AP English Literature and Composition Practice Tests

The AP English Literature and Composition Exam is 3 hours long and broken up into two sections.

Section I (One hour)

45 percent of total score 55 multiple-choice questions based on 2 or 3 poems and 2 or 3 passages of fiction

Section II (Two hours)

55 percent of total score 3 essays

Essay 1: An analysis of a poem

Essay 2: An analysis of a prose passage from a work of fiction, a letter, or a speech in a play

Essay 3: An analytical essay on a novel or play of your choice

AP English Literature and Composition Glossary

If you are a mobile user, click here: Do AP English Literature and Composition Practice Questions .

AP English Literature and Composition Multiple-Choice Practice Tests

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  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 1: the 2001 novel White Teeth
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 2: the 2002 poem "Litany"
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 3: Almost Livin' Almost Dyin'
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 4: Poem The Good Life
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 5: Beginnings
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 6: a novel
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 7: Planetarium
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 8: Quicksand
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 9: the poem Paterson
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 10: Jonathan Swift’s essay
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 11: Poem The Mower's Song
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 12: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 13: Poem Cozy Apologia
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 14: a short story
  • AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 15: a novel

AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Practice Tests

  • AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Practice Test 1
  • AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Practice Test 2
  • AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Practice Test 3
  • AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Practice Test 4
  • AP English Literature and Composition Free-Response Practice Test 5

AP English Literature and Composition Downloads

  • AP English Literature Practice Test 1 pdf download
  • AP English Literature Practice Test 2 pdf download
  • AP English Literature Practice Test 3 pdf download
  • More AP English Literature and Composition Downloads

ap lit essay prompts 2022

AP English Literature and Composition Exam 2022

For details on the 2024 AP English Literature Exam, check this article .

Unlike 2020 and 2021, when the College Board modified the AP exams as a response to the disruption caused by COVID-19, the 2022 AP exams will return to its original format.

This year, the AP exams will take place over a two-week period in May: May 2–6 and May 9–13.

The College Board may change the format, however, if schools are disrupted in the spring due to COVID-19. 

“We’ll continue to monitor global, national, and local health conditions, putting the health and safety of students first, and if there are widespread school closures in spring 2022, we’ll provide options similar to those offered in 2021,” the College Board noted here . 

We will, of course, update this guide if that should happen.

The AP English Literature and Composition exam for 2022 will be a full-length paper-and-pencil exam that students can take in school only. 

Here is what you need to know to do well in the upcoming AP English Literature exam. 

Will I get college credit for the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

Students who take the 2022 AP English Literature exam will be eligible for college credit.

As in previous years, a student must obtain a score of 3, 4, or 5 to be eligible for college credit. 

How long is the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

The 2022 AP English Literature exam will be 3 hours long. 

What’s the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam date and time?

The 2022 AP English Literature exam is scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 at 8 AM local time .  

What will be tested on the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

The 2022 AP English Literature exam will test students on the whole course content, so be prepared to answer questions on these topics:

  • Unit 1: Short Fiction I
  • Unit 2: Poetry I
  • Unit 3: Longer Fiction or Drama I
  • Unit 4: Short Fiction II
  • Unit 5: Poetry II
  • Unit 6: Longer Fiction or Drama II
  • Unit 7: Short Fiction III
  • Unit 8: Poetry III
  • Unit 9: Longer Fiction or Drama III

What is the AP English Literature and Composition exam format for 2022?

The 2022 AP English Literature exam will consist of two sections: multiple-choice and free-response. The multiple-choice section is worth 45 percent of the exam score, and the free-response section is worth 55 percent. 

You will have 1 hour to answer 55 multiple-choice questions and 2 hours to answer 3 free-response questions.

The chart below shows the breakdown of the exam components. 

551 hour45%
32 hours55%

Does the College Board offer any free AP English Literature and Composition exam prep resources? 

The College Board is offering a number of free AP English Literature exam resources to students to help them prepare for the exam.

AP English Literature and Composition Practice Tests

You can get examples of free-response questions from past AP English Literature exams for free. You can use these as practice tests to supplement other test prep materials you use.

Check here for free-response questions from the 2021 AP English Literature exam. You can also log in to the AP Classroom Question Bank for questions posed in the 2020 exam. 

And check here for free-response questions from the 1999-2019 AP English Literature exams. 

AP English Literature and Composition Courses

The College Board’s AP YouTube channel gives students access to APLive classes and recordings delivered by AP teachers from across the country. Additionally, to help students review course content and skills before their exam, the College Board gives students access to the AP Daily: Live Review sessions for the 2021 AP English Literature and Composition exam . 

What are my other options for preparing for the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

If you don’t have an AP English Literature review book already, check out TUN’s Textbook Save Engine to compare prices and get the best deals. 

There are also online resources that you can use to help you prepare for the 2022 AP English Literature exam. 

Taught by Maggie Sokolik, director of college writing programs at UC Berkeley, the AP English Literature & Composition – Part 1: Stories course is a three-part course designed to help students prepare for the AP English Literature and Composition exam. Part 1 “prepares you to read more deeply and write more clearly about works of literature.” You will learn to appreciate different genres of literature through a collection of videos, authentic readings, and support material from various sources. This course will focus on reading, interpreting, and writing about fiction and Gothic literature. 

You can audit this course for free , but there’s a $169 fee to obtain a Verified Certificate.

Sokolik teaches two companion edX courses, AP English Literature & Composition – Part 2: Poems and AP English Literature & Composition – Part 3: Plays . You can audit both of these courses for free as well. 

Princeton Review

The Princeton Review offers a 6-Hour Cram AP Cram Course for the AP English Literature exam. The course covers the structure, style and themes in works of literature. And Princeton Review is confident it will prepare you to write essays that will earn you a score of 5.

The course, which comes with a Princeton Review prep book, can be ordered online for $399. For now, there are two available Cram Course schedules.

  • April 23 & 24, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
  • April 26 & 28, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Eastern time)

If you would like to get one-on-one instruction to help you prepare for the AP English Literature exam, Princeton Review offers private tutoring , available both in-person or online, for a fee starting at $206 an hour. If you decide to go with this personalized option, expert tutors will work with you to “make a plan, set goals, and exceed them.” The Princeton Review guarantees that if you’re not 100% satisfied, they will match you with another tutor and your next lesson will be free. 

If you’re taking more than one AP exam in 2022, check TUN’s AP Exam Review for details on other AP exams.

ap lit essay prompts 2022

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Every AP Literature Practice Test Available: Free and Official

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Advanced Placement (AP)

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When you're studying for your AP Literature Exam, you're going to want to use practice tests and questions to hone your skills. But where can you find AP literature practice tests? And are all practice exams equally useful for you?

The real exam has 55 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions, but there are practice tests with every conceivable number and combination of question types.

In this article, you'll learn where to find every official College Board AP English Literature and Composition practice exam, free unofficial tests, and paid practice test resources. You'll also find out which tests are high-quality and how you can best use different practice exams to fulfill your studying needs.

Official Free AP Literature Practice Tests

The gold standard of AP English Literature practice tests and AP English Literature practice exam questions are College Board released materials . That's because the College Board administers the AP exams, so their practice questions are most like the actual AP questions you'll see on the test.

There are three different kinds of resources offered by the College Board: complete released exams from past years, released free-response questions from past years, and sample questions from the "AP Course And Exam Description."

Official Released College Board Exams

There are three official released College Board Exams. However, only the most recent one (from 2012) is complete. The 1999 and 1987 exams have the standard 55 multiple-choice questions, but both are missing parts of the three question free-response section. You can still use them as complete exams if you supplement them with released free-response questions from past years which we recommend since official multiple-choice problems are hard to come by.

2012 AP English Literature and Composition Exam

This is the best AP Lit practice test available. It's the most recent exam released by the College Board, and it follows the format of the current test with 55 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions. Definitely make use of this test!

1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam

This test excludes the poetry and prose analysis questions of the free-response section and only has the student choice question. So, to take it as a complete exam, you'd need to supplement it with questions 1 and 2 from the released free-response questions below . You can actually get question 2 for the 1999 test from the official free-response questions bank, but the excerpt for question 1 can't be reprinted, so you'll need to supplement with another poetry analysis question.

1987 AP English Literature and Composition Exam For reasons that are not totally clear, this exam excludes the third essay question, the poetry analysis. If you want to take this as "complete" exam practice, use a free-response poetry analysis prompt from the bank of free response questions linked below.

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Or supplement with this tree-poem.

Official Free-Response Questions

There may not be very many complete released exams, but there are tons of free-response questions available from previous administrations of the test. These are great practice, not just for writing complete essays, but for practicing writing thesis statements, outlines, and so on.

What's also great about these is that most of them come with sample response and scoring guidelines, so you'll be able to see exactly what makes a high-quality AP essay by College Board standards. Be aware, though, that some of the prose and poetry excerpts can't be reprinted due to copyright concerns.

Below is the link to all the free-response questions available. The questions go all the way back to 1999, and since there haven't been many changes to the free-response part of the exam, all of these questions can be useful during your studying.

AP English Lit Free Response Questions 1999-2021

Sample Questions From the Course and Exam Description

The 2019 AP English Literature Course and Exam Description has practice multiple-choice questions and free-response questions.They don't add up to a complete test--there are only 19 multiple-choice questions instead of 55–but there are three free response questions (enough for a full test). Even though there aren’t many multiple-choice questions, they are great for simple practice.

If you're looking for more questions like these, you can revisit the old exam description booklets as well . (Just keep in mind that some of the other information in the booklet may be out of date!)

Your Teacher

Your AP teacher may have access to copies of old AP exams that you can use for practice. They probably can't let you take them out of the classroom, but they may be allowed to loan them to you in a supervised setting. This is because teachers can purchase resources directly from the College Board that students can't. Asking your teacher may not bear fruit, but it's worth a try.

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Why are you asking me for AP Lit practice tests? I'm your Econ teacher!

Free Unofficial AP Literature Practice Tests

In addition to the free College Board resources, there are also several places online where you can get free, unofficial practice tests. Be aware that, because these resources aren't College-Board created or approved, they are of variable quality. For each of these resources we'll describe what's offered and how it compares to official College Board tests.

Varsity Tutors AP Literature Practice Tests

This site has multiple-choice practice quizzes divided by concept--things like "interpreting the passage," "claims and argument," and "interpreting excerpts." The questions aren't worded exactly the same way as AP test questions, but they are still okay for testing your passage-interpretation skills. Basically, the questions test for similar skills, but don't necessarily mimic AP test questions in style.

Also, the site provides the date, title, and author of each work, which is not something you'll receive on the AP exam. You can make a free account at the site to track your scores, but it's not necessary to be able to take the tests.

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Kittens not included with free practice tests, unfortunately.

Albert AP English Literature Quizzes

Albert offers multiple-choice quizzes divided into prose, poetry, and drama categories. You are given the title, date, and author of the work--which you will not receive on the real AP exam. Like the Varsity Tutors quizzes, Albert offers questions that test similar skills as the AP exam, but the questions are worded differently.

High School Test Prep Tests

This site offers three short multiple-choice practice tests. You're given the title and author of the work. The questions for these tests are fairly surface-level, so I would only use these if you are working on your reading comprehension skills.

CrackAP English Literature Quizzes

CrackAP has over 40 short AP Lit quizzes. Each quiz gives a passage then has 15 multiple-choice questions on it. The questions are somewhat easier than you'll find on the real AP exam, but if you need some quick practice, this can do the trick. This resource also has examples of past free response questions, which can be useful study tools, too!

Practice Quiz AP English Literature

This site offers a 20-question multiple-choice quiz on two passages--one poetry, and one prose. The passages are extremely basic, however, so I would only use this resource if you are working on your reading comprehension skills.

Looking for help studying for your AP exam? Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Get matched with a top tutor who got a high score on the exam you're studying for!

The queens of AP Lit practice give you their blessing.

Paid Unofficial Practice Tests

There are also several paid resources that offer unofficial practice questions.

This is a subscription service with questions for tons of different tests—SAT, ACT, and AP exams.They also have videos and other review resources. We can't really speak to the quality of the questions because the entire service is behind a paywall of about $25 a month.

The Princeton Review AP Literature Study Guide 2021

Published study guides are an excellent way to practice for the AP Literature exam. These books are put together by experts who have inside knowledge of the test, and The Princeton Review is one of the best out there.

This study guide has three practice tests, along with other types of sample questions and expert explanations to help you improve your analytical skills.

Barron's AP English Literature and Composition, 7th Edition

Like The Princeton Review study guide, the Barron's AP Literature study guide is another great resource for students looking for extra exam prep. This guide has four practice tests and sample essay questions , along with an expert walk-through of the AP Literature exam itself.

If you're looking for a guide that gives you practice and provides tips for mastering the exam, this would be a good pick!

This subscription service offers access to tons of test prep, including the SAT, ACT and lots of AP courses. Their AP Literature resources include two full-length practice tests, three sets of flashcards to help you study, and several instructional videos.

Prices for subscriptions start at $39 dollars per month, and some plans include live tutoring and writing instruction . If you choose to subscribe, you get access to all of their course and test-prep materials, so if you’re taking several AP classes, this could be a good source.

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I definitely advise paying for all of these resources with whatever loose foreign change you have lying around.

How to Use AP Literature Practice Tests

How to use a given practice test depends somewhat on the resource itself. We'll offer some recommendations here on how to best use different resources.

Complete Official Released Tests

The best way to use a complete official practice test is to do a practice-run for the exam . So find a quiet room, bring a timer or watch so you can time sections, and get to work! This will help you get familiar with the exam experience so you'll feel more comfortable on exam day!

Since there are two complete AP Lit practice tests, it makes sense to take one early on in your studying time, and one later. You can get a parent, tutor or teacher to grade the exams. The early test will help you figure out what you need to work on, and the later test will show you how you've improved! Since the AP English Literature test is more skills-heavy than content-heavy, you shouldn't feel totally lost taking a practice test even in the middle of the school year.

Official Released Free-Response and Sample Questions

Official resources that aren't complete tests are best for practicing individual sections of the test. The sample multiple-choice questions in the "Course and Exam Description" make for great AP English Literature multiple-choice practice--they'll help you get familiar with the style of the questions and practice close-reading.

The wealth of released free-response questions are great resources for building your timed essay-writing skills. You can practice complete essays or develop essay outlines.

Unofficial Practice Tests and Resources

Since unofficial practice tests aren't going to be quite as similar to the real AP exam as official College Board materials, they won't be quite as useful for preparing for the format of the exam or its questions. However, they can be very valuable close-reading practice. And since that's a critical skill for the exam, it's still worth it to use unofficial resources.

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Be very quiet. She's close-reading.

Key Takeaways

Practice tests and questions are a hugely important resource as you prep for the AP Lit exam. The gold standard of practice resources are those that come from the College Board, but there are many other places where you can get practice questions that will help you hone your close-reading skills for the exam. Most of the resources listed in this article are free, but a few are paid.

Remember: official College Board practice tests are best for simulating the exam experience. Actual College Board questions are good for focused preparation for individual sections of the exam--especially the essays. Unofficial resources are best used for further honing your close-reading skills after you’ve practiced with the official materials.

Now that you know where to find these resources, you're ready to start studying for your AP Literature exam!

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What's Next?

Wondering what you should be reading for AP Lit? Check out our list of 127 great books to help you prepare for the AP Literature exam.

Need more study guidance for your APs? See my five-step AP prep plan. Or see our guide on when to start studying for your APs.

If you're looking for practice tests for other AP exams, see our assembled practice tests for AP US History , AP Chemistry , AP Biology , AP World History , and AP Psychology .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?   We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download them for free now:

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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AP English Literature and Composition

Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.

Not a Student?

Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.

About the Course

What makes a work of literature great? In AP English Literature and Composition, you’ll examine how authors and poets create meaning through their rich, purposeful use of language. As you write and refine essays about literature, you’ll develop the skills of analysis and composition that will allow you to communicate your interpretation effectively.

New for 2024-25: MCQs Will Have Four Answer Choices

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, AP English Literature and Composition multiple-choice questions (MCQs) will have four answer choices instead of five. This change will take effect with the 2025 exam. All resources have been updated to reflect this change. 

Skills You'll Learn

Read a text closely and draw conclusions from details

Identify the techniques used by an author and their effects

Develop an interpretation of a text

Present your interpretation and make an argument for it in writing

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College course equivalent.

An introductory college-level literature course

Recommended Prerequisites

Wed, May 7, 2025

AP English Literature and Composition Exam

This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam.

About the Units

The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.

Course Content

Unit 1: short fiction i.

You’ll learn critical reading skills to help you critically read, interpret, and analyze prose.

Topics may include:

  • Interpreting the role of character in fiction
  • Identifying and interpreting setting
  • Understanding how a story’s structure affects interpretations
  • Understanding and interpreting a narrator’s perspective
  • Reading texts literally and figuratively
  • The basics of literary analysis

Unit 2: Poetry I

You’ll continue your critical reading exploration in poetry and learn to analyze similar elements within a wide variety of poems.

  • Identifying characters in poetry
  • Understanding and interpreting meaning in poetic structure
  • Analyzing word choice to find meaning
  • Identifying techniques like contrast, simile, metaphor, and alliteration

Unit 3: Longer Fiction or Drama I

You’ll observe how the literary techniques you’ve explored in prior units unfold over the course of longer works and analyze how characters develop and interact over the course of a narrative.

  • Interpreting character description and perspective
  • Character evolution throughout a narrative
  • Conflict and plot development
  • Interpreting symbolism
  • Identifying evidence and supporting literary arguments

Unit 4: Short Fiction II

You’ll delve deeper into the roles of character and conflict in fiction and explore how a narrator’s perspective can color storytelling.

  • Protagonists, antagonists, character relationships, and conflict
  • Character interactions with setting and its significance
  • Archetypes in literature
  • Types of narration like stream of consciousness
  • Narrative distance, tone, and perspective

Unit 5: Poetry II

You’ll study different forms of poetry and examine how structure and figurative language can create and impact meaning.

  • Traits of closed and open structures in poetry
  • Use of techniques like imagery and hyperbole
  • Types of comparisons in poetry including personification and allusion
  • Identifying and interpreting extended metaphors

Unit 6: Longer Fiction or Drama II

You’ll analyze how various literary techniques play out and shift over the course of longer works, charting how characters change (or don’t) as they’re affected by developments in the plot.

  • Interpreting foil characters
  • Understanding and interpreting character motives
  • Understanding nonlinear narrative structures like flashbacks and foreshadowing
  • The effect of narrative tone and bias on reading
  • Characters as symbols, metaphors, and archetypes
  • Developing literary arguments within a broader context of works

Unit 7: Short Fiction III

You’ll examine how works of fiction interact with and comment on the world around them and the society their authors live or lived in.

  • Sudden and more gradual change in characters
  • Epiphany as a driver of plot
  • Relationships between characters and groups
  • Character interactions with settings
  • The significance of the pacing of a narrative
  • Setting as a symbol
  • Interpreting texts in their historical and societal contexts

Unit 8: Poetry III

You’ll develop your interpretation of poetry further by examining how contrasts, ambiguous language, and various other techniques can add layers of meaning to a poetic work.

  • Looking at punctuation and structural patterns
  • Interpreting juxtaposition, paradox, and irony
  • How ambiguity can allow for various interpretations
  • Identifying symbols, conceits, and allusions
  • Learning proper attribution and citation in literary analysis

Unit 9: Longer Fiction or Drama III

You’ll consider longer narratives in the context of the various techniques and interpretations you’ve learned in prior units and build a nuanced analysis of each complex work as a whole.

  • Looking at a character’s response to the resolution of a narrative
  • Suspense, resolution, and plot development
  • Narrative inconsistencies and contrasting perspectives

Credit and Placement

Search AP Credit Policies

Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.

Course Resources

Ap classroom resources.

Once you join your AP class section online, you’ll be able to access AP Daily videos, any assignments from your teacher, and your assignment results in AP Classroom. Sign in to access them.

  • Go to AP Classroom

AP English Literature and Composition Reading Study Skills

Advice to keep up with the reading workload in your AP class.

AP English Literature and Composition Writing Study Skills

Learn to craft your writing process.

AP English Literature and Composition Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and AP Program in general.

The Difference Between AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition

Learn the similarities and differences between these two courses and exams.

  • Go to College Board Blog

See Where AP Can Take You

AP English Literature and Composition can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors

Additional Information

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AP® English Literature

The ultimate ap® english literature reading list.

  • The Albert Team
  • Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

ultimate AP® English literature reading list

Introduction: How to Use this Ultimate AP® English Literature Reading List

With such a vast number of novels to choose from, it can be tough to decide which books to put on your AP® English Literature Reading List.

Let us help take out the guesswork! We break down exactly which books you should be studying, and why. 

We’ve categorized 40 different literary works. We’ve also included a thoughtful literary analysis on their key elements. With our help, you’ll be able to organize your list of AP® English Literature books to study in a way that works for you and your schedule.

Let’s get started!

What We Review

The Top 10 AP® English Literature Reading List

AP® English Literature Reading List

Everyone plays favorites, and The College Board is no exception. For example, Invisible Man has popped up on 29 of the past 49 AP® Lit exams! Chances are, we’ll see it again this year. 

We devoted this portion of the list directly to the top ten works that appeared most frequently on past exams. They should be on the top of your College Board reading list.

Do your best to gain at least some familiarity with this list of books, as it’s likely that one of these will appear somewhere on the test.

1. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Ellison’s Invisible Man is a long read but it is definitely worth your time. It expertly tackles race and bigotry, and its effect on the minds of everyone involved. Themes of race, identity, ideology, and stereotypes are explored.

The story follows a marginalized character. He’s not literally invisible, but he’s invisible in a society that is unable and unwilling to recognize the individuality of the black man.

It’s as culturally relevant today as it was when published in 1954. This is the most frequently referenced title on the AP® English Literature book list since 1971.

2. Great Expectations by Charles Dicken

This exciting novel is considered a Victorian “Bildungsroman”, or a coming-of-age story. Pip is a young and poor blacksmith’s son, who suddenly finds himself the owner of a large fortune and is whisked off to London.

One of the most versatile titles on this list, Great Expectations addresses many of the Victorian-era genres including: satire, crime, Silver Fork, Newgate, Gothic, serial fiction, romance, politics, and history.

Dickens gives us a fun plot, but the deeper literary analysis questions on the AP® Exams will focus on his writing, or his prose. Concentrate on instances of his beautiful use of language, and how they affect the novel as a whole. 

The character, Estella, gives us the beautiful quote, “Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.” This prompts the reader to consider how difficult times allows us to grow as people, and how Estella and Pip have grown from their sufferings. 

3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Wuthering Heights is one of the most highly regarded pieces on the College Board reading list. A strong example of Gothic Romanticism, it deals heavily with questions of emotion and violence.

The language is easier to decipher than most literary works on the AP® reading list. But, where it really shines is in its considerations of class and gender from a woman’s perspective.

As you read, look out for the poetry in her language and the mastery of composition that Emily Bronte uses in her only published novel. 

4. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness is celebrated on many of the AP® English Literature prep message boards as a go-to literary work for the free response section- and with good reason! It’s a relatively short novella containing mystery, psychology, and adventure.

Heart of Darkness is particularly useful for the AP® exam in answering questions about the modern world it was written in. It pointedly deals with imperialist greed, taking place in the 1890s African Congo.

Be sure to keep this in mind- Above all else, Heart of Darkness effectively explores and answers questions about morality. Does doing something wrong for the right reasons make it justified?

Use Albert’s Heart of Darkness course for help understanding tough concepts.

5. King Lear by William Shakespeare

King Lear , referenced 17 times on the exam since 1971, is the most frequently cited work by Shakespeare. King Lear is a brutal play containing themes ranging from familial love and duty, to anger and deception.

This one play provides a wealth of both literary and stylistic elements for you to analyze. This seminal tragedy focuses on King Lear, who foolishly exiles his one loving daughter, giving his kingdom to his two evil ones. As you read, consider how themes of loyalty tie in with compassion and forgiveness.

Albert’s King Lear course is a great resource for understanding the themes and concepts.

6. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

The main theme of Crime and Punishment is redeeming oneself through suffering. This is another long but worthwhile read at 545 pages. Crime and Punishment psychologically analyzes young Raskolnikov’s crime to reveal how psychological analysis itself keeps us imprisoned. Intellectualizing events, says Dostoevsky, keeps us imprisoned.

As the name tells us, the two major themes of the story are Crime and Punishment, and their relationship to each other.

Think about questions of sacrifice when studying this piece. Nihilism, the superhero complex, alienation, and poverty are also analyzed at length.

Check out Albert’s Crime and Punishment course.

7. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce

Another bildungsroman (or coming-of-age story), A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an examination of how morality and religion can confine an artist.

A Portrait reflects Joyce’s own development as a young boy through adulthood at university. Read A Portrait with an eye out for Joyce’s stream of consciousness style. As Stephen, the main character, develops morally and psychologically, the style of Joyce’s writing adapts and grows, so to speak.

Utilize this title on questions of how style can inform the meaning of the development of characters.

8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is a highly cited Victorian Romantic novel. At its core, this is a story of a woman yearning for more than what traditional society would allow her to have.

This well-known novel centers on a strong feminist character, who fights control her own destiny. Bronte’s novel resonates deeply with current feminist movements across the globe. It focuses on themes of love, social class, and gender roles.

Albert has a great Jane Eyre course to help you prepare.

9. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Huck Finn is one of the best-known titles on this list among American students. It’s rich and complex, yet the language is accessible.

If you’re asked about the era of Slavery or Reconstruction on the exam, Huck Finn should come to mind. It relentlessly discusses slavery, racism, and the hypocrisy of civilized society.

While reading the story, think of the Mississippi River as a symbol for remaining neutral on issues of race. Use that to inform your reading of Huck Finn.

10. Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Last on this top 10 list is Moby Dick. Universally accepted as a masterful work of fiction, Melville himself described this novel as a meditation on America.

Reading this big novel might not fit into your studying time frame, but you should at least read summaries and key portions. This will help you gain an understanding of Melville’s particular use of symbolism. There are many symbols that may appear on the AP® English Literature exam, including his The Pequod, the color white, and Moby Dick (the whale itself).

In summary, the College Board tends to repeat similar titles on the exam. Studying these top 10 novels should be a priority on your list! They cover a wide range of themes, genres, and cultural time periods to help you effectively answer different varieties of exam questions.

Return to the Table of Contents

Top AP® English Literature Reading List from the Lost Generation

AP® English Literature Reading List from the Lost Generation

It could be useful to organize your reading list in terms of time period. For instance, take the Lost Generation. Many of the most frequently cited literary works on the AP® exam were written by Lost Generation, or World War I era, authors.

Not only is this an interesting time period that’s receiving more attention as the years draw on, many of the following titles from this era reflect the distinct American voice in literature in a lyrical, interesting, and unique way. 

11. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying , is a good example to use if you’re asked about stream of consciousness writing style. Consider how this style develops tone, and how this style aids in character development.

This novel alternates between 15 different character’s points of view. While this sounds intimidating, it’s actually easy to follow. The intimate tone helps us understand each different character.

Additionally, As I Lay Dying is considered part of the foundation of the Southern Renaissance.

12. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

As you read this novel, it’s important to remember it’s a modern retelling of the Book of Genesis (the one with Adam and Eve). If you’re faced with questions on the exam about allegory, it’s a good novel to reference.

East of Eden takes place around the end of WWI in California. It revolves around themes of jealousy, love, the consequences of the absence of love.

13. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Probably one of the best-known Lost Generation literary works, The Great Gatsby is iconic in high school English Literature education. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work has come to represent the Jazz Age in America.

If you’re asked about early-20 th century American society, The Great Gatsby should be a novel you reference..

Check out Albert’s The Great Gatsby course.

14. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

Faulkner’s fourth novel, The Sound and the Fury , is another exercise in style. He again uses a stream of consciousness writing to tell a personal story of fear about the corruption of family values.

This is a difficult book to decipher, but, if you can get a handle on how Faulkner utilizes point of view, this piece will be valuable in both the multiple choice and free response exam sections.

15. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

The Sun Also Rises represents the pinnacle of Hemmingway’s “Iceberg Theory,” also known as “theory of omission.” This style intentionally uses sparse language, to inspire curiosity in the reader.

Hemingway only shows the “tip of the iceberg” in his characterization and descriptions. He leaves it to the reader to formulate a deeper literary analysis (the part of the iceberg that’s underwater).

This novel not only represents Hemingway’s style; it represents the whole Lost Generation itself, through its stories of American expatriates in Europe.

16. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is a a stylistic masterwork with unique diction. Hurston juxtaposes Southern Black dialect with the voice of a literary narrator.

If you’re asked about her work, chances are that understanding her style and structure will score you points.

Top AP® English Literature Reading List from WWI to Present

AP® English Literature Reading List from WWI to Present

These following literary works appear on the College Board’s most frequently cited list, and they were published after WWI. These titles are useful references to this time period in particular.

17. Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

Ceremony is a commentary on how tradition and spirituality are a source of healing.

It takes place from the point of view of a service-age Native American man. He returns from World War II with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. His mentally instability forces him to turn to alcohol to ease his mind. But, eventually, he returns to his spirituality, healing from it.

18. Beloved by Toni Morrison

This work of literature explores Mother-Daughter relationships and the psychological impact that slavery has had on the African-American community in this country. Use Beloved to comment on the importance of identity and also community.

As you read, also consider how the supernatural elements of the story (like ghosts) contrast with its stark realism.

19. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Color Purple is set in rural Georgia in the 1930s. It’s written in the form of letters from the main character, Celie, to God and to her sister.

It deals with racism and sexism, along with women’s rights. The power of language also plays an important role . As we read further into the story, the language in Celie’s letters changes to reflect her emotional and psychological development.

This development through language reinforces the idea that language, or the ability to express yourself, is essential in developing your sense of who you are.

20. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Williams draws from a lot of his own personal experiences in The Glass Menagerie. This play has only four main characters, and its overarching theme is the importance of accepting reality. Each character in The Glass Menagerie retreats into their own world to escape realities they can’t cope with.

Look for this selection in free response prompts about symbolism. Laura’s array of delicate glass animals is the single strongest symbol in the play and a strong symbol in general. This Glass Menagerie comes to represent Laura herself and her escape from her own illusory world.

21. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Catch-22 is a first and foremost a satire. It comments on war by reducing it to a bureaucratic concern. Men’s lives and deaths are ultimately controlled by an uncaring, unfeeling government. Use this literary work in discussions of plot and irony.

Consider how devices, like the Catch-22 rule , serve to form the plot of a story.

We have a great Catch-22 course in our Albert library.

22. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

This play has won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. Death of a Salesman critiques the American dream and questions its attainability. It grapples with themes like facing reality or giving in to illusion and living in denial.

The main character, Willy, is an aging salesman who struggles to cope with his current life. Much of the play is told through his own flashbacks to earlier in his career.

As you read, consider the effects of flashback on the interpretation of the themes.

Top AP® English Literature Reading List from Shakespeare

AP® English Literature Reading List from Shakespeare

Many of William Shakespeare’s works appear on the exam’s most frequently cited list. Even though you’ve probably studied his plays all through high school, it’ll help to refresh your memory on these essential texts.

23. Othello

Othello is an African general in the Venetian army, and the play examines the racial prejudice he faces. It’s a story of love and deception surrounding his insecurity in his personal relationships. Jealousy is an overarching theme throughout the play.

Exam questions on Othello may be concerned with issues of an isolated character and what characteristics contribute to that isolation.

Enhance your understanding and analysis with our Othello Albert course .

24. The Tempest

One of the prominent themes in The Tempest is the artist in relation to his creation. Prospero can be viewed as a kind of artist, in that he controls the fate of every other character. It’s as if Shakespeare inserted himself into the story as Prospero.

The Tempest is widely regarded as Shakespeare’s “Farewell” performance.

25. The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice is important in preparing for the AP® English Literature exam because it covers a timeless debate about racial and religious supremacy.

This work could appear on either the multiple choice or free response sections, because it explores the concept of dynamic characters using a culturally-charged and well-defined example: Shylock the Moneylender.

Hamlet has been performed more than any other Shakespearean work. For this reason alone, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with it.

There are many religious, philosophical, and psychoanalytical undercurrents in Hamlet. All of these will help in free responses and multiple choice questions pertaining to character.

Use Albert’s Hamlet course for extra prep.

27. Macbeth

“Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble!” Macbeth is a cautionary tale warning against evil as a means of power. Themes of ambition, madness, and war all intertwine.

Studying Macbeth is a good opportunity for you to develop your critical analysis skills in tragedy.

Check out Albert’s Macbeth course here .

28. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This one’s a classic example of a Shakespean comedy, one of his most popular works overall. This play has four separate storylines that all revolve around the marriage of two main characters, Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta.

The entire play takes place in the span of one night and is set in both Fairyland and a real-world forest. This play provides great opportunities for an analysis of symbolism. Focus on how enchantments and magic are used throughout. Consider how images of roses and use of love juice symbolize falling in love too quickly.

Top AP® English Literature Reading List from the Classics

AP® English Literature Reading List from the Classics

The classics are also frequently cited on the AP® English Literature exam. These five classic works could appear on the multiple choice section of the test, as well as on the free response section. Be sure to familiarize yourself with them.

29. Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone addresses issues of authority, faith, and fidelity. Sophocles examines the destructive repercussions on following the law over what you believe is right. He uses the family drama of the character Antigone to highlight this.

Remember to use Albert’s Antigone course for help.

30. Candide by Voltaire

Candide is a unique coming-of-age story and a satirical novella. It asks the question, ‘With so many hardships in the world, what’s the point of trying to be optimistic?’

Keep in mind that Candide is a unique take on the bildungsroman (coming-of-age story), and it’s a relatively short read.

Though Candide was first published in 1759, it is still considered a classic literary work.

31. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

Oedipus Rex (The King) demonstrates a unique take on the Greek Tragedy. Rather than following the sealed-fate plot that would have made sense to the audience of the time, Sophocles made Oedipus’s choices and faults contribute to his downfall.

You may have heard of Freud’s famous “Oedipus Complex” psychological theory. This play is where it gets its name.

Use Albert’s course on Oedipus Rex for additional help.

32. Medea by Euripides

Medea contains feminist undertones, which was a revolutionary occurrence for the time. Medea is a young woman who wants to take control of her own life in a patriarchal society. This ultimately that drives her to the extreme of committing murder.

Furthermore, the structure of the play is interesting in itself. In every scene, the only actors are Medea and one other person.

33. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein represents, arguably, the first science fiction story. But, it does this while remaining true to Shelley’s Gothic and Romantic roots.

The entire novel is a study in how power can corrupt. The power of knowledge allows Victor to animate “The Beast.” The power of his hatred for his creation pushes him toward his own death. The story in itself is a study in power and its dangers.

Frankenstein was first published in 1818. Though not in the same time period as most works on this list, it’s still considered a classic. Remember to use Albert’s Frankenstein course for help.

34. The Odyssey by Homer

Chances are, you’ve already read Odysseus’s sweeping tale of adventure at some point in your high school career. But whether you have or haven’t, this epic poem is worth revisiting before you take your exam.

Taking place in ancient Greece, this story follows the epic hero Odysseus as he tries to return home after the Trojan war. On his way, Odysseus encounters a number of mythical monsters, all preventing him from reaching his wife, Penelope. Consider the use of symbolism in this play, and what each different monster represents in a relationship between a husband and wife. 

Check out Albert’s The Odyssey course for additional practice.

Top AP® English Literature Reading List: Other Helpful Texts to Check Out

The list above is full of familiar titles. The list that follows contains titles referenced less often.

If you’re able to include mention of some of these, you may be able to score points for the breadth of your literary knowledge.

35. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Streetcar is considered one of the greatest American plays of all time. Like The Glass Menagerie, Streetcar also deals with the interplay between reality and fantasy. It’s considered at least vaguely autobiographical.

Consider reading this piece along with Menagerie.

36. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of a Nigerian, and it comments on the effect of British colonialism and Christianity. Read this novel if you’re searching for a piece that comes from a different culture. Also, check out the work of Ngugi wa Thiong’o if you’re interested in African perspectives on fiction.

Albert has a practice course to help you with this novel.

37. Obasan by Joy Kogawa

Obason details the Japanese internment camps of World War II, an often under-represented piece of history. The story is told from the point of view of a young child.

Joy Kogawa displays her mastery of imagery in Obasan. This piece is rife with examples of figurative language. Referencing its language and/or its cultural significance can help you earn points on the exam.

38. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee

Albee challenges the traditional notions of success for both individuals and families in this play. This is one more work that comments on reality vs. fantasy.

The title itself is a reference to the “Big Bad Wolf,” and Virginia Woolf herself (though the play isn’t really about her at all.) This dark comedy-drama centers on the struggling marriage of its two, flawed main characters.

39. Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor

O’Connor’s first novel, Wise Blood, deals with the crisis of faith in those who’ve seen war. The main character, Hazel Motes, returns home wounded from World World II to an empty house. Raised as the grandson of a preacher, he grew up conflicted with religion. War has turned him into a very vocal atheist.

Consider how O’Connor’s style affects the exploration of faith in Wise Blood.

40. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

If you enjoy dystopian science fiction, look no further! Brave New World takes place on Earth in the future where the entire planet is governed by just one government, the World State. The citizens of Earth are all genetically modified and sorted in a social hierarchy based on intelligence. 

The novel has numerous allusions to Shakespeare- the title, Brave New World, is a quote from The Tempest. As you read, consider the impact of these allusions on the meaning of the story as a whole.

Wrapping Things Up: The Ultimate AP® English Literature Reading List

We hope this English literature book list will help you decide which books you want to use to prepare for the AP® exam. In beginning your study, keep these things in mind:

  • You don’t need to read every book cover to cover. Familiarize yourself with important plots and characters from especially dense texts (like Moby Dick).
  • Understand the AP® exam scoring guidelines, and how different literary works can earn you points in different areas.
  • Choose books that interest you! You’ll have an easier time reading and remembering texts that you’re already motivated to read.

By reading and retaining as much information as possible before test day comes, you’re maximizing your odds of receiving the grades you want. Happy reading!

Remember to check out Albert’s How to Study for AP® English Literature for useful tips and skills!

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Guide to the AP® English Literature and Composition Exam

Why take ap ® english literature.

AP ® English Literature and Composition is a fantastic way to improve your skills in writing and analysis—not to mention give you college credit before you even set foot on campus.

It seems like a no-brainer, but you might still be wondering if taking the course is really worth it.

In most cases, taking an AP ® class is absolutely worth the effort. The skills you develop in an AP ® English Literature and Composition class are ones that you’ll carry with you throughout your entire educational (and professional) career. Think of all the literary references you’ll be able to make before you even get to college!

Throughout the AP ® English Literature and Composition course, students will be exposed to a wide variety of literary works; novels, plays, poems, prose, and short stories. This broad literary exposure is a great opportunity for you to develop an appreciation of the ways that literature reflects and comments on a range of experiences, institutions, and social structures. Most of the works you study will be selected at the discretion of your AP ® English Literature teacher. Throughout the course, you may study an entire play, work of fiction, or series of poetry, or you may focus on one or two excerpts from any given literary work. The compositions you study will all be written in, or translated into English, giving you the chance to experience an even greater range of literary works, authors, and styles from all over the world.

How to sign up for AP ® English Literature

To register for the AP ® Lit exam, you need to contact your school’s AP ® coordinator, who can help facilitate your courses and exams.

Bear in mind you’ll likely need to complete requirements to be eligible to enroll in an AP ® course. In order to register for the AP ® English Literature Exam, you have to join your class section online, on College Board’s My AP ® portal. Some schools will automatically register you for the exam if you’re enrolled in an AP ® English Literature class, but others won’t, and you will have to register online through the portal. If you are unsure whether or not you are registered for the AP ® English Literature Exam, check with your AP ® Coordinator.

There is also a deadline for exam registration, so make sure you register through your AP ® Coordinator by then to avoid paying any late fees. The deadline to register for exams is in the fall, but specific deadlines may vary by school—be sure to check with your teacher or AP ® Coordinator.

How much does the AP ® Exam cost?

Each AP ® Exam costs a total of $96—if you’re in the mainland United States and its territories and commonwealths, Canada, or a U.S. Department of Defense Dependents School.

If you’re outside of those areas, the AP ® Exam will cost $126 per exam.

The College Board has a financial aid program that offers a $34 fee reduction in the exam. Read more about exam fees here .

You cannot use the My AP ® portal to pay fees—they will be collected by your AP ® Coordinator.

When you take into account the cost of a college course versus the cost of the exam, though, you’ll see that the AP ® Exam is actually a bargain. With a passing score, you may be able to earn college credit and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

When can I take the AP ® English Literature Exam?

The AP ® English Literature and Composition date in 2022 is Wednesday, May 4th. You can find more information about dates and late-testing schedules for the 2022 AP ® English Literature Exam in our 2022 AP ® Exam Dates article.

What’s on the AP ® English Literature Exam and course?

  A lot of colleges all over the U.S. require you to fulfill a writing course before you’re allowed to graduate. Students typically take this “expository writing” or “writing and composition” course during their freshman year of college. Taking the AP ® English Literature Exam could give you the opportunity to fulfill this requirement without taking a college writing course.

The AP ® English Literature course is comprehensive when it comes to English Literature, covering certain skill categories including your ability to:

  • Explain the function of character
  • Explain the function of setting
  • Explain the function of plot and structure
  • Explain the function of the narrator or speaker
  • Explain the function of word choice, imagery, and symbols
  • Explain the function of comparison
  • Develop textually substantiated arguments about interpretations of part or all of a text

When it comes time to take the exam, you’ll have 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete it. There are two sections on the exam. The first consists of excerpts from non-fiction texts with multiple-choice questions. The second is a free-response section made up of three prompts you must answer in essay form.

Section I is a 55-question multiple-choice section which counts for 45% of your exam score. The multiple-choice section includes five sets of 8 to 13 questions per set, with each set of questions constructed around a preceding passage of prose fiction or poetry of varying difficulty. You should expect at least two prose fiction passages and at least two poetry passages in this section.

Section II of the AP ® English Literature Exam is the free-response section, and counts for 55% of your overall exam score. In this section, you will have two hours to answer three prompts as handwritten essays. Each of the free-response questions will address the following topics, always in the same order:

Question 1: Poetry Analysis

You will be presented with a passage of poetry of approximately 100 to 300 words, and given a prompt in connection with that passage. You are expected to demonstrate a well-written analysis of the passage by responding to the prompt with a thesis that presents your own interpretation, using appropriate evidence to develop and support your line of reasoning.

Question 2: Prose Fiction Analysis

You will be presented with a passage of prose fiction of approximately 500 to 700 words, and given a prompt in connection with that passage. You are expected to demonstrate a well-written analysis of the passage by responding to the prompt with a thesis that presents your own interpretation, using appropriate evidence to develop and support your line of reasoning.

Have a look at this YouTube playlist for an in-depth walkthrough of the Prose Fiction Analysis essay .

Question 3: Literary Argument

This is also called the thematic analysis. In this essay, you will write about a specific theme in reference to a work that you get to choose. We’ll say that again: the theme itself is given to you in the exam, but you can choose which work of fiction you want to write your essay about. For example, the exam might require you to discuss the topic of “unrequited love” and then suggest a list of different books and plays (around 40 different works) for you to analyze that theme. You can still choose a work from beyond that list, so you have a lot of control over this section.

What is the Test Format for the AP ® English Literature Exam?

Here’s what the structure of the exam looks like broken down by section and question type, along with how much each section impacts the ultimate score:

  • 55 questions that cover excerpts from short fiction, poetry, and longer fiction or drama
  • 45% of final exam score
  • Three questions with prompts covering synthesis, rhetorical analysis, and argument
  • Two hours and 15 minutes including a 15-minute reading time
  • 55% of final exam score

How is the AP ® English Literature Exam Scored?

Each AP ® Exam is scored on a scale of one to five. The higher your score, the better it is for you.

Check out the table below for a breakdown of what each score means.

AP ScoreWhat it means

5

Best. The highest score you can get on your AP English Language Exam. This score typically guarantees college credit or placement out of a required course at colleges that accept AP Exams.

4

Excellent. While not the highest, this is still an incredibly good score. You’ll usually get college credit with it.

3

Very good. This is often called a “passing” score and is the usual threshold for colleges to give you credit, though not at the most competitive colleges.

2

Okay. Even though this is not a “passing” score, it can still reflect some significant improvement over the course of a year.

1

Not the best. We all have to start from somewhere!

When it comes to AP ® English Literature and Composition, you’ll want to aim for a score of three or higher. Many colleges will give you college credit or placement out of a required course if you score within that range.

College credit for AP ® Exams varies from school to school though. So, if you want to know the score that a specific school will accept in exchange for credit, you’ll need to check with the school’s registrar’s office to find out information about AP ® credit for English Literature and Composition. Often, you can find this information on the school’s website. You can also check out the College Board’s search tool for AP ® credit policies.

NOTE: Colleges sometimes change their requirements for awarding college credit or offering placement out of required courses. Always check in with the college to make sure you have the most relevant and recent information.

The multiple-choice section is scored via computer. When the computer analyzes your answers, it does not deduct points if your answer is incorrect or unanswered. You read that right. You only stand to gain points when you answer questions. It is always in your best interest to answer every question and leave nothing blank.

The free-response section is a bit more complicated. Rather than using a computer, the free-response section is scored by actual humans. This occurs during an event called the AP ® Reading, an annual convention in June during which thousands of college professors and AP ® teachers nationwide convene to help judge and score AP ® essays.

The free-response essays are each scored on a scale of 0–6, with 6 being the best score you can get and 0 being the worst.

Combined, the raw points you get from both sections give you your composite score. It’s your composite score that determines your scaled score of 1–5.

Bottom line: Graders are looking for essays that showcase a strong command of literary texts, the ability to craft compelling and well-sourced arguments, and the ability to analyze text for its rhetorical structure.

What’s the Difference Between AP ® English Literature and AP ® English Language?

Ok, so there’s an AP ® English Literature and Composition Exam and an AP ® English Language and Composition Exam. What’s the difference between the two, and how do you know which one to take?

While the two share a lot of similarities, there are some crucial differences between the two courses. Knowing which one you want to take will determine the knowledge you’ll gain before going to college. In turn, this can help you decide:

  • Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction writing
  • Which classes you take in college
  • Your skills as a reader and writer

Here is a brief overview of both courses:

The AP ® English Literature and Composition course teaches the basics of college-level literary analysis and close reading. You will dive deep into texts and be challenged to think about literature deeply and critically. In the course, you will learn topics such as:

  • Close reading
  • Textual analysis
  • Literary devices
  • Language and vocabulary
  • Stylistic maturity in writing
  • Written organizational skills

In the AP ® English Language and Composition course, you will learn the rhetorical and writing skills necessary to interpret ALL kinds of texts.

The AP ® English Language exam course is comprehensive when it comes to rhetoric and writing, covering topics such as:

  • Rhetorical analysis of prose
  • Reading comprehension
  • Written argumentation
  • MLA, APA, and Chicago-style citation
  • Reputable sourcing
  • Synthesis of information from multiple texts

The AP ® English Literature course will give you an understanding and appreciation for reading and analyzing literature. This skill is important in order to understand the context of the world around you. The course will give you the tools to approach topics thoughtfully and deeply.

For a more in-depth look at the differences between the AP ® Lit and AP ® Lang courses, check out this article: AP ® English Literature vs  AP ® English Language.

What Can I Bring to My AP ® English Literature Exam?

Below is a list of all the things you can bring with you into the exam room. Note: It’s possible that not all of the items will apply to you (e.g., the Student Accommodations Letter).

  • Two No. 2 pencils with erasers. These will be used on the multiple-choice portion of the exam.
  • Two black or dark blue ink pens. These will be used for the free-response questions. Be sure to bring black or dark blue ink pens only. Leave your turquoise gel pens at home.
  • A watch. This is a simple analog or digital watch with no internet access or alarms. Don’t even try to bring your smartwatch in the room.
  • The AP ® Student Pack. This is given to you just before you take your exam and contains a label that you need to place on your exam. Follow the labeling instructions carefully.
  • Government- or school-issued ID. If you don’t attend the school where you’re taking the AP ® English Literature Exam, you must also bring a government- or school-issued ID.
  • College Board SSD Student Accommodation Letter. If you require accommodations beyond the regular exam, you’ll receive a letter that verifies this (e.g. you need extra time or a large-type exam).
  • Remember, you won’t have to bring all these things—but it’s in your best interest to be as prepared as you can for the exam.

Take a look at our Test Day Checklist to make sure you are 100% prepared to take your AP ® English Literature and Composition Exam when the time comes!

How do I study for AP ® English Literature?

#1: Read, read, read!

But try to read with PURPOSE! The more time you spend devouring all kinds of literature and reflecting on what you’re reading, the better! This is a great way to prepare for the Poetry and Prose Fiction Analysis Essays in the free-response section of your AP ® Lit exam. Both of these questions will require you to make astute analyses of whatever texts you are given.

Don’t let yourself get caught off guard with a passage you are unfamiliar with; make sure your literary intake is broad enough that you feel just as comfortable analyzing a sonnet as a play. To answer the questions well, you should be able to read and annotate the given passages speedily. Where you can, try to practice annotating whatever you’re reading in the lead up to the AP ® English Literature Exam. This will be immensely helpful for formulating your answers!

#2: Take practice tests

Take some advice from the Boy Scouts and ‘Be Prepared’! You don’t want to take your first AP ® English Literature Exam on test day. To that end, take as many practice tests as you can before the big day. Take note of the areas you performed the weakest in and dedicate extra study time to those areas. Only by practicing over and over again can you expect to be better at any skill—including test-taking. If you don’t have much experience taking practice tests, check out John Moscatiello’s Step-by-Step Guide to taking a practice test like a pro .

#3: Write as much as you can

A lot of students tend to worry most about the free-response sections. With enough practice, these will get easier and easier to answer! For more tips, Marco Learning’s AP ® Literature teacher, Heather Garcia, has some excellent advice on How to Crush It on the AP ® English Literature Exam Essays .

#4: Find resources that work

When it comes to studying for your exam, there is no “one size fits all”. Just because your older brother studied best by comparing and contrasting Shakespearean sonnets, doesn’t mean that’s right for you. (It probably isn’t too effective for most people, to be honest!) We encourage you to take some time to figure out what study methods you are most comfortable with; it could be a mixture of everything!

We know it can be overwhelming starting from scratch. If you feel stuck, we suggest downloading our free AP ® English Literature study guide as a jumping-off point and going from there.

If you’re looking for live video reviews before the  AP ® Exams, Marco Learning hosts live AP ® review sessions on our YouTube channel .

ap lit essay prompts 2022

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Last Modified: 1/24/2023

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If you wish to make any use of material on the Website other than that set out in this section, please contact us

If you print, copy, modify, download, or otherwise use or provide any other person with access to any part of the Website in breach of the Terms of Use, your right to use the Website will stop immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made. No right, title, or interest in or to the Website or any content on the Website is transferred to you, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved by the Company. Any use of the Website not expressly permitted by these Terms of Use is a breach of these Terms of Use and may violate copyright, trademark, and other laws.

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You may use the Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of Use. You agree not to use the Website:

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Additionally, you agree not to:

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  • Otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Website.

If you use, or assist another person in using the Website in any unauthorized way, you agree that you will pay us an additional $50 per hour for any time we spend to investigate and correct such use, plus any third party costs of investigation we incur (with a minimum $300 charge). You agree that we may charge any credit card number provided for your account for such amounts. You further agree that you will not dispute such a charge and that we retain the right to collect any additional actual costs.

User Contributions

The Website may contain message boards, chat rooms, personal web pages or profiles, forums, bulletin boards, and other interactive features (collectively, “ Interactive Services “) that allow users to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to other users or other persons (hereinafter, “ post “) content or materials (collectively, “ User Contributions “) on or through the Website.

All User Contributions must comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.

Any User Contribution you post to the site will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. By providing any User Contribution on the Website, you grant us and our affiliates and service providers, and each of their and our respective licensees, successors, and assigns the right to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, distribute, and otherwise disclose to third parties any such material for any purpose.

You represent and warrant that:

  • You own or control all rights in and to the User Contributions and have the right to grant the license granted above to us and our affiliates and service providers, and each of their and our respective licensees, successors, and assigns.
  • All of your User Contributions do and will comply with these Terms of Use.

You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.

For any academic source materials such as textbooks and workbooks which you submit to us in connection with our online tutoring services, you represent and warrant that you are entitled to upload such materials under the “fair use” doctrine of copyright law. In addition, if you request that our system display a representation of a page or problem from a textbook or workbook, you represent and warrant that you are in proper legal possession of such textbook or workbook and that your instruction to our system to display a page or problem from your textbook or workbook is made for the sole purpose of facilitating your tutoring session, as “fair use” under copyright law.

You agree that we may record all or any part of any live online classes and tutoring sessions (including voice chat communications) for quality control and other purposes. You agree that we own all transcripts and recordings of such sessions and that these Terms of Use will be deemed an irrevocable assignment of rights in all such transcripts and recordings to us.

We are not responsible or liable to any third party for the content or accuracy of any User Contributions posted by you or any other user of the Website.

Monitoring and Enforcement: Termination

We have the right to:

  • Remove or refuse to post any User Contributions for any or no reason in our sole discretion.
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  • Disclose your identity or other information about you to any third party who claims that material posted by you violates their rights, including their intellectual property rights or their right to privacy.
  • Take appropriate legal action, including without limitation, referral to law enforcement, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Website.
  • Terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Website for any or no reason, including without limitation, any violation of these Terms of Use.

Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone posting any materials on or through the Website. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY EITHER SUCH PARTIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.

However, we do not undertake to review material before it is posted on the Website, and cannot ensure prompt removal of objectionable material after it has been posted. Accordingly, we assume no liability for any action or inaction regarding transmissions, communications, or content provided by any user or third party. We have no liability or responsibility to anyone for performance or nonperformance of the activities described in this section.

Content Standards

These content standards apply to any and all User Contributions and use of Interactive Services. User Contributions must in their entirety comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations. Without limiting the foregoing, User Contributions must not:

  • Contain any material that is defamatory, obscene, indecent, abusive, offensive, harassing, violent, hateful, inflammatory, or otherwise objectionable.
  • Promote sexually explicit or pornographic material, violence, or discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age.
  • Infringe any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other intellectual property or other rights of any other person.
  • Violate the legal rights (including the rights of publicity and privacy) of others or contain any material that could give rise to any civil or criminal liability under applicable laws or regulations or that otherwise may be in conflict with these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .
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  • Promote any illegal activity, or advocate, promote, or assist any unlawful act.
  • Cause annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety or be likely to upset, embarrass, alarm, or annoy any other person.
  • Impersonate any person, or misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or organization.
  • Involve commercial activities or sales, such as contests, sweepstakes, and other sales promotions, barter, or advertising.
  • Give the impression that they emanate from or are endorsed by us or any other person or entity, if this is not the case.

(collectively, the “ Content Standards ”)

Copyright Infringement

If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please contact us  and provide the following information:

  • An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;
  • A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed;
  • A description of where the material you claim is infringing is located on the website (and such description must reasonably sufficient to enable us to find the alleged infringing material);
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  • A statement by you, made under the penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.

We may terminate the accounts of any infringers.

Reliance on Information Posted

From time to time, we may make third party opinions, advice, statements, offers, or other third party information or content available on the Website or from tutors under tutoring services (collectively, “Third Party Content”). All Third Party Content is the responsibility of the respective authors thereof and should not necessarily be relied upon. Such third party authors are solely responsible for such content. WE DO NOT (I) GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR USEFULNESS OF ANY THIRD PARTY CONTENT ON THE SITE OR ANY VERIFICATION SERVICES DONE ON OUR TUTORS OR INSTRUCTORS, OR (II) ADOPT, ENDORSE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY OPINION, ADVICE, OR STATEMENT MADE BY ANY TUTOR OR INSTRUCTOR OR ANY PARTY THAT APPEARS ON THE WEBSITE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE BE RESPONSBILE OR LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM YOUR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION OR OTHER CONENT POSTED ON OR AVAILBLE FROM THE WEBSITE.

Changes to the Website

We may update the content on this Website from time to time, but its content is not necessarily complete or up-to-date. Any of the material on the Website may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update such material.

Information About You and Your Visits to the Website

All information we collect on this Website is subject to our Privacy Policy . By using the Website, you consent to all actions taken by us with respect to your information in compliance with the Privacy Policy.

Online Purchases and Other Terms and Conditions

All purchases through our site or other transactions for the sale of services and information formed through the Website or resulting from visits made by you are governed by our Terms of Sale, which are hereby incorporated into these Terms of Use.

Additional terms and conditions may also apply to specific portions, services, or features of the Website. All such additional terms and conditions are hereby incorporated by this reference into these Terms of Use.

Linking to the Website and Social Media Features

You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part without our express written consent.

This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:

  • Link from your own or certain third-party websites to certain content on this Website.
  • Send emails or other communications with certain content, or links to certain content, on this Website.
  • Cause limited portions of content on this Website to be displayed or appear to be displayed on your own or certain third-party websites.

You may use these features solely as they are provided by us, and solely with respect to the content they are displayed with and otherwise in accordance with any additional terms and conditions we provide with respect to such features. Subject to the foregoing, you must not:

  • Establish a link from any website that is not owned by you.
  • Cause the Website or portions of it to be displayed on, or appear to be displayed by, any other site, for example, framing, deep linking, or in-line linking.
  • Link to any part of the Website other than the homepage.
  • Otherwise take any action with respect to the materials on this Website that is inconsistent with any other provision of these Terms of Use.

The website from which you are linking, or on which you make certain content accessible, must comply in all respects with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.

You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.

We may disable all or any social media features and any links at any time without notice in our discretion.

Links from the Website

If the Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties (“ Linked Sites ”), these links are provided for your convenience only. This includes links contained in advertisements, including banner advertisements and sponsored links. You acknowledge and agree that we have no control over the contents, products, services, advertising or other materials which may be provided by or through those Linked sites or resources, and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.

You agree that if you include a link from any other website to the Website, such link will open in a new browser window and will link to the full version of an HTML formatted page of this Website. You are not permitted to link directly to any image hosted on the Website or our products or services, such as using an “in-line” linking method to cause the image hosted by us to be displayed on another website. You agree not to download or use images hosted on this Website or another website, for any purpose, including, without limitation, posting such images on another website. You agree not to link from any other website to this Website in any manner such that the Website, or any page of the Website, is “framed,” surrounded or obfuscated by any third party content, materials or branding. We reserve all of our rights under the law to insist that any link to the Website be discontinued, and to revoke your right to link to the Website from any other website at any time upon written notice to you.

Geographic Restrictions

The owner of the Website is based in the state of New Jersey in the United States. We provide this Website for use only by persons located in the United States. We make no claims that the Website or any of its content is accessible or appropriate outside of the United States. Access to the Website may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. If you access the Website from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

Disclaimer of Warranties

You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Website will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY WEBSITE LINKED TO IT.

YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE WEBSITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, THE COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Limitation on Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WEBSITE, ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO IT, ANY CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE OR SUCH OTHER WEBSITES, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use or your use of the Website, including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, any use of the Website’s content, services, and products other than as expressly authorized in these Terms of Use or your use of any information obtained from the Website.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

All matters relating to the Website and these Terms of Use and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto (in each case, including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New Jersey without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New Jersey or any other jurisdiction).

Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms of Use or the Website shall be instituted exclusively in the federal courts of the United States or the courts of the State of New Jersey in each case located in the County of Monmouth although we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts. You may not under any circumstances commence or maintain against us any class action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding.

Arbitration

By using this Website, you agree, at Company’s sole discretion, that it may require you to submit any disputes arising from the use of these Terms of Use or the Website, including disputes arising from or concerning their interpretation, violation, invalidity, non-performance, or termination, to final and binding arbitration under the Rules of Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association applying New Jersey law. In doing so, YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend any claims between you and us. YOU ALSO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR OTHER CLASS PROCEEDING. Your rights may be determined by a NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR, NOT A JUDGE OR JURY. You are entitled to a fair hearing before the arbitrator. The arbitrator can grant any relief that a court can, but you should note that arbitration proceedings are usually simpler and more streamlined than trials and other judicial proceedings. Decisions by the arbitrator are enforceable in court and may be overturned by a court only for very limited reasons.

Any proceeding to enforce this arbitration provision, including any proceeding to confirm, modify, or vacate an arbitration award, may be commenced in any court of competent jurisdiction. In the event that this arbitration provision is for any reason held to be unenforceable, any litigation against Company must be commenced only in the federal or state courts located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. You hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of those courts for such purposes.

Limitation on Time to File Claims

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Enter your email to unlock an extra $25 off an sat or act program, by submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., guide to the ap english literature and composition exam.

AP English Literature Exam

Do you know how to conduct a close reading of prose and poetry? Can you write effectively under time constraints? The AP ® English Literature and Composition exam tests topics and skills discussed in your AP English Literature course. If you score high enough, your AP English score could earn you college credit!

Check out our AP English Literature Guide for what you need to know about the exam:

  • Exam Overview
  • Structure & Question Types
  • How to Prepare

What’s on the AP English Literature & Composition Exam?

The College Board lists 6 Skill Categories that should be covered in your AP English Literature and Composition course, or as you prepare for the test:

  •  Character—Characters in literature show a wide range of values, beliefs, assumptions, biases, and cultural norms, and provide an opportunity to study and explore what the characters represent.
  • Setting—A setting and the details associated with it represent a time and place, but also convey values associated with the setting.
  • Structure—Structure refers to the arrangements of sections and parts of a text, the relationship of the parts to each other, and the sequence in which the text reveals information. These are all choices made by a writer that allow you to interpret a text.
  • Narration—Any narrator’s or speaker’s perspective controls the details and emphases that readers encounter; therefore, narration affects how readers experience and interpret a text.
  • Figurative language—Comparisons, representations, and associations shift meaning from the literal to the figurative. Figurative language can include word choice, imagery, and symbols. Simile, metaphor, personification, and allusions are all examples of figurative language.
  • Literary argumentation—How do you write about literature yourself? You develop your interpretation (using the first five of the Big Six!) and then communicate it. You need to develop a thesis—a defensible claim—and support it with textual evidence. 

The multiple-choice section of the AP English Literature and Composition exam will be testing your knowledge of the Big Six. Each one is weighted a certain amount in the multiple-choice questions.

AP English Literature & Composition Book List

There is no required reading or book list for the AP English Literature exam, but the College Board provides a list of authors and poets with whom you should be familiar and whose work is of the caliber and density that you are expected to understand. These lists include:

  • Poetry: W.H. Auden, Elizabeth Bishop, William Blake, Anne Bradstreet, Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Browning, George Gordon/Lord Byron, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Geoffrey Chaucer, Lucille Clifton, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Billy Collins, H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Emily Dickinson, John Donne, Rita Dove, Paul Laurence Dunbar, T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Joy Harjo, Seamus Heaney, George Herbert, Garrett Hongo, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Langston Hughes, Ben Jonson, John Keats, Philip Larkin, Robert Lowell, Andrew Marvell, John Milton, Marianne Moore, Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allan Poe, Alexander Pope, Adrienne Rich, Anne Sexton, William Shakespeare, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Leslie Marmon Silko, Cathy Song, Wallace Stevens, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Derek Walcott, Walt Whitman, Richard Wilbur, William Carlos Williams, William Wordsworth, William Butler Yeats
  • Drama: Aeschylus, Edward Albee, Amiri Baraka, Samuel Beckett, Anton Chekhov, Caryl Churchill, William Congreve, Athol Fugard, Lorraine Hansberry, Lillian Hellman, David Henry Hwang, Henrik Ibsen, Ben Jonson, David Mamet, Arthur Miller, Molière, Marsha Norman, Sean O’Casey, Eugene O’Neill, Suzan-Lori Parks, Harold Pinter, Luigi Pirandello, William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Sam Shepard, Sophocles, Tom Stoppard, Luis Valdez, Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, August Wilson
  • Fiction (Novel and Short Story): Chinua Achebe, Sherman Alexie, Isabel Allende, Rudolfo Anaya, Margaret Atwood, Jane Austen, James Baldwin, Saul Bellow, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Raymond Carver, Willa Cather, John Cheever, Kate Chopin, Sandra Cisneros, Joseph Conrad, Edwidge Danticat, Daniel Defoe, Anita Desai, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, George Eliot, Ralph Ellison, Louise Erdrich, William Faulkner, Henry Fielding, F. Scott Fitzgerald, E.M. Forster, Thomas Hardy, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemingway, Zora Neale Hurston, Kazuo Ishiguro, Henry James, Ha Jin, Edward P. Jones, James Joyce, Maxine Hong Kingston, Joy Kogawa, Jhumpa Lahiri, Margaret Laurence, D.H. Lawrence, Chang-rae Lee, Bernard Malamud, Gabriel García Márquez, Cormac McCarthy, Ian McEwan, Herman Melville, Toni Morrison, Bharati Mukherjee, Vladimir Nabokov, Flannery O’Connor, Orhan Pamuk, Katherine Anne Porter, Marilynne Robinson, Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain, John Updike, Alice Walker, Evelyn Waugh, Eudora Welty, Edith Wharton, John Edgar Wideman, Virginia Woolf, Richard Wright
  • Expository Prose: Joseph Addison, Gloria Anzaldua, Matthew Arnold, James Baldwin, James Boswell, Joan Didion, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Hazlitt, bell hooks, Samuel Johnson, Charles Lamb, Thomas Macaulay, Mary McCarthy, John Stuart Mill, George Orwell, Michael Pollan, Richard Rodriguez, Edward Said, Lewis Thomas, Henry David Thoreau, E.B. White, Virginia Woolf

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP English Literature Cram Courses

AP English Literature Structure & Question Types

The AP English Literature & Composition exam takes 3 hours to complete and consists of two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free response section.

Section 1

60 minutes

55 multiple-choice questions

45%

Section 2

120 minutes
(40 minutes recommended per essay)

3 free response questions

55%

Multiple-Choice

AP English Literature multiple-choice questions are grouped in sets.  You will be given 5 passages or poems to read, with 8-13 multiple-choice questions to assess your reading comprehension. Each multiple-choice question has 5 answer choices (A through E). That’s a lot of reading then recalling, understanding, and interpreting. Use your time effectively and wisely! 

Free Response

  • Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents an interpretation and may establish a line of reasoning.
  • Select and use evidence to develop and support your line of reasoning.
  • Explain the relationship between the evidence and your thesis.
  • Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

How to Interpret AP English Literature Scores

AP scores are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP English Literature exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. (Here's a quick overview of AP credit policy .) Each test is curved so scores vary from year to year. Here’s how AP English Lit students scored on the May 2022 test:

5

Extremely qualified

16.9%

4

Well qualified

27.3%

3

Qualified

33.7%

2

Possibly qualified

14.1%

1

No recommendation

7.9%

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP English Literature content and strategy, pick the AP prep option that works best for your goals and learning style.

  • AP Exams  

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AP English Literature and Composition

Review the free-response questions from the 2024 ap exam, new for 2024-25: mcqs will have four answer choices.

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, AP English Literature and Composition multiple-choice questions (MCQs) will have four answer choices instead of five. This change will take effect with the 2025 exam. All resources have been updated to reflect this change.  

Exam Overview

Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the  AP English Literature and Composition Course and Exam Description (.pdf)  (CED).

Encourage your students to visit the  AP English Literature and Composition student page  for exam information.

Wed, May 7, 2025

AP English Literature and Composition Exam

Exam format.

The AP English Literature and Composition Exam has consistent question types, weighting, and scoring guidelines every year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day. There will also be a consistent range of difficulty in the reading passages across all versions of the exam from year to year. The free-response questions will be scored using analytic rubrics, rather than the previous holistic rubrics.

Section I: Multiple Choice

55 Questions | 1 Hour | 45% of Exam Score

  • Includes 5 sets of questions with 8–13 questions per set.
  • Each set is preceded by a passage of prose fiction, drama, or poetry of varying difficulty.
  • The multiple-choice section will always include at least 2 prose fiction passages (this may include drama) and at least 2 poetry passages.

Section II: Free Response

3 Questions | 2 Hours | 55% of Exam Score

  • A literary analysis of a given poem
  • A literary analysis of a given passage of prose fiction (this may include drama)
  • An analysis that examines a specific concept, issue, or element in a work selected by the student. In responding to Question 3, students should select a work of fiction that will be appropriate to the question. A general rule is to use a work that is similar in quality to those they have read in their AP class(es).

Scoring Rubrics

One-page ap english literature and composition scoring rubrics.

This is a simplified version of the longer scoring rubric document, with the decision rules and scoring notes taken out. This document features a student-friendly single-page rubric for each free-response question.

AP English Literature and Composition Rubrics with Decision Rules and Scoring Notes

This document features general scoring criteria that apply to each of the three free-response questions, regardless of specific question prompt.

Exam Questions and Scoring Information

Ap english literature and composition exam questions and scoring information.

View free-response questions and scoring information from past exams.

Score Reporting

Online score reports.

Access your score reports.

, .
in the DropBox files. Many of these files are available in Word document form in the DropBox, so you can edit the originals easily.

AP Lit Referenced Titles, 1970 to 2024, as .
AP Lit Referenced Titles as (and ).

AP Literature Open Prompts, 1970-2024, as , , and (Thanks to Claudia Felske).

AP Literature Poetry Prompts, 1970 to 2024, as .
AP Literature Poetry Prompts with Poems, 1970 to 2024, as .
AP Poets Referenced, 1970-2024, as .

AP Literature Prose Prompts, 1970 to 2024, as .
AP Literature Prose Passages, 1970 to 2024, as .
AP Prose Writers Referenced, 1970-2024, as .
AP Prose Prompts Rewritten with Stable Wording, as (Thanks to Tia Miller).

Overview of AP Literature Stable Pronots, as and as .

Interesting re-grouping of AP Literature prompts by subjects (Thanks to Ann Elizabeth Richards). , , and .

All Three AP Language Free Response Prompts, 1970 to 2024, as .

AP Language Prose Passages, 1982 to 2024, as (Thanks to Chris Godat).

Overview of AP Language Stable Prompts, as and as .

.

).

.

Each prompt is now a separate dated file with prompt, scoring guide (6-point and/or 9-point), sample student essays, comments -- whatever I have, attached. Released multiple-choice exams are in a separate folder.

.

You can still use the to locate which file holds the scored sample essays.


Long lost formats, four that were actually used for both Literature & Language. Personal favorites, like the Pairs Prompt. And a 1996 Country Prompt student essay on that the Chief Reader agreed was a 10 (and photo-copied for me). Yes, a 10.

It’s All Happening Online —Useful Links

AP Central & YouTube -- Finding your way around the Advanced Placement website can be tricky. Direct links listed below (with some of those acronyms defined).

  • AP Language Home Page -- Classroom Resources
  • AP Language Exam -- CED (Course and Exam Description), 2021 FRQ (Free Response Questions), and Past Exam FRQs (from 1999).
  • AP Literature Home Page -- Classroom Resources
  • AP Literature Exam -- CED (Course and Exam Description), 2021 FRQ (Free Response Questions), and Past Exam FRQs (from 1999).
  • AP Teacher Community (Skip Nicholson) -- Join the AP English community, a combined group for Language & Literature. New version of the old ListServ .
  • AP Language YouTube Channel (Live Review) -- 11 videos
  • AP Literature YouTube Channel (Live Review) -- 10 videos

AP English FaceBook Groups

  • A P Language and Composition Teachers (Kristy Seidel)
  • A P Literature and Composition (Brian Sztabnik)
  • A P Literature and Composition Teachers (Michael Yeakey & Heather Davide Carlotz)

Teacher Sites -- Where have all the teachers gone? On sabbatical, into administration, to commercial sites, to retirement. So sorry.

  • Gina Korteum’s Lit & More : Modest but masterful, Gina shares a wealth of free resources on her website and extensive affordable materials on Teachers Pay Teachers. Practical, adaptable jewels.
  • Tim Freitas’ The Garden of English : Delightful, often surprising viewpoint. Sense of humor meets excellence. Love all the videos, handouts and posters.
  • Susa n Barber’s and Brian Sztabnik’s Much Ado About Teachin g : The reincarnation of AP LIT Help. These gifted inspiring teachers have mastered the ability to explain everything AP clearly. Articles, videos, handouts are amazing.
  • Beth Hall’s Coach Hall Writes offersmany free AP Language materials with links to Teachers Pay Teachers materials. Subscribe to her YouTube channel for excellent, focused videos.
  • Brian Tolentino shares dozens of short videos on his YouTube Channel, Tolentino Teaching . SAT Vocabulary and Rhetorical Terms are especially helpful.
  • Kristian Kuhn’s home page shares some excellent assignments. Teachers Teaching Writing , his YouTube channel has dozens of clever, useful videos for AP Literature.
  • Susan Barber’s Teach with Class site offers Teacher Resources.
  • Jerry Brown’ s website has buried treasure, well worth seeking.
  • Don Pogebra’s Quixotic Pedagogue : Gorgeous website with generous materials. Retired.
  • Ronnie Campagna’s DropBox is a wealth of materials. Please download; do not delete or move.
  • Dawn Hogue’s Online English Resources provides a Teacher’s Toolbox and other online resources for AP and regular classes.
  • M sEffie’s LifeSavers : Several ways to get there – Google “mseffie” [first hit], use the short domain router (mseffie.com). Mine. What can I say? Such a nerd!

Terminology

  • Brian Tolentino Teaching includes 35 term specific videos
  • Dictionary of Literary Terms (Joel Littauer)
  • Literary History
  • Handbook of Rhetorical Devices (Robert Harris)
  • Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms -- videos for more than 60 terms
  • Poetic Terms (Robert Shubinsky)

Writing Help

  • Elements of Style
  • Guide to Grammar and Writing
  • Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab )

Literary Theory and Criticism

  • Literary Resources on the Net (Jack Lynch)
  • Literary Theory and Criticism (Brigham Young University)
  • Guide to Critical Theory (Dino Felluga)
  • Introduction to Modern Literary Theory (Kristi Siegel)

Miscellaneous Resources -- $ Resource Requiring Payment

  • TeachIt is a United Kingdom site (for their teachers) whose worksheets approach texts in a different way than we do. Though designed for their “regular” classes, the emphasis is usually on the kind of analysis we do in Advanced Placement classes. PDF files are free to download if you register. 
  • Thought.Co Writing is the old About.com and offers a disorganized but intriguing mess of articles on language, literature, art, and more -- tips on grammar, sample paragraphs of every mode, suggestted topic lists, critical analyses, passages by well-known authors focusing on specific stylistic traits, and so on. The short introductions analyze each piece and help focus discussion.
  • TED Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing -- Based upon the regular TED Talks and a library of original animated videos, TedEd provides a platform for teachers to share lessons based on the videos.
  • CrackAP.com -- provides free access to 50+ practice multiple-choice exams on various passages, many of them from previous AP exams. A very awkward confusing site, but students get immediate assessment and explanations. Just IGNORE all the pop-ups & exterior clicks. AP Language Practices . AP Literature Practices .
  • PrepScholar -- One-stop location for every AP Literature Practice Test available, free & official, including many older ones not available at AP Central. AP Language . AP Literature .
  • $ Applied Practice -- Resource Guides for more than 100 titles. Each includes AP style multiple-choice and free response questions withy answers. With explanations of answers. Other stuff available, too.
  • $ Prestwick House -- Reasonably priced packages include Activity Packs , Response Journals , Literature Teaching Units , AP Teaching Units , and Multiple Critical Perspectives , Response Journals , and Activity Packs . Samples available to download to check them out. (Free Crossword Puzzles and free Posters .)

Links to My Pages with Handouts & URLs for Specific Major Works

“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

(uses College Board’s My Roads)

(Greek & Roman Mythology) (National Poetry Month) (an ekphrastic unit)

by Anthony Doerr (Film) -- yes, a fan page with YouTube links to all the great John Green short videos.

You may find other useful materials at Assignments , Handouts OR Yummy Bytes .

If you download or print anything from this site, please consider making at least a $10.00 donation through PayPal. I can maintain and expand this website only with your help.

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  • START HERE!
  • AP Literature Class Policies
  • AP Lit College Board Resource Page
  • Ms. B's Very Partial List of Passages Appearing on AP Lit Exams, 1970-2022
  • The Seven Core Skills of AP Lit
  • Teacher Notes: How to Teach AP Multiple Choice
  • AP Multiple-Choice Question Stems
  • Stable Wording Prompts for the FRQ Questions
  • Multiple Choice: The Compass
  • How to Write MC Questions - WRITING EXERCISE FOR STUDENTS
  • The Command and Conquer Strategy
  • Next Steps: Get Six Pieces of Evidence
  • How to Read Literature Like a Professor
  • Finding the MOWAW: Embrace the Weird
  • All FRQ #1 Poetry Prompts 1970-2022 (With Poems)
  • Skills 1 and 2: Character and Structure// Analyzing Cardinal Wolsey
  • Skill 3: Figurative Language // Olive Senior, "Plants"
  • Poetry 1 Quick Assessment: Write a Thesis Statement (Hardy and Collins)
  • How to Teach Poetry II: Structure // Figurative Language // Imagery
  • How to Teach Poetry III: Irony / Paradox / Conceit NOT DONE
  • Writing the Poetry Analysis Essay (FRQ #1)
  • MORE FRQ #1 Writing Practice, "The Landlady" // Understanding the AP Rubric, Continued
  • Resource: How to Deal with a Difficult Poem
  • Poetry: MC Focus on Shakespeare's Sonnet 60, "Like as the Waves..."
  • Poetry: MC Focus on W.H. Auden, "Their Lonely Betters"
  • Poetry: MC Focus on Robert Browning, "My Last Duchess"
  • Student Assignment - Writing MC Questions for"Andrea del Sarto": Write Own AP Multiple-Choice Section
  • Poetry Focus: Avoiding Cliché Themes in Billy Collins' "The History Teacher"
  • Modernism: Poetry Speaks to Paintings
  • Themes in Modernism: Alienation
  • Poetry Focus: Secret Structure in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
  • "The Author Uses Literary Techniques" Prufrock Essay
  • Independent Reading for Poetry
  • All AP FRQ #2 Prose Prompts, 1970-2022
  • Character Analysis // Jackson, We Have Always Lived...
  • Skill 2: Setting // Shirley Jackson / Charles Dickens
  • Skill 3: Plot // Julio Cortazar
  • Writing Literary Analysis
  • How to Teach Short Fiction II: Ellis / Dickens / Jackson
  • How to Teach the Prose Analysis Essay (FRQ #2)
  • FRQ #2 Writing Assignment: How Not to Lean on Quotes (Dombey and Son)
  • FRQ #2 Writing Assignment: Using Key Words Throughout
  • Independent Reading for FRQ #2
  • What is Horror? Unit Prereading Questions and Texts
  • Lecture: Horror vs. Gothic
  • Gothic Literature Homepage Link
  • Chac-Mool (Excerpt)
  • Symbolism: The Tropes of Horror and Gothic // The Haunted House
  • Symbolism: The Tropes of Horror and Gothic // The Other
  • Setting Focus: Shirley Jackson, Hill House
  • Horror and Gothic: Critical Lenses
  • Focus Story: Poe, "The Masque of the Red Death"
  • Podcast: John Langan, "Technicolor" (To accompany Poe)
  • Frankenstein Unit Overview
  • Frankenstein Prereading Questions
  • Central Question: What is "Human"?
  • Mary Shelley Background
  • What Was the Northwest Passage?
  • Reading Schedule
  • Frankenstein Discussion Questions
  • Frankenstein Motifs and Writing Assignment
  • Assessment for Frankenstein
  • Step One: Jane Eyre Prereading Questions
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  • NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT DOOOONEStep Three: Basic and In-Depth Discussion Questions
  • All FRQ #3 Open-Ended Prompts, 1970-2022
  • How to Teach the Literary Argumentation Essay (FRQ #3)
  • Mr. Banto's One-Page Review Sheet for FRQ 3
  • How to Teach Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
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  • Focus: Analyzing Humor in The Importance of Being Earnest
  • Writing: Find the Theme Line
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  • Lear in Film // Discussion Questions and Scenes
  • How to Teach Macbeth
  • How to Teach The Merchant of Venice
  • Independent Reading Round 1: Great Voices
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  • Independent Reading Round 3: Corruption and Concealment
  • The Common App Essay
  • Basic Thesis Templates
  • Writing: The Thesis Template
  • Writing: Using Thesis to Write Claims
  • Writing: Using Claims to Write the Paragraph
  • Writing: Incorporating Quotes
  • Writing: Strongly Linked Sentences
  • Writing: How to Write a Decent Paper for Lit Class
  • Proofread Your Work
  • How to Teach Self- and Peer-Editing
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  • Student Activity: Fix "Shaving" Essay Problems
  • NOT DONEWriting: Moving Beyond the Poetry Template
  • Main Game Page
  • Greeks and Romans
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  • Quotable Quotes & "Blank"-ian
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  • Post-AP: Designing a New Canon
  • Basic Literary Theory NOT DONE

2021. In Ai's poem "The Man with the Saxophone," published in 1985, the speaker encounters a man playing a saxophone. Read the poem carefully. Then in a well-written essay, analyze how Ai uses literary elements and techniques to convey the complexity of the speaker's encounter with the saxophone player at that particular time and place.

2021. The following excerpt is from Tim Winton's novel , published in 2008. In this passage, the main character, Bruce Pike, recalls an incident at a nearby river. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how Winton uses literary elements and technique to represent the complex response of the narrator to the incident at the riverbank.

2021. In many works of fiction, houses take on symbolic importance. Such houses may be literal houses or unconventional ones (e.g., hotels, hospitals, monasteries, or boats). Either from your own reading or from the list below, choose a work of fiction in which a literal or unconventional house serves as a significant symbol. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how this house contributes to an interpretation of the work as a whole. Do not merely sumarize the plot.

ap lit essay prompts 2022

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. PDF AP English Literature and Composition 2022 Free-Response Questions

    Download and print the official practice questions for the AP English Literature and Composition exam in 2022. Analyze and interpret two passages from different genres and authors, and write a coherent and well-reasoned essay.

  2. AP English Literature and Composition Exam Questions

    Find free-response questions and scoring information from past AP English Literature and Composition exams. Download PDFs of questions, guidelines, commentaries, and statistics for each year from 2008 to 2024.

  3. All FRQ #3 Open-Ended Prompts, 1970-2022

    All FRQ #3 Open-Ended Prompts, 1970-2022. Thanks to the hard work of Sandra Effinger, all the open-ended prompts from 1970-2022 have been assembled on one page. Please see this link. This is incredibly useful as a way of building general questions about independent reading. For example, a teacher might use this resource to build independent in ...

  4. PDF AP English Literature and Composition

    This web page provides a sample student response and scoring commentary for a free-response question on Richard Blanco's poem "Shaving" from the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam. It also includes the scoring criteria and guidelines for the question.

  5. The 2022 AP® Lit FRQ Questions Were Just Released: Now what?

    Learn how to analyze the poem "Shaving" by Richard Blanco, which was one of the 2022 AP Lit free response questions. Find out how to break down the prompt, identify the speaker's associations, and use literary elements and techniques to develop your essay.

  6. 2022 AP English Literature Free-Response Questions

    College Board has released the prompts for the 2022 AP English Literature Exams. We'll be breaking down those free-response questions in this video.For a mor...

  7. AP English Literature and Composition Practice Tests

    The AP English Literature and Composition Exam is 3 hours long and broken up into two sections. Section I (One hour) 45 percent of total score 55 multiple-choice questions based on 2 or 3 poems and 2 or 3 passages of fiction. Section II (Two hours) 55 percent of total score 3 essays. Essay 1: An analysis of a poem.

  8. AP English Literature and Composition

    Learn about the course and exam units, components, dates, and resources for AP English Literature and Composition. Find out how to access AP Classroom, free-response questions, scoring information, and credit policies.

  9. PDF AP English Literature and Composition

    This web page provides the scoring criteria and commentary for the free-response question 2 of the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam. It includes a sample passage from Linda Hogan's novel People of the Whale and a student response that analyzes the community's characterization.

  10. Expert's Guide to the AP Literature Exam

    Learn what to expect on the AP Literature and Composition exam, a three-hour test that covers prose and poetry analysis and essay writing. Find out the types of multiple-choice and free-response questions, how they are graded, and how to prepare for the test.

  11. All AP FRQ #2 Prose Prompts, 1970-2022

    All AP FRQ #2 Prose Prompts, 1970-2022. Thanks to the hard work ofSandra Effinger, all the open-ended prompts from 1970-2022 have been assembled on one page. If you are a student frantically searching for the prose passages these prompts go to, you'll probably have to do a little digging based on the information given to you in the prompts. For ...

  12. AP English Literature and Composition Exam 2022

    The 2022 AP English Literature exam will consist of two sections: multiple-choice and free-response. The multiple-choice section is worth 45 percent of the exam score, and the free-response section is worth 55 percent. You will have 1 hour to answer 55 multiple-choice questions and 2 hours to answer 3 free-response questions.

  13. Every AP Literature Practice Test Available: Free and Official

    Find out where to get every official College Board AP English Literature and Composition practice exam, free unofficial tests, and paid practice test resources. Learn how to use different practice exams to hone your skills for the AP Lit exam.

  14. AP English Literature and Composition

    Learn how to read, interpret, and analyze literature in this AP course. Find out the course content, skills, exam date, and resources for AP English Literature and Composition.

  15. The Ultimate AP® English Literature Reading List

    Find out which books to study for the AP® English Literature exam with this comprehensive guide. Learn about the top 10 most frequently tested titles, the Lost Generation, WWI to present, Shakespeare, classics, and more.

  16. Guide to the AP® English Literature and Composition Exam

    Learn how to prepare for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam, which covers a wide range of literary works and skills. Find out the exam dates, fees, structure, and topics for 2022.

  17. PDF AP English Literature and Composition

    This web page provides the scoring criteria and commentary for the free-response question 3 of the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam. It does not contain any information about the query "in the first, third, and final paragraphs, the repeated references to lila's unborn child".

  18. 2022 Live Review 1

    In this AP Daily: Live Review session, we will discuss the structure of the multiple-choice section of the exam and how to approach questions and answer choi...

  19. Guide to the AP English Literature and Composition Exam

    Learn about the topics, skills, structure, scoring, and preparation for the AP English Literature and Composition exam. Find out the authors, poets, and texts you should know and how to write effective literary analyses and arguments.

  20. AP English Literature and Composition Exam

    Learn about the exam format, date, and scoring guidelines for AP English Literature and Composition. Find resources, articles, and past questions to prepare for the 2025 exam.

  21. All FRQ #1 Poetry Prompts 1970-2022 (With Poems)

    The Game. Post-AP: Designing a New Canon. Basic Literary Theory NOT DONE. All FRQ #1 Poetry Prompts, 1970-2022 (With Poems) . All of the Individual Prompts. Thanks to the hard work of Sandra Effinger, all the open-ended prompts from 1970-2022 have been assembled on one page. Please see this link. Photo used under Creative Commons from cattan2011.

  22. Advanced Placement English

    Find online and DropBox materials for AP Language and Literature tests from 1970 to 2023, including prompts, essays, rubrics, and more. Also access useful links, videos, and teacher sites for AP English.

  23. Stable Wording Prompts for the FRQ Questions

    Overview. Stable wording prompts are the basic framework for the FRQ (free-response) questions that the College Board develops from year to year, which is why a prompt from 2004 sounds pretty similar to one from 2022. Looking at the stable wording prompts allows us to focus on the skills that the AP is looking for in a consistent way.