GlossariesAP® GlossariesAP® English GlossaryOccasion

Occasion - AP® English Definition

Reviewed by: Nick Redgrove

Published

Occasion in AP English refers to the time, place, and situation in which a piece of writing or a speech is created. Understanding occasion helps students analyse why a writer is addressing a particular topic at a certain moment and how it shapes the message.

Writers respond to the occasion by choosing tone, structure, and language that suit the moment. In rhetorical analysis, students often examine how the occasion influences the writer’s purpose and appeals to the audience.

Example of occasion in an AP English text

In 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' by Martin Luther King Jr., the occasion is his arrest during a nonviolent protest in Birmingham in 1963.

He wrote the letter in response to criticism from local clergymen who called his actions “unwise and untimely.” The occasion shapes his calm, thoughtful tone and his use of ethos, pathos, and logos to defend the civil rights movement.

Examiner-written AP® English revision resources that improve your grades 2x

  • Written by expert teachers and examiners
  • Aligned to exam specifications
  • Everything you need to know, and nothing you don’t
AP® English revision resources

Share this article

Nick Redgrove

Reviewer: Nick Redgrove

Expertise: English Content Creator

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.

The examiner written revision resources that improve your grades 2x.

Join now