AP English Language and AP English Literature – What’s the Difference? Every year, hundreds of thousands of high school students in the United States take the Advanced Placement Course in English Language and English Literature in preparation for the Advanced Placement test in these areas. The tests are given by the College Board of the United States of America . The College Board is a non-profit organization that aims to provide chances for all students to take academically challenging programs and projects that will provide them college success opportunity. Those who get high scores will be given credits in some English subjects when they go to college. This means that students who get remarkable scores may not enroll some of their English courses. Both tests focus on English but they differ in many ways. First, they differ in content. AP English Language aims to develop students’ skills in reading non-fiction prose in diverse rhetorical contexts. Through this course, the students acquire writing skills that will help them produce compositions that are engaging and rich in content. On the other hand, AP English Literature is designed to motivate students to read, explore, and analyze classical and modern literature. Students who take the course and pass the test are found to perform better because of their experience. The second difference is on the level of students who take the examinations. Normally, Advanced Placement Course in English Language is given to junior high school students while English Literature is usually given to senior high school students. Third, there is a difference in the content of the course. For AP English Literature, the College Board gives a list of readings for students to study in the fields of poetry, drama, novels, and short stories, ranging from the works of classical and modern writers. On the other hand, for AP English Language, the course includes non-fiction works for students to read and analyze. Fourth, there is a difference in the coverage of the tests. For AP English Language, the examination contains questions on rhetorical devices and structures of the passage. Students’ skills in identifying the general functions and purposes of the passage and the relationships between them are tested. Test takers are also asked to answer questions from reading passages to test their ability to synthesize, analyze, and argue. AP English Literature Examination, on the other hand, tests the students’ critical reading skills. Examinees are given literary pieces to read. Then, they will answer questions pertaining to content, form, and style of the literary work. The students are also given items that require free response to test their ability to analyze and interpret the literary work given. Some high schools offer these courses to students who want to grab the opportunity to acquire advanced credits when they enter college. However, these courses are offered online. If you find taking the course in your school too much for your already hectic schedule, or if your school does not offer these two courses, you can study online. There are many online schools offering AP English Language and AP English Literature. Taking these courses online will enable you to continue with your regular high school program without experiencing a very tight schedule. In addition, online programs for these courses have plenty of practice examinations that you can take to familiarize yourself with the actual test. In short, while the two courses are different, both of them can be taken through onlineprograms.