is when it started to be
conventional to go on private dates in public. Chaperones were no longer needed. Popular dating
spots were the movies, tea houses, and gazebos. However, there was an unspoken set of rules for
how people must act while in a relationship. According to the article, “Valentines Countdown:
Courtship Rules, 1900 vs. Now” by Sullivan entertainment:
Example Process Essay Name 3
1. A woman should never take a man’s arm-unless it was offered.
2. Once a couple began courting, kissing was NOT an appropriate way to show affection in
public.
3. A man must only marry when he is able to support a family with his income and
possessions.
4. Women were encouraged to test their suitors to see if they would remain loyal to them.
For example, they would feign illness, family disapproval, and possibly even break off
the relationship.
Just like today, after all the hassle of getting the girl, and if the particular girl happens to
be “the one,” then the man and woman will get married and live happily ever after. The
courting process back then sounds pretty fun compared to what we do now. There was no
“Netflix and Chill” and they would never use the phrase “hang out” to make it sound like it’s
not a date. Perhaps we would see many more happy couples if we readopt the old method of
dating.
Example Process Essay Name 4
Works Cited
Sullivan Entertainment. “Valentines Countdown: Courtship Rules, 1900 vs. Now.” Sullivan
Entertainment, Toronto, ON, 29 January 2013. Web. 16 September 2015.
Tennessee Williams. The Glass Menagerie. New Directions Publishing Corporation, 97 pgs.
Print. New York. 1999
Top Related