AP English Language and Composition

Advanced Placement course and exam

Not to be confused with AP English Literature and Composition.

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Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition, (also known as AP English Language, APENG, AP Lang, ELAP, AP English III, or APEL) colloquially known as Lang, is an American course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.

## Course

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AP English Language and Composition is a course in the study of rhetoric taken in high school. Many schools offer this course primarily to juniors and the AP English Literature and Composition course to seniors. Other schools reverse the order, and some offer both courses to both juniors and seniors. The College Board advises that students choosing AP English Language and Composition be interested in studying and writing various kinds of analytic or persuasive essays on non-fiction topics, while students choosing AP English Literature and Composition be interested in studying literature of various periods and mediums (fiction, poetry, drama) and using this wide reading knowledge in discussions of literary topics.[1]

## Exam

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### Format

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The AP English Language and Composition exam is typically administered on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning in the second week of May. The exam consists of two sections: a one-hour multiple-choice section, and a two-hour fifteen-minute free-response section.[2] The exam is further divided as follows:

# of Questions

Percentage of score

Time Allowed

|
|
|

Section I: Multiple-Choice

60 Minutes

Section II: Free-Response

15 minutes (reading portion)
120 minutes (writing portion)

#### Section I: Multiple-Choice

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The multiple-choice section of the test features 45 questions, divided between 23–25 reading questions and 20–22 writing questions.[3] There are typically 4 short passages divided between pre-20th century non-fiction prose, and 20th and 21st century non-fiction prose. The questions assess students ability to understand rhetorical situations, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style.[4] Students have 60 minutes to answer all 45 questions, and the section accounts for 45% of the students' scores.[3]

#### Section II: Free-Response Writing

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The Free-Response section of the test consists of three prompts, each of a different type: synthesis, rhetorical analysis, and argument.[3] Each is scored on a scale from 0 to 6,[4] including a potential maximum 1 point for a thesis statement, 4 points for evidence and commentary, and 1 point for "sophistication".

With the introduction of the synthesis essay in 2007, the College Board allotted 15 additional minutes to the free-response exam portion to allow students to read and annotate the three prompts, as well as the passages and sources provided. During the reading time, students may read the prompts and examine the documents. They may use this time to make notes, or begin writing their essay.

The synthesis prompt typically requires students to consider a scenario, then formulate a response to a specific element of the scenario using at least three of the accompanying sources for support.[4] While a total of six or seven sources accompany the prompt, using information from all of the sources is not necessary, and may even be undesirable. The source material used must be cited in the essay in order to be considered legitimate.

The rhetorical analysis prompt typically asks students to read a short (less than 1 page) passage, which may have been written at any time, as long as it was originally written in modern English. After reading the passage, students are asked to write an essay in which they analyze and discuss various techniques the author uses in the passage. The techniques differ from prompt to prompt, but may ask about strategies, argumentative techniques, motivations, or other rhetorical elements of the passage, and how such techniques effectively contribute to the overall purpose of the passage. The prompt may mention specific techniques or purposes, but some leeway of discussion is left to the student.[5]

The argument prompt typically gives a position in the form of an assertion from a documented source. Students are asked to consider the assertion, and then form an argument that defends, challenges, or qualifies the assertion using supporting evidence from their own knowledge or reading.

## Scoring

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The multiple-choice section is scored by computer. Formerly, the test was scored by awarding 1 point for correct answers, while taking off a 1/4 point for incorrect answers. No points were taken away for blank answers. However, the College Board discontinued the policy for all AP Exams in 2011; now, they only award 1 point for each correct answer, with no 1/4 point deductions.

The free-response section is scored individually by hundreds of educators each June. Each essay is assigned a score from 0–6, 6 being high. The student's thesis may earn one point, their argument and evidence may earn up to four points, and an extra point may be earned for holistic complexity and sophistication of the argument or of the essay as a whole.

The FRQ scoring was changed in 2019 from a 9 point holistic scale.

The scores from the three essays are added and integrated with the adjusted multiple-choice score (using appropriate weights of each section) to generate a composite score. The composite is then converted into an AP score of 1–5 using a scale for that year's exam.[6]

Students generally receive their scores by mail in mid-July of the year they took the test. Scores can be viewed on the College Board website using My AP. Alternatively, they can receive their scores by phone as early as July 1 for a fee.[7] Sub-scores are not available for students for the English Language and Composition Exam.

Instructors of all AP courses each receive a score sheet showing the individual score for each of their students, as well as some score information and national averages.

### Grade distributions

[edit]

The grade distributions since 2008 are shown below:

Year  | Score percentages  | % of Scores 3 or Higher  | Mean  | Standard Deviation  | Number of Students

|
|
|
|
|

5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
2008[8] | 8.7% | 18.2% | 31.4% | 30.5% | 11.3% | 58.2% | 2.82 | 1.12 | 306,479
2009[9] | 10.5% | 19.0% | 30.2% | 28.4% | 11.9% | 59.7% | 2.88 | 1.16 | 337,441
2010[10] | 10.7% | 20.8% | 29.3% | 27.6% | 11.6% | 60.8% | 2.91 | 1.17 | 374,620
2011[11] | 11.1% | 20.0% | 30.1% | 27.5% | 11.3% | 61.2% | 2.92 | 1.17 | 412,466
2012[12] | 11.0% | 20.2% | 28.9% | 27.9% | 11.9% | 60.2% | 2.90 | 1.18 | 443,835
2013[13] | 10.2% | 16.2% | 28.6% | 29.8% | 15.2% | 55.0% | 2.77 | 1.19 | 476,277
2014[14] | 9.6% | 17.9% | 28.4% | 30.1% | 14.1% | 55.8% | 2.79 | 1.17 | 505,244
2015[15] | 9.9% | 18.3% | 27.3% | 29.7% | 14.8% | 55.5% | 2.79 | 1.19 | 527,274
2016[16] | 10.7% | 17.6% | 27.1% | 32.1% | 12.6% | 55.4% | 2.82 | 1.18 | 547,575
2017[17] | 9.1% | 18.3% | 27.7% | 30.7% | 14.2% | 55.0% | 2.77 | 1.17 | 579,426
2018[18] | 10.6%  | 17.7%  | 28.8%  | 29.3%  | 13.5%  | 57.2%  | 2.83  | 1.19  | 580,043
2019[19] | 9.9%  | 18.2%  | 26.2%  | 31.2%  | 14.5%  | 54.3%  | 2.78  | 1.19  | 573,171
2020[20] | 12.6%  | 20.4%  | 29.1%  | 26.2%  | 11.8%  | 62.1%  | 2.96  | 1.20  | 535,478
2021[21] | 9.1%  | 22.9%  | 25.8%  | 29.3%  | 12.9%  | 57.7%  | 2.86  | 1.18  | 518,548
2022[22] | 10.4%  | 21.1%  | 24.2%  | 29.8%  | 14.5%  | 55.7%  | 2.83  | 1.21  | 520,771
2023[23] | 10.3%  | 19.7%  | 26.1%  | 29.5%  | 14.4%  | 56.1%  | 2.82  | 1.20  | 562,328
2024[24] | 9%  | 21%  | 24%  | 29%  | 17%  | 54%  | 2.76  | 1.22  |

After 2010, the AP English Language and Composition test overtook the AP United States History test as the most taken in the AP program.[25]

### Composite score range

[edit]

The College Board has released information on the composite score range (out of 150) required to obtain each grade:[26] This score table is not absolute, and the ranges vary with each administration of the test. With the addition of the synthesis essay in 2007, the scoring tables were revised to account for the new essay type in Section II of the test.

Final Score  | Range (2001)  | Range (2002)

|
|

5  | 108–150  | 113–150
4  | 93–107  | 96–112
3  | 72–92  | 76–95
2  | 43–71  | 48–75
1  | 0–42  | 0–47

### Recent changes

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In 2007, there was a change in the multiple choice portion of the exam. Questions began to be included about documentation and citation. These questions are based on at least one passage which is a published work, including footnotes or a bibliography.

In 2024, College Board announced the Multiple Choice Question portion of the exam would have four questions, rather than the previous five. This change was reflected in the 2025 AP English Language and Composition exam. [27]

## References

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1. ^ "AP English Course Description" (PDF). College Board. 2008. p. 12\. "students choosing AP English Language and Composition should be interested in studying and writing various kinds of analytic or persuasive essays on nonliterary topics, and students choosing AP English Literature and Composition should be interested in studying literature of various periods and genres and using this wide reading knowledge in discussions of literary topics."
2. ^ "AP: English Language". Archived from the original on 2004-08-19. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
3. ^ a b c "AP English Language and Composition Exam Dates and Information – AP Students – The College Board". apstudent.collegeboard.org. Retrieved 2017-01-25.
4. ^ a b c "AP® English Language and Composition: COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION" (PDF). apcentral.collegeboard.org. Fall 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2023.
5. ^ https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-ap-lang-rhetorical-essay
6. ^ "About AP Scores – The College Board". www.collegeboard.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-18. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
7. ^ "View Your Scores on AP Exams – The College Board". www.collegeboard.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-01. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
8. ^ "AP English Language and Composition Student Grade Distributions: AP Examinations – May 2008" (PDF). College Board.
9. ^ "AP English Language Student Grade Distributions – Global: AP Examinations – May 2009" (PDF). College Board.
10. ^ "AP English language student score distributions – Global AP exams" (PDF). secure-media.collegeboard.org. May 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022.
11. ^ "AP English Language Student Score Distributions – Global: AP Exams – May 2011" (PDF). College Board.
12. ^ "AP English Language Student Score Distributions – Global: AP Exams – May 2012" (PDF). College Board.
13. ^ "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
14. ^ "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
15. ^ "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
16. ^ "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
17. ^ "STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS: AP Exams – May 2017" (PDF). College Board.
18. ^ "STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS" (PDF). College Board.
19. ^ "2019 AP Exam Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-07-06.
20. ^ "STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS" (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2021.
21. ^ "2021 AP Exam Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-07-06.
22. ^ "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2023.
23. ^ "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
24. ^ "2024 AP Score Distributions". Retrieved July 8, 2024.
25. ^ "AP Data – Archived Data 2011 – Research – College Board". www.collegeboard.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-01. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
26. ^ AP: The Grade-Setting Process Archived 2008-12-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
27. ^ "AP English Language and Composition – AP Students | College Board". 2025-05-16. Archived from the original on 16 May 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-16.

## External links

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* AP English Language and Composition at CollegeBoard.org

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