AP English Literature and Composition Exam Questions
Free-response questions and scoring information.
Download free-response questions from past exams along with scoring guidelines, sample responses from exam takers, and scoring distributions.
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2024: Free-Response Questions
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2023: Free-Response Questions
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2022: Free-Response Questions
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2021 Free-Response Questions
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2020 Free-Response Questions
Note: The table below features a selection of free-response questions and related scoring information from the 2020 exam. You can find all of the 2020 FRQs and corresponding scoring information in AP Classroom question bank .
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2019 Free-Response Questions
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2018 Free-Response Questions
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2017 Free-Response Questions
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2016 Free-Response Questions
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2015 Free-Response Questions
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2014 Free-Response Questions
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2013 Free-Response Questions
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2012 Free-Response Questions
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2011 Free-Response Questions
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2011 Form B
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2010: Free-Response Questions
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2010: Form B
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2009: Free-Response Questions
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2009: Form B
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2008 Free-Response Questions
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2008: Form B
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2007: Free-Response Questions
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2007: Form B
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2006: Free-Response Questions
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2006: Form B
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2005: Free-Response Questions
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2005: Form B
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2004: Free-Response Questions
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2004: Form B
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2003: Free-Response Questions
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2003: Form B
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2002: Free-Response Questions
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2002: Form B
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2001: Free-Response Questions
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2000: Free-Response Questions
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1999: Free-Response Questions
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Awaken English
All things Educational. Sharing resources for Secondary English
Othello: Essay Questions
A list of potential essay questions to form revision and speed planning practice:
Jealousy is at the core of all the tragic events that occur in Othello.’ In the light of this statement, explore the dramatic function of jealousy in Shakespeare’s play. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.
‘Despite his suffering, Othello learns nothing.’ In the light of this statement, explore Shakespeare’s presentation of Othello in the play. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.
‘Othello depicts a world riddled with corruption and prejudice’. In the light of this statement, explore Shakespeare’s presentation of the values of the world in which the play is set. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.
‘Irony is a powerful device that Shakespeare uses to heighten the tragedy of Othello.’ In the light of this statement, discuss Shakespeare’s use of irony in the play. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors
‘Othello’s foolishness, as much as Iago’s cleverness, is responsible for the tragedy that unfolds.’ In the light of this statement, explore where responsibility for the tragedy might lie. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.
‘The settings in Othello are not just times and places in which action happens: they are deeply symbolic and add greatly to the meaning of the play as a whole.’ In the light of this statement, explore Shakespeare’s use of settings in the play. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors.
Looking for more resources on Othello?
A compendium of useful links, exemplar material, resources and home learning
Othello Knowledge Organiser
An Othello Knowledge Organiser, based on William Shakespeare’s seminal play, including key vocabulary and crucial literary allusions and comparisons. My knowledge organisers distill important information from the text in clear and manageable pieces of information for both students to revise from, and teachers planning new curriculum content.
The Knowledge Organiser is structured into three key areas: Critical Theory, Intertextuality and Context as well as Biblical Allusions. Whilst also incorporating key quotations for each character in short sharp, high utility phrases which can be used in a range of essays.
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Home » English » AP English Literature & Composition » Othello
Rebekah Hendershot
Table of Contents
Ap english literature & composition othello.
Section 2: Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets: Lecture 7 | 24:32 min
In this lesson, our instructor Rebekah Hendershot teaches Othello. You’ll go over the complete background of the play, the setting, and the characters. Rebekah explains each character in detail, including Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Iago, Brabantio, Emilia, Bianca and everyone in between. You’ll learn each element of the plot from Othello’s secret marriage to the tragic finale. Themes, major passages, and essay topic jumping-off points are also discussed. With Rebekah you’ll discuss topics such as race, sex, and the dual roles of men. The lesson concludes with a few secrets to make understanding Shakespeare a lot easier.
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Study Guides
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Lecture Slides are screen-captured images of important points in the lecture. Students can download and print out these lecture slide images to do practice problems as well as take notes while watching the lecture.
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- First Things First 0:08
- Lesson Overview 0:30
- Background 1:04
- Setting 2:58
- Major Characters 3:54
- Michael Cassio
- Duke of Venice
- Roderigo and Iago; Othello's secret marriage; Iago's plot
- Othello's trail
- The army goes to Cyprus
- The feast of Cyprus
- Iago sends Cassio to Desdemona
- Plot, cont. 9:30
- Cassio asks Desdemona for help
- Iago suggests to Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful
- Othello's self-doubt
- Handkerchief stolen
- Iago goads Othello even more
- Iago gets Cassio to laugh and Biana gets Othello to believe
- Plot, cont. 12:48
- Othello rages at Desdemona
- Othello goes for a walk
- Roderigo and Iago attack Cassio; Iago kills Roderigo
- Othello “kills” his wife
- Iago is revealed; Emilia dies
- Othello kills himself
- Themes 16:18
- Major Passages 18:14
- Act I, scene 1, 57-65
- Act I, scene 3, 179-188
- Act III, scene 3, 267-279
- Act V, scene 2, 341-354
- Jumping-off Points 22:00
- How does race play out in this play?
- Examine the role of sex in this play
- How does Emilia change?
- How does Iago play with the audience's sympathies?
- Male characters' dual roles as military men and lovers
- Physical and emotional isolation
- How is this Iago's story? How is it Othello's?
- The Secret of Understanding Shakespeare 23:50
AP English Literature and Composition
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Download free-response questions from past AP English Literature and Culture exams, along with scoring guidelines, sample responses, and scoring distributions.
Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Suggestions for essay topics to use when you're writing about Othello.
Read a sample prompt and A+ essay response on Othello.
Level up your studying with AI-generated flashcards, summaries, essay prompts, and practice tests from your own notes. Sign up now to access Othello: AP Lit Review materials and AI-powered study resources.
Sample: 3A — Othello Score: 8. This top-range essay confidently articulates two related claims: that Iago’s cruelty “fuels other characters to commit their own acts of cruelty which they may not have otherwise deemed possible” and that Iago’s “cruelty reveals more about his victims than about himself.”.
In the following passage from Act 3 of Othello (1603), Othello converses with his assumed friend Iago about jealousy. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze the techniques Iago employs to manipulate Othello and what this conversation reveals about the nature of truth. OTHELLO Why, why is this?
Which essay topic on Othello's downfall, suicide, Desdemona, the role of race, or jealousy would be best for a 600-word essay? How should one conclude an essay about Othello?
A list of potential essay questions to form revision and speed planning practice: Jealousy is at the core of all the tragic events that occur in Othello.’ In the light of this statement, explore the dramatic function of jealousy in Shakespeare’s play.
Time-saving lesson video on Othello with clear explanations and tons of step-by-step examples. Start learning today!
The anchor text is William Shakespeare's Othello. This unit serves as an introduction to the analysis and evaluation of the epic form transformation from ancient Greek Aristotelian model to Shakespeare's model.