AP English Literature and Composition Exam 2023

The 2023 AP exams will take place over a two-week period in May: May 1–5 and May 8–12.

The AP English Literature and Composition exam for 2023 will be a full-length paper-and-pencil exam that students can take in school only.

Here is what you need to know to do well in the upcoming AP English Literature exam.

Will I get AP credit for the 2023 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

Students who take the 2023 AP English Literature exam will be eligible for college credit.

As in previous years, a student must obtain a score of 3, 4, or 5 to be eligible for college credit.

For tips on getting a perfect AP score, check out this interview with Dawn Mueller, an educational consultant with Tutor Doctor, or watch the video below.

How long is the 2023 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

The 2023 AP English Literature exam will be 3 hours long.

What’s the 2023 AP English Literature and Composition exam date and time?

The 2023 AP English Literature exam is scheduled for Wednesday, May 3 at 8 AM local time.

What will be tested on the 2023 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

The 2023 AP English Literature exam will test students on the whole course content, so be prepared to answer questions on these topics:

• Unit 1: Short Fiction I
• Unit 2: Poetry I
• Unit 3: Longer Fiction or Drama I
• Unit 4: Short Fiction II
• Unit 5: Poetry II
• Unit 6: Longer Fiction or Drama II
• Unit 7: Short Fiction III
• Unit 8: Poetry III
• Unit 9: Longer Fiction or Drama III

What is the AP English Literature and Composition exam format for 2023?

The 2023 AP English Literature exam will consist of two sections: multiple-choice and free-response. The multiple-choice section is worth 45 percent of the exam score, and the free-response section is worth 55 percent.

You will have 1 hour to answer 55 multiple-choice questions and 2 hours to answer 3 free-response questions.

The chart below shows the breakdown of the exam components.

Does the College Board offer any free AP English Literature and Composition exam prep resources?

The College Board is offering a number of free AP English Literature exam resources to students to help them prepare for the exam.

AP English Literature and Composition Practice Tests

You can get examples of free-response questions from past AP English Literature exams for free. You can use these as practice tests to supplement other test prep materials you use.

Check here for free-response questions from the 2022 AP English Literature exam.

And check here for free-response questions from the 1999-2021 AP English Literature exams.

AP English Literature and Composition Courses

The College Board’s AP YouTube channel gives students access to APLive classes and recordings delivered by AP teachers from across the country. Additionally, to help students review course content and skills before their exam, the College Board gives students access to the AP Daily: Live Review sessions for the 2023 AP English Literature and Composition exam.

What are my other options for preparing for the 2023 AP English Literature and Composition exam?

If you don’t have an AP English Literature review book already, consider getting one sooner than later to help you prepare for the 2023 AP English Literature exam. You can find popular review books published by Barron’s, The Princeton Review, and others at Amazon.

The AP English Literature and Composition Premium, 2022-2023: 8 Practice Tests + Comprehensive Review + Online Practice (Barron’s Test Prep), for example, which is a new edition, costs just $17.59 (at the time of writing of this article).

And the Princeton Review AP English Language & Composition Premium Prep, 2023: 8 Practice Tests + Complete Content Review + Strategies & Techniques (College Test Preparation) costs $24.99 (at the time of writing of this article).

There are also online resources that you can use to help you prepare for the 2023 AP English Literature exam.

EdX

Taught by Maggie Sokolik, director of college writing programs at UC Berkeley, the AP English Literature & Composition – Part 1: Stories course is a three-part course designed to help students prepare for the AP English Literature and Composition exam. Part 1 “prepares you to read more deeply and write more clearly about works of literature.” You will learn to appreciate different genres of literature through a collection of videos, authentic readings, and support material from various sources. This course will focus on reading, interpreting, and writing about fiction and Gothic literature.

You can audit this course for free, but there’s a $169 fee to obtain a Verified Certificate.

Sokolik teaches two companion edX courses, AP English Literature & Composition – Part 2: Poems and AP English Literature & Composition – Part 3: Plays. You can audit both of these courses for free as well.

If you’re taking more than one AP exam in 2023, check TUN’s AP Exam Review for details on other AP exams.