An Overview 

Candidates are given two or three composition topics, from which they choose one. They have 50 minutes to write an essay (or letter) of 200 -250 words. Dictionaries or other resources are not allowed.

One of the topics usually relates to work-life at the United Nations and may be especially related to Headquarters. The other is usually more general. The CLPE is given to staff in duty stations all over the world so the composition topics have to be quite broad.

Using this composition rating scale, the examiner assigns a score ranging from 0 (if nothing was written) to 20 (native-like; perfect or nearly perfect).