Famiglia & Comunità
What this unit covers
The topics below follow the published Italian Lang course framework for Unit 1. Italian Lang publishes no per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to chase here.
Lessons in this unit
- La famiglia : describing the past with l’imperfetto13 min · 3 objectivesInterpret short Italian texts about family life and community · Form and use the imperfetto to describe habits, ongoing states, and settings · Recognize high-frequency vocabulary for family and community
- Raccontare : passato prossimo vs. imperfetto14 min · 3 objectivesContrast the passato prossimo (completed events) with the imperfetto (background) · Interpret a narrative and explain why each tense is chosen · Connect family celebrations to Italian cultural practices
What examiners penalize here
- On the interpretive section, questions often ask about a text’s *purpose* or *cultural perspective*, not just facts. Support your answer with a value the passage reveals — here, the centrality of family and local community in Italian life.
- When a reading question asks *what happened* in a narrative, hunt for the **passato prossimo** verbs — they carry the plot. The imperfetto verbs answer *what it was like*. Separating the two helps you summarize events accurately for the interpretive task.
Practice Italian Lang
Our practice bank is drawn from across the whole course rather than filtered to one unit, which is closer to how the exam asks anyway — it will not tell you which unit a question is testing.
Questions about this unit
How much of the AP Italian Language & Culture exam is Unit 1?
The Italian Lang course framework does not publish a per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to quote for Unit 1 and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Spread your time by where your own errors are instead.
What topics are covered in Italian Lang Unit 1?
Famiglia & Comunità covers Family, Community, Traditions and Identity.
How should I study Italian Lang Unit 1?
Read the 2 lessons below first — about 25 minutes — then work practice questions on these topics. Finish with practice questions and read the explanation for every one you get right by elimination as well as the ones you miss.
All 6 units of AP Italian Language & Culture
Unit names, topics and exam weights follow the published College Board course framework for AP Italian Language & Culture. AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which does not endorse this site.