EnglishAdvanced Placement

AP English Language and Composition Practice Test

AP English Language and Composition focuses on nonfiction prose: how writers make arguments and how readers analyze them. The May 2026 exam is fully digital in the Bluebook app: Section 1 has 45 multiple-choice questions over five passages (about half reading analysis, half revision/writing), and Section 2 has three timed essays — Synthesis (using 6 provided sources), Rhetorical Analysis, and Argument — graded on a 6-point rubric (1 thesis + 4 evidence/commentary + 1 sophistication).

Practice AP English Language and Composition multiple-choice questions in a digital interface modeled on the real College Board Bluebook exam. Upload your own PDF or solve a published mock test, then get instant AI scoring and detailed answer explanations. Free for all students.

2026 exam date: Wed, May 13, 2026 (8 AM Local)

Complete Guide

Read the AP English Language and Composition complete study guide

Exam format, unit-by-unit breakdown, top FAQs from r/APStudents, study timeline, and study resources.

Exam format

Multiple-choice

45

questions

Total duration

195

minutes

Mode

Fully digital (Bluebook app)

SectionQuestionsTimeScore weight
Section 1: Multiple Choice
23-25 Reading questions + 20-22 Writing (revision) questions across 5 nonfiction passages.
4560 min45%
Section 2 Q1: Synthesis Essay
Argue a position using at least 3 of 6 provided sources (15-min reading period shared with all 3 essays).
140 min18.33%
Section 2 Q2: Rhetorical Analysis Essay
140 min18.33%
Section 2 Q3: Argument Essay
140 min18.33%
Calculator: No calculator.
Reference: No reference sheet; nonfiction passages provided in stems.

Course units and exam weights

  • Unit 1-2: Rhetorical Situation (Reading & Writing)
  • Unit 3-4: Claims and Evidence (Reading & Writing)
  • Unit 5-6: Reasoning and Organization (Reading & Writing)
  • Unit 7-8: Style (Reading & Writing)
  • Unit 9: Synthesis & advanced argumentation

Source: College Board AP Students Course and Exam Description.

Published AP English Language and Composition practice exams

0 exams

No published English Language exams yet

Be the first to upload and share an AP English Language and Composition practice test. Sign in to upload your own PDF; AI will extract the questions automatically.

Upload the first exam

How AI scoring works

When you upload an AP English Language and Composition PDF without an answer key, our system uses Google Gemini to read the document, extract every multiple-choice question, and generate the correct answers. The first attempt seeds the answer key; later attempts use the saved key, so AI runs only once per exam.

Each question is scored against the stored key in real time. After you submit, you can review every wrong answer with an AI-written explanation that grounds the reasoning in the original PDF page.

AI-generated keys may have errors. Always cross-check answers against an official source for high-stakes review.

English Language FAQ

How long is the AP English Language exam?
The exam is 3 hours 15 minutes: 60 minutes for 45 multiple-choice questions (45% of score), then a 15-minute reading period and 2 hours for 3 essays (55% of score). Each essay is recommended at 40 minutes.
How is AP Lang different from AP Lit?
AP Lang focuses on nonfiction and rhetoric: speeches, essays, articles, op-eds, and revision skills. AP Lit focuses on fiction and poetry: novels, short stories, plays, and poems with literary analysis essays.
Which AP Lang essay is hardest and how is it scored?
The Synthesis essay challenges most students because it requires reading 6 sources under time pressure and integrating at least 3 of them into a coherent argument. All three essays use the same 6-point rubric: 1 point for a defensible thesis, up to 4 points for evidence and commentary, and 1 point for sophistication.
How do I improve my AP Lang essay score quickly?
Focus on a clear, defensible thesis in the first paragraph and embedding evidence with line-of-reasoning commentary. The rubric explicitly rewards sophisticated reasoning over vocabulary or length. Practice with released FRQs and compare your work to the College Board's anchor papers.

Other English AP exams