Classes
AP English Literature and Composition

Subject: English

📘 23 Study Guides

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Introduction

AP English Literature and Composition (commonly called AP Lit) focuses on the intensive analysis of imaginative literature across various periods and genres, rather than the non-fiction and rhetoric focus of AP Lang. Students read and critically analyze poems, plays, short stories, and novels from the 16th century to the modern era. 

Course Structure & Skills
The curriculum centers on four Big Ideas that students apply to every text they read:

Character: Analyzing how character choices, traits, and relationships drive a narrative.
Setting: Evaluating how the time and place of a story function as a plot device or symbol.
Structure: Dissecting plot arrangement, pacing, narrative perspective, and structural shifts.
Figurative Language: Examining how metaphors, similes, imagery, and symbols build meaning. 

The 9 Instructional Units
The course is organized into nine units that cycle through three literary forms: short fiction, poetry, and longer narrative (novels/plays). 

Unit 1: Short Fiction I (Character and setting foundations)
Unit 2: Poetry I (Word choice, imagery, and basic mechanics)
Unit 3: Longer Fiction or Drama I (Plot structure and character development)
Unit 4: Short Fiction II (Narrative perspective and complex character dynamics)
Unit 5: Poetry II (Structure, contrast, and figurative language)
Unit 6: Longer Fiction or Drama II (Symbolism and character arcs)
Unit 7: Short Fiction III (Nuanced thematic analysis)
Unit 8: Poetry III (Complex literary devices and tone shifts)
Unit 9: Longer Fiction or Drama III (Overarching themes and societal critique) 

Exam Format
The AP Lit exam is $3$ hours long and consists of two parts:

1. Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ)
Weight: $45\%$ of the total score.
Format: $55$ questions based on 4–5 reading passages (usually a mix of poetry and prose fiction). 

2. Section II: Free-Response Questions (FRQ)
Weight: $55\%$ of the total score.
Format: Three essays written in $2$ hours:
      
      Poetry Analysis: Analyzing a provided poem for specific literary devices and themes.
      Prose Fiction Analysis: Analyzing a provided excerpt from a novel, short story, or play.
      Literary Argument: Writing an argumentative essay on a given theme using a student-chosen novel or play of literary merit. 
      
Main Differences: AP Lang vs. AP Lit
If you are deciding between the two courses, understand their primary distinctions:

Feature - AP Lang | AP Lit
Primary Text Focus | Non-fiction (speeches, letters, essays) | Imaginative Fiction (novels, poetry, drama) 
Core Skill | Rhetoric and building arguments | Literary interpretation and analysis
Writing Style | Persuasive, research-based synthesis | Analytical, interpretive literary essays

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Latest Practice Tests / Quizzes

Latest Study Guides

📄 AP English Literature (AP Lit): Writing Strong Introductions and Conclusions

📄 AP English Literature (AP Lit): Transitions and Cohesion Between Paragraphs

📄 AP English Literature (AP Lit): Thesis Statement Construction (Defensible, Complex, Specific)

Exam Survival Guides