AP® English Language Multiple-Choice Questions
The AP® English Language and Composition exam has two sections: multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and free response questions (FRQs). In this guide, we’ll focus on the first section with MCQs. We will look at how these questions are set up and share tips to help you do well. We will also provide examples of MCQs from past AP English Lang exams. By the end of this article, you will know the best strategies to prepare for the MCQ section of the College Board’s AP English Language and Composition exam.
Format of the AP English Language MCQ Section
Students often wonder how many MCQs are on the AP Lang exam. There are a total of 45 MCQs, with 23-25 “Reading” questions and 20-22 “Writing” questions. You will have 60 minutes to complete this section, which makes up 45% of the exam score. Each question is weighted the same and assesses you on one or more of the eight skills that make up the AP Lang course. The table below summarizes how each skill is weighted in this section.
| Skill Category | Exam Weighting |
|---|---|
| Rhetorical Situation–Reading | 11-14% |
| Rhetorical Situation–Writing | 11-14% |
| Claims and Evidence–Reading | 13-16% |
| Claims and Evidence–Writing | 11-14% |
| Reasoning and Organization–Reading | 13-16% |
| Reasoning and Organization–Writing | 11-14% |
| Style–Reading | 11-14% |
| Style–Writing | 11-14% |
How Do You Study for the AP English Language Exam’s Multiple-Choice Questions?
For many students, the MCQs might be the most difficult test section because you must read five selections per question and answer 45 questions within an hour. It can be a challenge to understand the selections and pick the right answers in that amount of time. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the difficulty of the readings and work quickly.
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Start with the questions that seem the easiest
Because all the questions are equally weighted, you should answer as many as you can in the time allowed, which means a good strategy is to work with the easy questions first. The Writing questions are often the easiest to understand, so you may want to begin with them and return to the Reading questions.
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Annotate the Reading passages as you read
Make notes in the margins of the test booklet while you are reading to call attention to patterns in word usage, summarize paragraphs and stanzas, and note rhetorical strategies used.
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All parts of an answer must be accurate for the answer to be correct; partly right isn't close enough
People think the answers are subjective; they're not. Correct answers are fully backed by evidence, whereas incorrect answers are either partially supported or not supported at all.
Sometimes students will be fooled into thinking an answer is correct because part of the answer choice is right. However, the rest of the answer may contain inaccurate information that makes the entire answer wrong. Exclude answers that lack complete support from the text.
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Answer questions about the overall passage last
Answer questions about specific lines/paragraphs first to help you figure out the argument presented in the passage. Pay attention to how the answers work together to clue you in on what the passage is arguing. Many times, the questions will help you see things about the passage that you wouldn’t necessarily spot. When you return to a question about the passage overall, you will likely have a better chance of choosing the correct answer.
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Focus on the lines indicated in the question and surrounding details
Many questions direct you to look at specific lines and paragraphs. Use only those lines to find the right answer to the questions. Avoid choosing an answer that relies on evidence from a different section of the passage or poem.
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If you can’t determine the right answer, focus on finding what makes each answer choice wrong instead
Eliminating obvious incorrect answers will help you narrow down the choices and make a better guess, if necessary.
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Study a few key terms
Don't waste time studying a bunch of terms. Instead, ensure you know these words: exigence, qualify/qualification, concede/concession, underscore, and undermine.
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Answer every question
There is no penalty on the exam for incorrect answers, so you should always take your best guess at answering even when you’re unsure. You only have to answer about 55% of the questions correctly to receive a passing score on the MCQ section, so the odds are better if you record an answer for every question.
AP English Language multiple-choice examples
I bike across the Washington Bridge, past the East Providence wastewater treatment plant, the Dari Bee, and the repurposed railway station, through Barrington to Jacob's Point. As expected, out along the Narragansett Bay, a line of dead trees holds the horizon. Some have tapering trunks and branches that fork and split. Bark peels from their bodies in thick husks.
The local Audubon ecologist tells me that they are black tupelos. I roll the word in my mouth, tupelo, and cannot put it down. Tupelo becomes part of the constellation of ideas and physical objects that I use to draw up my navigational charts—I aim toward tupelo. Words can shuttle us around in time and space from New England to old England, from Rhode Island back over 2,000 years to when the Wampanoag and Narragansett first harvested shellfish in these tide-washed shoals, to a time when language tangibly connected the physical world and the world on the page and in our conversations. Take tupelo, for instance. It is Native American in origin, and comes from the Creek ito and opilwa, which, when smashed together, mean "swamp tree." Built into the very name of this plant is a love of periodically soaking in water. Word of tupelos once told marsh waders what kind of topography to expect and also where to find relatively high ground.
I'll be the first to admit that before I started coming to Jacob's Point I couldn't tell the difference between black tupelo and black locust, between needlerush and cordgrass. I would learn their names only after I realized the ways in which their letters on my lips might point toward (or away from) incredible loss. Then I became fascinated. Because unlike Descartes, I believe that language can lessen the distance between humans and the world of which we are a part; I believe that it can foster interspecies intimacy and, as a result, care. If, as Robin Wall Kimmerer suggests in her essay on the power of identifying all living beings with personal pronouns, "naming is the beginning of justice," then saying tupelo takes me one step closer to recognizing these trees as kin and endowing their flesh with the same inalienable rights we humans hold.
…
At Jacob's Point I am finally glimpsing the hem of the specter's dressing gown. The tupelos, the dead tupelos that line the edge of this disappearing marshland, are my Delphi, my portal, my proof, the stone I pick up and drop in my pocket to remember. I see them and know that the erosion of species, of land, and, if we are not careful, of the very words we use to name the plants and animals that are disappearing is not a political lever or a fever dream. I see them and remember that those who live on the margins of our society are the most vulnerable, and that the story of species vanishing is repeating itself in nearly every borderland.
In a hundred years none of these trees will be here. No object thick with pitch to make the mind recollect. And if we do not call them by their names we will lose not only the trees themselves but also all trace of their having ever been. Looking at the bare tupelos at the farthest edge of Jacob's Point, I am reminded of something John Bear Mitchell said when my students asked him how the Penobscot people of Maine have responded to centuries of environmental change. "Our ceremonies and language still include the caribou, even though they don't live here anymore...The change is in how we acknowledge them." His response surprised my students. He seemed to be saying: learn the names now, and you will at least be able to preserve what is being threatened in our collective memory, if not in the physical world. His faith in language clearly eclipsed their own.
And then there is the pleasure of it. I like my excursions best when I am alone. Waking early to ride to a slender little marsh that most overlook. The wild blackberries, ripe from summer heat, seemingly fruiting just for me. The black needlerush dried in logarithmic spirals, and patches of salt marsh cordgrass that look like jackstraws and blowdowns in an aging forest. Both bearing the delicate trace of the last outgoing tide.
The anecdote told in lines 30–35 ("Looking at the bare...their own") serves to
- introduce an ancient Penobscot myth to contemporary society
- praise the language of Native American cultures
- ironically indicate the futility of attempting to preserve the past
- illustrate a practical application of the author's theory about language
- examine why young people dismiss the validity of their elders' faith in language
Correct Answer: D
| A. introduce an ancient Penobscot myth to contemporary society | |
| B. praise the language of Native American cultures | |
| C. ironically indicate the futility of attempting to preserve the past | |
| D. illustrate a practical application of the author's theory about language | |
| E. examine why young people dismiss the validity of their elders' faith in language |
Correct Answer: B
How to approach: A typical MCQ on the AP Lang exam asks you to look at specific lines in a Reading passage and choose the answer that describes what the lines do. For these kinds of questions, it is helpful to consider how the indicated lines fit into the entire text.
I bike across the Washington Bridge, past the East Providence wastewater treatment plant, the Dari Bee, and the repurposed railway station, through Barrington to Jacob's Point. As expected, out along the Narragansett Bay, a line of dead trees holds the horizon. Some have tapering trunks and branches that fork and split. Bark peels from their bodies in thick husks.
The local Audubon ecologist tells me that they are black tupelos. I roll the word in my mouth, tupelo, and cannot put it down. Tupelo becomes part of the constellation of ideas and physical objects that I use to draw up my navigational charts—I aim toward tupelo. Words can shuttle us around in time and space from New England to old England, from Rhode Island back over 2,000 years to when the Wampanoag and Narragansett first harvested shellfish in these tide-washed shoals, to a time when language tangibly connected the physical world and the world on the page and in our conversations. Take tupelo, for instance. It is Native American in origin, and comes from the Creek ito and opilwa, which, when smashed together, mean "swamp tree." Built into the very name of this plant is a love of periodically soaking in water. Word of tupelos once told marsh waders what kind of topography to expect and also where to find relatively high ground.
I'll be the first to admit that before I started coming to Jacob's Point I couldn't tell the difference between black tupelo and black locust, between needlerush and cordgrass. I would learn their names only after I realized the ways in which their letters on my lips might point toward (or away from) incredible loss. Then I became fascinated. Because unlike Descartes, I believe that language can lessen the distance between humans and the world of which we are a part; I believe that it can foster interspecies intimacy and, as a result, care. If, as Robin Wall Kimmerer suggests in her essay on the power of identifying all living beings with personal pronouns, "naming is the beginning of justice," then saying tupelo takes me one step closer to recognizing these trees as kin and endowing their flesh with the same inalienable rights we humans hold.
…
At Jacob's Point I am finally glimpsing the hem of the specter's dressing gown. The tupelos, the dead tupelos that line the edge of this disappearing marshland, are my Delphi, my portal, my proof, the stone I pick up and drop in my pocket to remember. I see them and know that the erosion of species, of land, and, if we are not careful, of the very words we use to name the plants and animals that are disappearing is not a political lever or a fever dream. I see them and remember that those who live on the margins of our society are the most vulnerable, and that the story of species vanishing is repeating itself in nearly every borderland.
In a hundred years none of these trees will be here. No object thick with pitch to make the mind recollect. And if we do not call them by their names we will lose not only the trees themselves but also all trace of their having ever been. Looking at the bare tupelos at the farthest edge of Jacob's Point, I am reminded of something John Bear Mitchell said when my students asked him how the Penobscot people of Maine have responded to centuries of environmental change. "Our ceremonies and language still include the caribou, even though they don't live here anymore...The change is in how we acknowledge them." His response surprised my students. He seemed to be saying: learn the names now, and you will at least be able to preserve what is being threatened in our collective memory, if not in the physical world. His faith in language clearly eclipsed their own.
And then there is the pleasure of it. I like my excursions best when I am alone. Waking early to ride to a slender little marsh that most overlook. The wild blackberries, ripe from summer heat, seemingly fruiting just for me. The black needlerush dried in logarithmic spirals, and patches of salt marsh cordgrass that look like jackstraws and blowdowns in an aging forest. Both bearing the delicate trace of the last outgoing tide.
Which of the following best describes the effect of the repetition of "my" in lines 23–24?
- It disassociates the reader from the details being described
- It emphasizes the haunting effects that an image has for the author
- It stresses the author's sympathy for the descendants of Native Americans tribes
- It contrasts with the reflective tone established earlier in the passage
- It undermines statements about the universality of certain experiences
Correct Answer: B
| A. introduce an ancient Penobscot myth to contemporary society | |
| B. praise the language of Native American cultures | |
| C. ironically indicate the futility of attempting to preserve the past | |
| D. illustrate a practical application of the author's theory about language | |
| E. examine why young people dismiss the validity of their elders' faith in language |
Correct Answer: B
How to approach: Another common MCQ on the AP Lang exam asks about the effect of a single word. You must consider the entire sentence that the word is in to identify the correct answer.
(1) While scientists have been aware of the connection between microraptor dinosaurs and modern birds for several decades, the exact point of evolutionary divergence has remained unclear. (2) However, a farmer's recent fossil discovery in Jehol Province, China has conclusively revealed the key to the puzzle: the Wulong bohaiensis, or "dancing dragon." (3) The unearthed specimen represents a new species of microraptor that lived around 120 million years ago, according to scientists; it was likely an early ancestor of the velociraptor. (4) Natural history researcher Ashley Poust asserts that "the new dinosaur fits in with an incredible [range] of feathered, winged animals… [and] studying specimens like this not only shows us the sometimes surprising paths that ancient life has taken, but also allows us to test ideas about how important bird characteristics, including flight, arose in the distant past." (5) Indeed, Poust and other scientists hope that studying this specimen will provide insight into why some dinosaurs had four wing-like structures.
(6) The findings, recently published in The Anatomical Record, have created a buzz within the evolutionary biologist community. (7) Scientists were fascinated in part by the structure of Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs: they do not support current theories of bird flight evolution. (8) Despite debate about whether Wulong bohaiensis is a bird, dinosaur, or link between the two, scientists are fanatical about the fairly complete and articulated (with the bones still arranged in the correct order) quality of the specimen. (9) A well-preserved specimen is rare and beneficial when studying a new species. (10) Based on their observations, scientists are relatively confident that "dancing dragon" was a meat-eating, feathered dinosaur, roughly the size of a raven, with a mouth full of teeth and a long, bony tail with two plumes at the end.
(11) Further analysis revealed that the adolescent Wulong bohaiensis had chevron-shaped feathers, which are common in modern bird species. (12) Poust adds, "I don't think we know yet how it used its feathers. (13) It seems likely that they helped with temperature regulation and signaling to other animals, but what this would have looked like and how much these functions mattered remains unclear." (14) Scientists continue to be emphatic that additional specimens will be unearthed and that their study will reveal more about their nature and about the transition from dinosaurs to birds.
The writer wants to add an introductory sentence to the passage that orients the audience by presenting contextual information. Which of the following sentences best supports this goal?
- If blockbuster movies like Jurassic Park inspired your curiosity in dinosaurs and evolution, you may be excited to learn that the remains of a new dinosaur species were discovered in China, in nearly perfect condition.
- Natural history is the scientific study of plants and animals; a natural scientist named Ashley Poust recently revealed the bones of a dinosaur discovered by a farmer in China.
- Chinese folklore and culture are filled with dragons, traditionally symbolizing power and luck; a recent discovery of a 120 million-year-old early microraptor fossil, named the "dancing dragon," may bring luck to the scientists studying it.
- Microraptors, a group of small therapod dinosaurs known for having feathers on their four wing-like limbs, roamed the earth 75 million years ago and provide key genetic evidence relevant to the evolutionary connection between dinosaurs and birds.
- As of 2020, scientists have discovered 130 different flying dinosaurs that lived across the world, and the newest discovery, Wulong bohaiensis, is much smaller than the Quetzalcoatlus, which grew between 33 and 36 feet long.
Correct Answer: D
| A. introduce an ancient Penobscot myth to contemporary society | |
| B. praise the language of Native American cultures | |
| C. ironically indicate the futility of attempting to preserve the past | |
| D. illustrate a practical application of the author's theory about language | |
| E. examine why young people dismiss the validity of their elders' faith in language |
Correct Answer: B
How to approach: Many times Writing questions ask students to choose the best sentence for a specific place in the passage. Usually, the correct answer must accomplish a particular task in the passage. Read the paragraph or entire passage to determine the argument that is presented. Then choose the sentence that connects best to the discussion and accomplishes the task the question asks for.
(1) While scientists have been aware of the connection between microraptor dinosaurs and modern birds for several decades, the exact point of evolutionary divergence has remained unclear. (2) However, a farmer's recent fossil discovery in Jehol Province, China has conclusively revealed the key to the puzzle: the Wulong bohaiensis, or "dancing dragon." (3) The unearthed specimen represents a new species of microraptor that lived around 120 million years ago, according to scientists; it was likely an early ancestor of the velociraptor. (4) Natural history researcher Ashley Poust asserts that "the new dinosaur fits in with an incredible [range] of feathered, winged animals… [and] studying specimens like this not only shows us the sometimes surprising paths that ancient life has taken, but also allows us to test ideas about how important bird characteristics, including flight, arose in the distant past." (5) Indeed, Poust and other scientists hope that studying this specimen will provide insight into why some dinosaurs had four wing-like structures.
(6) The findings, recently published in The Anatomical Record, have created a buzz within the evolutionary biologist community. (7) Scientists were fascinated in part by the structure of Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs: they do not support current theories of bird flight evolution. (8) Despite debate about whether Wulong bohaiensis is a bird, dinosaur, or link between the two, scientists are fanatical about the fairly complete and articulated (with the bones still arranged in the correct order) quality of the specimen. (9) A well-preserved specimen is rare and beneficial when studying a new species. (10) Based on their observations, scientists are relatively confident that "dancing dragon" was a meat-eating, feathered dinosaur, roughly the size of a raven, with a mouth full of teeth and a long, bony tail with two plumes at the end.
(11) Further analysis revealed that the adolescent Wulong bohaiensis had chevron-shaped feathers, which are common in modern bird species. (12) Poust adds, "I don't think we know yet how it used its feathers. (13) It seems likely that they helped with temperature regulation and signaling to other animals, but what this would have looked like and how much these functions mattered remains unclear." (14) Scientists continue to be emphatic that additional specimens will be unearthed and that their study will reveal more about their nature and about the transition from dinosaurs to birds.
The writer wants to combine sentences 6 and 7 (reproduced below) to lessen redundancy and ensure precision of meaning.
The findings, recently published in The Anatomical Record, have created a buzz within the evolutionary biologist community. Scientists were fascinated in part by the structure of Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs: they do not support current theories of bird flight evolution.
Which of the following changes to the underlined portion of sentences 6 and 7 best achieves this goal?
- community, in part because of the unexpected structure of Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs
- community, which was being caused by the unexpected structure of Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs
- community; this buzz was because of the unexpected structure of Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs in part
- community because of the unexpected structure of the Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs in some part
- community, the cause of this buzz being in part due to the unexpected structure of the Wulong bohaiensis' four wing-like limbs
Correct Answer: A
| A. introduce an ancient Penobscot myth to contemporary society | |
| B. praise the language of Native American cultures | |
| C. ironically indicate the futility of attempting to preserve the past | |
| D. illustrate a practical application of the author's theory about language | |
| E. examine why young people dismiss the validity of their elders' faith in language |
Correct Answer: B
How to approach: Another common Writing question on the AP Lang exam asks students to combine sentences. The right answer will always be the most concise, precise answer choice. Choose the answer that uses the least amount of repetition and words to express an idea.
How can I practice for AP English Language multiple-choice questions?
One of the best ways to improve your MCQ score is to practice by answering many questions. That way, you become familiar with the information typically asked for and the language often used. It is a good idea at first to practice answering the questions at your own pace so you can think carefully about the answers. After you have developed your confidence and skill, it is wise to practice answering the questions at a pace similar to what you will experience on the exam: a little over a minute per question.
Our AP English Language and Composition practice exam questions can help you get familiar with AP-level MCQs. With over 600 practice questions, our Qbank provides explanations to help you understand why the right answers are right and the wrong answers are wrong. Knowing how to determine where you may have made a mistake in choosing an answer helps you avoid that mistake in the future. Additionally, the UWorld AP Lang question bank allows you to practice with or without a timer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many multiple-choice questions are on the AP English Language exam?
There are 45 MCQs and 3 FRQs on the AP Lang exam. The MCQ section is worth 45% of the score, and the FRQ is worth 55% of the score.
How are AP English Language multiple-choice questions graded?
The multiple-choice questions are graded by an automated computer system. Regarding how the raw score is determined, the multiple-choice section is similar to past AP multiple-choice sections: you receive a point for each question you answer correctly, and there is no penalty for guessing.
Are AP Lang multiple-choice questions hard?
Many students do well on the multiple-choice section of the AP English Lang exam. The hardest part is understanding the questions themselves. That’s why familiarizing yourself with the format of the questions is crucial. We recommend practicing with a resource that closely mimics the style and content of the AP Lang Reading and Writing MCQ.
Are AP Lang multiple-choice questions like SAT questions?
The AP Lang Reading MCQ is similar to the Reading MCQ on the SAT test. However, the SAT includes a prose fiction reading passage, while the AP Lang test only includes prose nonfiction passages. There is some similarity between the AP Lang Writing questions and the SAT Writing questions. For example, both ask questions about combining sentences and choosing evidence to support a claim. However, the SAT MCQ asks questions about grammar and punctuation, whereas the AP Lang exam does not.
Overall, there are some similarities between the tests, but it is not wise to rely solely on SAT practice to prepare for the AP Lang exam. Choose a quality resource specifically designed to prepare you for each test.
Where can I get past AP English Language exam multiple-choice questions?
The College Board® does not typically make its MCQs from past exams available publicly. That is why our UWorld practice question bank is the best way to practice for the AP Lang MCQ section.
