For details on the 2024 AP English Literature Exam, check this article.
Unlike 2020 and 2021, when the College Board modified the AP exams as a response to the disruption caused by COVID-19, the 2022 AP exams will return to its original format.
This year, the AP exams will take place over a two-week period in May: May 2–6 and May 9–13.
The College Board may change the format, however, if schools are disrupted in the spring due to COVID-19.
“We’ll continue to monitor global, national, and local health conditions, putting the health and safety of students first, and if there are widespread school closures in spring 2022, we’ll provide options similar to those offered in 2021,” the College Board noted here.
We will, of course, update this guide if that should happen.
The AP English Literature and Composition exam for 2022 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 college credit for the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?
Students who take the 2022 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.
How long is the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?
The 2022 AP English Literature exam will be 3 hours long.
What’s the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam date and time?
The 2022 AP English Literature exam is scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 at 8 AM local time.
What will be tested on the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?
The 2022 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 2022?
The 2022 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.
| Section | # Questions | Time Allocation | Exam Weight |
| I: Multiple Choice | 55 | 1 hour | 45% |
| II: Free Response | 3 | 2 hours | 55% |
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 2021 AP English Literature exam. You can also log in to the AP Classroom Question Bank for questions posed in the 2020 exam.
And check here for free-response questions from the 1999-2019 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 2021 AP English Literature and Composition exam.
What are my other options for preparing for the 2022 AP English Literature and Composition exam?
If you don’t have an AP English Literature review book already, check out TUN’s Textbook Save Engine to compare prices and get the best deals.
There are also online resources that you can use to help you prepare for the 2022 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.
Princeton Review
The Princeton Review offers a 6-Hour Cram AP Cram Course for the AP English Literature exam. The course covers the structure, style and themes in works of literature. And Princeton Review is confident it will prepare you to write essays that will earn you a score of 5.
The course, which comes with a Princeton Review prep book, can be ordered online for $399. For now, there are two available Cram Course schedules.
- April 23 & 24, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
- April 26 & 28, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
If you would like to get one-on-one instruction to help you prepare for the AP English Literature exam, Princeton Review offers private tutoring, available both in-person or online, for a fee starting at $206 an hour. If you decide to go with this personalized option, expert tutors will work with you to “make a plan, set goals, and exceed them.” The Princeton Review guarantees that if you’re not 100% satisfied, they will match you with another tutor and your next lesson will be free.
If you’re taking more than one AP exam in 2022, check TUN’s AP Exam Review for details on other AP exams.
