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About the Exam
The AP English Language 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.
Exam Date
Exam Components
Section 1: Multiple Choice
45 questions 45% of Score
Excerpts from nonfiction texts are accompanied by several multiple-choice questions:
- 23–25 Reading questions: You’ll be asked to read and analyze nonfiction texts.
- 20–22 Writing questions: You’ll be asked to read like a writer and consider revisions to the text.
Section 2: Free Response
3 questions 55% of Score
The 2 hour and 15 minute time limit for this section includes a 15-minute reading period.
In the free-response section, you’ll respond to three questions with written answers. This section tests your skill in composition in three areas:
- Synthesis: After reading 6–7 texts about a topic (including visual and quantitative sources), you will compose an argument that combines and cites at least 3 of the sources to support your thesis.
- Rhetorical analysis: You will read a nonfiction text and analyze how the writer’s language choices contribute to the intended meaning and purpose of the text.
- Argument: You will create an evidence-based argument that responds to a given topic.
Exam Essentials
Exam Preparation
Credit and Placement
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