Four skills, in order of pain.
Each FRQ type has a rubric, an annotated approach, and a writeable practice prompt. Type your response and submit it to the AP Tutor for rubric-aligned feedback.
What you’re actually scored on
| Type | Points | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| SAQ | 3 | Part (a) · Part (b) · Part (c) — 1 pt each. Identification, explanation, often a limitation or comparison. |
| LEQ | 6 | Thesis (1) · Contextualization (1) · Evidence (2) · Analysis & Reasoning (2) |
| DBQ | 7 | Thesis (1) · Contextualization (1) · Evidence (3, including HIPP) · Analysis & Reasoning (2) |
Same rubrics for APUSH and AP World History: Modern. Click into a lab to see the full rubric and try a prompt.
Digital exam — and a new free-response format.
AP World History: Modern and AP U.S. History are both now fully digital exams in College Board’s Bluebook app — multiple-choice on screen and every free-response answer typed, not handwritten.
And starting with the May 2027 exam, the free-response section changes:
- ▸ SAQ — three questions, all required — the old “answer two, then choose Q3 or Q4” is gone. One gives you a secondary source, one a primary source, and one a non-text source like a map or chart, each from a different era.
- ▸ LEQ — one essay, required — no more choosing one of three — now with a short prompt to orient you to the task.
- ▸ DBQ — still seven documents, now drawing on a wider span of the course.
Unchanged: the rubrics, the course content, and the multiple-choice section. Practice each one below — typed and timed, exactly like exam day.
SAQ
Three quick parts. The art of saying enough — and no more. Easiest entry point.
LEQ
One big argument, three paragraphs, all the evidence you can muster. The thinking essay.
DBQ
Seven documents, a thesis, contextualization, and the patience to do all of it under time. The big one.
