AP English Literature and Composition · Exam guide

AP English Literature FRQ Guide: The Three Essays and the 6-Point Rubric

Section II of the AP English Literature exam is three essays in two hours, and it counts for 55 percent of your exam score. All three are scored out of 6 on the same analytic rubric, so one set of skills pays off three times. This guide explains the rubric and links to a detailed guide for each essay.

The three essays at a glance

Question	The task	Points
Q1: Poetry analysis	Analyze how a poem of about 100 to 400 words uses literary elements and techniques to convey meaning.	6
Q2: Prose fiction analysis	Analyze how a prose fiction passage of about 600 to 800 words does the same.	6
Q3: Literary argument	Argue how a literary concept or idea contributes to the interpretation of a work of fiction as a whole, chosen from your own reading or a list of about 40 titles.	6
Total		18

The College Board recommends about 40 minutes for each essay. Each essay is roughly 18 percent of your exam score.

How every essay is scored

Row	Points	What earns it
A: Thesis	1	A defensible interpretation that responds to the prompt. Restating the prompt or describing the text earns nothing.
B: Evidence and commentary	4	Specific evidence in a line of reasoning, with commentary that explains how literary elements or techniques contribute to meaning.
C: Sophistication	1	A complex literary argument, such as exploring tensions, placing the interpretation in a broader context, or accounting for another reading.
Total	6

The evidence and commentary ladder (Row B)

Score	What the essay shows
0	Only restates the thesis, repeats information from the prompt, or is not relevant.
1	Evidence is mostly general, and the commentary only summarizes it.
2	Some specific evidence, and commentary that explains how some of it relates to the argument, but no clear line of reasoning (or a faulty one).
3	Specific evidence supports every claim in a line of reasoning, and the commentary explains how some of the evidence supports it.
4	The same, with commentary that consistently explains how the evidence supports the line of reasoning.

On Q1 and Q2, a 3 requires you to explain how at least one literary element or technique contributes to meaning, and a 4 requires several. On Q3, the 4 requires you to address the interpretation of the work as a whole, not just one scene.

A 120-minute plan

Minutes	What to do
0 to 40	Q1, the poem. Read it twice, note the speaker, the situation, and any shift, then plan and write.
40 to 80	Q2, the prose passage. Look for narration, character, and structure as well as diction and imagery.
80 to 120	Q3, the literary argument. Choose a work you know deeply, and plan with specific scenes in mind.

Habits that help on every essay

Make a claim about what the text means and how it works, not about what happens.
Use short quotations and comment on specific words, not just on the passage as a whole.
Connect each technique to the meaning of the text.
Notice shifts and tensions. Those lead to the sophistication point.

Detailed guides

The poetry analysis essay, the prose analysis essay, and the literary argument essay.

Frequently asked questions

How many points is each AP English Literature essay worth?

Six points each: 1 for the thesis, 4 for evidence and commentary, and 1 for sophistication. Together the essays are 55 percent of your exam score.

How long should each essay be?

There is no length requirement. Four or five focused paragraphs written in about 40 minutes is typical.

Do I have to use the same structure for every essay?

No, but the same habits help: a clear claim, specific evidence, and commentary that connects techniques to meaning.

Can I choose any work for Q3?

You choose a work of fiction from your own reading or from the list the exam provides. Pick one you know in enough detail to cite specific scenes.

What is the hardest point to earn?

Sophistication, the 1-point row. A clear thesis and strong commentary come first.

Keep practicing

The AP English Literature course has five practice prompts for each of the three essay types, with a timed writing space that scores your response against the official 6-point analytic rubric. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:

See the AP English Literature and Composition course Free lessons and lesson list

Other free-response guides:

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.