ap practice essays

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

• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 1
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 2
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 3
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 4
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 5
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 6
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 7
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 8
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 9
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 10
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 11
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 12
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 13
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 14
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 15
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 16
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 17
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 18
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 19
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 20
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 21
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 22
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 23
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 24
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 25
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 26
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 27
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 28
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 29
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 30
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 31
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 32
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 33
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 34
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 35
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 36
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 37
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 38
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 39
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 40
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 41
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 42
• AP English Literature and Composition Practice Test 43
• 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

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay (With Example)

November 27, 2023

Feeling intimidated by the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? We’re here to help demystify. Whether you’re cramming for the AP Lang exam right now or planning to take the test down the road, we’ve got crucial rubric information, helpful tips, and an essay example to prepare you for the big day. This post will cover 1) What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? 2) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric 3) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis: Sample Prompt 4) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example 5)AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example: Why It Works

What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

The AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay is one of three essays included in the written portion of the AP English Exam. The full AP English Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long, with the first 60 minutes dedicated to multiple-choice questions. Once you complete the multiple-choice section, you move on to three equally weighted essays that ask you to synthesize, analyze, and interpret texts and develop well-reasoned arguments. The three essays include:

Synthesis essay: You’ll review various pieces of evidence and then write an essay that synthesizes (aka combines and interprets) the evidence and presents a clear argument. Read our write up on How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay here.

Argumentative essay: You’ll take a stance on a specific topic and argue your case.

Rhetorical essay: You’ll read a provided passage, then analyze the author’s rhetorical choices and develop an argument that explains why the author made those rhetorical choices.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric

The AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay is graded on just 3 rubric categories: Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . At a glance, the rubric categories may seem vague, but AP exam graders are actually looking for very particular things in each category. We’ll break it down with dos and don’ts for each rubric category:

Thesis (0-1 point)

There’s nothing nebulous when it comes to grading AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay thesis. You either have one or you don’t. Including a thesis gets you one point closer to a high score and leaving it out means you miss out on one crucial point. So, what makes a thesis that counts?

• Make sure your thesis argues something about the author’s rhetorical choices. Making an argument means taking a risk and offering your own interpretation of the provided text. This is an argument that someone else might disagree with.
• A good test to see if you have a thesis that makes an argument. In your head, add the phrase “I think that…” to the beginning of your thesis. If what follows doesn’t logically flow after that phrase (aka if what follows isn’t something you and only you think), it’s likely you’re not making an argument.
• Avoid a thesis that merely restates the prompt.
• Avoid a thesis that summarizes the text but does not make an argument.

Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)

This rubric category is graded on a scale of 0-4 where 4 is the highest grade. Per the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis rubric, to get a 4, you’ll want to:

• Include lots of specific evidence from the text. There is no set golden number of quotes to include, but you’ll want to make sure you’re incorporating more than a couple pieces of evidence that support your argument about the author’s rhetorical choices.
• Make sure you include more than one type of evidence, too. Let’s say you’re working on your essay and have gathered examples of alliteration to include as supporting evidence. That’s just one type of rhetorical choice, and it’s hard to make a credible argument if you’re only looking at one type of evidence. To fix that issue, reread the text again looking for patterns in word choice and syntax, meaningful figurative language and imagery, literary devices, and other rhetorical choices, looking for additional types of evidence to support your argument.
• After you include evidence, offer your own interpretation and explain how this evidence proves the point you make in your thesis.
• Don’t summarize or speak generally about the author and the text. Everything you write must be backed up with evidence.
• Don’t let quotes speak for themselves. After every piece of evidence you include, make sure to explain your interpretation. Also, connect the evidence to your overarching argument.

Sophistication (0-1 point)

In this case, sophistication isn’t about how many fancy vocabulary words or how many semicolons you use. According to College Board , one point can be awarded to AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essays that “demonstrate sophistication of thought and/or a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation” in any of these three ways:

• Explaining the significance or relevance of the writer’s rhetorical choices.
• Explaining the purpose or function of the passage’s complexities or tensions.
• Employing a style that is consistently vivid and persuasive.

Note that you don’t have to achieve all three to earn your sophistication point. A good way to think of this rubric category is to consider it a bonus point that you can earn for going above and beyond in depth of analysis or by writing an especially persuasive, clear, and well-structured essay. In order to earn this point, you’ll need to first do a good job with your thesis, evidence, and commentary.

• Focus on nailing an argumentative thesis and multiple types of evidence. Getting these fundamentals of your essay right will set you up for achieving depth of analysis.
• Explain how each piece of evidence connects to your thesis.
• Spend a minute outlining your essay before you begin to ensure your essay flows in a clear and cohesive way.
• Steer clear of generalizations about the author or text.
• Don’t include arguments you can’t prove with evidence from the text.
• Avoid complex sentences and fancy vocabulary words unless you use them often. Long, clunky sentences with imprecisely used words are hard to follow.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis: Sample Prompt

The sample prompt below is published online by College Board and is a real example from the 2021 AP Exam. The prompt provides background context, essay instructions, and the text you need to analyze. For sake of space, we’ve included the text as an image you can click to read. After the prompt, we provide a sample high scoring essay and then explain why this AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay example works.

Suggested time—40 minutes.

(This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)

On February 27, 2013, while in office, former president Barack Obama delivered the following address dedicating the Rosa Parks statue in the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol building. Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist who was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Obama makes to convey his message.

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer’s rhetorical choices.
• Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

In his speech delivered in 2013 at the dedication of Rosa Park’s statue, President Barack Obama acknowledges everything that Parks’ activism made possible in the United States. Telling the story of Parks’ life and achievements, Obama highlights the fact that Parks was a regular person whose actions accomplished enormous change during the civil rights era. Through the use of diction that portrays Parks as quiet and demure, long lists that emphasize the extent of her impacts, and Biblical references, Obama suggests that all of us are capable of achieving greater good, just as Parks did.

Although it might be a surprising way to start to his dedication, Obama begins his speech by telling us who Parks was not: “Rosa Parks held no elected office. She possessed no fortune” he explains in lines 1-2. Later, when he tells the story of the bus driver who threatened to have Parks arrested when she refused to get off the bus, he explains that Parks “simply replied, ‘You may do that’” (lines 22-23). Right away, he establishes that Parks was a regular person who did not hold a seat of power. Her protest on the bus was not part of a larger plan, it was a simple response. By emphasizing that Parks was not powerful, wealthy, or loud spoken, he implies that Parks’ style of activism is an everyday practice that all of us can aspire to.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example (Continued)

Even though Obama portrays Parks as a demure person whose protest came “simply” and naturally, he shows the importance of her activism through long lists of ripple effects. When Parks challenged her arrest, Obama explains, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood with her and “so did thousands of Montgomery, Alabama commuters” (lines 27-28). They began a boycott that included “teachers and laborers, clergy and domestics, through rain and cold and sweltering heat, day after day, week after week, month after month, walking miles if they had to…” (lines 28-31). In this section of the speech, Obama’s sentences grow longer and he uses lists to show that Parks’ small action impacted and inspired many others to fight for change. Further, listing out how many days, weeks, and months the boycott lasted shows how Parks’ single act of protest sparked a much longer push for change.

To further illustrate Parks’ impact, Obama incorporates Biblical references that emphasize the importance of “that single moment on the bus” (lines 57-58). In lines 33-35, Obama explains that Parks and the other protestors are “driven by a solemn determination to affirm their God-given dignity” and he also compares their victory to the fall the “ancient walls of Jericho” (line 43). By of including these Biblical references, Obama suggests that Parks’ action on the bus did more than correct personal or political wrongs; it also corrected moral and spiritual wrongs. Although Parks had no political power or fortune, she was able to restore a moral balance in our world.

Toward the end of the speech, Obama states that change happens “not mainly through the exploits of the famous and the powerful, but through the countless acts of often anonymous courage and kindness” (lines 78-81). Through carefully chosen diction that portrays her as a quiet, regular person and through lists and Biblical references that highlight the huge impacts of her action, Obama illustrates exactly this point. He wants us to see that, just like Parks, the small and meek can change the world for the better.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example: Why It Works

We would give the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay above a score of 6 out of 6 because it fully satisfies the essay’s 3 rubric categories: Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . Let’s break down what this student did:

The thesis of this essay appears in the last line of the first paragraph:

“ Through the use of diction that portrays Parks as quiet and demure, long lists that emphasize the extent of her impacts, and Biblical references, Obama suggests that all of us are capable of achieving greater good, just as Parks did .”

This student’s thesis works because they make a clear argument about Obama’s rhetorical choices. They 1) list the rhetorical choices that will be analyzed in the rest of the essay (the italicized text above) and 2) include an argument someone else might disagree with (the bolded text above).

Evidence and Commentary:

This student includes substantial evidence and commentary. Things they do right, per the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis rubric:

• They include lots of specific evidence from the text in the form of quotes.
• They incorporate 3 different types of evidence (diction, long lists, Biblical references).
• After including evidence, they offer an interpretation of what the evidence means and explain how the evidence contributes to their overarching argument (aka their thesis).

Sophistication

This essay achieves sophistication according to the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay rubric in a few key ways:

• This student provides an introduction that flows naturally into the topic their essay will discuss. Before they get to their thesis, they tell us that Obama portrays Parks as a “regular person” setting up their main argument: Obama wants all regular people to aspire to do good in the world just as Rosa Parks did.
• They organize evidence and commentary in a clear and cohesive way. Each body paragraph focuses on just one type of evidence.
• They explain how their evidence is significant. In the final sentence of each body paragraph, they draw a connection back to the overarching argument presented in the thesis.
• All their evidence supports the argument presented in their thesis. There is no extraneous evidence or misleading detail.
• They consider nuances in the text. Rather than taking the text at face value, they consider what Obama’s rhetorical choices imply and offer their own unique interpretation of those implications.
• In their final paragraph, they come full circle, reiterate their thesis, and explain what Obama’s rhetorical choices communicate to readers.
• Their sentences are clear and easy to read. There are no grammar errors or misused words.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay—More Resources

Looking for more tips to help your master your AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? Brush up on 20 Rhetorical Devices High School Students Should Know and read our Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension . If you’re ready to start studying for another part of the AP English Exam, find more expert tips in our How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis blog post.

Considering what other AP classes to take? Read up on the Hardest AP Classes .

• High School Success

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

• 2-Year Colleges
• ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

• Study Notes
• College Essays

AP English Notes

Sample essays.

• Rhetorical Terms
• Bonus Knowledge

Use these sample AP English essays to get ideas for your own AP essays. These essays are examples of good AP-level writing.

1. Sample Definition Essay - "Success"

Do you know someone rich and famous? Is he confident, popular, and joyful all of the time—the epitome of mainstream success? Or, on the other hand, is he stressed, having second thoughts about his life choices, and unsure about the meaning of his life? I am willing to be that it is the second one....

2. Sample Character Analysis Essay - "Hamlet"

What is mankind? Who am I? What is the meaning of life? These are multifaceted existential questions that ancient and modern philosophies have yet to adequately answer. Countless philosophers have spent their lifetimes in search of answers to these questions but died before finding a suitable answer...

3. Sample Thesis Statements

In , by Barbara Lazear Ascher, the protagonist reveals that a life of solitude need not always be lonely. Though the Box Man lives a life of solitude as a homeless wanderer, Ascher describes his “grand design” and “grandmotherly finger licking” to convince readers that their ...

4. Essay Tips: Style Analysis - Tone of Voice Words

When you are writing a for an AP English Language or AP English Literature prompt you need to make sure that you use to describe the . Here are 80 tone and attitude words to spruce up your essays.

1. angry 2. sarcastic 3. sweet 4. harsh 5. cheerful 6. ...

5. Sample Compare and Contrast Essay - "Lincoln/Douglass"

During the Civil War era there existed many factions seeking to dramatically change America. Remarkable speakers spread their ideas through oratory, thrilling their audiences through powerful speeches that appealed to both emotion and logic. Frederick Douglass, a black American, fought for black ...

6. Sample Literary Devices Essay - "Things Fall Apart"

In by Chinua Achebe, the reader is taken on a literary journey to a Nigerian tribe, the Umuofia, to experience first-hand the struggles of a warrior named Okonkwo. At first glance, the novel appears to be written for a very specific audience: scholars familiar with Nigerian history, traditions, and...

7. Sample Character Analysis Essay - "Dead Poet's Society"

The movie explores the concept of individualism in great depth. The numerous conflicts that the characters face throughout the movie demonstrate the fundamental principles of existentialism and transcendentalism. Neil Perry’s suicide, for instance, illustrates the disturbing existential consequen...

8. Sample Compare and Contrast Essay - "Langston Hughes"

Langston Hughes was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, the flowering of African-American literature and artistic forms in Manhattan during the 1920s. Not only did his writing promote African-American culture, but it sought to bring attention to the plight of the African-Americans sufferin...

9. Sample Informative Essay - "Great War"

The Great War, more commonly known as World War I, influences F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel in many important ways. The War directly causes Gatsby to lose his lover Daisy and is responsible for his Montenegro medal and significant “Oxford education”.

World War I forced many young American men to l...

10. Sample Literary Devices Essay - "American Scholar"

Literary devices like metaphor, simile, and repetition are used in literature to convey a special meaning to the reader. Often these devices are used to make an idea clearer, emphasize a point, or relate an insight to the reader. In his famous oration , Ralph Waldo Emerson uses literary devices to c...

11. Essay Tips: Syntax - What to Say About It

I would recommend that you discuss syntax AFTER you have discussed the basics, diction, tone, and imagery. Alternatively, you might discuss syntax IN RELATION TO the basics. For example, you might discuss how the final lines in "The Crossing" convey-the sense of wonder in almost poetic form as the s...

12. Sample Research Paper - "The Patriot Act"

Forty-five days after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act, also known as the “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism” Act, or more simply, the Patriot Act. The Patri...

13. Sample Author Analysis Essay - "Edgar Allan Poe"

The American Romantic period was essentially a Renaissance of American literature. “It was a Renaissance in the sense of a flowering, excitement over human possibilities, and a high regard for individual ego” (English). American romantics were influenced by the literary eras that came before them,...

14. Sample Cause and Effect Essay - "Great Gatsby"

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920s era novel , the character George Wilson shoots the protagonist Jay Gatsby dead. But who is to blame for this moral lapse in judgment? Obviously the person who pulled the trigger, right? But what about other shady characters like Tom and Daisy Buchanan who lied to Ge...

15. Sample Classification Essay - "Hamilton vs. Jefferson"

Two competing political philosophies have always existed throughout the United States’ relatively short history: one seeking to increase the power of the central government, and one seeking to decrease it. During the 1800s these two conflicting philosophies were acted out by the Federalist and th...

16. Essay Tips: 5 Ways to Improve Your Essay Scores

Preview unavailable, click to read

17. Violent Video Games are Not as Harmful as Parents Make Them Seem

The purpose of this report is to give the reader an understanding of the growing arguments of whether or not violent video games damage the mentality of children and lead teens to juvenile tendencies. This presentation will go into detail of how violent video games not only benefit children, but the...

18. Sample Letter to the Editor - "Animal Rights"

Dear Editor:

I would personally like to thank Jeremy Rifkin for his earth-shaking findings published in “A Change of Heart about Animals”. Without Rifkin’s article, I never would have realized that animals can experience pain, suffering, and affection (2). The global community is truly indebted t...

19. Morality: Fate Is Not In the Eye of the Beholder

We, as people, all have morals. Morals determine if what we’re doing is considered the best for us or for others. Judgment plays a huge role in morality since we are judged by our actions which then can develop into our character and in return dictate our fate. In Joseph Conrad’s , regarding Kurtz a...

Countdown to the AP Exam

Ap english sample essays.

• 1,071,515 views

AP English Language and Composition Writing Study Skills

Writing is central to the AP English courses and exams. Both courses have two goals: to provide you with opportunities to become skilled, mature, critical readers, and to help you to develop into practiced, logical, clear, and honest writers. In AP English, writing is taught as “process”—that is, thinking, planning, drafting the text, then reviewing, discussing, redrafting, editing, polishing, and finishing it. It’s also important that AP students learn to write “on call” or “on demand.” Learning to write critical or expository essays on call takes time and practice.

Here are some key guidelines to remember in learning to write a critical essay:

• Take time to organize your ideas.
• Make pertinent use of the text given to you to analyze.
• Quote judiciously from the text to support your observations.
• Be logical in your exposition of ideas.

If you acquire these skills—organizing ideas, marshalling evidence, being logical in analysis, and using the text judiciously—you should have little trouble writing your essays on the AP Exam. Practice in other kinds of writing—narrative, argument, exposition, and personal writing—all have their place alongside practice in writing on demand.

As you study and practice writing, consider the following points.

Reading directly influences writing skills and habits.

Reading and writing are intertwined. When you read what published authors have written you are immersed not just in their ideas, but in the pulsing of their sentences and the aptness of their diction. The more you read, the more that the rhythm of the English language will be available to influence your writing. Reading is not a substitute for writing, but it does help lay the foundation that makes good writing possible.

Writing is fun.

When you have penned what you think is a great sentence or a clean, logical paragraph, read it over to yourself out loud. Enjoy it. Delight in the ideas, savor the diction, and let the phrases and clauses roll around in your mind. Claim it as part of yourself. You may discover you have a voice worthy of respect.

A tip from E. M. Forster

He is reputed to have said that he never knew clearly what it was he thought until he spoke it; and once he had said it, he never knew clearly what it was that he said until he had written it down. Then, Forster noted, he could play with it and give it final form. Be like Forster: think, speak, write, analyze your writing, then give it final shape.

Write purposefully with rhetorical awareness.

When you write, fashion your text with awareness of key rhetorical elements. What is the message of your text? How do you intend to convey your message to your particular audience? Give shape to your thinking with language that enlightens your readers and lets you achieve your aims.

Pay close attention to the task verbs used in the free-response questions. Each one directs you to complete a specific type of response. Here are the task verbs you’ll see on the exam:

• Analyze: Examine methodically and in detail the structure of the topic of the question for purposes of interpretation and explanation.
• Argue your position: Formulate a claim and support it with evidence.
• Read: Look at or view printed directions and provided passages.
• Synthesize: Combine different perspectives from sources to form a support of a coherent position.
• Write: Produce a response in writing.

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

Every AP Literature Practice Test Available: Free and Official

Advanced Placement (AP)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 .

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.

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

• Featured Activities
• AP Activities
• Pre-AP Activities
• SpringBoard Activities
• ELA Standards

Official AP Writing Practice

Free AP® writing practice with comprehensive progress reports for you and immediate feedback for students that guides them towards mastery of sentence-level skills.

Sentence-Level Writing Practice

Identify which sentence-level skills your students need to practice with a skills survey. Then, assign activities recommended for each student based on their responses so they can practice and improve their proficiency with those skills.

AP Writing Skills Survey

Students complete a 17 item survey to gauge their understanding of key writing skills that are essential to successful AP- and SAT-level writing. After students complete the survey, Quill will automatically recommend up to seven activity packs for each student based on their needs. Each pack contains a series of activities that each take about 15 minutes to complete and provide scaffolded, sequenced practice with one of the skills covered by the survey.

Complex Sentences; relative clauses; appositive phrases; participial phrases; parallel structure; compound-complex sentences; advanced combining

ELL Writing Skills Surveys

If you have ELLs in your courses, you may want to consider assigning them an ELL Skills Surveys before assigning them a writing skills survey.

ELL Starter Skills Survey

ELL students complete a 22 item survey to gauge their mastery of foundational English grammar. This survey is most appropriate for students who are in the Entering or Emerging WIDA levels . After students complete the survey, Quill will automatically recommend up to five activity packs for each student based on their needs. Each pack contains a series of activities that each take about 15 minutes to complete and provide scaffolded, sequenced practice with one of the skills covered by the survey.

Simple verb conjugation; articles; simple subject-verb agreement; simple word order; singular and plural nouns; adjective placement

ELL Intermediate Skills Survey

ELL students complete a 23 item survey to gauge their mastery of English grammar. This survey is most appropriate for students who are in the Emerging or Developing WIDA levels . After students complete the survey, Quill will automatically recommend up to six activity packs for each student based on their needs. Each pack contains a series of activities that each take about 15 minutes to complete and provide scaffolded, sequenced practice with one of the skills covered by the survey.

Subject-verb agreement; singular possessive nouns; possessive pronouns; prepositions; future tense; articles; intermediate questions

ELL Advanced Skills Survey

ELL students complete a 23 item survey to gauge their mastery of English grammar, specifically in areas that are challenging for non-native English speakers. This survey is most appropriate for students who are in the Developing or Expanding WIDA levels . After students complete the survey, Quill will automatically recommend up to five activity packs for each student based on their needs. Each pack contains a series of activities that each take about 15 minutes to complete and provide scaffolded, sequenced practice with one of the skills covered by the survey.

Regular and irregular past tense; progressive tenses; phrasal verbs; choosing between prepositions; responding to questions; commonly confused words

Personalized Recommendations

After students complete the AP Writing Skills Survey, you'll receive recommendations for each student based on their responses and tailored to their individual needs. Each student will be recommended up to 45 sentence combining activities, grouped by concept into seven packs, that provide meaningful, targeted practice. You can assign all the activities with one click, or you can pick and choose.

Writing with Targeted Feedback

Students receive immediate feedback that guides them through the revision process, pushing them to think critically about their writing and make revisions that ultimately lead to strong, sophisticated, and grammatically accurate sentences. The feedback inspires students to strengthen their sentence structure, but also supports them in editing for mechanics such as punctuation and spelling.

Data Reports

You can monitor the progress of your students and continue to identify areas of need and areas of strength through multiple data reports. Use the analysis report to review your students' work sentence-by-sentence, or use the summary report to get a high-level sense of where your students could use some extra support.

Quill and College Board have partnered to provide students with meaningful practice of their sentence-level writing skills.

Message from College Board

Teaching writing is hard. Even harder can be attempting to pinpoint exactly when we learned how and why to write clearly. That's why the College Board has worked with Quill.org to ensure that this new, free, comprehensive offering helps students practice targeted sentence construction skills in their writing. Sustained practice and exposure to targeted skills is important to improvement and comfort.

Teaching writing may always be hard, but student practice in meaningful skills can make the learning that much clearer. Through this practice, students can begin to own the how and why of their writing.

Questions and Answers

Quill is a writing tool that provides over 700 writing, grammar, and proofreading activities designed to engage students in the writing process. Quill provides practice in many areas of sentence writing, from comma placement and subject-verb agreement to the use of conjunctions to convey complex relationships between ideas. In the Quill Connect tool, students practice writing different types of sentences using the evidence-based strategy of sentence combining. Students receive specific, targeted feedback on their writing that they can use to revise their work. Through these activities, students practice writing a variety of sophisticated sentences and practice conveying complex ideas in clear, succinct, and grammatically strong ways. Most activities are designed to be completed in 10-15 minutes so that you have the freedom to use them in the way that works best for your classroom.

The AP Writing Skills Survey is a survey with 17 questions on a range of writing skills. The questions ask students to combine sentences, sometimes with a direction to use a specific strategy, and sometimes without any direction (other than to combine).

Students in any AP course can benefit from the practice recommended by Quill's AP Writing Skills Survey, but the practice is probably of greatest interest to teachers of AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition.

Quill's writing skills surveys can be used in lieu of Quill's general diagnostics. For example, an AP teacher would likely assign the AP Writing Skills Survey in lieu of the Advanced Diagnostic. Keep in mind, however, that teachers may want ELL students in AP courses to begin with one of the ELL Diagnostics instead of a writing skills survey. This article explains the differences between Quill's various diagnostics and surveys in more depth.

The Survey contains 17 questions and is designed to take about 30 minutes for students to complete.

After you have assigned the Survey and your students have completed it, Quill will show you how your students performed and provide recommendations of personalized practice activities you can digitally assign to students who need further skill development. This article explains how to find and assign those recommendations.

Depending on their performance, students will be recommended some or all of the following AP Writing Practice packs. The packs provide practice through Quill Connect , Quill's sentence combining tool . With the exception of the AP Writing - Advanced Sentence Combining pack , the activities in each pack are scaffolded to build in complexity. Here are descriptions of the packs:

AP Writing Practice - Complex Sentences

Students practice constructing complex sentences using subordinating conjunctions, such as even though, after, while, and because. Students also practice identifying time order, opposition, and cause/effect relationships.

AP Writing Practice - Relative Clauses

Students begin by using a provided relative pronoun, then progress to choosing between who, that, or which.

AP Writing Practice - Appositive Phrases

Students practice describing nouns using appositive phrases at the beginning, middle, and end of sentences.

AP Writing Practice - Participial Phrases

Students practice constructing sentences with -ing and -ed participial phrases at the beginning, middle, or end.

AP Writing Practice - Parallel Structure

Students practice constructing sentences in parallel structure with correlative conjunctions like either/or, neither/nor, and both/and, and with subordinating conjunctions like although, because, and when. Students also practice constructing sentences with parallel clauses.

AP Writing Practice - Compound-Complex Sentences

Students practice constructing compound sentences with and, or, but, and so. Students also practice constructing complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions such as even though, after, while, and because. Finally, students practice constructing compound-complex sentences with coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. Students also practice identifying time order, opposition, and cause/effect relationships.

AP Writing Practice - Advanced Combining

Students apply their knowledge of multiple sentence structures to combine the sentences in the strongest way possible. Students practice constructing compound and complex sentences, using modifying phrases and clauses, and combining predicates.

Yes! From anywhere and at any time! Again though, please note that recommendations of the AP Writing Packs are generated after students complete the AP Writing Skills Survey. Please also note that students' performance on the AP Writing Practice packs will only be recorded if they are assigned to them by their teacher.

Each AP recommended pack* contains between 4 and 7 activities, each of which are designed to take between 10 and 15 minutes each.

*Please note that the activities in the AP Writing - Advanced Combining pack are different as they are all uncued, meaning the feedback does not direct students to combine in a particular way. These are great for students who are ready to apply the strategies covered in the survey without suggestions or direction.

The focus in most of these activities is to build the target skill of the pack (appositives, relative clauses, etc.), so the vocabulary and reading level are intentionally designed to be accessible by all students.

Teacher Tip: You can preview and play through any pack and its activities to get a sense of whether it's appropriate for your students.

Yes! In each recommended practice activity, Quill provides students with immediate feedback on their writing that they can use to revise their responses up to 5 times. Through these rounds of feedback and revision, students improve the clarity and precision of their writing.

Quill has a variety of reports to help you track your students' performance and progress. In the Activity Summary report , you can quickly see which activities your students have completed, along with color-coded icons indicating their proficiency with each activity. Quill has several other reports as well. This Cheat Sheet shows you which report to go to for particular information, and this video will walk you through interpreting and utilizing three of Quill's student data reports.

You can assign all the recommended packs in one click, or you can pick and choose, revisiting the recommendations report to assign more packs as needed.

As Quill was designed to be a supplementary tool with each activity taking approximately 10-15 minutes, students are ideally completing an activity at least 1-2 times per week (at most completing one activity per day). Since each AP recommended pack contains between 4 and 7 activities, teachers generally expect a recommended pack to be completed in 1-2 weeks. Of course, students may need more or less time depending on the amount of activities in the pack, their level of difficulty, and students' level of proficiency.

This article explains how you can use deadlines to help students pace themselves.

The activities in the AP Writing Practice packs are curated from existing Quill activities. While your students may encounter an activity they have already completed, the AP Writing Practice packs have been customized to target the skills students need to write successfully at the AP level. Given the quantity and variety of activities available on Quill, chances are that the AP Writing Practice packs will include plenty of new activities, even for students who have been using Quill for a while.

Yes! Quill offers 5 different tools with more than 700 writing, grammar, and proofreading activities designed to engage students in the writing process. This article will show you how to explore and assign Quill's featured activity packs, and this article will show you how to create a custom activity pack.

It is recommended that you and your students create free accounts on Quill.org. Creating an account will give you access to the Survey and its recommended practice. Creating an account also allows you to track your students' progress and view data reports. You can create an account by visiting the Quill sign-up page .

If you do not want to create an account, you or your students can complete the Survey here . However, please note that if you do not create an account, your students' performance on the Survey will not be saved or shared with you, and you will not have access to the recommended skills practice. You will also not be able to track student progress or view data reports.

We are here for you! The following resources are available:

Quill Instructional Coach: You can reach out to us at [email protected] . Be sure to mention the course(s) you teach.

Teacher Center: The place to go for all things best practice and implementation!

Support: Having a technical issue? Email [email protected] or use the chat in the lower right corner of Quill to connect with a member of the Quill support team.

AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board.

• Teacher Opportunities
• AP U.S. Government Key Terms
• Bureaucracy & Regulation
• Campaigns & Elections
• Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
• Comparative Government
• Constitutional Foundation
• Criminal Law & Justice
• Economics & Financial Literacy
• English & Literature
• Environmental Policy & Land Use
• Executive Branch
• Federalism and State Issues
• Foreign Policy
• Gun Rights & Firearm Legislation
• Immigration
• Interest Groups & Lobbying
• Judicial Branch
• Legislative Branch
• Political Parties
• Science & Technology
• Social Services
• State History
• Supreme Court Cases
• U.S. History
• World History

Log-in to bookmark & organize content - it's free!

• Bell Ringers
• Lesson Plans
• Featured Resources

Lesson Plan: AP Government: Argumentative Essay Practice

The Federalist Papers

Boston College professor Mary Sarah Bilder gives a brief overview backgrounding the Federalist Papers

Description

This is intended as an end-of-course review activity for practice with the argumentative essay format included on the AP United States Government and Politics exam since the 2018 redesign. Eleven practice prompts are provided, reflecting content from Units 1-3.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY PROMPT ANALYSIS

• Review the provided Argumentative Essay Prompts in either an individual or jigsaw format.
• Write a thesis statement for your selected prompt(s) and identify the selection you would make from the provided list and the second piece of evidence you would choose.
• If there are prompts for which you struggle to develop a thesis, or items on the bulleted lists with which you are not conversant, use the hyperlinked C-SPAN Classroom resources to extend your understanding of the required founding documents and SCOTUS cases that you found challenging.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

• Chose one or more of the provided Argumentative Essay Prompts , as assigned, and use the planning and exploration you did above to write a full essay in response to your designated prompt(s) in 25 or fewer minutes , since that's the time limit you'll face on the AP Exam!
• Exchange essays with a classmate and evaluate each others' work.
• 1st Amendment
• Branches Of Government
• Constitution
• House Of Representatives
• Separation Of Powers
• Supreme Court

AP English Literature & Composition

Ap english literature.

Use the menu above to get started with the best AP English Literature practice exams, free response questions, vocabulary quizzes, and study guides. There are some amazing free online resources available for your test prep and review.

AP English Literature & Composition Exam

The AP English Literature and Composition course focuses on both the reading of literature and writing about it. The reading assignments cover a variety of genres and time periods and students should engage in the critical analysis of each text. The writing focuses on the experience, evaluation, and interpretation of the literature.

The AP English Literature Exam format is:

Multiple-Choice Section -60 minutes -45% of final grade -55 multiple choice questions

Free-Response Section -120 minutes -55% of final grade -3 essay questions:

• Literary analysis of a given poem
• Literary analysis of a given passage of prose fiction
• Literary analysis that examines a specific concept, issue, or element in a literary work that you select

When is the AP English Literature Exam?

The AP English Literature and Composition Exam date for the 2022–2023 school year is Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 8 a.m . The test is only offered once per year.

AP English Literature | Practice Exams | Free Response | Vocab |  Study Guides

Study Smarter for AP® English Literature and Composition

Everything you need to raise your gpa, ace the ap lit exam,  and get a head start on college., score a 5 & improve your gpa.

Getting the grade you want in your AP English Literature and Composition class and earning a high score on the AP Literature exam is important to you -- especially if you want to differentiate yourself from other college applicants and earn college credit. But . . .

It’s tough juggling AP classes and all of your other responsibilities. Not everyone can afford expensive tutors to help them get ahead. And, sometimes, the AP courses you want to take may not even be available to you. That’s why we’re here to help you master your classes and exams -- on your schedule, at your pace, and at an affordable price.

Everything You Need To Succeed

400+ Exam-Like Questions

• Realistic questions mimic the style and difficulty of the AP English Literature exam
• Organized in the same way as the AP Lit course, so you learn as you go, all year long
• Prepares you to excel on quizzes, unit tests, and the AP exam

Exceptional Content

• Answer explanations teach you the content you need to master topics
• Detailed rationales for incorrect answer choices clear up misconceptions
• Vivid illustrations bring concepts to life, aiding in visual learning and long-term retention

Customizable Study Tools

• Flashcards improve retention with customized spaced repetition
• The My Notebook feature allows you to take notes to increase understanding of critical concepts
• Built-in definitions, vocabulary assistance, and tips help build understanding
• Performance Tracking
• Measure your mastery of topics so you know where you stand
• Target areas to improve and review so you save time and energy
• Compare your answers and results to other students

Why Choose Us?

Raise your gpa.

Use our content to practice, review, and prepare for quizzes and unit tests so you earn top grades. Since AP courses may be weighted, you can boost your GPA.

Earn College Credit

Our questions and explanations prepare you for 4s and 5s on the AP Lit exam. And great AP scores can mean college credit -- leading to less time and money spent in college.

Learn From the Best

Our content is created by former AP English Literature teachers and experts, aligns with your AP Lit coursework, and mimics the AP exam -- ensuring you do your best.

Master the Material

We provide detailed explanations for both correct and incorrect answer choices so you master college-level material and retain the information.

Choose Your Subscription

Purchase three or more QBanks and receive 20% off your order. Click here to see all available courses.

• 400+ Practice Questions

AP English Literature

30-Day Renewal

• 30-Day Access Extension

90-Day Renewal

• 90-Day Access Extension

360-Day Renewal

• 360-Day Access Extension

QBank     |     Renewals

Questions about subscriptions/renewals? Click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

There are several tips for making sure you do well on the free-response questions on the AP Lit exam. First, make sure you understand both the text you are writing about and the writing prompt. Second, make a plan by outlining what you want to write. Third, write a strong introduction and well-organized paragraphs to make your points clear. Last, reference the text with quotations and use your range of vocabulary for clarity. Make sure you get practice writing essays to become familiar with the types of questions you will be asked.

Related Articles

How Important Are AP® Scores for Test-Blind College Admissions?

With more institutions of higher learning becoming test-blind colleges, many students wonder if AP scores are important when applying to these schools.

AP®, Dual Enrollment, IB®: What’s the Difference?

What are the differences and which classes are best among AP®, Dual Enrollment, IB? At UWorld prepare for AP Classes, Dual Enrollment Classes, and IB Classes

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your AP® Class?

Colleges are looking for students who are passionate and motivated to succeed. Your AP class is a great place to begin showing them.

Need Help Preparing for the SAT® or ACT® Exam?

We have everything you need to get your dream score on test day.

• Study on your own schedule at an affordable price
• Thousands of practice questions that mimic the real test
• Answer explanations that help you learn and retain information
• Full-length practice tests, score predictors, and ongoing progress monitoring
• Plus, it’s all online and at your fingertips on any device

Try now! Get started today with a Free Trial.

For educators.

From individual tutors to school districts, we offer bulk pricing on our suite of college readiness solutions. We’ll work with you to customize a package to fit your needs. 

Want to Dominate Your AP Exams?

When does a new purchase begin.

New Purchase : All new subscriptions go into effect from the time they are activated and not at the time of setup/purchase. A subscription can be activated immediately or any time thereafter. If your initial purchase consists of multiple courses (Qbank, Self-Assessment exam, CCS, etc.), each can be activated individually and independently via your account on our website. This process of activating a subscription after purchase allows you the flexibility to start a subscription when you are truly ready to use it.

We recommend that all subscriptions be activated within 180 days of setup/purchase. Once a subscription is activated, it cannot be paused or suspended for any reason and will run continuously for the duration of the course material.

Renewal : A renewal is an extension of time to continue access to a current activated subscription. Because a renewal is an extension to an already active subscription, it is effective from the existing expiration date, not from the day of purchase and  cannot be deferred to start at a later date/time .

How do I purchase a subscription from the website?

• Log in to your UWorld account
• Click on the Cart icon at the top of the page and then select your desired product to see a list of available packages and their prices
• Select the package you wish to purchase
• Verify your profile information, address, and educational status, then click the Update button
• Enter your Billing address and credit/debit card information, then click Review Order
• Verify that the correct product is in your cart and click Place Order
• A purchase receipt will automatically be sent to your registered email address

If you complete your purchase but do not receive a receipt, please contact the Customer Care Team at [email protected]

What forms of payment do you accept?

You can subscribe to any of our online courses/services using a credit or debit card with a Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express logo. After a successful payment, your subscription will immediately be available for activation via your account on our website or available complementary mobile applications.

You can also subscribe via personal check, money order, or demand drafts taken in U.S. dollars. These types of payments should be mailed to us and should include the name of the subscription and the duration, along with the details asked for in the registration form. We will set up your account as soon as we receive your payment and notify you via email of your access credentials. All direct-mail payments must be in U.S. dollars and made payable to:

UWorld, LLC 9111 Cypress Waters Blvd Suite 300 Dallas, TX 75019

We do not accept cash via mail, currencies other than U.S. dollars or payments via fax.

Individuals purchasing our CPA Review product may finance their purchase using Affirm during checkout process. Your eligibility depends on your credit score and other criteria, as per Affirm’s policies ( outlined here ). A soft credit check, a credit check that does not affect your credit score, will be performed by Affirm to determine your loan eligibility. You will need a US based bank account to qualify.

What is your refund policy?

All refunds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis for products purchased directly from UWorld. One case has no bearing on another. Refund amounts determined by UWorld are final.

In-App Purchases : We are unable to process any refunds for purchases made via mobile application (in-app). Please contact Apple for all refund/credit requests for Apple in-app purchases.

USMLE Step 2 CS, Step 3 CCS, Subject Reviews & Self-Assessment Exams : These subscriptions are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be converted into another subscription.

CPA Review : Students may request to cancel their CPA review product only within 10-days of activation of any of the materials. To qualify for a refund, no more than 10% of the course (lectures, Qbank, or a combination there-of) may have been used per exam section. All CPA Review refunds are subject to a cancellation fee of $75 (for single section purchases) or $250 (for package purchases), plus any applicable shipping charges. No return of merchandise is necessary.

All other Qbanks : Refunds are considered for subscriptions of more than 30 days. Refund amounts are based on the number of days elapsed since the subscription start date or the number of questions used, whichever amounts to a higher deductible.

Example scenarion : An individual purchases a 180-day Qbank subscription and generates a few test blocks equal to 20% of the questions in the Qbank. After 45 days, he/she requests a refund. Because the elapsed duration is greater than the percentage of questions used, the refund amount will be based on a subscription converted to the closest duration (60 days) by deducting the applicable 60-day subscription fee from the refund. In the same scenario, if the individual had used 85% of the questions, the refund would be 15% of the subscription fee paid.

Note 1 : A processing fee of 10% (minimum of $10 and maximum of $25) will be applied to all refund amounts.

Note 2 : All refunds, pro-rated or otherwise, must be requested within 360 days of original purchase. Refunds for purchases made more than 360 days ago will be issued as non-refundable, non-transferable store credit.

Note 3 : Subscribers must notify UWorld of their intent to obtain a refund before activating their subscription (or) during the active duration. If the reset option is used or all of the questions are used, no refund will be allowed (see “I want to reset/delete my Qbank test history (or) start all over again, is this possible?” below for further details). No refunds will be offered for expired subscriptions.

Note 4 : For combination package purchases, individual subscription fees will be applied when calculating the refund. If any self-assessment Exam(s) is utilized from a package, the entire purchase is rendered non-refundable.

Note 5 : Although access to Qbanks via certain mobile devices is provided as an additional feature, it is not intended to be a replacement for computer access, and no refunds or cancellations will be honored due to user inability to install and/or use the provided software on any mobile device (regardless of whether the device meets the minimum system requirements).

How can I renew/extend my subscription?

Please use the following steps to purchase a renewal for your subscription:

• Log in to your account on our website
• Click on the User Icon in the top right corner of the screen
• Click on the Renew button corresponding to your subscription
• Select the Renewal duration you wish to purchase
• Verify that the correct package is in your cart and click Place Order

Upon a successful transaction, you will be sent a confirmation email receipt.

A renewal is an extension of time to continue accessing an active subscription, and it will not start the subscription over, provide a reset, or grant access to additional questions that were not previously accessible. Because a renewal is an extension to an already active subscription, it is effective from the existing expiration date, not from the date of purchase, and cannot be deferred in any way to start at a later date/time.

Please note that to qualify for renewal pricing, you will need to renew the course before it expires . Renewals are not offered to expired subscriptions. If you fail to secure a renewal before the expiration date, you will need to purchase a new subscription at the regular price directly from our website to regain access to the material.

Note : All times and dates displayed for subscription expiration correspond with the Eastern Time Zone (GMT/UTC -5 hours or New York Time), which may be different than your local time zone.

Note : If your initial purchase was a combination package, you will need to renew each active subscription individually. You do not need to renew a course that has not been activated.

Can I upgrade or downgrade my subscription purchase?

You may request to upgrade or downgrade your subscription purchase as long as it has not been activated. If you purchase a combination package, all included subscriptions must be unused. Please be advised that current subscription pricing will apply.

If your subscription has been activated, unfortunately, we cannot upgrade it retroactively. If seeking to downgrade, please refer to our refund policy for available options.

Do you offer a shorter duration or custom packages?

We do not offer custom duration(s) or combination packages other than those outlined on the website. Please refer to our purchase page for currently available subscriptions (including discounted combination packages for some products).

Self-Assessment exam subscriptions are for 14 days each . Subscribers whose active subscription(s) have not expired can purchase renewals from 7 days or more at any time before their active subscription expires. Please refer to the respective course description page for renewal options.

Can I get a guest account or a free trial?

Can i purchase a subscription as a gift.

It is possible to purchase a subscription as a gift for someone else. However, the intended recipient will need to register an account on our website (or have an account registered for them, with their profile information entered accurately). If the user is present at the time of purchase, the purchase can be made from their account on our website using any credit or debit card with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover logo.

If the user is not present, or you wish for the gift to be a surprise, please contact Support directly using the contact form to arrange payment for the gift subscription. You will need to provide the user’s registered email address so the account can be located.

Renewal Instructions

•   Please purchase a renewal using the "Renew" option from the My Account page
•   To qualify for renewal pricing, course must be renewed before it expires
•   All renewals are effective from the current expiration date and cannot be deferred
•   Test information cannot be reset (deleted) with renewal unless eligibility criteria is met (see Help page)

We use cookies to learn how you use our website and to ensure that you have the best possible experience. By continuing to use our website, you are accepting the use of cookies. Learn More

How to Prep for APUSH Essays

Preparation is key to writing a quality APUSH essay. Knowing what and how to write are both skills that you can improve and cultivate through practice. Use the following suggestions to help you prep for your upcoming APUSH essays.

APUSH essays: long essay, short answer or DBQ?

APUSH exams actually contain three different types of essays: long essay, short answer and Data-Based Question (DBQ) . Each asks you to analyze and synthesize historical data, but vary in response format and content. Visit AP College Board to take a closer look at individual APUSH essay requirements.

Short Answer Response: 3 questions, 40 minute response time

Technically, short answer is not an essay at all, but rather a paragraph (or two) that concisely explain your ideas on a topic or prompt. Even though you are not writing a full-length essay for this section, keep in mind that your response still needs to read coherently and maintain focus – just like a standard writing. Short answer responses require three individual answers (parts A, B, C), each worth one point.

Data-based Question Essay: 1 question, 60 minutes response time

The DBQ essay focuses on topics exclusively from periods 3-8. In this section, you are given a series of historical documents that you must cite as evidence throughout your essay. Documents come in various forms: written materials, illustrations, graphs, charts or pictures.

A successful DBQ answer demonstrates the relationship between the provided document and a historical time period or theme. Cite the documents as evidence as well as use them to formulate an argument or express an opinion in order to maximize your DBQ score.

Long Essay: 1 question, 40 minutes response time

An update for the 2017-18, you can now choose from a selection of three essay topics: periods 1-3, 4-6 or 7-9. Each APUSH essay option focuses on the same themes and writing requirements, so choose the time period that best fits your skill set.

The long essay section is exactly what you expect from a typical essay: topic sentence, body paragraphs that cite historical evidence, strong closing. Add more paragraphs as necessary, but never write less than 5. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the depth of your APUSH knowledge, as well as your ability to make connections between historical time periods and content.

How to prepare an APUSH essay format

Regardless of format, APUSH essay responses that fully answer the question prompt and cite evidence tend to score the best. However, if essay-writing is not one of your current strengths, there are some tips you can follow to make writing in an APUSH essay format much easier.

1. Read the question prompt.

All the way through. At least twice. You may see the term “AP” in this section. In this case, “AP” does not stand for “Advance Placement”, but rather “address prompt”.

What is this prompt actually asking you to write? How are they asking you to write your response? Look for keywords such as compare/contrast, analyze or evaluate. These words are good indicators into which direction your APUSH essay should head.

There may be several, especially if you are being asked to state an opinion or formulate an argument. Note any commonalities between the documents. Do they share similar themes? Are they written by the same author? Do they represent ideals or events of a certain time period?

In order to best recall main events of a historical time period, AP College Board recommends using the acronym PERSIA. Essays that include the Political, Economic, Religious, Social, Intellectual and Artistic aspects of a certain time period show an overall understanding of historical context.

For short answer or DBQ essays, this may not be necessary, so use your best judgement. However, we recommend using a quick outline to help focus your thinking before writing your long essay. Taking a few minutes to organize your thoughts by jotting down notes or ideas that will help frame your thinking and make writing a structured essay much easier.

Practice makes perfect

Writing a quality essay is a skill. Like any skill, the more you practice, the better you get. Over the course of your APUSH study sessions, aim to write a total of 3-4 essays per section. If writing essays proves to be difficult, consider writing more often in order to hone your skills.

Even though it may seem daunting, also remember to practice your writing during timed sessions . Timing your writing helps you become aware of areas you may need to work on. It also forces you to focus your efforts into completing the prompt in its entirety each time you write. This is a great way to assess different areas of your writing process, so that you can make adjustments accordingly.

Beth is an educator and freelance creative designer who devises innovative and fun-loving solutions for clients. She works with families, students, teachers and small businesses to create and implement programs, campaigns and experiences that help support and maximize efforts to grow communities who critically think, engage and continue to learn.

View all posts

More from Magoosh

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AP® English Literature

How to approach ap® english literature free-response questions.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: February 28, 2023

What We Review

What is the Format of AP® English Literature?

What content is covered in the free-response section of ap® english literature.

Return to the Table of Contents

How to Prepare for AP® English Literature Free-Response

Practice Makes Perfect

Focus on critical reading, utilize your syllabus, take notes as you read, carefully consider principal ideas, explore the context, read out loud, reread when necessary, consult your dictionary, thesaurus or encyclopedia, write, review, and rewrite regularly, how to answer ap® english literature free-response questions.

Understand the Subject Matter

Outline your essay, write clearly and eloquently, what are ap® english literature free-response questions like.

How Can I practice AP® English Literature Free-Response?

Looking for ap® english literature practice, interested in a school license​, 2 thoughts on “how to approach ap® english literature free-response questions”.

Are you expected to have read the actual work previously for free response question #1 and #2? (For instance, would the test writers expect you have read Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) for 2016 essay?)

Can you still pull out score 5, even if you haven’t read the work before and write your response solely based on the given passage?

Hi Jen, you would not have had to have read the passage before. You’d be expected to be able to interpret from the passage provided — this is how they assess you on your analysis skills.

Comments are closed.

Popular Posts

AP® Score Calculators

Simulate how different MCQ and FRQ scores translate into AP® scores

AP® Review Guides

The ultimate review guides for AP® subjects to help you plan and structure your prep.

Core Subject Review Guides

Review the most important topics in Physics and Algebra 1 .

SAT® Score Calculator

See how scores on each section impacts your overall SAT® score

ACT® Score Calculator

See how scores on each section impacts your overall ACT® score

Grammar Review Hub

Comprehensive review of grammar skills

AP® Posters

Download updated posters summarizing the main topics and structure for each AP® exam.