AP GERMAN
LANGUAGE AND
CULTURE
AP German Language and Culture – Student Guide
AP German Language and Culture - Exam Overview
The AP German 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 German-speaking culture.
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Exam Duration
3hrs 03mins
Exam Components
Section IA: Multiple Choice - 30 questions | 40mins | 23% of Score
This section presents 4 sets of authentic print sources (announcements/advertisements, literary texts, articles and charts, letters) with questions. The questions will ask you to:
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Identify the main ideas and supporting details
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Determine the meaning of vocabulary words in context
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Identify the author’s point of view or the target audience
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Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural or interdisciplinary information contained in the text
Section IB: Multiple Choice with Audio - 35 questions | 55mins | 27% of Score
This section includes a variety of authentic audio sources, including conversations, audio reports, interviews, instructions, and presentations. It is divided into 2 subsections:
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The first includes 2 sets of audio sources that are paired with print materials on the same topic with questions (articles and audio reports, charts, and conversations)
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The second includes 3 sets of audio sources with questions (interviews, instructions, presentations)
You will respond to questions about the main ideas and supporting details. Some questions will require you to show an understanding of cultural or interdisciplinary information.
You will have time to read a preview of each selection and skim the questions before listening to the audio. All audio texts will be played twice.
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You are encouraged to take notes during this part of the exam and are given writing space for that purpose. Your notes will not be graded.
Section IIA: Free Response Written - 2 questions | 1hr 10mins | 25% of Score
There are two writing tasks in this section:
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Interpersonal Writing: Read and reply to an email message (15 minutes).
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Presentational Writing: Write an argumentative essay based on 3 sources, including an article, a table, chart, graph, or infographic, and a related audio source (played twice), that present different viewpoints on a topic (~55 minutes total: 15 minutes to review materials plus 40 minutes to write). You will have access to the print sources and any notes you may take on the audio during the entire 40-minute writing period.
Section IIB: Free Response Spoken - 2 questions | 18mins | 25% of Score
There are two speaking tasks in this section:
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Interpersonal Speaking: Participate in 5 exchanges in a simulated conversation (20 seconds for each response). For this conversation, you will be provided with a preview of the conversation, including an outline of each exchange.
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Presentational Speaking: Deliver a 2-minute presentation in response to a prompt in which you compare a cultural feature of a German-speaking community with which you are familiar to your own community or another community.
AP German Language and Culture – Scoring
For the first section (multiple-choice), for every question you answer correctly, you will get one point each. There is no negative marking. It means that even if your answer is wrong or left blank, no points are deducted.
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Next is the free response section. Its scoring system is a bit complicated. Rather than being graded by AI, it is reviewed by AP graders and scored following these guidelines for AP German Language and Culture.
For more information about AP German Language and Culture Exam and scoring, you can visit the College Board’s website.
AP German Language and Culture – Credit
Keep in mind, credit and advanced standing based on AP scores vary widely from school to school. Though a score of 3 is typically considered passing, it is not always enough to receive credit. Regulations regarding which APs qualify for course credits or advanced placement depend on the policy that your desired college or university has for AP exams.
AP German Language and Culture - Study Resources
• College Board Classroom Resources
• Gimkit
• Nancy Thuleen’s “Teach” Website
AP World Language and Culture Exam Tips
In today’s global community, competence in more than one language is an essential part of communication and cultural understanding. Your study of another language not only provides you with the ability to express thoughts and ideas but also gives you access to perspectives and knowledge that are only available through the language and culture. Advanced language learning offers social, cultural, academic, and workplace benefits that will serve you throughout your life.
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Developing Your Communication Skills
As you develop language proficiency, you learn to use your language skills within the three modes of communication.
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In Interpersonal Communication, you engage in conversations and discussions, express ideas, and exchange opinions using both spoken and written language.
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In Interpretive Communication, you understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
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In Presentational Communication, you present information and ideas to an audience using spoken and written language.
Interpersonal Communication
Take every opportunity to use the language as much as you can. Participate actively in class discussions, get to know exchange students, and advanced students of the language, or connect with students from around the world using technology. Don’t worry about making mistakes, just use the language. If you find yourself struggling to remember a word, think about another way of expressing your idea.
In this mode of communication, you’ll need to be able to ask and answer a variety of questions, exchange information and ideas, and state and support your opinions. You’ll also need to interact appropriately in formal and informal situations with adults and peers.
Interpretive Communication
You should read, listen to, and watch a variety of materials from countries where the language you are studying is spoken. Explore your personal interests and find podcasts, websites, and videos that are especially interesting. Learn about current events by watching the news or reading online newspapers and magazines. For enjoyment, watch movies or cartoons, read stories, or listen to music. The important thing is you are using your language skills—and learning something about the cultural products, practices, and perspectives of the places where the language is spoken.
In this mode of communication, you’ll need to be able to understand the main ideas and some details; recognize the purpose, points of view, and the target audience; and you’ll think about perspectives different from your own. You don’t have to understand every word to be successful.
Presentational Communication
Being able to present your ideas in an organized way to various audiences is an important aspect of communication. Presentational Communication includes telling a story, making a speech, writing an essay or movie review, and making a presentation to your classmates or members of the community. No matter what the situation, you’ll need to prepare your thoughts and ideas in an organized fashion to reach your audience effectively.
In this mode of communication, you’ll need to be able to organize your presentation around the main idea and develop it in a logical fashion with relevant details and supporting evidence. Depending on the goals of your presentation, you’ll need to be able to narrate, explain, compare, or persuade.
Task Verbs
Pay close attention to the task verbs used in the free-response questions. Each one directs you to complete a specific type of response. Here are the task verbs you’ll see on the exam:
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Ask: Request information or details.
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Compare: Provide a description or explanation of similarities and/or differences.
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Defend: Explain or justify.
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Demonstrate: Show ability to respond appropriately.
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Hear/Listen: Listen to directions and an audio source
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Identify/Indicate: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.
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Make a presentation: Orally respond to a prompt.
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Organize: Determine and arrange a logical sequence for a response.
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Participate in a conversation: Respond to spoken prompts (such as providing a greeting; offering details, explanations, opinions, or perspectives; accepting or declining an invitation or suggestions; proposing solutions; and/or concluding a conversation).
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Prepare: Plan your response.
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Present: Provide information or ideas.
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Read: Look at or view printed directions and information.
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Record: Capture spoken responses digitally.
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Respond: Reply to a question or prompt.
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Speak: Express ideas verbally in response to a specific question or prompt.
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Use: Select and use the appropriate register (formal or informal).
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Write: Produce a response in writing.
Best Ways to Study for the AP German Language and Culture Exam
Assess Your Skills
The first step to developing any study plan is an initial assessment of your current knowledge. There are few study and practice materials available for the AP German Language and Culture exam. Some sample questions that can be used to assess your knowledge are available in the official course and exam description.
Study the Material
The best way to gain proficiency in any foreign language is to immerse yourself in it as much as possible. Although there are not many study materials developed specifically for the AP German Language and Culture exam, there are endless German language multimedia materials that can be used to further your knowledge and skills. Seek out German language news, videos, podcasts, and books. Use Google Translate to explore the language. Listen to audio books in German and practice speaking in German with friends, to pets, or even to yourself. The more German you hear, speak, and write, the better your communication skills will become.
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Spend some time exploring the specific course objectives and themes. The AP German Language and Culture course shapes its instruction around six primary themes. These include:
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Global Challenges
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Science and Technology
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Contemporary Life
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Personal and Public Identities
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Families and Communities
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Beauty and Aesthetics
Instruction and exposure to these themes will take place while working towards the course learning objectives. These objectives are concrete learning goals specified by the College Board, and they include:
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Engage in spoken interpersonal communication;
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Engage in written interpersonal communication;
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Synthesize information from a variety of authentic audio, visual, and audiovisual resources;
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Synthesize information from a variety of authentic written and print resources;
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Plan, produce, and present spoken presentational communications; and
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Plan and produce written presentational communications.
Despite a lack of commercial study materials produced specifically for the AP German Language and Culture exam, there still exist a number of relevant study materials in print and online.
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Many resources are available online, produced by AP teachers or former AP students themselves. Several sets of relevant study questions can be found on Quizlet. Another good resource is this course study guide, which includes an overview of the class and specific tips for each of the free response tasks. The course overview for an online class offered by Oklahoma State University provides a general outline of the class and a list of online resources that includes links to German language news websites and YouTube channels.
Finally, another relatively new and fun way to brush up on vocabulary and grammar is through the use of German language apps for your mobile device. Several free apps are available and receive good reviews. These include DuoLingo, FluentU, Babbel, and Wie Geht’s German, among others. Keep in mind that while these apps are free to download and use, paid versions are also available, so you will want to monitor the costs of in-app purchases.
Practice Multiple Choice Questions
Although it’s difficult to practice multiple-choice questions for the AP German Language and Culture exam due to the lack of sample questions available, you can prepare for this section by ensuring that you understand what to expect on it first. The multiple-choice section of the AP German Language and Culture exam tests your interpretive communication skills in two separate ways.
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First, you will read a variety of authentic print materials (e.g., journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables) and then respond to questions that ask for main ideas and supporting details. These questions may also ask you to identify the meaning of vocabulary words in context and the author’s point of view or the target audience. In addition, some questions will require you to show an understanding of the cultural information contained in the text.
The second portion of multiple-choice questions consists of a variety of authentic audio materials, including interviews, podcasts, public service announcements, conversations, and brief presentations. This section is divided into two subsections. The first subsection includes audio texts that are paired with print materials. The second subsection consists solely of audio texts. As in the first section of printed multiple-choice questions, you will respond to questions about main ideas and supporting details, and some questions will require you to show your understanding of cultural information.
You will have time to read a preview of each selection and skim the questions before listening to the audio on this portion of the exam. All audio texts will be played twice.
You should take notes during this part of the exam and you will be provided writing space for that purpose. Your notes will not be graded or included in the scoring of your exam in any way.
As you practice for this part of the exam, keep a running list of vocabulary, grammar, or key concepts that are still difficult for you. You can review them again before exam day. Review the practice multiple-choice questions in the course and exam description to make sure that you’re on the right track.
Practice Free Response Questions
The free response portion of the AP German Language and Culture exam will ask you to complete both written tasks and spoken responses. First, you will complete two written tasks. The first task will display your mastery of interpersonal writing and consists of reading and replying to an email message. Make sure that you answer every question asked of you in the email, and ask some related questions in return.
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The second written task tests your ability to create presentational written materials. This task will ask you to write a persuasive essay based on three sources, including an article, a table or graphic, and a related audio source (played twice). These sources will present different viewpoints on a topic and you will need to choose one side and present supporting evidence to back up your opinion.
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The last part of your exam consists of spoken responses. First, you will display your interpersonal communication skills through a simulated conversation. You will be provided with a preview of the conversation, including an outline of each exchange, and you’ll be given one minute to read the preview. You will then participate in five exchanges during the conversation.
The final task will ask you to display your presentational speaking skills by delivering a short oral presentation on a cultural topic. You will be asked to compare cultural features of your own community with a given cultural feature from the German-speaking world. Your oral response should last approximately two minutes, and you will have four minutes to prepare it.
While you’re reviewing the materials, be sure to also read through the scoring guidelines and examples of authentic student responses and scoring explanations. These are an invaluable resource for shaping your own responses.
Take Another Practice Test
Continue to assess your knowledge as you study. Once you think you’re ready for the exam, take some more practice questions. Use these to identify areas that need further review. Repeat the steps above to incrementally increase your score.
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Conclusion
Remember that the quickest way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it as much as possible. Have a positive mindset and always look forward to your goal, this will give you motivation. Be confident! On exam day, if you make little mistakes, it's okay! You have studied hard and all your work will pay off. Good luck!