The AP English Literature Exam
• Section I - Multiple Choice Questions
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45% of grade
53 - 55 questions (some literal, some figurative)
4 – 6 passages
60 minutes allotted
 Be ruthless! About only 10-15 minutes per passage.
 Remember, as of 2011, you will not lose any
fraction of a point for a wrong answer; so always
guess something. Do NOT leave any question
blank!
Advice on Multiple Choice Questions
• First look at questions, then annotate and scan
each the readings
▫ Note the number of questions associated with
each reading – might want to pick readings with
the largest number of questions first
▫ Answer the easy questions first - there are easy
and hard questions on each reading
▫ Some easy questions can help you with the harder
ones
Advice on Multiple Choice Questions
• Of the five choices…4 are “distracters”
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1 is clearly wrong
1 is partially wrong
1 is the opposite of the right answer
1 is nearly right or right, but not MOST right ;)
1 is the most right (key)
• Remember, just because an answer is “obvious”
does not mean that it’s wrong.
▫ Some of these questions ARE asking for literal
answers. I know – it’s the worst.
REASONS ANSWERS ARE WRONG
1. Irrelevant to the question
2. Contradictory to the passage
3. Unreasonable (the “Huh?” choice)
4. Too general or too specific
5. Never addressed in the passage
6. Absolutes and/or qualifiers (close, but
not actually correct)
7. Look for the SPECIFIC WORDS that
make the answer wrong
Advice on Multiple Choice Questions
• Footnotes are a recent addition to the exam, so
be on the lookout for them!
▫ At least one of the readings will include footnotes
and there will be 2 – 4 questions associated with
that reading that refer (directly or indirectly) to
the footnotes
III. The Prompts
• Read each prompt carefully before you read the
sources or passage and again before you begin
writing.
▫ Remember, you will be penalized harshly for failing
to answer the right question. (Ex: character vs.
characters)
• Recognize there is a pattern to the prompts
▫ Read the selection – ANNOTATE, but watch your
time
▫ Write an essay in which you……
▫ Pay close attention to what the question is asking!
Essay section (55%)
• Spend 1-2 minutes reading the prompt
carefully
• Spend 5-6 minutes to organize the essay once
you’ve read the passage/poem/prompt
▫ know what your thesis is (and that it
answers the entire prompt),
▫ Organize your body paragraph divisions,
topic sentence concepts
 Intro, 2 – 3 body paragraphs, conclusion
▫ Plan what examples you will use
• Spend 25-30 minutes writing essay!
• Try to save about 2 minutes to proofread. It is
acceptable to scratch words out or add them
in with “carrots.”
Opening paragraph
• 2-3 sentences introducing the topic or
subject and leading into the thesis
• Avoid rephrasing the prompt
• Don’t define the words in the prompt
(too cliché), or restate the prompt too
directly
• Put a clear thesis statement at the
end of the introduction paragraph
Body paragraphs
• 3 body paragraphs is your best chance at a
high score, but if you’re struggling, just do
the best you possibly can to make a strong
and confident argument!! 
• “Style” alone can raise your score, so choose
your words carefully.
▫ Remember who your graders are and write
accordingly. Be academic and professional,
not casual and conversational. NO
PERSONAL PRONOUNS (“In my opinion,”
“It tells us,” “We understand that,” “I think”
etc.)
Concluding paragraph
• Try to give enough time to write a
concluding paragraph, even if it’s only a
couple sentences long (even ONE
sentence).
• If you do run out of time, at least try to
bring a sense of finality to your last body
paragraph.
▫ Abrupt endings leave a bad taste in
graders’ mouths.
Tips that help with your writing
• 1. Be thorough and specific: Do not simply “point out”
strategies. Explain how they are used, give examples,
and show how they establish attitude. ANALYZE!
• 2. Use clear transitions that help the reader to follow the
flow of your essay: Keep your paragraphs organized; do
not digress.
• 3. Write to express, not to impress: Keep vocabulary and
syntax within your zone of competence. Students who
inflate their writing often inadvertently entertain but
seldom explain. NO NAME DROPPING (“Much like
Faulkner…” NO! Just focus on the passage/your chosen
text)
Tips that help with your writing
 4. Demonstrate that you understand style: Show the
reader how the author has developed the selection to
create the desired effect. This indicates that you
understand the intricacies of the creative process.
 5. Write legibly: If a reader cannot read half the
words (especially at 5:30 PM on the sixth day of
reading), you will not get a fair reading—even if your
essay is passed on to a reader with keener eyesight.
Patience decreases as the reading progresses.
 6. Let your work stand on its own merit: DO NOT
WRITE “pity me” notes (”I was up all night.” “I have a
cold,” etc.) to the reader. They will hate you more. ;)
Remember to use quotations and
explain them
• To score at least a 3, you must make use of
pertinent references (paraphrases and/or
quotes) from the text.
▫ Usually, a combination of the two works best.
• Shorten quotes to a few key words (no more than
a few words) to avoid “bogging down” your essay
and making it appear unoriginal.
• Remember to explain each quote clearly and
demonstrate how it is relevant to your thesis.
You can do this! 
• Rather than dwelling on and panicking over the “hard” stuff,
focus on the questions you can get right and do the best you
can on the essays.
• If you struggle to interpret the poetry or prose, “BS with
confidence!!” The stronger your assertions, the more likely the
graders are to believe them! ;)
• BREATHE! Remember, it’s only a test, not a judgement of
your worth as a person.
▫ If you get college credit, GREAT! But if not, you’ll only be that
much better prepared for the course.
• No matter what happens, I’M VERY PROUD OF YOU, and I
know that you will do your best! 
Tomorrow Morning
• Be here (in my room) at 7ish for breakfast.
▫ Bring your own coffee if you want or need it.
▫ Be sure to get a hall pass before you leave today.
• I’ll supply you with a magic pen and pencil, but
you’re welcome to bring your own.
• Wear a watch if possible to keep track of time
during the test.
• We will parade down to the competition gym at
7:25! 