Free-response practice
US Government free-response questions
Free-response questions (FRQs) are the part of the AP® United States Government and Politics exam where you write your own answers. Here they're grouped the way the exam uses them. Write your answer, then score it yourself with the rubric and a model answer, or sign in for free AI scoring.
16 questions · 4 types
Concept application
You read a short scenario about politics and explain how a political institution, behavior or process from the course is at work in it.
On the exam: Question 1 of 4 in the free-response section (1 hour 40 minutes for all four, 50% of your score). Plan on about 20 minutes for one.
Unit 2
An executive order meets the power of the purse
3 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 2
Delivery drones and agency rulemaking
3 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 1
Federal grants and distracted driving
3 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 5
Switching to open primaries
3 points · about 20 minutes
Quantitative analysis
You read data in a table, graph or map, find a pattern or trend, draw a conclusion, and connect the data to a political principle, institution, process or behavior.
On the exam: Question 2 of 4 in the free-response section (1 hour 40 minutes for all four, 50% of your score). Plan on about 20 minutes for one.
Unit 5
Turnout by age in presidential and midterm years
4 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 4
Four polls on a ballot measure
4 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 2
Party unity and lawmaking in Congress
4 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 5
Incumbents, challengers, and campaign money
4 points · about 20 minutes
SCOTUS comparison
You compare a Supreme Court case you haven't studied with one of the required cases, explaining how the required case helps you understand the new one.
On the exam: Question 3 of 4 in the free-response section (1 hour 40 minutes for all four, 50% of your score). Plan on about 20 minutes for one.
Unit 1
United States v. Morrison and United States v. Lopez
4 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 3
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. and Tinker v. Des Moines
4 points · about 20 minutes
Units 2 and 3
Employment Division v. Smith and Wisconsin v. Yoder
4 points · about 20 minutes
Unit 5
McCutcheon v. FEC and Citizens United v. FEC
4 points · about 20 minutes
Argument essay
You take a position on a question and defend it in an essay, using evidence from the required foundational documents and what you know from the course, and you respond to the other side.
On the exam: Question 4 of 4 in the free-response section (1 hour 40 minutes for all four, 50% of your score). Plan on about 40 minutes for one.
Unit 1
Should power shift toward the nation or the states?
6 points · about 40 minutes
Units 1 and 2
Does life tenure for judges help or hurt democracy?
6 points · about 40 minutes
Unit 3
Protest or institutions: what expands civil rights?
6 points · about 40 minutes
Unit 4
How much should government regulate the economy?
6 points · about 40 minutes