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ap spanish lang essay format

Ultimate Guide to the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

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The AP Spanish courses are the most popular AP foreign language classes. In fact, they’re so popular that two sets of Spanish curricula exist: AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture. This is the only AP foreign language that has more than one course offering. In 2019, over 185,000 students took the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, making it by far the most popular foreign language exam taken. 

The curriculum for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam emphasizes communication by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. As you undertake the coursework or exam preparations, you will need to focus on understanding others and being understood by others. If you’re planning to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, whether you have taken the class, are a native speaker, or have self-studied, read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare.

When is the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam?

The College Board will administer the 2020 AP Spanish Language and Culture exam on Tuesday, May 12, at 8 am. For a complete list of all the AP exams, along with tips for success and information about how students score, check out our article 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know.

About the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish and includes instruction in vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. 

Although there is some emphasis placed on correct grammar usage, the College Board specifically warns against overemphasizing grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. Instead, more time will be spent on applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication skills in real-life situations, exploring the culture in both contemporary and historical contexts, and building an awareness and appreciation of cultural products, practices, and perspectives.

There are no explicit prerequisites for the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, but students who take it are typically in their fourth year of high school-level Spanish language study or have extensive practical experience communicating in both written and oral Spanish language.

There are four essential components to the framework of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course that clarify what you must know, be able to do, and understand to qualify for

college credit or placement. Those components are skills, themes, modes, and task models. 

Skills: Skills are the abilities you’ll need to think and act like a Spanish speaker. The College Board breaks these skills into eight units; below is a list of those units along with the weight they are given on the multiple-choice section of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam: 

Comprehend Text Comprehend written, audio,  audiovisual, and visual text (text, pictures, and numbers). 20%-30%
Make Connections Make interdisciplinary and cultural connections. 30%-40%
Interpret Text Interpret the content of written or audio text (words). 30%-40%
Make Meanings Make meanings from words and expressions. 10%-15%
Speak to Others Communicate interpersonally by speaking with others. Not directly assessed in the

multiple-choice section.

Write to Others Communicate interpersonally by writing to others. Not directly assessed in the

multiple-choice section.

Present Orally Communicate through spoken presentations. Not directly assessed in the

multiple-choice section.

Present in Writing Communicate through written presentations. Not directly assessed in the

multiple-choice section.

Themes: The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is divided into 6 themes in which there are 5-7 contexts covered. Below are the 6 themes along with their recommended contexts:

Families and Communities
Personal and Public Identities
Beauty and Aesthetics
Science and Technology
and Society
Contemporary Life
Global Challenges

Modes: To pass the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, students need to demonstrate proficiency engaging in three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Students need to possess skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in the following areas: 

  • Audio, Visual, and Audiovisual Interpretive Communication
  • Written and Print Interpretive Communication
  • Spoken Interpersonal Communication
  • Written Interpersonal Communication
  • Spoken Presentational Communication
  • Written Presentational Communication

Task Model: Finally, you will work with various task models to demonstrate linguistic skills and cultural understanding. The task model types are: 

Promotional material Interpretive—print source
Literary text Interpretive—print source
Article and chart Interpretive—print source
Letter  Interpretive—print source
Audio report and article Interpretive—audio and print sources
Conversation and chart Interpretive—audio and print sources
Interview Interpretive—audio source
Instructions Interpretive—audio source
Presentation Interpretive—audio source
Email reply Interpersonal—written
Argumentative essay Interpersonal—written
Conversation Interpersonal—spoken
Cultural comparison Interpersonal—spoken

AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Content

At 3 hours and 3 minutes long, the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is one of the longer-lasting AP exams. It consists of two primary sections—the first section featuring multiple-choice questions, and the second made up of free response questions.

The multiple-choice questions are further broken down into two parts—one part based on text as a stimulus, the other part uses audio as a stimulus. 

Section 1(a): Multiple-Choice Text

40 minutes | 30 questions | 23% of score

The first part of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam uses a variety of printed materials—journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables—as a stimulus. You’re asked to identify ideas and details, define words in context, identify an author’s point of view or target audience, and demonstrate knowledge of cultural or interdisciplinary information contained in the text. 

Example of a text-based multiple-choice question: 

ap spanish sample question

Answers to multiple-choice questions above: 

Section 1(b): Multiple-Choice Audio

55 minutes | 35 questions | 27% of score

The second part of the multiple-choice section uses audio material—interviews, podcasts, PSAs, conversations, and brief presentations—as a stimulus. In this part of the exam, students will encounter two subsections of questions. 

  • In the first subsection, you’re asked to answer questions using two audio sources and related print materials as a stimulus. 
  • The second subsection uses three audio sources (and no print material) as the stimulus. 

Example of a question you’ll encounter in the audio-based multiple-choice section, click on the question for audio: 

ap spanish sample question

Answers to the multiple choice questions above:

The free-response section of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is also broken down into two parts—one part focusing on writing, and the other on speaking. 

Section 2 (a): Free Response Written

1 hour 10 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The first free response section features two questions—one on interpersonal writing and the other on presentational writing. The first of the two questions require you to read and respond to an email. You have 15 minutes to complete this section, and it’s worth 12.5% of your exam score. The second of these questions provides three sources—including an article, a table, graph, chart, or infographic, and a related audio source offering different viewpoints on a topic—that you will use to construct an argumentative essay. This question is allotted 55 minutes (15 minutes to review materials and 40 minutes to write) and is also worth 12.5% of your exam score. 

Example of an email free-response question: 

ap spanish sample question

Section 2: Free Response Spoken

18 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The spoken part of the free response section tests your interpersonal and presentational speaking ability. For interpersonal speaking, you will participate in five exchanges in a simulated conversation with 20 seconds for each response. For the second part, you’re tasked with delivering a two-minute presentation requiring you to compare a cultural feature of a Spanish-speaking community to another community you are familiar with. 

When delivering oral responses, you will be digitally recorded and your proctor will submit your recordings with the rest of your test materials. Learn more about submitting audio on the College Board’s webpage of the same name, Submitting Audio . 

Example of a spoken, presentational, free-response question: 

AP Spanish Language and Culture Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

AP Spanish Language and Culture  25.2% 34.2% 29.4% 9.5% 1.8%

In 2019, students generally did quite well on the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. More than half of all students received a score of 4 or 5, and nearly 90% of test-takers received a passing score (3 or higher). Though students who regularly spoke or heard Spanish outside of school did perform slightly better overall than the standard group of foreign language students, the standard group still passed the exam at a rate of nearly 85% and only 3% received the lowest score of a 1.      

To guide your studying, read the full AP Spanish course description . For a comprehensive listing of the score distribution on all of the AP exams, check out our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

ap spanish lang essay format

Best Ways to Study for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

Step 1: start by assessing your skills.

It’s important to start your studying off with a good understanding of your existing knowledge. Although the College Board does not provide a complete practice test, you can find sample questions with scoring explanations included in the course description . Additionally, you can find a free AP Spanish Language and Culture diagnostic test from Varsity Tutors. You may also find practice or diagnostic exams in many of the commercially printed study guides.

Step 2: Study the Material

In the case of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course, the theory you’ll need to know falls into six themes (Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Families and Communities, Global Challenges, Personal and Public Identities, Science and Technology). Many textbooks will be divided into units based on these themes. Even if they are not, you should find threads of them throughout your studies. 

Of course, the best way to study a foreign language is to truly immerse yourself in it. Although your course will be taught primarily in Spanish, this will account for only a tiny percentage of your day. You should find other ways to further your exposure to the Spanish language, and given the prevalence of Spanish in our own contemporary culture, this should not be difficult. You can easily find engaging young adult books written in Spanish, interesting Youtube videos or TV shows in Spanish, or even Spanish podcasts. Check out comic books, news, or websites in Spanish. Make sure you are speaking, listening to, and reading Spanish as much as possible, even outside of your regular study or class hours.     

The College Board also provides some valuable study tools for your use. Reviewing the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description can help you to more deeply understand the course content and format. You should also review the exam audio files and the official Exam Practice Tips to help guide your studying.

In addition, you should take advantage of the many commercial study guides available for your use. One of the top-rated AP Spanish Language and Culture study guides is the Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam with Audio CD, 2020 Edition . This compilation of content reviews and strategies also contains two full-length practice tests with complete answer explanations and access to the Princeton Review’s AP Connect portal online. Another great option is Barron’s AP Spanish Language and Culture with MP3 CD, 8th Edition , which again contains two full-length practice exams with audio sections for both practice exams.

There are also vast amounts of study materials available online. Taking one of the more popular AP exams means that many students have been in your shoes, and often they or their teachers have posted past materials to supplement their studying. You can find a huge database of resources including sound files, Spanish reading sites, and grammar sites— this site is a good place to get started.

Finally, apps are a relatively new and fun way to squeeze in a little more studying. The Fluent U app is a great option for AP foreign languages. The basic version is free, but watch out for in-app purchases. The premium versions can set you back between $30 and $240 dollars.   

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you’ve got a good handle on the major course content and theory, you can begin putting it to use. Start by practicing multiple-choice questions. You will be able to find plenty of these available online (for example, study.com has a free 50-question online practice test ) for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, or you can try the practice ones provided in commercial study guides.

The College Board course description also contains a number of multiple-choice questions with answers and explanations. As you are reviewing these, keep track of which broad content areas are coming easily to you and which still require more effort. Think about what each question is really asking you to do, and keep a list of vocabulary, grammar, and content areas that still seem unfamiliar. These will be points for more review before you move on.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

Even if you’ve studied for the free response section of other APs in the past, your studies for the free response section of the foreign language AP exams will be quite different. In addition to practicing your written responses, you’ll also need to fine-tune your listening skills and oral responses.

Begin your preparations by brushing up on your vocabulary and grammar. Make sure you have a handle on a broad variety of verbs and how to conjugate each. Also, reaffirm that your knowledge of vocabulary will allow you to express yourself as fluently as possible. A great tool for this is a supplementary set of Barron’s AP Spanish Flash Cards . These cards emphasize word usage within the context of sentences and review parts of speech, noun genders, verb forms and tenses, and correct sentence structure.

Beyond vocabulary and grammar, your studies should also include practicing written and oral responses. The best way to specifically prepare for both the written and spoken portions of your free response questions is to practice repeated similar prompts. There is a huge resource of past free response questions available on College Board’s website dating back to 1999, with accompanying scoring explanations and examples of authentic student responses. 

To make the most of these example free response questions, review the Chief Reader Report on Student Responses wherein the Chief Reader of the AP Exam compiles feedback to describe how students performed on the prompts, summarizes typical student errors, and addresses specific concepts and content with which students have struggled the most. 

It can be especially difficult to prepare for the oral portion of your free response section since it’s difficult to identify your own spoken errors. Try recording your responses and comparing them to the authentic student responses available above. Alternatively, collaborate with a classmate to record and trade responses, offering one another constructive criticism framed by the scoring examples available above.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

Just as you took a practice test at the beginning of your preparations to gauge your readiness for the exam, do so again after a thorough review of the course content and each exam portion. Identify the areas in which you’ve improved the most, and areas still in need of improvement. If time allows, repeat the steps above to incrementally increase your score with each pass.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

For more information about APs, check out these CollegeVine posts:

  • 2020 AP Exam Schedule
  • How Long is Each AP Exam?
  • Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

ap spanish lang essay format

2024 AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Guide

8 min read • june 18, 2024

A Q

Your Guide to the 2024 AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP Spanish Language and Culture exam . This guide will continue to update with information about the 2024 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day.  Unlock Cram Mode  for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions.

Format of the 2024 AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

This year, all AP exams will cover all units and essay types. The 2024 AP Spanish Lang exam format will be:

  • 30 questions in 40 minutes
  • 35 questions in 55 minutes
  • ~ 2 minutes
  • ~ 6 minutes

Scoring Rubric for the 2024 AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

You can find the AP Spanish Language scoring rubrics   here , courtesy of the College Board .****

Check out our study plan below to find resources and tools to prepare for your AP Spanish Language and Culture exam! 

When is the 2024 AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam and How Do I Take It?

** The exam is on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 8:00 AM your local time. Exams will be in person on paper.  **

 ---------------

How Should I Prepare for the Exam?

  • First, download the  [object Object] - a single sheet that covers everything you need to know at a high level. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses!
  • Review every unit and question type, and focus on the areas that need the most improvement and practice. We’ve put together this plan to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam- - Try to immerse yourself in Spanish: watching movies or videos, chatting with friends, and reading news in Spanish will help you be more fluent by the time the exam comes!
  • We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.
  • Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via  Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.

Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment

Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized.

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space. 

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also, create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First, set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

🤝 Get support from your peers.  

There are thousands of students all over the world who are preparing for their AP exams just like you! Join  Rooms  🤝 to chat, ask questions, and meet other students who are also studying for the spring exams. You can even build study groups and review material together! 

AP Spanish Language and Culture 2024 Study Plan

👨‍👨‍👧 unit 1: families in different societies.

Unit 1 dives into the various themes related to families in the Spanish-speaking world. Some major questions we will consider are:

  • What constitutes a family in Spanish-speaking societies? /  ¿Qué compone una familia en una sociedad hispanohablante?
  • What are some important aspects of family values and family life in Spanish-speaking societies? /  ¿Cuáles son algunos aspectos importantes de los valores y la vida familiar en las sociedades hispanohablantes?
  • What challenges do families face in today's world? /  ¿Qué retos enfrentan las familias de hoy?

Some Resources:

📚 Read these study guides:

  • Unit 1 Overview
  • 1.1 Families in Different Societies
  • 1.2 Family Customs and Values
  • 1.3 Challenges Families Face in Spanish-Speaking Countries
  • 1.4 Global Challenges
  • 1.5 Possible Prompts for Unit 1 If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

💻  Learn about the best prep books so you can start studying early:

  • Best AP Spanish Language Textbooks and Prep Books

🗣 Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity

This unit plunges deeper into a few aspects of personal and public identity by analyzing the influences that language and culture have on forming one's identity. Our guiding questions for this unit are:

  • How does one’s identity evolve over time? /  ¿Cómo se desarrolla nuestra identidad a lo largo del tiempo?
  • How does language shape our cultural identity? /  ¿Cómo moldea la lengua nuestra identidad cultural?
  • How does technology influence the development of personal and public identity? /  ¿Cómo influye la tecnología en el desarrollo de la identidad pública y personal?
  • How does the art of a community reflect its public identify? /  ¿Cómo refleja el arte de una comunidad su identidad pública?
  • Unit 2 Overview
  • 2.1 The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity
  • 2.2 Beauty and Aesthetics
  • 2.3 Contemporary Life
  • 2.4 Science and Technology
  • Possible Prompts for Unit 2 If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

💻 It is never too early to want to prepare for the exam:

  • 🏆 How to Get a 5 in AP Spanish Language

🎨 Unit 3: Influences of Beauty and Art

This unit guide will explore how beauty and art influence quality of life and values in Spanish-speaking communities.

  • How do ideals of beauty and aesthetics influence daily life? /  ¿Cómo influyen los ideales/ modelos de belleza y estética en la vida diaria?
  • How does art both challenge and reflect cultural perspectives? /  ¿Cómo el arte desafía y a la vez refleja las perspectivas culturales?
  • How do communities value beauty and art? /  ¿Cómo valoran las comunidades la belleza y el arte?
  • How is art used to record history? /  ¿Cómo se usa el arte para documentar la historia?
  • Unit 3 Overview: Influences of Beauty and Art
  • 3.1 Beauty and Aesthetics
  • 3.2 Personal and Public Identities
  • 3.3 Contemporary Life
  • 3.4 Families and Communities If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

💻 Check out these AP Spanish Language Self-Study/Homeschool tips:

  • 🏠  AP Spanish Language Self-Study and Homeschool

🔬 Unit 4: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives

This unit will explore how science and technology affect the lives of those living in Spanish-speaking communities.

What factors drive innovation and discovery in the fields of science and technology? / ¿Qué factores impulsan la innovación y los descubrimientos en los campos de la ciencia y la tecnología?

What role do ethics play in scientific advancement? /  ¿Qué papel juega la ética en los avances científicos?

What are the social consequences of scientific or technological advancements? /  ¿Cuáles son las consecuencias sociales de los avances científicos y tecnológicos? 📚 Read these study guides:

  • Unit 4 Overview: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives
  • 4.1 Science and Technology
  • 4.2 Global Challenges
  • 4.3 Contemporary Life
  • 4.4 Personal and Public Identities
  • Possible Prompts for Unit 4

🏘️ Unit 5: Factors That Impact the Quality of Life

This unit will dive into some specific factors that impact our quality of life. 

How do aspects of everyday life influence and relate to the quality of life? /  ¿Cómo influyen y se relacionan los aspectos de la vida diaria con la calidad de vida?

How does where one live impact the quality of life? /  ¿Cómo impacta la calidad de vida el lugar donde se vive?

What influences one’s interpretation and perceptions of the quality of life? /  ¿Qué influye en nuestra interpretación y en nuestras percepciones de la calidad de vida? 📚 Read these study guides:

  • Unit 5 Overview: Factors that Impact the Quality of Life
  • 5.1 Contemporary Life
  • 5.2 Global Challenges
  • 5.3 Science and Technology
  • 5.4 Beauty and Aesthetics
  • 5.5 Tourism and Cuisine

⛈️ Unit 6: Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges

This last unit explores how global challenges and complex issues impact people's lives in the Spanish-speaking world. Some guiding questions are:

How do environmental, political, and societal challenges positively and negatively impact communities? / ¿Cómo los desafíos medioambientales, políticos y sociales impactan, positiva—o negativamente— nuestras comunidades?

What role do individuals play in addressing complex societal issues? /  ¿Qué papel juegan los individuos a la hora de abordar asuntos sociales complicados?

  • How do challenging issues affect a society’s culture? /  ¿Cómo los asuntos desafiant es afectan la cultura de una sociedad? 📚 Read these study guides:
  • Unit 6 Overview: Environmental, Political, and Societal Changes
  • 6.1 Economic Issues
  • 6.2 Contemporary Life
  • 6.3 Population and Demographics
  • 6.4 Families and Communities
  • 6.5 Possible Prompts for Unit 6

Key Terms to Review ( 18 )

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AP Spanish Exam

The AP ®  Spanish Language and Culture Exam is a college-level exam administered every year in May upon the completion of an Advanced Placement Spanish Language course taken at your high school. If you score high enough, you could earn college credit!

Check out our AP Spanish Guide for the essential info you need about the exam:

  • AP Spanish Exam Overview
  • AP Spanish Sections & Question Types
  • AP Spanish Scoring
  • How to Prepare

What's on the AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam?

The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP Spanish Language & Culture course. As you complete your review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics:

  • Families in Different Societies
  • The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity
  • Influences of Beauty and Art
  • How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives
  • Factors That Impact the Quality of Life
  • Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges

For helpful exam review and test-taking strategies, check out our book,  AP Spanish Language & Culture Prep

Sections & Question Types

The AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam is just over 3 hours long to complete and is comprised of two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. There are two parts to the multiple-choice section, and four questions in the free-response section.

Section 1

Part A: Multiple-choice questions

Part B: Multiple-choice questions

Part A: 40 minutes

Part B: 55 minutes

Part A: 30 multiple-choice questions

Part B: 35 multiple-choice questions

Part A: 23%

Part B: 27%

Section 2

Question 1: Email Reply

Question 2: Argumentative Essay

Question 3: Conversation

Question 4: Cultural Comparison

88 minutes

4

50% (12.5% per question)

Part A Multiple-Choice Questions

The first part of the multiple-choice section contains sets of questions based on one or more print text sources.

Part B Multiple-Choice Questions

The second part of the multiple-choice section contains sets of questions based on audio text sources, as well as a combination of audio and print text sources.

Free-Response Questions

  • In Question 1: Email Reply, students are required to compose a formal email response in Spanish. They must include a greeting, a closing, and respond to all questions and requests in the incoming email. They must also ask for details about something mentioned in the incoming email.
  • In Question 2: Argumentative Essay, students are required to write an essay as a submission to a Spanish writing contest. The topic is based on three sources, a combination of audio and print sources. The students must form an argument, defend their position, and integrate information from all three sources into their essay.
  • In Question 3: Conversation, a student must participate in a simulated conversation where they have five turns in the conversation. They have 20 seconds to respond in each turn.
  • In Question 4: Cultural Comparison, the student must compare an aspect of a Spanish-speaking community with the student’s own, or another, community. They must demonstrate an understanding of the cultural features of this Spanish-speaking community with an organized and clear presentation, using varied and appropriate language.

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP Psychology Crash Courses

What’s a good AP Spanish Score?

AP scores  are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP Spanish Language & Culture exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the May 2020 test:

5

Extremely qualified

30.5%

4

Well qualified

36.4%

3

Qualified

23.1%

2

Possibly qualified

8.8%

1

No recommendation

1.2%

Source:  College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP Spanish content and strategy, pick the  AP prep option  that works best for your goals and learning style.

  • AP Exams  

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AP Spanish Language and Culture

Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.

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Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.

About the Course

Develop your Spanish language skills and learn about the cultures in Spanish-speaking parts of the world. You’ll practice communicating in Spanish and study real-life materials such as newspaper articles, films, music, and books.

Skills You'll Learn

Understanding Spanish when you hear it and read it

Holding conversations in real-life situations

Writing stories, letters, emails, essays, and other texts

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College course equivalent.

An intermediate level (typically third- or fourth-semester) college course in Spanish language

Recommended Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but students are typically in their fourth year of high-school-level study. In the case of native or heritage speakers, there may be a different pathway of study leading to this course.

About the Units

The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.

Course Content

Unit 1: families in different societies.

You’ll learn Spanish language skills in the context of studying family life and values in Spanish-speaking communities and explore contemporary beliefs and challenges that families face.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Interpreting promotional materials
  • Understanding the elements of a formal letter
  • Describing data from a table, chart, graph, map, or infographic
  • Conducting an interview
  • Crafting an email reply
  • Participating in an informal conversation
  • Giving a presentation related to family and society

Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity

You'll build your vocabulary and learn about how language and culture shape and reflect evolving ideas about identity in Spanish-speaking societies.

  • Identifying the main idea and summarizing short stories
  • Comprehending articles and infographics
  • Interpreting audio and video reports
  • Drawing connections between texts and their larger cultural context
  • Justifying ideas and opinions in writing
  • Giving a presentation comparing Spanish cultural concepts to familiar ones

Unit 3: Influences of Beauty and Art

You'll explore how ideas of beauty and art influence and reflect culture in Spanish-speaking communities.

  • Analyzing articles, advertisements, and promotional materials about art
  • Interpreting literary texts
  • Understanding what is included in the format of typical letters and interpreting their meaning
  • Interpreting data represented in charts
  • Crafting an email
  • Practicing conversational skills through class discussion
  • Giving a presentation comparing art across cultures

Unit 4: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives

You'll examine how developments in science and technology affect daily life in Spanish-speaking communities and use your growing language skills to help you interpret unfamiliar words and engage in more complicated texts.

  • Interpreting charts, tables, infographics, and maps in context
  • Understanding and responding to interviews
  • Comprehending verbal instructions
  • Interpreting a range of sources and perspectives around a topic
  • Writing essays and citing sources
  • Giving a presentation on the impacts of scientific and technological developments

Unit 5: Factors That Impact the Quality of Life

You'll learn more about contemporary life in Spanish-speaking communities and how social status, cultural perspectives, and access to jobs and resources can make an impact on the quality of life.

  • Connecting literary texts to larger cultural topics
  • Interacting with online tools
  • Interviewing community members
  • Understanding video interviews
  • Interpreting instructions
  • Crafting an email reply using idioms and expressions
  • Participating in conversations and debates
  • Giving a presentation comparing cultures and quality of life

Unit 6: Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges

You'll explore how complex global issues affect people's lives in Spanish-speaking communities and engage in deeper discussions to suggest possible solutions.

  • Analyzing articles and charts on environmental issues
  • Listening for connections and meaning in video reports
  • Making cultural connections among video presentations
  • Writing essays to address global issues and suggest solutions
  • Giving a presentation comparing reactions to global challenges across cultures

Credit and Placement

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Course Resources

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AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description

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52 Spanish Essay Phrases for Your AP Exam

In order to do well on the AP Spanish exam’s   free-response  section, you must be able to write a persuasive essay based on three Spanish-language sources.

Here we’ve put together a list of 52 vocabulary words and essays phrases that will come in handy for making and supporting arguments in your AP Spanish essays.

Handy Essay Phrases for Writing a Strong Spanish AP Composition

Starting your essay, agreeing and disagreeing, stating an opinion, supporting an opinion, contrasting (or comparing), transitional phrases, changing topics, concluding your essay, how to prepare for the ap spanish essay, what are the details of the ap spanish essay, and one more thing….

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Para empezar – To begin with

Hoy en día – Nowadays…

Hoy en día, las personas están en Internet hasta ocho horas por día. (Nowadays, people are on the Internet up to eight hours per day.)

A manera de introducción – We can start by saying…

Como punto de partida – As a starting point

Al principio – At the beginning… 

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ap spanish lang essay format

En primer lugar  – To start… 

Empecemos por considerar – Let’s begin by considering…

Estoy de acuerdo/No estoy de acuerdo — I agree/I disagree

Estoy de acuerdo con lo que dice el autor. (I agree with what the author says.)

No estoy de acuerdo con la idea principal de la fuente número dos . (I disagree with the main idea of source number two.)

En mi opinión — In my opinion

En mi opinión, los jóvenes deberían comer más sano. (In my opinion, young people should eat healthier.)

La verdad es   — The truth is

La verdad es que todavía hay mucha desigualdad en los Estados Unidos . (The truth is there is still a lot of inequality in the United States.)

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ap spanish lang essay format

Es verdad  — It’s true

Es verdad que las redes sociales pueden ser peligrosas . (It’s true that social media can be dangerous.)

Es falso   —   It’s false

Hay gente que dice que las redes sociales son peligrosas, pero esto es falso . (There are people who say that social media is dangerous, but this is false.)

Me parece/No me parece   —   It seems to me/It doesn’t seem to me

Me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

No me parece bien que los niños asistan a colegios bilingües . (I don’t think it’s a good idea that children attend bilingual schools.)

Remember that since me parece implies an opinion or emotion, you must conjugate the verb in the subjunctive tense.

(Yo) pienso que   —   I think that

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ap spanish lang essay format

Yo pienso que no hay nada más importante que la familia . (I think that there is nothing more important than family.)

(Yo) creo que  — I believe that

Yo creo que todos los adolescentes deberían aprender a tocar un instrumento . (I believe that all adolescents should learn to play an instrument.)

The following phrases all have the same structure: Es  + adjective +  que .

This structure is similar to the English “It’s [adjective] that…” and is great for expressing and supporting opinions in a strong and confident manner. Here are some phrases that are especially useful when making and defending claims in a persuasive essay:

Es evidente que   —   It’s evident that

Es claro que   —   It’s clear that

Es cierto que  —   It’s certain that

Es obvio que   — It’s obvious that

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ap spanish lang essay format

Es importante que  — It’s important that

Es necesario que   — It’s necessary that

Es probable que   —   It’s probable that

Es dudoso que  — It’s doubtful that

For some of these phrases, the verb following the word que must be conjugated in the indicative, while others require the subjunctive . A good rule of thumb is that when implying that something is certain, use the indicative. When expressing doubt or expressing some other emotion, use the subjunctive.

On this list, evidente, claro, cierto  and obvio use indicative verbs, and importante, necesario, probable  and dudoso use subjunctive verbs.

Es cierto que nuestro clima está cambiando . (It is certain that our climate is changing.)

Es importante que la gente sepa hablar más de un idioma . (It’s important that people know how to speak more than one language.)

These words will help you refer to your three sources, which contain information that will help you support your argument. This section also contains transition words to connect one part of your argument to the next.

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ap spanish lang essay format

Según   — According to  

Según el autor… (according to the author…)

La fuente  —   The source

Según la fuente numero 1… (According to source number one…)

El tema   —   The theme/topic

Esto es un tema muy importante. (This is a very important topic.)

Mostrar   —   To show

La fuente muestra la importancia de la diversidad. (The source shows the importance of diversity.)

ap spanish lang essay format

Remember, mostrar is an o-ue stem-changing verb—pay attention to conjugation!

Demostrar   —   To demonstrate

La tabla demuestra que muchos jóvenes en España juegan al fútbol. (The table demonstrates that many youths in Spain play football.)

Demostrar is also an o-ue stem changing verb. Luckily for you, it follows the exact same conjugation rules as mostrar !

Indicar   —   To indicate

La tabla indica que hay muchas familias pobres en ese barrio. (The table indicates that there are many poor families in that neighborhood.)

Apoyar   —   To support

Estos datos apoyan la idea de que el clima está cambiando. (This data supports the idea that the climate is changing)

Sin duda   — Without a doubt

Sin duda, el cambio climático es el problema más grave que enfrenta nuestra planeta. (Without a doubt, climate change is the most serious problem that our planet faces.)

Por otra parte   — On the other hand

Es importante que la economía crezca, pero por otra parte, tenemos que cuidar el medio ambiente. (It’s important that the economy grows, but on the other hand, we have to care for the environment.)

Aunque   — Even though/Although

Aunque is followed by an indicative verb when the outcome is known, but a subjunctive verb when the outcome is speculative.

Aunque cuesta mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución. (Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Aunque cueste mucho dinero, tenemos que buscar una solución . (Even though it may cost a lot of money, we have to search for a solution.)

Al igual que  —   Just like

Al igual que en los años 40, hoy en día hay mucha gente que no quiere ayudar a los refugiados de guerra . (Just like in the 40s, today there are many people who don’t want to help war refugees.)

Tanto… como… — … as well as…

Fill in this phrase with two nouns to emphasize that you’re talking equally about two different things.

Tanto chicos como chicas deberían aprender a cocinar, limpiar, coser y cuidar a los bebés. (Boys as well as girls ought to learn how to cook, clean, sew and care for babies.)  

Sino   —   But rather

Remember that Spanish has two translations for the English word “but.” The word sino is like the English phrase “but rather,” used to introduce an alternative.

En comparación  —   In comparison

En comparación, la fuente número 2 indica que hay más obesidad en Estados Unidos que en España . (In comparison, source number 2 indicates that there is more obesity in the United States than in Spain.)

Leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, sino una manera de aprender y de conocer otras culturas . (Reading isn’t a waste of time, but rather a way to learn and understand other cultures.)

Además  — Additionally

This word is usually seen at the beginning of a sentence, and it’s useful for transitioning from one idea or argument to another.

Además, es evidente que la tecnología nos ayuda mucho. (Additionally, it’s evident that technology helps us a lot.)

Sin embargo   —   However

This is another good transition word. In your essay, you may want to present an alternate argument and then explain why you disagree with it. Sin embargo is very helpful for this.

Obviamente, estudiar es muy importante. Sin embargo, es necesario que los adolescentes tengan tiempo para jugar con sus amigos . (Obviously, studying is very important. However, it’s necessary that teenagers have time to play with their friends.)

Por lo cual   —   For this reason/That’s why/Which is why

This phrase is used in the middle of a sentence to connect ideas.

La Amazonía tiene un alto nivel de biodiversidad, por lo cual la conservación de esta región debe ser una prioridad.  (The Amazon has a high level of biodiversity, which is why the conservation of this region must be a priority.)

Sobre un tema relacionado — On a related topic

Sobre un tema relacionado con la inteligencia artificial, se están llevando a cabo investigaciones para mejorar la capacidad de aprendizaje de los algoritmos de machine learning.  (Regarding a topic related to artificial intelligence, research is being conducted to enhance the learning capacity of machine learning algorithms.)

Cuando se trata de –  When it comes to

Relacionado con esta idea — Related to this idea

Una idea similar es — A similar idea is

Una idea similar es utilizar la realidad virtual como herramienta educativa para mejorar la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. (A similar idea is to use virtual reality as an educational tool to enhance the learning experience of students.)

Ahora estoy pasando a  — Now moving onto

In your final paragraph, you’ll want to provide a summary of your main argument and your main supporting points. You can use the following helpful phrases:

En conclusión   —   In conclusion

En resumen   —   In summary

En fin   —   Finally

En conclusión,/En resumen,/En fin, las tres fuentes muestran que la contaminación del aire es un problema muy grave para todo el mundo . (In summary, the three sources show that air pollution is a very serious problem for the whole world.)

After summarizing your essay, you’ll want to restate your main argument in a succinct, strongly-worded sentence. Start with these phrases:

Por estas razones   —   For these reasons

Por eso  — That is why

Así que   —   Therefore

Entonces  — So

Por estas razones,/Por eso,/Así que/Entonces, afirmo que los adolescentes no deberían usar las redes sociales. (For these reasons, I affirm that teenagers should not use social media.)

In many ways, preparing for the free-response section is the same as preparing for the rest of the AP exam.

It involves studying grammar and vocabulary, and it also means immersing yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible.

There are also some targeted ways to practice for the free-response section.

  • Do practice exams and read sample essays. The College Board  has posted the full AP exams from the last several years. Try to read the sources and write the essay in the allotted 55 minutes. When you’re done, go back and slowly revise your essay for errors in grammar, spelling and logic. After that, you can also check out the grading rubric provided by the College Board and several sample persuasive essays . Try to compare your essay against the rubric and the samples to see how you can improve your writing.
  • Practice summarizing and analyzing Spanish-language sources. Remember all those great resources listed above? Well, it’s not enough to just read or listen to them. The whole point of the presentational essay is to measure your ability to summarize, synthesize and argue. So, after you read or listen to a Spanish-language source, take five minutes to summarize it—on paper. Identify the main argument, and then make a bulleted list of important points. Finally, write a few sentences summarizing your personal opinion.
  • Learn targeted vocabulary for talking about opinions and arguments. Is there anything more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want to say, but not having the vocabulary to say it? This article lists many crucial vocabulary words for expressing and supporting opinions in persuasive essays. Using these words and phrases will help make your writing flow more smoothly, and allow you to argue with more credibility.

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You can also find some great info on great news outlets , podcasts , YouTube channels  and blogs —all in Spanish. Even following some Spanish Twitter feeds or listening to Spanish music can be a great way to work a little language practice into your day.

The free-response section of the exam is meant to test your ability to communicate with others in spoken and written Spanish.

There are two essays in the free-response section. The interpersonal essay asks you to respond to an email. The presentational essay  tests how well you can draw information from Spanish-language sources, form an argument and write formally. This second essay is a little less straightforward, so we’ll walk you through it here.

So, how does it work?

The presentational essay is based on three sources . Two of them are written sources and one is an audio source.

These sources can be just about anything: Advertisements, articles, infographics, letters, maps, interviews, radio programs, podcasts and conversations are just some examples of the types of sources you may encounter.

You’ll have about 55 minutes to complete this particular essay. First, you’ll have six minutes to read the prompt and the two written sources, and then you’ll hear the audio source twice. Finally, you’ll have 40 minutes to plan and write your essay.

The essay is graded on the basis of Spanish language skills like reading, listening, writing and grammar—but it’s also based on your general ability to analyze the sources and make a strong, coherent argument.

Of course, learning vocabulary and essay phrases is just one way to prepare for the free-response section.

Remember to expose yourself to as many Spanish-language sources as you can before test day, and don’t forget to think critically about those sources as you read them!

If you've made it this far that means you probably enjoy learning Spanish with engaging material and will then love FluentU .

Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.

FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:

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FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

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ap spanish lang essay format

Specialty Spanish

Specialty Spanish

Ideas and Resources for Spanish Teachers

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay

Tips For the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay

Need some help with the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay? In my humble opinion, it is the most complicated task our AP Spanish students will have to complete. El ensayo argumentativo requires excellent reading skills, listening skills and writing skills. So how can we help our students do well on this part of the AP Spanish exam? Here are some tips!

Tip #1 Direct Instruction

Students need to understand what exactly they need to do for the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay. Consider taking the class time to have a mini lesson that provides the specifics and details of the expectations. Here is a short list of what students should know.

-2 readings; one in narrative form and usually on graph or chart

-1 listening source

-each source must be referenced at least once in their essay

-writing needs to be organized and concise

-only 1 hour to read, listen and write!

I created this Google Slides presentation for the direct instruction I provide to my students. Feel free to create one too, or use mine to save time!

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Tip #2

Don’t assume that your students have good writing skills. *Yes, they need to understand what they read and hear. Let’s assume that they are practicing those skills daily in one way or another in class. But in my experience, students really struggle with organizing their writing.

Teach them how to write a concise introductory paragraph that ends with a thesis statement (the answer to the question that was asked for the task).

Then teach them how to write a topic sentence. When they have a clear topic sentence, their paragraph is much more likely to stay on track. This is really important, because the time constraint on this section of the AP Exam is a big challenge!

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Tip #3

Design teacher-friendly ways for students to practice.

Let’s face it. Students need lots of practice and lots of feedback to get good at this essay. But essays are very time consuming to write and very time consuming to grade.

The strategy I use with my students is to break the essay into parts and allow them to practice one part at a time.

Day 1: Direct instruction followed by a set of sources

-Teach students how to focus on what the question is

-Encourage them to underline, star and highlight important parts of the text

-Ask them to take notes while listening

*Now, develop a thesis/answer to the question. Teach them to choose the one that’s easier to prove rather than the one they believe is the right answer!

Pair students. Have them write the introductory paragraph only. I am always shocked with how many students need help getting the formula right for their intro. I tell them to put their thesis statement last! Why don’t they?? Lol!

Giving feedback on just one paragraph is far less overwhelming and time consuming than grading a whole essay, especially if they’re working in pairs! Half the correcting!

Once they have a good intro paragraph, have them move on to their topic sentences for each body paragraph. Ask them to identify a quote/idea from each source to include within their paragraph.

When you are happy with their topic sentences and quotes, now they can write their conclusion. This part is easier- it’s the inverse of their introduction!

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Tip #4

Share resources!

At least for me, it took me a long time to feel confident in my instruction for the AP Spanish Argumentative Essay. I did not have a colleague- I was (and still am) the only one teaching the course at my school. The College Board did not have AP Classroom, or at least nothing like what exists now. I had never heard of Teachers Pay Teachers.

Therefore, I learned by trial and error and created everything from scratch. It was time consuming. Like…. years!!!!

Profes, don’t do that to yourself!

If you have a teaching partner in your school, or maybe someone you know from another district, divide and conquer! Share what you create!

Here are the resources I know about that may help you and your students gain confidence regarding the Argumentative Essay!

AP Spanish Language and Culture: the College Board site (has lots of lessons, videos and free practices!)

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay: Sample Intro Paragraphs (FREEBIE!)

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay Feedback Checklist (My lifesaver!)

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay: Graphic Organizer for Student Practice

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay: How To

Test Prep Growing Mega Bundle (This includes all my materials for the open ended sections of the AP Spanish test)

Other Posts You May Like

Argumentative Essay Part 1

Argumentative Essay Part 2

AP Spanish Email Reply

AP Spanish Argumentative Essay

AP Lesson Plan, Posters, Lesson Plan Templates, Goal-Setting, Presentations How-To Handouts, and more!

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The Ultimate Guide to the AP Spanish Literature Exam

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Advanced Placement (AP)

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The AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam is an excellent opportunity to show off your critical reading, writing, and analytical skills in another language while earning college credit in the process. 

But conquering the course material is only the beginning. You need to learn everything there is to know about the exam to boost your chances of earning a passing score (and college credit) to boot!

In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to start prepping for the AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam , including: 

  • The structure and format of the AP Spanish Lit exam
  • The core themes and skills you’ll be tested on
  • The types of questions that appear on the exam and how to answer them (with real AP student sample responses!)
  • How the AP Spanish Lit exam is scored, with official scoring rubrics
  • Four crucial tips for prepping for the AP Spanish Lit exam

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

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Exam Overview: How Is the AP Spanish Lit Exam Structured?

The AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam tests your understanding of Spanish language skills and literature written in Spanish , including short stories, novels, essays, plays, and poetry. 

Like most AP exams, the test lasts for a total of three hours . You’ll have to answer 65 multiple choice questions and four free-response questions to complete the test. 

The AP Spanish Lit exam is divided into two sections. Section I of the exam consists of 65 multiple-choice questions and lasts for one hour and 20 minutes (80 minutes total). The multiple-choice section is further divided into two parts: Part 1A, and Part 1B. Both Part A and Part B of Section I are totally multiple choice, but they test you on different skills. As a whole, Section I counts for 50% of your total exam score . 

Section II of the exam tests your critical reading and analytical writing skills through four free response questions . Section II lasts for 1 hour and 40 minutes (100 minutes) and counts for 50% of your total exam score . Each free response question asks you to write either a short answer or longer essay in response to a specific text or set of texts (called “stimulus” on the exam). 

To help you visualize the breakdown, here’s the AP Spanish Lit exam structure in table format: 

Source: The College Board

But is AP Spanish Literature hard? If you want to get an idea of how difficult the exam is and learn how to get a 5 on AP Spanish Literature, keep reading: we’ll break down the course content, skills, and themes (temas de AP Spanish Literature) that you need to understand for the AP Spanish Lit exam next!

Course Themes, Skills, and Units

AP Spanish Lit is focused around six core themes , or temas de AP Spanish Literature. These course themes are designed to help you develop the skills you need to fully understand Spanish literature and culture…and ace the AP Spanish Lit exam!

Exploring these themes and applying them to the texts on the AP Spanish Literature reading list will equip you with the critical thinking and analytical skills you need to succeed on the AP Spanish Literature exam. The six themes and skills that you’ll master during the course are: 

The AP Spanish Lit themes and skills are typically taught through eight units of study . Understanding these units of study will help you get a big picture view of what the course covers, and how different course topics are connected. Content from each course unit will appear on the exam, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with them as early as you can! 

The eight units of study in AP Spanish Literature are : 

Now that you have a good sense of what’s on the AP Spanish Literature exam, let’s take a closer look at each section of the exam and the types of questions that appear in each one. 

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Spanish AP Literature Exam Section I: Multiple-Choice

The first section of the exam tests you in two main areas: your interpretive listening skills, and your reading analysis skills . 

To test you on these skills, Section I is broken down into two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A will test your interpretive listening skills, and Part B will test your reading analysis skills. Both parts of Section I use authentic Spanish language texts presented in different formats to assess your skills. 

While Parts A and B of Section I test you using texts in different formats (audio vs. print/written), both parts include question types that assess you on these three skills: 

  • At least 75% of multiple-choice questions assess your ability to analyze and interpret literary and audio texts in Spanish.
  • Around 10% of multiple-choice questions assess your ability to make connections between a literary text and a non-literary text or an aspect of Spanish culture.
  • Around 10% of the multiple-choice questions assess your ability to compare literary texts in Spanish.

Since Part A and Part B are a bit different (though both are multiple-choice!), let’s break them down a bit further next. 

Section I Part A: Multiple-Choice Interpretive Listening

Part A of Section I asks you to demonstrate your ability to accurately interpret a variety of Spanish language audio texts . This part of Section I consists of 15 total questions that are presented in sets of either four or seven multiple-choice questions. Each set of questions comes with an audio text in either the format of an interview, a poem, and a discussion or lecture on literary topics. 

Here’s a clearer breakdown of the structure of Part A of Section I: 

Since Part A is a bit of an outlier when it comes to the testing format, it’s important to understand how this part of the exam will be administered ahead of time. Let’s look at a real interpretive listening question to get a better sense of how this part of the exam works next.

Sample Multiple-Choice Question: Interpretive Listening

To help you get a better sense of what Section I Part A will be like, let’s take a look at a real interpretive listening question from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam . 

In the picture below, you’ll see a set of written directions (which appear in Spanish on the real exam!), a written transcript of a poem entitled “La guitarra,” and one multiple choice question. However, on the real exam, you’ll only get to listen to the text provided –you won’t be given a printed copy of it! 

When this portion of the exam begins, you’ll listen to the provided text once, then have one minute to take notes and view the exam questions for this portion of the test. After that, you’ll listen to the provided text a second time, then have one minute to answer the provided set of questions (ranging from four to seven questions in total). You’ll be able to use the notes you took for reference as you answer the questions! 

You can read the directions, Spanish language poem, and set of four questions for our example interpretive listening task here: 

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And here's the question set: 

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The four questions in the set above ask about the events that occur in the poem, as well as the poem’s imagery, tone, and writing style . We’ll break down the correct answers for each question here: 

To ace interpretive listening questions like these, you’ll need to listen closely, jot down notes about important words, themes, or ideas, and use context clues to accurately analyze the texts that you’re given. 

Next, let’s look at the second part of Section I of the exam: Part B, multiple-choice reading analysis. 

Section I Part B: Multiple-Choice Reading Analysis

Section I Part B asks you to demonstrate your skills of reading analysis by engaging with print or written texts. On this part of Section I, you’ll be given 60 minutes to complete 50 multiple-choice questions. Part B accounts for 40% of your exam score . 

The questions on Part B are divided into four sets. Each set applies to a specific text or set of texts. To give you a clearer picture of how Part B is structured, we’ll break it down further below: 

Sample Multiple-Choice Question: Reading Analysis

To help you get a better sense of what Section I Part B will be like, let’s take a look at a real set of reading analysis questions from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam . 

In the picture below, you’ll see a set of written directions (Spanish-only provided on the real exam!), a written passage, and a set of five multiple-choice questions :

body-ap-spanish-image-7

Each of the questions above asks you to analyze the provided text and select the answer choice that best characterizes your understanding of the text’s meaning . Now, let’s look at the correct answers for each question and the skills you’ll need to successfully choose them: 

To succeed on reading analysis questions like the ones above, you’ll need to have a solid grasp of Spanish language conventions, strong analytical skills, and the ability to interpret ideas in different contexts.  

Next, let’s look more closely at Section II of the AP Spanish Lit exam: the free-response section. 

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Or more accurately, escribe algo.

Spanish AP Literature Section II: Free-Response

Section II of the AP Spanish Lit exam lasts for one hour and 40 minutes, includes four free-response questions, and counts for 50% of your exam score. 

There are two distinct types of questions on the AP Spanish Lit free-response section : short answer questions, and essay questions. Both types of free-response questions test your ability to clearly and thoughtfully explain the events of a text, analyze texts, and compare and contrast multiple texts that share common themes. You’ll demonstrate these skills by writing short and longer free-responses on the exam!

To help you understand what free-response questions will be like on the exam, we’ll walk you through a real exam question, scoring rubric, and student response for both short-answer and essay questions below. 

Free-Response Short Answer Question: Scoring Rubric and Example Response

On the AP Spanish Lit exam, you’ll respond to two short-answer questions . The sample question below is an example of a short answer free-response question from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam. This short-answer question asks students to provide a Spanish-language explanation of the provided text, which comes from Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s poem “ Hombres necios que acusáis ,” written in 1689: 

body-ap-spanish-image-10

The free-response short answer question above asks students to read the provided text, identify the author and period of the text, and explain the development of a given theme in the text. 

We’ll provide a sample student response to this question in just a minute, but first, let’s see how you could earn full credit for this question. Take a look at the official scoring rubric used to evaluate this question on the 2021 Spanish AP Lit exam to see how your response will be scored: 

The example student response below comes straight from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam. The student is responding to the short-answer question we’ve included above. 

This short-answer response received a 3 for Content and a 3 for Language based on the criteria in the scoring rubric above. That means that this student response received six out of six possible points for this free-response question!

body-ap-spanish-image-11

Free-Response Essay Question: Scoring Rubric and Example Response 

There are two free-response essay questions on the AP Spanish Lit exam . To help you get an idea of what these questions are like, let’s go over a sample essay question, scoring rubric, and student response from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam. 

The free-response essay question below asks students to analyze how a single text represents both the specified period, movement, literary genre, and technique and the given cultural context. The selected text in the question below comes from Gabriel García Márquez’s short story, “ La siesta del martes” :

body-ap-spanish-image-4

Before we look at a real student’s response to this essay question, let’s look at the scoring rubric used to evaluate responses to this essay question . The rubric below was used to score this type of essay question on the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam: 

Now that you know how this type of essay question is scored, let’s look at a real student’s response to this essay question. This student’s response comes straight from the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam and scored a 5/5 for Content and a 5/5 for Language, which means this response received full points !

body-ap-spanish-image-5

How the AP Spanish Literature Exam Is Scored

Understanding how your AP Spanish Lit exam will be scored can help you feel more prepared for the exam. Here, we’ll overview how each section of the AP Spanish lit exam is scored, scaled, and combined to produce your final score on the AP 1-5 scale . 

As a refresher, here’s how the score percentages break down on the AP Spanish Literature exam: 

  • Section I: Multiple-choice: 50% of overall score
  • Section IA: 10% of score
  • Section IB: 40% of score
  • Section II: Free-response: 50% of overall score
  • Question 1: 7.5%
  • Question 2: 7.5%
  • Question 3: 17.5%
  • Question 4: 17.5%

On the multiple choice section, you earn one raw point for every question you answer correctly. This means that the maximum raw score you can earn on the multiple choice section is 65 points. No points are deducted for wrong answers . 

The free-response section is a bit different. The two short answer free-response questions are each worth six raw points, and the two essay free-response questions are worth 10 points each. This means that there are a total of 32 possible points in the free-response section.  

Keep in mind that you’ll lose points on free-response questions only for major errors , like failing to analyze or compare the provided texts, for instance. You aren’t going to lose points for a stray comma splice here and there as long as grammatical errors don’t interfere with the AP grader’s ability to understand your response. 

You can earn 97 raw points on the AP Spanish Lit exam. Here’s how those are divided by section:  

  • 65 points for multiple-choice
  • 32 points for free-response

From there, your raw scores will be converted into a scaled score of 1-5 by the College Board. That’s the score you’ll see when you receive your official score report! Unfortunately, the 5 rate for the AP Spanish Literature exam is pretty low compared to other AP exams . You can see what percentage of test takers earned each possible score on the 2021 AP Spanish Lit exam below: 

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4 Tips for Prepping for the AP Spanish Literature and Culture Exam

You know what’s on the exam and how it’s scored. Now you’re ready to get down to business! If you’re wondering how to study for AP Spanish Literature, keep reading–we’ll give you four top tips for kickstarting your Spanish AP Literature prep below!

Tip 1: Take a Practice Exam

The best way to assess your preparedness for the AP Spanish Lit exam is to test your skills out on a practice exam. Taking a practice exam will help you identify skills and texts that you struggle with. From there, you can design a study plan that targets your weaker areas to improve your chances of earning a passing score !

You can find a full set of official multiple-choice practice questions here , and the College Board provides a large repository of past free-response exam questions on their website . Be sure to use official practice questions like the ones linked here as much as possible. Using official practice materials ensures you’re getting quality practice that’s very similar to the real exam!  

Tip 2: Consult AP Spanish Literature Reading Lists

The AP Spanish Literature course includes a total of 38 required texts –and you’ll be expected to read and know all of them for the exam. That’s a lot of texts to master, especially if Spanish isn’t your first language! 

Your AP teacher will dedicate lots of class time to teaching you the texts on the AP Spanish Literature reading list, but if you want to really learn them, you’ll need to spend time studying them outside of class too. Remember: all of the required course readings will be unabridged, full-text, and in Spanish. The more effort you dedicate to studying the texts on the AP Spanish Literature reading list on your own time, the more successful you’re likely to be on the AP exam. 

The College Board provides an official AP Spanish Literature reading list on their website . You can use this list to start working through the course readings and searching for supplemental study materials for individual texts online. 

Tip 3: Master the Temas de AP Spanish Literature

Understanding the six core themes of the AP Spanish Lit course (temas de AP Spanish Literature) is crucial to success on the AP exam. These course themes are designed to promote critical thinking about the course readings and encourage making connections and comparisons between different texts and cultures. 

As you take the AP Spanish Literature course, you’ll notice that the course themes are paired with various learning goals. Pay close attention when these themes pop up in course materials and consider what you should be learning from them! Doing this will help you develop the skills you need to interpret, analyze, and compare texts on the exam . 

Tip 4: Practice Tough Questions 

As you progress through the AP Spanish Lit course, you’ll begin to notice question types that seem to trip you up. As you get graded quizzes and tests back during class, keep running notes about the questions you miss. Jot down what type of question it was (multiple choice or free response), the skills it assessed, and where you lost points or went wrong. 

From there, you can find and work with practice questions (like the ones linked earlier!) that are the same type as the ones you’ve struggled with. The more you practice with questions that trip you up, the more likely you’ll be to get them right on the real exam!

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What’s Next? 

Need a little help with your Spanish vocabulary? This list of how to talk about body parts in Spanish can give you a fun way to brush up! 

Thinking about taking another foreign language in high school? This guide will help you pick the best languages for you. 

While the SAT Spanish subject test is no longer offered, you can use the free study materials to help you practice your reading and comprehension skills. We’ve compiled a list of resources that you can use as extra prep. 

Looking for help studying for your AP exam? Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Get matched with a top tutor who got a high score on the exam you're studying for!

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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AP Spanish 2020-2021

AP SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE EXAM: 3 HOURS

Exam questions are based on the six learning objectives and assess all themes. As much as possible, students read and listen to authentic texts from the Spanish-speaking world throughout the exam.

The AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description provides complete details about the exam.

Format of Assessment

  • Interpretive Communication: Print Texts
  • Interpretive Communication: Print and Audio Texts combined and Audio Texts

Section II : Free Response | 4 Questions | ~ 1 Hour, 28 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score (each question is weighted equally)

  • Question 1: Email Reply
  • Question 2: Argumentative Essay
  • Question 3: Conversation
  • Question 4: Cultural Comparison

AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Format  

Section I: Multiple ChoiceApprox. 95 minutes
Part AInterpretive Communication: Print Texts30 questions50%Approx. 40 minutes
Part BInterpretive Communication: Print and Audio Texts (combined)35 questionsApprox. 55 minutes
Interpretive Communication: Audio Texts
Section II: Free ResponseApprox. 85 minutes
Interpersonal Writing: Email Reply   1 prompt12.5%15 minutes
Presentational Writing: Persuasive Essay1 prompt12.5%Approx. 55 minutes
Interpersonal Speaking: Conversation5 prompts12.5%20 seconds for each response
Presentational Speaking: Cultural Comparison1 prompt12.5%2 minutes to respond

Multiple-Choice Questions

For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the  Course and Exam Description .

Free-Response Questions

Below are free-response questions from past   AP Spanish Language and Culture Exams .

2021: Free-Response Questions

AP Spanish Language and Culture 2021 Audio Scripts

Speaking Audio Prompts

2019: Free-Response Questions  

  /    

 






2014: Free-Response Questions














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    Teachers: Explore timing and format for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. Review sample questions, scoring guidelines, and sample student responses. Scores for 2024 AP Exams are available now. ... Write an argumentative essay based on 3 sources, including an article, a table, graph, chart, or infographic, and a related audio source ...

  2. AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Questions

    If you are using assistive technology and need help accessing these PDFs in another format, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 212-713-8333 or by email at [email protected]. The 2020 free-response questions are available in the AP Classroom question bank. Download free-response questions from past AP Spanish Language and ...

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    AP® Spanish Language and Culture 2021 Scoring Guidelines. Score of 0: UNACCEPTABLE. • Mere restatement of language from the prompt • Clearly does not respond to the prompt; completely irrelevant to the topic • "I don't know," "I don't understand," or equivalent in any language • Not in the language of the exam.

  4. AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

    About the Exam. The AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam will test your ability to apply communication and language skills developed in the course and ask you to demonstrate your understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures. 2025 AP Exam dates available soon. Exam Duration. 3hrs 03mins.

  5. PDF AP Spanish Language and Culture

    The student's. AP® SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE 2017 SCORING COMMENTARY. Task 2: Persuasive Essay (continued) viewpoint is clearly stated in lines 41-45: "Otros dirán que ... a cualquier respuesta.". This personal viewpoint is clearly demonstrated by disagreeing with the argument stated in source 1.

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    AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Content. At 3 hours and 3 minutes long, the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam is one of the longer-lasting AP exams. It consists of two primary sections—the first section featuring multiple-choice questions, and the second made up of free response questions.

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    This is an organized essay where the thesis is presented from the beginning: "más facilidad" and "oportunidad a conectar.". The thesis structures the body paragraphs of the essay and is followed by a logical conclusion. The student uses explicit cohesive devices well: "Para empezar"; "También"; "Además"; "Para concluir ...

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    • Organized essay; some effective use of transitional elements or cohesive devices • Fully understandable, with some errors that do not impede comprehensibility ... AP Spanish Language and Culture Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary from the 2018 Exam Administration: Task 2 - Persuasive Essay Keywords:

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    This year, all AP exams will cover all units and essay types. The 2024 AP Spanish Lang exam format will be: Reading Multiple Choice - 23% of your score. 30 questions in 40 minutes. Reading/. Listening Multiple Choice. - 27% of your score. 35 questions in 55 minutes. Email Reply.

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    5: STRONG performance in Presentational Speaking. Effective treatment of topic within the context of the task. Clearly compares the student's own community with the target culture, including supporting details and relevant examples. Demonstrates understanding of the target culture, despite a few minor inaccuracies.

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    AP® Spanish Language and Culture 2022 Scoring Guidelines . Question 1: Email Reply 5 points . ... Organized essay; effective use of transitional elements or cohesive devices • Barely understandable, with ... There is no single expected format or style for referring to and identifying sources appropriately. For example, test takers may opt to ...

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    Sections & Question Types. The AP Spanish Language & Culture Exam is just over 3 hours long to complete and is comprised of two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. There are two parts to the multiple-choice section, and four questions in the free-response section. Section. Timing. Number of Questions. % of Exam Score.

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    Integrates content from all three sources in support of an argument. Presents and defends the student's own position on the topic with a high degree of clarity; develops an argument with coherence and detail. Organized essay; effective use of transitional elements or cohesive devices. Fully understandable, with ease and clarity of expression ...

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    teacher resources; exam resources; exam information; scoring information; score rationale; AP Spanish Language and Culture Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary from the 2018 Exam Administration: Task 1 - EmailSÒ O ¿L¬»{9 Û Õ} Created Date: 8/22/2018 12:23:38 PM

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    bulary and idiomatic language General contr. of grammar, syntax, and usage Generally consistent use of register appropriate for the situation, except for occasional shifts; basic control of cultural conventions appropriate for formal correspo. , and a few complex sentences Maintains the exchange with a response that is clearly appropriat.

  21. PDF AP Spanish Language and Culture Scoring Guidelines

    1: POOR performance in Presentational Speaking. Almost no treatment of topic within the context of the task. Presents information only about the student's own community or only about the target culture, and may not include examples. Demonstrates minimal understanding of the target culture; generally inaccurate.

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