College Composition Modular Practice Test

55 questions available

Build your confidence for College Composition Modular. Practice the concepts, understand the answers, and strengthen your knowledge one question at a time.

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Certification exam
90 Exam questions
1 hour 30 minutes Time Limit
Your practice
55 Practice questions
55 minutes Practice Time
Try 5 free questions
No account needed. A free account includes 20 questions for this exam.
The bar to clear 50/90 Published passing score for this certification.
Explore exam topics Official objectives from CLEP
CLEP55 practice questions
Blueprint verifiedChecked against CLEP official objectivesMetadata verified 2026-06-07How we verify

Exam overview and details

The College Composition Modular certification exam validates a candidate's mastery of college-level writing, critical thinking, and rhetorical skills. This credential demonstrates to academic institutions and employers that the holder possesses the foundational competencies required for success in higher education and professional communication. The exam assesses a comprehensive range of skills, from fundamental grammar and mechanics to advanced rhetorical analysis and research-based argumentation. Earning this certification signifies more than just writing proficiency; it confirms the ability to analyze complex texts, synthesize information from multiple sources, construct logical and persuasive arguments, and adapt communication to diverse audiences and purposes. In an increasingly information-driven economy, this certification serves as a standardized benchmark of communication literacy, a critical asset for academic progression and career readiness across virtually all professional fields.

Sample Questions

Choose an answer and explore the explanation to see how practice works.

Ability to Use Source Materials

A student is writing a research essay on remote work and downtown retail. One possible source is a 2024 city economic-development report with footnoted sales-tax data; another is a sponsored blog post from a coworking chain promoting long-term leases. The student wants to use the finding that weekday lunch sales fell 18 percent in blocks where office occupancy stayed below half of 2019 levels. Which choice best demonstrates paraphrase?

Rhetorical Analysis

Read the passage scenario: In testimony to a zoning board, a shop owner begins with payroll records, then describes watching customers turn away because construction fencing hides the storefront entrance. In a rhetorical analysis of this text about construction mitigation for small businesses, which interpretation best explains the passage's language?

Ability to Use Source Materials

A student is writing a research essay on dual-enrollment outcomes. One possible source is a 2024 state longitudinal study tracking high-school graduates for four years; another is a college brochure that highlights successful alumni without reporting comparison data. The student wants to use the finding that students who completed at least six dual-enrollment credits were more likely to persist into a second college year. Which choice best demonstrates credibility?

Ability to Use Source Materials

A student is writing a research essay on AI tutoring in developmental math. One possible source is a 2024 randomized campus pilot report by the institutional research office; another is a vendor white paper that reports only testimonials from schools using its own product. The student wants to use the finding that students assigned to weekly AI-supported practice completed 12 percent more problem sets. Which choice best demonstrates paraphrase?

Ability to Use Source Materials

A student is writing a research essay on dual-enrollment outcomes. One possible source is a 2024 state longitudinal study tracking high-school graduates for four years; another is a college brochure that highlights successful alumni without reporting comparison data. The student wants to use the finding that students who completed at least six dual-enrollment credits were more likely to persist into a second college year. Which choice best demonstrates paraphrase?

Exam insights and study advice

This certification matters because it provides tangible, third-party validation of the core communication skills that are the bedrock of professional success. It is recognized by over 3,000 colleges and universities for credit or placement, offering a significant advantage in academic pathways and potentially reducing time-to-degree. For career advancement, it signals to employers a candidate's ability to produce clear, coherent, and effective written communication-a consistently top-ranked skill in employer surveys. In a competitive job market, this credential distinguishes candidates by providing objective proof of their analytical and compositional abilities, enhancing credibility and opening doors to roles that require sophisticated written communication, from business analysis and technical writing to management and public relations.

These are the backgrounds the certifying body suggests. Check the vendor's own page for anything it formally requires.

What this exam covers

Use the published domain weights to plan your study. Practice results do not predict your certification exam score.

01Revision Skills, Including Sentence-Level Skills

40%

Topics

  • Organization
  • Evaluation of evidence
  • Awareness of audience, tone, and purpose
  • Level of detail
  • Coherence between sentences and paragraphs
  • Sentence variety and structure
  • Main idea, thesis statements, and topic sentences
  • Rhetorical effect and emphasis
  • Use of language
  • Evaluation of author's authority and appeal
  • Evaluation of reasoning
  • Consistency of point of view
  • Transitions
  • Sentence-level errors primarily relating to Standard Written English conventions

Learning objectives

  • Organization
  • Evaluation of evidence
  • Awareness of audience, tone, and purpose
  • Level of detail
  • Coherence between sentences and paragraphs
  • Sentence variety and structure
  • Main idea, thesis statements, and topic sentences
  • Rhetorical effect and emphasis
  • Use of language
  • Evaluation of author's authority and appeal
  • Evaluation of reasoning
  • Consistency of point of view
  • Transitions
  • Sentence-level errors primarily relating to Standard Written English conventions

02Ability to Use Source Materials

25%

Topics

  • Use of reference materials
  • Evaluation of sources
  • Integration of resource material
  • Documentation of sources (including, but not limited to, MLA, APA, and the Chicago Manual of Style)

Learning objectives

  • Use of reference materials
  • Evaluation of sources
  • Integration of resource material
  • Documentation of sources (including, but not limited to, MLA, APA, and the Chicago Manual of Style)

03Rhetorical Analysis

25%

Topics

  • Appeals
  • Tone
  • Organization/structure
  • Rhetorical effects
  • Use of language
  • Evaluation of evidence

Learning objectives

  • Appeals
  • Tone
  • Organization/structure
  • Rhetorical effects
  • Use of language
  • Evaluation of evidence

04Conventions of Standard Written English

10%

Topics

  • Syntax (parallelism, coordination, subordination)
  • Sentence boundaries (comma splice, run-ons, sentence fragments)
  • Recognition of correct sentences
  • Concord/agreement (pronoun reference, case shift and number; subject-verb; verb tense)
  • Diction
  • Modifiers
  • Idiom
  • Active/passive voice
  • Lack of subject in modifying word group
  • Logical comparison
  • Logical agreement
  • Punctuation

Learning objectives

  • Syntax (parallelism, coordination, subordination)
  • Sentence boundaries (comma splice, run-ons, sentence fragments)
  • Recognition of correct sentences
  • Concord/agreement (pronoun reference, case shift and number; subject-verb; verb tense)
  • Diction
  • Modifiers
  • Idiom
  • Active/passive voice
  • Lack of subject in modifying word group
  • Logical comparison
  • Logical agreement
  • Punctuation

Exam Details CCMB | $93 USD | 1 hour 30 minutes

Exam Code CCMB
Vendor CLEP
Exam Cost $93 USD
Passing Score 50/90
Time Limit 1 hour 30 minutes
Exam questions 90
Question Types Multiple choice (100%)
Retake Policy Each institution reserves the right to set its own credit-granting policy, which may differ from the American Council on Education (ACE). Contact your college to find out the score required for credit and the number of credit hours granted.
Exam Format Multiple-choice (computer-based)
Available In
English

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary difference between the College Composition and College Composition Modular exams?

What types of careers or academic paths most value this certification?

How should I prepare for the rhetorical analysis and source evaluation components?

Is knowledge of specific citation styles (MLA, APA, Chicago) required?

What is the passing score, and how is the exam scored?