Can you take an AP exam without taking the corresponding AP course?
This year I'm a junior and taking honors English (British Literature to be specific). My school offers two AP English courses, but I decided not to take AP English this year because the teacher is insane (As in, you hand in a well-written paper and she gives you a D without bothering to explain what you did wrong; and then when you ask her what you did wrong, she sends you away without answering your question. She is also known to give bad grades on essays if your point of view on the subject of the essay is different from hers. These reviews come form her current and previous students by the way, not from me since I don't personally know her). So I opted to take honors English instead, luckily got an enthusiastic and fair teacher, and am currently getting an A+.
I actually have several questions:
1. Can I take the AP exam(s) for English without taking the AP English course(s)?
2. What are my chances of doing well on an AP exam for English without having taken an AP class for it?
3. If I get a good score, can I earn college credit, and how much can I earn?
Thanks in advanced to everyone who answers!