AP® English Literature

Conquering the multiple-choice section of the English Literature AP® exam depends in part on being able to identify and understand certain essential literary concepts, known in this article as rhetorical terms. The AP® English Literature rhetorical terms defined and described below are only a sampling of the many concepts that could appear on the test. However, these 15 terms are some of the must-know concepts necessary for success in the English Literature exam.

You can write about any novel or play that is considered “canonical literature” for the AP® English Literature essays, but there are a few works every student taking this test should read because of their literary importance and variety of themes and situations – making them versatile subjects good to respond to almost any essay prompt with.

Part of effectively preparing for the free response section of the AP® English Literature exam is accepting at least this one old truism: practice makes perfect. However, you can up the ante by adding just one more word to that statement. In truth, perfect practice makes perfect.

Taking any of the multitude of AP® exams can seem like a daunting task in the beginning stages of your preparation. That’s why it’s important to be organized about the work you do in studying for these tests. The AP® English Literature exam is frankly no different. Each of these tests requires extensive, specific preparation. But how do we know what to prepare for and how to prepare for it? Answering that question requires some solid strategy.

Each open-ended AP® English Literature essay prompt focuses upon a specific idea or theme common in canonical literature (such as justice, sacrifice) or a certain type of work or technique used within many works. It will then ask you to explain how whatever device it focuses on works within a particular piece of literature and then justify that explanation. Here are three sample AP® English Literature prompts (all from actual AP® exams) and a quick explanation of one way you could tackle each of them. Studying and practicing these methods will definitely help you perform better on the AP® English Literature exam!

As you prepare for the AP® English Literature Exam, it’s easy to disregard the multiple-choice section as a given. However, the AP® English Literature multiple-choice questions make up 45% of the total score. In 2016, only 7.6% of students scored a 5 on the Exam. In order to boost your chances of being in those elite few, this year, follow the guide herein towards success.