AP English Literature and Composition

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AP English Literature and Composition

About the Exam

The AP English Literature and Composition Exam will test your understanding of the literary concepts covered in the course units, as well as your ability to analyze texts and develop written arguments based on your interpretations.

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 Date

AP English Literature and Composition Exam

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

Exam Components

Section 1: Multiple Choice

55 questions 45% of Score

• There are 5 sets of questions made up of 8–13 questions each.
• Questions include excerpts from prose fiction, drama, or poetry. Each excerpt is accompanied by several multiple-choice questions.
• There will be at least 2 prose fiction passages (this may include drama) and at least 2 poetry passages.

Section 2: Free Response

3 questions 55% of Score

In the free-response section, you’ll respond to three questions from the following categories with written answers:

• Poetry analysis: You will read a passage of poetry and respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a poetic interpretation backed up by evidence.
• Prose fiction analysis: You will read a passage of prose fiction (this may include drama) and respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a literary interpretation backed up by evidence.
• Literary argument: You will be presented with a literary concept or idea and analyze how the literary concept or idea contributes to an interpretation of a literary work. You can choose one from a list of roughly 40 works provided to you or cite another work of prose fiction or drama from your own reading to create an evidence-based argument that responds to the given topic. In responding to Question 3, 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 you have read in your AP class(es).

Exam Essentials

Exam Preparation

AP Classroom Resources

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Free-Response Questions and Scoring Information

Go to AP Central to review AP English Literature and Composition free-response questions and scoring information from past exams.

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.

Services for Students with Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities may be eligible for accommodations for the through-course assessment and the end-of-course exam. If you’re using assistive technology and need help accessing the PDFs in this section in another format, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 212-713-8333 or by email at [email protected]. For information about taking AP Exams, or other College Board assessments, with accommodations, visit the Services for Students with Disabilities website.