AP English Language and Composition · Exam guide
AP English Language Multiple-Choice Guide: Reading and Writing Questions
Section I of the AP English Language exam is 45 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, and it counts for 45 percent of your score. About half are reading questions on nonfiction passages and the rest are writing questions that ask you to revise a draft. The examples below are original.
The format
| Part | Questions | Built on |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 23 to 25 | Two sets, each on a nonfiction passage, with 11 to 14 questions. |
| Writing | 20 to 22 | Three sets built on drafts to revise, with about 7 to 9, 7 to 9, and 4 to 6 questions. |
| Total | 45 |
Each question tests one of eight skill categories: rhetorical situation, claims and evidence, reasoning and organization, and style, each as a reading skill and as a writing skill.
A reading question
Passage excerpt (made up): "The town council insists the new parking rules are temporary. Yet the signs are bolted into concrete, and the fines have already been printed on the budget." Question: Which best describes the author's tone? (A) neutral, (B) skeptical, (C) admiring, (D) confused. Answer: (B). The word "insists" and the contrast with "Yet" show the author doubts the claim.
A writing question
Draft sentence: "The library has new computers. They are fast. Students use them for homework." Question: Which revision best combines the sentences? (A) The library has new computers, they are fast, students use them for homework. (B) The library's new, fast computers are used by students for homework. (C) The library has new computers and they are fast and students use them. (D) New computers at the library, fast, and students use them. Answer: (B), which combines the ideas into one clear sentence without a run-on or a fragment.
A routine
- For a reading set, skim the questions first, then read the passage for its main point and organization.
- Return to the text for every question. Find the line that supports your answer.
- For a writing set, read the whole draft before the questions so you know its purpose and audience.
- Choose the revision that is clearest and best fits the writer's purpose, not the longest or most formal.
Pacing
With 45 questions in 60 minutes, you have about 80 seconds per question. Spend longer on passages and less on quick revision items, and mark hard questions to return to.
Common mistakes
- Answering from memory of the passage instead of from the text.
- Choosing an answer that is true in general but not supported by the passage.
- Choosing the longest or fanciest revision.
- Ignoring the purpose and audience of the draft.
Frequently asked questions
How many multiple-choice questions are on AP English Language?
45, in 1 hour. They are 45 percent of the exam score.
What are the writing questions?
Questions about a draft that ask you to revise it: combine sentences, add evidence, fix organization, or adjust style.
Is there a penalty for guessing?
No. Answer every question.
How do I study for reading questions?
Practice with nonfiction passages and explain, in your own words, what each paragraph does.
Where can I find the official scoring rules?
Exam formats change a little from year to year, so check the current course and exam description on the College Board site before test day.
Keep practicing
Every unit in the AP English Language course ends with a ten-question review that mixes passage-based reading questions and exam-style revision questions. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:
- Free lesson 1.5: evidence and the three tests
- Free lesson 1.6: writing a claim and evidence paragraph
See the AP English Language and Composition course Free lessons and lesson list
More AP English Language and Composition guides (10)
Start here
Free-response and writing
- AP English Language Synthesis Essay Explained: How to Use Sources to Earn 6 Points
- AP English Language Rhetorical Analysis Essay Explained: How the 6 Points Are Scored
- AP English Language Argument Essay Explained: How to Earn the 6 Points
- AP English Language Thesis Statements Explained: How to Earn the Thesis Point on Every Essay
- AP English Language Commentary and Line of Reasoning Explained: Earning the Four Evidence Points
- AP English Language Sophistication Point Explained: What It Rewards and How to Earn It
- AP English Language Rhetorical Devices and Their Effects: From Naming to Explaining
- AP English Language Synthesis Essay: How to Use a Chart, Table or Image as Evidence
- AP English Language Argument Essay Evidence: How to Choose Examples That Score
AP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with and does not endorse this site. This guide is our own explanation of the question types and scoring. For the official scoring guidelines, see the College Board.