United States · ExamWhich CLEP English composition exam should you take?
| College Composition | College Composition Modular | |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | 50 questions, 55 minutes | About 90 questions, 95 minutes |
| Essays | 2, in 70 minutes | None |
| Total time | 125 minutes | 95 minutes |
| ACE credit at a 50 | 6 semester hours | 3 semester hours |
| Score | Weeks later, after the essays are scored | On screen when you finish |
Both test the same four areas: revision skills (40%), using source materials (25%), rhetorical analysis (25%) and conventions of standard written English (10%). Ask your college which one it accepts before you choose.
The two essays on the CLEP English composition exam
You type both on the computer. The first is due after 30 minutes. The second gets 40 minutes and asks you to bring together and cite two sources you’re given.
College English faculty score the essays twice a month. Each essay has at least two readers, and the essay score counts the same as the multiple-choice score. You get one 20 to 80 score, with no section scores.
When do College Composition scores come out?
College Board gives two answers. The exam page says one to two weeks after your test date, and the 2026-27 Information for Test Takers bulletin says two to three weeks. If a college deadline is close, we’d plan on three weeks, the longer of the two. The bulletin also lists the exact scoring dates.
Sources: College Board and 2 more. Checked October 2026.
- College Board: College Composition exam ↗
- College Board: College Composition Modular exam ↗
- College Board: CLEP Information for Test Takers 2026-27 (PDF) ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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