<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 08/31/96
000 C000000 0000794389
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 THE AMERICAN FUNDS TAX-EXEMPT SERIES II
001 B000000 811-4694
001 C000000 2134869200
002 A000000 333 SOUTH HOPE STREET
002 B000000 LOS ANGELES
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 90071
002 D020000 1443
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 THE TAX-EXEMPT FUND OF CALIFORNIA
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
020 C000001 0
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 0
022 A000001 PAINEWEBBER INC.
022 B000001 13-2638166
022 C000001 23613
022 D000001 25360
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 2
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 26281
022 D000002 12890
022 A000003 BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC
022 B000003 13-3299429
022 C000003 23391
022 D000003 14062
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 15267
022 D000004 17038
022 A000005 SMITH, BARNEY INC.
022 B000005 13-1912900
022 C000005 11578
022 D000005 13630
022 A000006 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000006 13-5108880
022 C000006 7437
022 D000006 3387
022 A000007 PIPER JAFFRAY INC.
022 B000007 41-0953246
022 C000007 1945
022 D000007 6841
022 A000008 BANKERS TRUST CO.
022 B000008 13-4941247
022 C000008 1206
022 D000008 6295
022 A000009 STONE & YOUNGBERG
022 B000009 94-1052545
022 C000009 5482
022 D000009 1916
022 A000010 SEATTLE-NORTHWEST SECURITIES CORP
022 B000010 91-1172183
022 C000010 4666
022 D000010 2147
023 C000000 141186
023 D000000 126243
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 3
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
008 A000101 CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000101 A
008 C000101 801-8055
008 D010101 LOS ANGELES
008 D020101 CA
008 D030101 90071
008 D040101 1443
011 A000101 AMERICAN FUNDS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B000101 8-17168
011 C010101 LOS ANGELES
011 C020101 CA
011 C030101 90071
011 C040101 1443
012 A000101 AMERICAN FUNDS SERVICE COMPANY
012 B000101 84-00316
012 C010101 BREA
012 C020101 CA
012 C030101 92821
013 A000101 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B010101 LOS ANGELES
013 B020101 CA
013 B030101 90017
015 A000101 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
015 B000101 C
015 C010101 NEW YORK
015 C020101 NY
015 C030101 10081
015 E010101 X
018 000100 Y
019 A000100 Y
019 B000100 38
019 C000100 CRMCFNDGRP
024 000100 N
025 D000101 0
025 D000102 0
025 D000103 0
025 D000104 0
025 D000105 0
025 D000106 0
025 D000107 0
025 D000108 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 A010100 4313
028 A020100 572
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 1959
028 B010100 2855
028 B020100 587
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 3364
028 C010100 3754
028 C020100 581
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 2277
028 D010100 2317
028 D020100 588
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 3028
028 E010100 3295
028 E020100 627
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 2114
028 F010100 5003
028 F020100 621
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 6838
028 G010100 21537
028 G020100 3576
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 19580
028 H000100 9352
029 000100 Y
030 A000100 665
030 B000100 4.75
030 C000100 0.00
031 A000100 138
031 B000100 0
032 000100 527
033 000100 0
034 000100 Y
035 000100 3
036 A000100 Y
036 B000100 0
037 000100 N
038 000100 0
039 000100 N
040 000100 Y
041 000100 Y
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 0
042 D000100 100
042 E000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
042 H000100 0
043 000100 566
044 000100 0
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 N
048 000100 0.000
048 A010100 0
048 A020100 0.000
048 B010100 0
048 B020100 0.000
048 C010100 0
048 C020100 0.000
048 D010100 0
048 D020100 0.000
048 E010100 0
048 E020100 0.000
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 0
048 K020100 0.000
049 000100 N
050 000100 Y
051 000100 N
052 000100 N
053 A000100 N
054 A000100 Y
054 B000100 Y
054 C000100 Y
054 D000100 N
054 E000100 N
054 F000100 N
054 G000100 N
054 H000100 Y
054 I000100 N
054 J000100 Y
054 K000100 N
054 L000100 Y
054 M000100 Y
054 N000100 N
054 O000100 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 6
055 A000100 N
055 B000100 N
056 000100 N
057 000100 N
058 A000100 N
059 000100 Y
060 A000100 Y
060 B000100 Y
061 000100 1000
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 4.4
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 0.0
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 0.0
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 94.5
062 P000100 0.0
062 Q000100 0.0
062 R000100 0.0
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 10.8
064 A000100 Y
064 B000100 N
066 A000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 N
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 N
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 N
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 N
070 J020100 N
070 K010100 N
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 N
070 M010100 N
070 M020100 N
070 N010100 N
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 N
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 Y
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 Y
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 79141
071 B000100 60142
071 C000100 217912
071 D000100 28
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 14791
072 C000100 0
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 1018
072 G000100 0
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 72
072 J000100 11
072 K000100 21
072 L000100 50
072 M000100 18
072 N000100 9
072 O000100 3
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 33
072 S000100 6
072 T000100 566
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 0
072 X000100 1807
072 Y000100 0
072 Z000100 12984
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072AA000100 1373
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 0
072CC020100 944
072DD010100 12978
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 0
073 A010100 0.8400
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.0000
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 28
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 11092
074 D000100 238650
074 E000100 0
074 F000100 0
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 0
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 3678
074 M000100 0
074 N000100 253448
074 O000100 0
074 P000100 89
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 827
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 252532
074 U010100 16001
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 15.78
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 4828
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 247251
076 000100 0.00
080 A000100 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000100 CHUBB CUSTOM INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000100 65000
081 A000100 Y
081 B000100 50
082 A000100 N
082 B000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
083 A000100 N
083 B000100 0
084 A000100 N
084 B000100 0
085 A000100 Y
085 B000100 N
SIGNATURE JULIE F. WILLIAMS
TITLE SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> SEP-1-1995
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 237,989
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 249,742
<RECEIVABLES> 3,678
<ASSETS-OTHER> 28
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 253,448
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 916
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 916
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 239,446
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 16,001,073
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 14,810,189
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 1,330
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 11,753
<NET-ASSETS> 252,532
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 14,791
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,807
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 12,984
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1,373
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (944)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 13,413
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 12,978
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3,016,709
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 2,264,964
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 439,139
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 19,417
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,018
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,807
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 247,251
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 15.74
<PER-SHARE-NII> .84
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .04
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> .84
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 15.78
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .007
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
The American Funds Tax-Exempt Series II - The Tax-Exempt Fund of
California:
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of
The American Funds Tax-Exempt Series II - The Tax-Exempt Fund of
California (the "Fund") for the year ended August 31, 1996, we
considered its internal control structure, including procedures for
safeguarding securities, in order to determine our auditing
procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial
statements and to comply with the requirements of Form N-SAR, not to
provide assurance on the internal control structure.
The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and
maintaining an internal control structure. In fulfilling this
responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required
to assess the expected benefits and related costs of internal control
structure policies and procedures. Two of the objectives of an
internal control structure are to provide management with reasonable,
but not absolute, assurance that assets are safeguarded against loss
from unauthorized use or disposition and that transactions are
executed in accordance with management's authorization and recorded
properly to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles.
Because of inherent limitations in any internal control structure,
errors or irregularities may occur and not be detected. Also,
projection of any evaluation of the structure to future periods is
subject to the risk that it may become inadequate because of changes
in conditions or that the effectiveness of the design and operation
may deteriorate.
Our consideration of the internal control structure would not
necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control structure
that might be material weaknesses under standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A material
weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of the
specific internal control structure elements does not reduce to a
relatively low level the risk that errors and irregularities in
amounts that would be material in relation to the financial
statements being audited may occur and not be detected within a
timely period by employees in the normal course of performing their
assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving the
internal control structure, including procedures for safeguarding
securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined
above as of August 31, 1996.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of
management and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Los Angeles, California
September 27, 1996
