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CLEP College Composition Examination
600 questions
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About this exam
The CLEP College Composition Examination is a College-Level Examination Program test that may let students earn college credit for skills usually taught in a first-year writing course. It is taken by high school students, college students, and other learners seeking to demonstrate their writing knowledge, but it is not an admissions test. Whether a score earns credit, and how much, depends on the college’s CLEP policy. The exam assesses clear, effective writing, including rhetorical purpose and audience, thesis statements, paragraph unity, organization, and standard written English.
The exam typically includes a multiple-choice section and two timed essays. Questions assess writing conventions, revision, organization, and the use of sources; the essays ask you to develop ideas and support them with evidence, including a task based on provided material. Preparation means more than memorizing grammar rules: review how to shape a focused thesis, build coherent paragraphs, sequence ideas logically, and adapt a response to its audience and purpose. Check the current College Board exam description and your college’s credit policy, since credit requirements vary by institution.
How to prepare for the CLEP College Composition Examination
- Review rhetorical purpose and audience, thesis statements and controlling ideas, paragraph unity and topic sentences, and essay organization. Practice identifying how each sentence contributes to a writer’s main point.
- Build timed-writing habits: plan briefly, state a clear claim, support it with relevant evidence, and leave time to revise for logic, clarity, and grammar. Include practice responding to source material.
- Use the current College Board CLEP exam guide to confirm the format and skill areas, then check the credit policy of each college you may attend. Try a small amount of timed multiple-choice and essay practice to identify what needs review.
FAQ
Who can take the CLEP College Composition Examination?
CLEP exams are open to a broad range of test takers, including high school students, college students, and adult learners. You do not need to be applying to college to take the exam. Colleges set their own rules for awarding credit, so check with the institution where you hope to use your score.
What is the format of the CLEP College Composition exam?
The exam typically has a multiple-choice section and two timed essays, for about two hours of testing in total. The writing tasks assess skills such as developing an argument, organizing ideas, and using evidence. Check the current College Board exam description for the latest format and testing details.
What should I study for the CLEP College Composition test?
Review rhetorical purpose and audience, thesis development, paragraph unity, logical essay organization, revision, and conventions of standard written English. Practice supporting claims with relevant evidence and responding to source material. Also confirm your target college’s CLEP credit policy, because its required score and credit award may differ from those of other schools.