CliffsAP English Language and Composition
Chapter One
Format and Scoring of a Recent AP
Language and Composition Exam
General Description
The AP English Language and Composition Exam is used by colleges to assess your ability to perform college-level
work. Actual college credit (either for one semester or for an entire year) may be offered by colleges and
universities. The test lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes and consists of two major sections. The multiple-choice section
includes approximately 55 questions that address four reading passages. All the questions in this section have equal
value. The second portion of the test is called the free-response section. You are given three essay topics, and you
must write an essay on each of the three topics in 2 hours and 15 minutes. The suggested time allotment for each essay
is 40 minutes, and an extra 15 minutes is added for reading the essay prompts. Each of the essays is of equal value in
your final score.
The multiple-choice questions are designed to test your ability in analyzing prose passages. These passages are drawn
from a variety of sources, ... read full excerpt from CliffsAP English Language and Composition ebook
