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- 39-page printable PDF
- 180 terms with examples
- 42 practice questions, answers explained
- 2-page cram sheet and study plans
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CLEP® Study Guide
Printable PDF · 39 pages
CLEP English Literature Study Guide
Everything the CLEP English Literature exam tests, in one PDF you can print. Built from the College Board's official outline, heaviest topics first.
- 180 key terms, each with an example
- 42 practice questions with every answer explained
- A 2-page cram sheet for the night before
- 2-, 4- and 8-week study plans built from the exam weights
Last updated 2026 · exam details checked against the College Board's published exam information in 2026
Look inside the guide
Real pages from the 39-page PDF.
What you get for $5
One chapter for each official content area, in the order the exam weighs them.
- 📘39pages, printable
- 🧭6chapters, heaviest first
- 🔑180terms with examples
- ✍️42practice questions, answers explained
- ⚠️18exam traps to avoid
- 📄2page cram sheet
Try 10 free English Literature questions
In the style of the real exam, from all 6 areas. About 10 minutes, with every answer explained and a score by area.
10 questions
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Question 1 · 20th Century to the present
A poem presents a speaker leaving a country for the young, wanting to be changed into a golden bird that sings of what is past, passing and to come. Which poet wrote it?
Show the answer
Answer: B. W. B. Yeats. Yeats's "Sailing to Byzantium" imagines an old man escaping age by becoming a golden bird, a symbol of lasting art.
The trap: Eliot is tempting because both were major modernist poets, but Eliot's best-known works use fragments and doubting speakers, not a flight into art.
Yeats's "Sailing to Byzantium" imagines an old man escaping age by becoming a golden bird, a symbol of lasting art.
The trap: Eliot is tempting because both were major modernist poets, but Eliot's best-known works use fragments and doubting speakers, not a flight into art.
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Question 2 · Romantic
A poem's narrator describes a ship stuck in the heat, with sailors thirsting amid "Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink." Which poem is it?
Show the answer
Answer: A. "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". These lines come from Coleridge's tale of a becalmed ship after the mariner shoots the albatross.
The trap: Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is tempting because it also travels by sea, but it is Byron's travel poem and has no cursed ship.
These lines come from Coleridge's tale of a becalmed ship after the mariner shoots the albatross.
The trap: Childe Harold's Pilgrimage is tempting because it also travels by sea, but it is Byron's travel poem and has no cursed ship.
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Question 3 · Victorian
A schoolroom speaker declares: "Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts." What does Dickens criticize through this speech?
Show the answer
Answer: D. A school system that leaves no room for fancy or feeling. In Hard Times, Mr. Gradgrind's insistence on facts alone stands for an education and a philosophy that crush imagination and feeling.
The trap: Workhouses are tempting because Dickens attacks them elsewhere, but the workhouse is the target of Oliver Twist, not this schoolroom scene.
In Hard Times, Mr. Gradgrind's insistence on facts alone stands for an education and a philosophy that crush imagination and feeling.
The trap: Workhouses are tempting because Dickens attacks them elsewhere, but the workhouse is the target of Oliver Twist, not this schoolroom scene.
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Question 4 · 16th and early 17th Century
Hearing that his wife is dead, a king who murdered his way to the throne says, "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day," and broods on life's emptiness. Which play is this?
Show the answer
Answer: C. Macbeth. The speech, delivered when Macbeth hears of his wife's death, calls life a meaningless, creeping sequence of days.
The trap: Hamlet is tempting because it also broods on life and death, but the speaker here is the Scottish tyrant after his wife's death.
The speech, delivered when Macbeth hears of his wife's death, calls life a meaningless, creeping sequence of days.
The trap: Hamlet is tempting because it also broods on life and death, but the speaker here is the Scottish tyrant after his wife's death.
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Question 5 · Middle Ages
At an inn outside London, a group of travelers agrees on a storytelling contest to pass the time on their journey to a saint's shrine. Which work is this?
Show the answer
Answer: E. The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer's frame story has pilgrims bound for Canterbury, each telling tales along the road.
The trap: Piers Plowman is tempting because it is a medieval English poem about social life, but it is a dream allegory with one seeker, not a group of travelers.
Chaucer's frame story has pilgrims bound for Canterbury, each telling tales along the road.
The trap: Piers Plowman is tempting because it is a medieval English poem about social life, but it is a dream allegory with one seeker, not a group of travelers.
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Question 6 · Restoration and 18th Century
An essay's calm, reasonable speaker proposes that poor families can solve their hunger by selling their infants to be eaten by the rich. What is the author's real purpose?
Show the answer
Answer: D. To shame readers into facing poverty. The outrageous solution, delivered in a straight-faced tone, is Swift's way of attacking indifference to Irish poverty.
The trap: Persuading Parliament is tempting because the speaker sounds earnest, but a straight-faced tone is the satirist's mask.
The outrageous solution, delivered in a straight-faced tone, is Swift's way of attacking indifference to Irish poverty.
The trap: Persuading Parliament is tempting because the speaker sounds earnest, but a straight-faced tone is the satirist's mask.
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Question 7 · 20th Century to the present
A novel follows one June day in London as a hostess prepares a party and, in another part of the city, a shell-shocked veteran struggles. Its thoughts flow freely between the two. Which novel is it?
Show the answer
Answer: C. Mrs Dalloway. Woolf's Mrs Dalloway follows Clarissa Dalloway's day and Septimus Smith's troubles in London, using stream of consciousness.
The trap: Ulysses is tempting because it also covers one day with inner thought, but it is set in Dublin and follows Leopold Bloom.
Woolf's Mrs Dalloway follows Clarissa Dalloway's day and Septimus Smith's troubles in London, using stream of consciousness.
The trap: Ulysses is tempting because it also covers one day with inner thought, but it is set in Dublin and follows Leopold Bloom.
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Question 8 · Romantic
A traveler reports a broken statue in the desert whose pedestal reads "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" What is the poem's central irony?
Show the answer
Answer: B. The king's boast of greatness is undone by ruin. The words call on others to despair at his might, but only a shattered statue and endless sand remain, so the boast mocks itself.
The trap: The sculptor being forgotten is tempting because the poem does mention the sculptor's skill, but the irony lies in the king's boast.
The words call on others to despair at his might, but only a shattered statue and endless sand remain, so the boast mocks itself.
The trap: The sculptor being forgotten is tempting because the poem does mention the sculptor's skill, but the irony lies in the king's boast.
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Question 9 · Victorian
A speaker shows a visitor a painted portrait of his late wife and says, "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together." What form is the poem?
Show the answer
Answer: E. Dramatic monologue. Browning's "My Last Duchess" is a dramatic monologue: one speaker addresses a silent listener and unintentionally reveals his cold jealousy.
The trap: Soliloquy is tempting because one person speaks, but a soliloquy is spoken alone and aloud onstage; here the duke addresses a visitor in the scene.
Browning's "My Last Duchess" is a dramatic monologue: one speaker addresses a silent listener and unintentionally reveals his cold jealousy.
The trap: Soliloquy is tempting because one person speaks, but a soliloquy is spoken alone and aloud onstage; here the duke addresses a visitor in the scene.
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Question 10 · 16th and early 17th Century
A 14-line poem rhymes abab cdcd efef gg. What form is it?
Show the answer
Answer: A. Shakespearean sonnet. Three alternating-rhyme quatrains and a closing couplet define the Shakespearean sonnet.
The trap: Petrarchan sonnet is tempting because it also has fourteen lines, but its octave and sestet use abbaabba then a different sestet scheme.
Three alternating-rhyme quatrains and a closing couplet define the Shakespearean sonnet.
The trap: Petrarchan sonnet is tempting because it also has fourteen lines, but its octave and sestet use abbaabba then a different sestet scheme.
The CLEP English Literature exam at a glance
The CLEP English Literature exam is a computer-based test from the College Board. About 95 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes. A score of 50 on the 20–80 scale earns an ACE credit recommendation of 6 semester hours, though each college sets its own policy. The exam covers 6 content areas; the heaviest is 20th Century to the present at 25%.
- Questions
- About 95multiple choice
- Time
- 90 minabout 57 seconds a question
- Passing score
- 50on a 20–80 scale
- ACE credit
- 6semester hours
- Exam fee
- $97paid to College Board
- Calculator
- Nonot allowed
What the exam covers
6 areas, heaviest first. The guide's chapters follow this order.
- 20th Century to the present25%
- Romantic20%
- Victorian20%
- 16th and early 17th Century15%
- Middle Ages10%
- Restoration and 18th Century10%
How it works
- 1Buy once, $5Secure checkout. No subscription needed.
- 2Download the PDFFrom your TransferCredit.org account, right away and any time later.
- 3Study the heaviest areas firstFollow the 2-, 4- or 8-week plan, then read the cram sheet the night before.
Questions students ask
What's in the full CLEP English Literature study guide?
39 pages: 6 chapters, one per official content area, heaviest first. 180 terms, each with a plain-English definition and an example, 28 key people, common traps and memory tricks, 42 practice questions with an answer key that explains every answer, question tactics, 2-, 4- and 8-week study plans and a 2-page cram sheet.
How much is the full CLEP English Literature study guide?
The full 39-page PDF is $5, a one-time payment. The 10 practice questions on this page are free, with no account.
What does the $29 plan include?
$29 a month gives you all 28 CLEP subjects: every CLEP study guide plus the full prep course for each subject, and you can cancel anytime. If you only need this exam, the guide on its own is a one-time $5.
How do I get the full guide?
Choose Buy this guide ($5) and check out. Then sign in to your TransferCredit.org account, then open the course and its Download Your Study Guide lesson. The PDF is yours to keep, and you can download it again from your account at any time.
Can I print the guide or use it on my phone?
Yes. It's a PDF, so it opens on phones, tablets and computers, and printing is allowed. Its tick boxes and answer bubbles work in PDF readers that support forms. Copying and editing are turned off.
Is this an official CLEP study guide?
No. CLEP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in producing this guide and does not endorse it. TransferCredit.org is independent. We built the guide from the official exam outline, and the exam details were checked against the College Board's published exam information in 2026.
Why is this study guide better than a generic review?
It follows the official outline area by area and spends the most pages on what the exam weighs most. Every term comes with an example, each chapter names the traps the exam sets, and the answer key explains why the most tempting wrong answer is wrong, not just which answer is right. It ends with a 2-page cram sheet for the night before.
What is the CLEP English Literature exam?
The CLEP English Literature exam is a computer-based test from the College Board. About 95 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes. A score of 50 on the 20–80 scale earns an ACE credit recommendation of 6 semester hours, though each college sets its own policy. The exam covers 6 content areas; the heaviest is 20th Century to the present at 25%.
More questions about the CLEP English Literature exam (19)
How many questions are on the CLEP English Literature exam, and how long is it?
About 95 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes. By genre, about 15% of questions are on novels, 10% short stories, 45% poetry, 20% drama and 10% nonfiction such as literary criticism, essays and memoir.
What is the passing score for CLEP English Literature?
The passing score is 50 on a 20–80 scale. At 50 or above, the American Council on Education (ACE) recommends 6 semester hours. Each college sets its own passing score and credit award, so check your school's policy before you book.
How much does the CLEP English Literature exam cost?
The exam fee is $97, paid to the College Board. Test centers may add their own administration fee. Eligible U.S. military service members can usually test for free through DANTES.
How many college credits is CLEP English Literature worth?
ACE recommends 6 semester hours for a passing score of 50. Your college decides how many credits it awards and which course they replace. Check your college's policy.
Is there a penalty for guessing on CLEP English Literature?
No. Your score counts only correct answers, so a wrong answer costs nothing. Never leave a question blank: rule out what you can and pick your best guess.
What topics are on the CLEP English Literature exam?
6 content areas, from the official outline: 20th Century to the present (25%); Romantic (20%); Victorian (20%); 16th and early 17th Century (15%); Middle Ages (10%); Restoration and 18th Century (10%).
Which CLEP English Literature topics should I study first?
Start with the three heaviest: 20th Century to the present (25%), Romantic (20%) and Victorian (20%). Together they are about 65% of the exam, roughly 62 of 95 questions. The guide's chapters run in that order, heaviest first.
Is the CLEP English Literature exam hard?
It depends on what you already know. No single area dominates: the largest, 20th Century to the present, is 25% and the smallest, Restoration and 18th Century, is 10%, so broad coverage matters more than deep expertise in one topic. Take the free diagnostic above to see where you stand in about 10 minutes.
What kinds of questions are on the CLEP English Literature exam?
The guide sorts them into 5 types: “Identify the author or work”, “Identify a form, meter or device”, “Tone, mood and meaning of a passage”, “Imagery and patterns in a passage” and “Literary criticism excerpt”. Every question has 5 answer choices. Try the 10 free questions above to see the style.
How long should I study for CLEP English Literature?
Use the diagnostic to decide. If you already know most areas, two weeks of daily review is often enough; if the subject is new to you, plan on eight. The full guide has 2-, 4- and 8-week plans built from the exam weights.
How should I pace myself on the CLEP English Literature exam?
On average you have about 57 seconds per question (90 minutes for 95 questions). Be past question 32 a third of the way through and past question 63 two-thirds through. If a question takes more than a minute, pick your best guess, mark it and come back.
What happens if I don't pass CLEP English Literature?
You can retake a CLEP exam after three months. Use the wait to work through the areas the score report and the diagnostic show you missed.
Do colleges accept CLEP English Literature for credit?
CLEP exams are accepted at more than 2,900 U.S. colleges and universities, but each school decides which exams it accepts, the score it requires and the credit it gives. Look up your college's CLEP policy before you book.
How up to date is this CLEP English Literature guide?
Last updated 2026. The exam details were checked against the College Board's published exam information in 2026. Exams change, so confirm the details on the official exam page before you register.
What should I do the night before the exam?
Read the cram sheet once, slowly. Check your test time, the location or remote-proctoring setup, and the ID you need. Then sleep: a rested brain recalls more than a crammed one. In the morning, skim the memory tricks and common traps, then stop studying.
Does CLEP English Literature have an essay?
No. The exam is multiple choice only.
Do I need to know meter and poetic forms for CLEP English Literature?
Yes. Metrical patterns and literary terms are part of the knowledge the exam tests, and poetry is 45% of the questions. Be able to recognize iambic pentameter, blank verse and the heroic couplet, and forms such as the Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnet, the ballad and the ode.
Will I have to identify authors from quotations on CLEP English Literature?
Some questions do. The College Board says the exam asks you to identify the author of a representative quotation or recognize the period an excerpt was written in, so read short passages from the major writers of each period and learn their styles.
Does CLEP English Literature include American authors?
No. It covers British, Commonwealth and postcolonial literature. American writers are tested on the separate CLEP American Literature exam.
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CLEP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in producing this guide and does not endorse it. TransferCredit.org is independent and not affiliated with the College Board. © 2026 UPI Globale Edu Inc.