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Award-Winning CLEP English Literature Tutors

Certified Tutor
Stephanie
I am dedicated to helping students succeed because I know from my own experiences as a student that, at every level of education, from elementary to graduate school, the support and encouragement of a passionate teacher can turn a diffident or apathetic underachieving student into a classroom star.
University of Iowa
Masters, Film Studies
University of Chicago
Bachelors, Cinema and Media Studies / English Language and Literature

Certified Tutor
Peter
I'm looking forward to helping your student find personal success in their academic lives!
Ohio State
Masters in Education, English Education
Syracuse University
Bachelor of Science, Journalism

Certified Tutor
5+ years
Manuel
Princeton University
Bachelor in Arts

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Samantha
I am a rising Junior at Princeton University who is passionate about the ways in which people learn, which has led me to pursue a degree in Neuropsychology. Through great experiences teaching English in Chiangmai, Thailand for two months and tutoring Calculus I and II through Princeton University's ...
Princeton University
Current Undergrad Student, Psychology

Certified Tutor
Andrew
I am a great tutor because not only are my fundamental verbal and quantitative skills strong, but I am able to communicate my reasoning and problem solving skills quickly and clearly.
Boston University
PHD, Law, Management
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bachelors, Molecular Biology, Literature

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Allison
I am well-trained in a plethora of Language Arts subjects, but they are much more fun when I can discuss them with others! My degree in English was one of the best decisions I ever made, and it is my goal to show students how useful and rewarding it is to read, write, and analyze the words of oursel...
Yale University
Master of Arts, Sacred Music
Jacksonville University
Bachelor of Science, Music Teacher Education

Certified Tutor
10+ years
Arianna
I am a Dartmouth graduate. I am currently working on my med and business endeavors. I have not only an interest, but a motivation to help others. I have helped students get into Ivy League schools as well as other top universities across the country with top scholarships. I tutor in all subjects fro...
Dartmouth College
Bachelor of Science

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Caroline
I'm Caroline, a senior at Fordham University. I love interacting with students and explaining new concepts to them! My special interest lies in the liberal arts, but I can also offer test prep and grade-level tutoring in various subjects!
Fordham University
Bachelor in Arts, Philosophy

Certified Tutor
10+ years
I am a recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, IN, where I earned my doctoral degree in contemporary American poetry. Before that I earned my masters in English at Wake Forest University, NC. I am passionate about poetry, writing, and the English language, and dedicated to helping others un...
University of Notre Dame
PHD, English
Wake Forest University
Master of Arts, English
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Bachelors, English

Certified Tutor
6+ years
Ariana
I am a former middle-school English teacher (and former high-school French teacher). I am certified to teach English (grades 6-12), History/Government/Social Studies (grades 6-12), Psychology (grades 6-12), Health (grades PreK-12), General Music (grades PreK-12), and French (grades PreK-12). I have ...
Kansas State University
Master of Arts, Teaching French as a Second or Foreign Language
Kansas State University
Bachelor in Arts, French
Top 20 Test Prep Subjects
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Nicole
Calculus Tutor • +74 Subjects
I am currently a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling master's program at Nova Southeastern University, and I received my B.A. in English with a minor in Spanish from the University of Miami in 2016. I am a native speaker of English and Russian. Throughout the course of my education, I have helped my fellow students improve their analytical and writing skills through collaboration. I am able to tutor a broad range of subjects, including standardized test preparation, English literature up to the college level, essay and academic writing and grammar, Russian and Spanish language skills. Having scored in the top percentiles on the verbal and essay writing sections of standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE, I also possess the perspective and expertise to help others excel on these and similar exams. I am passionate about empowering students to achieve their full potential through education, and I strongly believe tutoring can be a valuable tool for any student's academic growth. In my free time, I enjoy reading, crafting, and journaling.
Varun
AP Calculus AB Tutor • +112 Subjects
I am enthusiastic about helping others reach their educational goals. Whatever the task, no matter how long it takes, I will make sure you get the most out of your sessions and will tailor my personal approach to whatever you need.
Jennifer
Middle School Math Tutor • +93 Subjects
I am a recent graduate of the University of Alabama, where I got my Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and majored in public relations and English. I recently moved to the Atlanta area to begin an exciting job as a digital media specialist! I have six years of tutoring experience, especially in English, grammar, writing, general study skills, and essay planning.
Michael
Calculus Tutor • +73 Subjects
I am a member of the Teach For America Corps and will be teaching Spanish in the Baltimore City Public Schools this fall. I am passionate about and love teaching/tutoring anything related to Spanish, Reading, Writing, English and Marketing! Lets conquer this together and get some work done, learn and have and enjoyable fun experience!
Lauren
Calculus Tutor • +52 Subjects
I am currently a PhD student in the English department at the University of Texas at Austin. I also hold a Master of Letters in Romantic and Victorian Literature from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, as well as a BA in English (Writing concentration) and a minor in business administration. Prior to pursuing my PhD, I worked as corporate communications consultant and a client manager/tutor coach for high-end tutoring firm in New York City.
Frank
Calculus Tutor • +44 Subjects
I'm looking to tutor middle and high school students across the humanities: literature, history, philosophy, theology, social studies, and religious studies. I also look forward to coaching students through their writing efforts, having the tools to help them improve both substance and style. Having been inspired by a host of excellent teachers throughout my intellectual career, I'm anxious to transfer my passion for humanities to any and all students. I also love reading students' writing, as it can clue me in to their passions and make it easier for me to instill a love of learning.
Robert
Calculus Tutor • +48 Subjects
I am so happy that you have taken the initiative to get extra help with your learning goals. Regardless of your academic level or academic goals, I know that I can help you. Every learner is different and that is why I cater my teaching methods to suite your style of learning. I am an effective and results-driven communicator and I strive to make your strengths even stronger while also making your weaknesses, well, weaker! Let me know how I can help you!
Laura
Applied Mathematics Tutor • +61 Subjects
I'm natively fluent in Spanish and got a 5 on the AP Spanish and language exam and a 4 on the AP French exam. I am also a College advisor, and I edit college essays and supplements. Please reach out to me about any questions. I'm excited to work with you! Cell: (516) 780-3990
Alexandra
Middle School Math Tutor • +182 Subjects
I am a rising senior at The University of North Texas in Denton. I am working towards my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish as well as English with a concentration in Creative Writing. I was raised in an academically competitive environment in Fort Bend County and my rigorous secondary education prepared me for success in college. I am a fortunate member of the Terry Scholarship Foundation, which has provided me and hundreds of other Texans with a private, four-year, full-ride scholarship. As a Terry Scholar, I am well-versed in all subjects and have taken on the role of mentor to many of the incoming freshmen. I have spent most of my free time in college as a nanny and tutor to families around the DFW area. I have experience with all age groups and there is nothing that intimidates me! While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about English, Literature, History, Spanish, and Government/Social Studies. Through my experiences helping struggling students and peers, I have realized the value of adaptability. Most people reach out to a tutor because the traditional classroom method is not best suited for their learning needs. There is nothing more joyful than when a student finally understands the material in a way that makes sense to them. Many times, students need flexibility and patience in order to grasp a foreign concept. I am a firm believer in the power of education and I hope to share my love of learning with all of my students. After graduation I plan on returning to Houston to obtain my Master of Arts in Teaching from Rice University. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and writing anything from poetry to screenplays. I have also been involved in competitive dance for most of my adolescence, so I understand the balance of academics and extracurriculars. Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books, dancing, yoga
Naomi
9th Grade math Tutor • +141 Subjects
I am happy to tutor for Varsity Tutors. I study English literature and philosophy, so reading and writing are my strongest suits, but I am glad to help in any of my listed subjects. Please send me a message to let me know how I can be of assistance!
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
The CLEP English Literature exam spans British and American literature from the Middle Ages through the 20th century, with heavy emphasis on the Victorian, Romantic, and Modern periods. You'll encounter canonical works like Shakespeare's plays, Romantic poetry (Wordsworth, Keats, Byron), Victorian novels (Dickens, the Brontës), and American literature (Hawthorne, Melville, Twain). The exam also tests drama, poetry, and prose fiction equally, so students often need targeted help understanding dramatic structure or analyzing poetic devices—areas they may not have studied in depth in high school.
The exam uses multiple-choice questions that test both comprehension and literary analysis. Students typically struggle most with questions asking you to identify literary devices or interpret a passage's tone—these require close reading skills that go beyond just understanding plot. Many test-takers rush through passages or miss subtle contextual clues that distinguish between similar answer choices. A tutor can help you develop a systematic approach to annotating passages and recognizing how devices like irony, metaphor, and symbolism function within specific works.
The CLEP English Literature exam gives you 90 minutes for approximately 100 questions, which means you'll need to work efficiently without rushing. Most students benefit from spending 3-5 minutes per passage and related questions, leaving time for review. A realistic study timeline depends on your starting point: students with solid high school English backgrounds typically need 4-6 weeks of focused preparation, while those returning to academics after time away may benefit from 8-10 weeks. Consistent weekly study with practice passages and timed sections is more effective than cramming.
Start with a full-length practice test to establish a baseline and reveal patterns in your errors. Most students find they struggle with specific areas—perhaps medieval or Renaissance literature, poetry analysis, or identifying unreliable narrators. Once you pinpoint these gaps, targeted review becomes much more efficient. A tutor can help you analyze your practice test results to distinguish between careless mistakes and genuine knowledge gaps, then build a focused study plan that addresses your specific weaknesses rather than reviewing material you already know well.
Poetry requires you to understand both the literal meaning and the technical devices—meter, rhyme scheme, imagery, and figurative language all work together to create meaning. Many students read poetry passively without analyzing how form supports content, which makes it hard to answer questions about the poet's purpose or tone. Effective preparation involves close reading practice where you annotate poems for devices and paraphrase difficult lines, then discuss how those elements contribute to the overall effect. This active engagement with poems, rather than just reading them once, builds the analytical skills the exam requires.
Context matters, but the exam prioritizes your ability to analyze the text itself rather than recite historical facts. That said, understanding that Victorian novels often grapple with industrialization or that Romantic poets valued emotion and nature helps you interpret themes and author's purpose more accurately. The key is learning context strategically—focus on major historical movements (Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romanticism, Modernism) and how they shaped literary concerns, rather than memorizing every author's biography. A tutor can help you connect context to specific passages so you're using background knowledge to strengthen your analysis, not just accumulating facts.
CLEP scores range from 20-80, with 50 typically representing passing. Most students who start at 40-45 and commit to 6-8 weeks of focused preparation can reach 55-65 with consistent effort. Larger jumps (15+ points) usually require addressing fundamental gaps in literary analysis skills or test-taking strategy, not just content review. Your improvement depends on your starting point, consistency with practice, and willingness to apply feedback. A tutor can help you set realistic milestones—like mastering Shakespearean analysis in week two or improving your passage-reading speed by week four—so you see measurable progress throughout your preparation.
Test anxiety often spikes when you encounter a passage from an unfamiliar work, but the exam is designed so you can answer questions using close reading skills alone—you don't need to have read every work beforehand. Building confidence comes from practicing with diverse passages and learning that you can analyze unfamiliar texts by focusing on the language, structure, and literary devices present in the passage itself. A tutor can help you develop a calming test-taking routine: reading the questions first to know what to look for, annotating actively, and trusting your analytical skills. Regular timed practice sessions also reduce anxiety by making the exam format feel familiar and manageable.
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