Important Updates
2021 Exam Information
AP English Language and Composition Exams will be offered on paper in early May and as a digital exam in late May and early June.
The paper and the digital versions of the AP English Language and Composition Exam will be full length, containing the typical multiple-choice and free-response sections and covering the full scope of course content, giving students the opportunity to qualify for college credit and placement.
There are differences between the paper and digital versions of some 2021 AP Exams, and those variations differ by course. The information below applies to AP English Language and Composition only. View a summary of all 2021 AP Exam formats.
Learn more about 2021 testing.
AP Daily and AP Classroom
Short, searchable AP Daily videos can be assigned alongside topic questions to help you cover all course content, skills, and task models, and check student understanding. Unlock personal progress checks so students can demonstrate their knowledge and skills unit by unit and use the progress dashboard to highlight progress and additional areas for support. As the exam approaches, assign AP practice exams in the AP Classroom question bank and encourage students to take advantage of AP Daily: Live Review sessions April 19–29.
Exam Overview
Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the AP English Language and Composition Course and Exam Description (CED).
Encourage your students to visit the AP English Language and Composition student page for exam information.
Exam Dates
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- WED, MAY 12, 2021, 8 AM LOCAL
AP English Language and Composition Exam—Administration 1
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- WED, May 26, 2021, 12 PM EDT
AP English Language and Composition Exam—Administration 2
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- MON, Jun 7, 2021, 12 PM EDT
AP English Language and Composition Exam—Administration 3
Exam Format
The AP English Language and Composition Exam has question types and point values that stay consistent from year to year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day.
Note on 2021 exams: Both the paper and digital versions of the AP English Language and Composition Exam will be full length, containing the typical multiple-choice and free-response sections, and cover the full range of skills and knowledge specified in the course and exam description.
There are differences between the paper and digital versions of some 2021 AP Exams, and those variations differ by course. The information below applies to AP English Language and Composition only. View a summary of all 2021 AP Exam formats.
Section I: Multiple Choice
45 Questions | 1 hour | 45% of Exam Score
- Includes 5 sets of questions:
- 23–25 Reading questions that ask students to read and analyze nonfiction texts.
- 20–22 Writing questions that ask students to “read like a writer” and consider revisions to stimulus texts.
Section II: Free Response
3 Questions | 2 hours 15 minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period) | 55% of Exam Score
- Students write essays that respond to 3 free-response prompts from the following categories:
- Synthesis Question: After reading 6–7 texts about a topic (including visual and quantitative sources), students will compose an argument that combines and cites at least 3 of the sources to support their thesis.
- Rhetorical Analysis: Students will read a nonfiction text and analyze how the writer’s language choices contribute to the intended meaning and purpose of the text.
- Argument: Students will create an evidence-based argument that responds to a given topic.
Exam Questions and Scoring Information
2020 (Last Year’s) Free-Response Questions
Last year’s free-response questions are available in the AP Classroom question bank for teachers to assign to students as homework or in class, and do not require secure assessment using the LockDown Browser. Since the 2020 exams had to be designed for highly unusual circumstances, these questions were updated, where possible, to best match the format of free-response questions in the course and exam description and on traditional AP Exams.
Sign in to AP Classroom to access resources including personal progress checks and a question bank with topic questions and practice exams aligned to the current course and exam.
To preserve the large number of new FRQs for teacher use, only teachers have access to the 2020 FRQs. If you are a higher education faculty member interested in seeing questions, please fill out this request form.
Student Samples and Scoring Commentaries from the 2020 Exam
A selection of prompts, student responses, and scoring information from the 2020 exam is available below. These resources align with the new rubric. You can find all of the 2020 FRQs and corresponding scoring information in AP Classroom.
| Prompts and Samples | Scoring Commentaries | Scoring Information |
|---|---|---|
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Prompt for Sample Packet 1 – Johnson |
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| Prompt for Sample Packet 2 – Kennedy Sample Packet 2 – Kennedy |
Scoring Commentaries Packet 2 – Kennedy | |
| Prompt for Sample Packet 3 – Obama Sample Packet 3 – Obama |
Scoring Commentaries Packet 3 – Obama | |
| Scoring Distributions | ||
Additional Samples and Scoring Information for 2020-21
The free-response sample packets below contain actual student responses from the 2018 and 2019 exams, re-scored using the rubrics that were meant to take effect with the May 2020 exams. Scoring commentaries and specific scoring guidelines that explain how the rubrics were applied are also provided below.
*Important: These documents may refer to the “2020 exam” or the “2020 rubric” since they were released before the coronavirus crisis caused a temporary shift to a shortened, online format for May 2020. The first full exam administered with these rubrics will be in May 2021.
| Samples | Commentaries | Scoring Guidelines | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Questions originally from the 2018 exam |
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Questions originally from the 2019 exam |