GED Essay-Topics, Samples, And Tips
Last Updated on August 10, 2024.
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One part of the GED Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) test is writing a GED Essay, also known as the Extended Response. You have 45 minutes to create your essay. The GED essay is an argumentative essay.
A common method for writing this type of essay is the five-paragraph approach.
Writing your GED Essay is not about writing an opinion on the topic at hand. Your opinion is irrelevant. You are asked to determine and explain which of the arguments is better.
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Table of Contents
- 0.1 Video Transcription
- 1 GED Essay Structure
- 2 GED Essay Topics
- 3 GED Essay Samples
- 4 Tips for Writing your GED Essay
- 5 How your GED Essay is Scored
Video Transcription
After reading the stimulus with two different arguments about a subject, your task is to explain why one of these arguments is better.
Remember, when writing your GED Essay, you are NOT writing your opinion on the topic. That’s irrelevant. You must write about why one argument is better than the other.
You are writing an analysis of the author’s two positions and explaining which argument is stronger. These two arguments are presented in the stimulus, so you don’t need to create any own examples.
So again, you only need to decide what argument is stronger and claim it and prove it. It is NOT about your opinion.
Since in your essay, you need to determine which argument is best supported, your claim should clearly state which of the two positions is stronger.
You will be provided with the stimulus material and a prompt.
The stimulus is a text that provides 2 opposing opinions about a certain subject. The prompt provides instructions and tells you what you need to do.
I’ll say it again because so many students make mistakes here, it’s NOT about your opinion on the topic but the subject that matters!
You need to analyze the arguments and determine which opinion is best supported throughout the text.
You are NOT asked which argument you agree with more, and you should NEVER respond with a personal opinion.
So, don’t use the word “I” such as “I think that…” “I agree because…” “In my opinion…”.
The GED essay is graded on a machine that uses algorithms to figure out your score.
So, no teacher will decide about the score in any way.
It’s very important that you remember this!
Let’s take a look at the structure, topics, and format of the GED Essay.
GED Essay Structure
Ged essay topics.
- GED Essay Sample
- GED Essay Scoring
- GED Essay Writing Tips
Remember: you need to analyze which of the presented arguments is better and explain why it’s better.
Likewise, make sure your reasons come from the text – you aren’t making up your examples; you’re talking about the ones in the passages.
How should you prove that one argument is stronger? – Look at the evidence in the text.
Did the author use a relevant statistic from a reliable source, or did he/she assume something with a hypothetical anecdote?
Once you know which is better supported, you’re on your way.
Keep in mind: Don’t Summarize!
It’s easy to substitute a simpler task (summarize each side) for the more complex task of evaluating arguments. But if all you do is summarize, your response will be considered off-topic and likely will not receive any points.
The GED Essay should contain:
- 4-7 paragraphs of 3 to 7 sentences each and 300-500 words in total.
- An essay (or response) that is significantly shorter could put you in danger of scoring a 0 just for not showing enough of your writing skills.
- As you read the stimulus material (text), think carefully about the argumentation presented in the passage(s). “Argumentation” refers to the assumptions, claims, support, reasoning, and credibility on which a position is based.
- Pay close attention to how the author(s) use these strategies to convey his or her position.
Every well-written GED essay has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Your response will be an argument or an argumentative essay. Remember that you are NOT writing your opinion on the topic.
You are writing an analysis of two of the author’s positions and explaining which argument is stronger.
Things to keep in mind: the Extended Response (GED Essay) is scored by smart machines that are programmed to recognize correct answers. So, don’t try to be creative; just be correct. Also:
- Use proper grammar and sentence structure.
- Practice writing a 300 to 500-word essay.
Let’s look at the GED Essay structure: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
- The Introduction introduces the topic you are writing about and states your claim or thesis statement. Stand your position.
- The Body of the essay presents reasoning and evidence to support your claim. This is the longest part of the response and should be at least two paragraphs.
- The concluding paragraph sums up your main points and restates your claim.
Here are a few examples of GED Essay Topics. Click on the title to read a full stimulus and a prompt.
An Analysis of Daylight-Saving Time
The article presents arguments from both supporters and critics of Daylight-Saving Time who disagree about the practice’s impact on energy consumption and safety. Check here to read the full article.
Should the Penny Stay in Circulation?
Analyze the presented arguments and decide which one is better supported. Check here to read the full article.
Is Golf a Sport?
Proponents say that golf meets the definition of “sport.” Opponents say that golf better meets the definition of “game” than “sport. Analyze both opinions and determine which one is better supported. Check here to read the full article.
GED Essay Samples
Click here to access a sample of a GED essay with an explanation of the structure. Getting familiar with GED essay samples will help you plan your essay and understand what elements are important.
When reading the essay subject, you really should take the time to pull together your thoughts. By arranging your ideas rationally, you will be able to express your thoughts far better on paper. When you start writing, concentrate on the guidelines that you came to understand in English class.
Pay attention to English language usage (grammar); you must use the right punctuation and capitalization and decide on suitable word solutions.
Check here to read a GED Essay Sample with our comments.
Tips for Writing your GED Essay
1. Make sure you read the stimulus and prompt cautiously
It’s good to practice this carefully. Check out each question carefully and take a little time to figure out the topic and what kind of answer will be expected.
It is important to read the questions meticulously.
Usually, students simply run over stimulus and prompt and begin to write immediately, believing that they will save time this way.
Well, this actually the most undesirable thing to do. Take a short while and try to understand the questions completely in order to respond to them appropriately. If you wish, highlight the essential words and phrases in the stimulus to be able to look at it from time to time to be certain you stick to the topic.
2. Sketch an outline for the essay
In general, you will only need a few minutes to plan your essay, and it is imperative to take that time. As soon as you grasp the questions entirely, and once you have scribbled down some initial ideas, make an outline of the essay and follow that.
Plan an introduction, body, and conclusion. Following this process is going to save you a lot of time and it helps establish a rational development of thoughts.
3. Stick to the subject
Each paragraph in the body of your response should explain why a piece of evidence supports your claim or disputes the opposing claim to explain your evidence.
You can describe or restate it. This shows that you understand precisely what it means and how it relates to your claim.
Cite the mentioned details or facts of a specific point and relate them to your claim.
Your response should include evidence from both passages and explain what strong evidence supports one argument and why faulty evidence weakens the other argument.
4. Proofreading and Revision
By the time you completed writing your essay, you should go back to the beginning and read your essay carefully again, as you quite easily could have forgotten a comma or have misspelled a word while writing your essay. See also this post -> Is the GED Language Arts Test Hard?
While rereading your essay, pay close attention to whether your essay provides well-targeted points, is organized clearly, presents specific information and facts, comes with proper sentence construction, and has no grammar or spelling mistakes.
How your GED Essay is Scored
Your GED essay is scored by smart machines that are programmed to recognize correct answers. So don’t try to be creative; just be correct.
They will be using five criteria to assess your essay.
- Organization: were you clear about the essential idea, and did you present a well-thought strategy for composing your essay?
- Clear and swift response: did you deal with the subject adequately, without shifting from one focal point to another?
- Progress and details: did you apply relevant examples and specific details to elaborate on your original concepts or arguments, as opposed to using lists or repeating identical information?
- Grammar Rules of English: did you use decent writing techniques like sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and grammar, and did you shape and edit your essay after you penned the first draft?
- Word choice: how far did you choose and employ suitable words to indicate your points of view?
Your 45 minutes will go quickly, so focus on these important points to get the best score.
What’s important is to make a clear statement about which position is better supported. Write clear sentences and arrange paragraphs in a logical order.
GED testing includes four modules (independent subtests) in Mathematical Reasoning (Math), Reasoning through Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies that can be taken separately. You should study very well, be effective on test day, and pass the subtest(s) you registered for.
GED writing for essays may be a bit tricky, but you can store all this information for proper learning on a list and change to proper write essay techniques before test day has arrived. Just practice a lot, and you’ll see that it’ll be getting better and better. So now you know all about writing the GED Essay.
How to Write & Pass a GED Essay
By: Jen Denton, Student Success Coach on January 3, 2023 at 3:21 AM
The GED essay intimidates a lot of people. Writing a whole essay from scratch in 45 minutes or less can be tough, but it doesn't have to be. This GED essay writing guide will help you know what to expect and how to pass the written portion of the test. Learn all about the GED extended response with examples, tips, and a breakdown of everything you'll be graded on.
Table of Contents
What is the ged essay, example ged essay questions, example ged essay, ged essay practice, ged essay structure, how is the ged essay scored, 8 tips to help you pass the ged essay.
The GED test is made up of four subjects: mathematical reasoning, social studies, science, and reasoning through language arts (RLA). The RLA subject test includes two parts, one of which is the GED extended response, sometimes called the GED essay. You will have 45 minutes to complete the essay to the best of your ability. If you don’t finish in time, don’t worry! The essay is only worth 20% of your final RLA score, so you can still pass the test even if you don’t get a high score on the essay.
The extended response can be on a variety of topics, but it will always follow the same format. You will be given two different articles on the same topic, usually argumentative essays with a firm position. You will be asked to evaluate the two arguments and write your own argumentative essay determining which article presented the strongest position. The essay should be 3-5 paragraphs long, with each paragraph between 3-7 sentences.
All GED essay questions will ask you to read and evaluate two passages that take different stances on the same topic. Essays should determine which passage presents a stronger argument and back up that claim with analysis of evidence from the passages.
Here is an example GED essay question:
Analyze the arguments presented in the press release and the letter to the editor. In your response, develop an argument in which you explain how one position is better supported than the other. Incorporate relevant and specific evidence from both sources to support your argument.
Remember, the better-argued position is not necessarily the position with which you agree. This task should take approximately 45 minutes to complete. 1
1 "Extended Response Scoring - GED." https://ged.com/wp-content/uploads/extended_response_scoring.pdf . Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.
The following is an example high scoring essay:
Both the press release and the letter to the editor offer positions that are supported by both fact and opinion. The press release seeks to exhort the new bill for expansion of Highway 17, while the letter argues that the passing of the bill could prove detrimental to the district. While both sides make an acceptable case, the latter provides a stronger argument.
One example of the letter’s stronger argument is the explanation that federal tax dollars pay for the road, as it will incorporate six different states, therefore eliminating this particular state’s ability to strike the bill down. This proves, with factual information, that the district did not have a fair say in the bill. The notion that few residents will use the road that their tax dollars are providing is an opinion. However, a resident and small-business owner in the town is more credible in the awareness of the town’s concern, as compared to a representative who attended a few meetings in the town hall.
Another example of the better supported argument in the letter is the reference to the construction jobs as temporary. The press release praises the new jobs created by the highway construction, as this is a valid point. However, the author of the letter is correct in the fact that the jobs will not create a boom in the district’s economy, or fill in the gap caused by the closures in the manufacturing plants, as the press release leads listeners to believe. The road construction does not solve the long-term issue of unemployment in the town. In addition, the author of the letter counters the argument that new motels, restaurants, and gas stations along the highway will create permanent jobs for the residents of the town. She explains that, “…only minimum wage jobs will remain.” This is a valid argument also, as unemployed residents that need enough income to support a household would not be much better off. Providing restaurant or motel jobs is very unlikely to feed or support an entire family. It will not pick up the laid-off employees of the manufacturing plants, who may have worked for many years towards promotions and a pension.
Another example of the letter’s stronger argument is the author’s explanation of the 2001 study. She concedes that the representative is correct in citing that bypasses are proven to reduce noise and traffic in town, but she argues that the study shows a negative effect on local businesses. This piece of the study was not mentioned by Representative Walls or the press release, and it is a proven fact. This draws more credibility to the argument in the letter. Also, although it is a speculation, it is more reasonable that traveler’s will stick to the main highway and not venture miles off their path into small town when chain gas stations, restaurants, and motels are conveniently located directly at the highway exits. It is less likely that old roads in the towns will become historical locations, attracting tourists and boosting small business sales.
Despite the argument and evidence given by the press release, it appears that the letter to the editor offers a stronger case. The author’s ideas are backed up by logical explanations and facts with a few speculations. Though the press release offers some fact, it is mainly specked with anticipations and hopes, driven to overshadow any doubts and quell any concerns. The letter is penned by a resident of the town and owner of a business, subject to firsthand opinions of the citizens of the district. The press release is pushed by an elected representative who, upon visiting the town a number of times and consulting a small percentage of the constituents, is convinced she understands the majority. Although both parties may very well have the best interests of the district in mind, and either position could be correct, it is clear that the letter provides a better-supported argument. 2
2 "Extended Response Scoring - GED." https://ged.com/wp-content/uploads/extended_response_scoring.pdf . Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.
For GED essay practice, try writing your own essay based on the example above. Set a timer for 45 minutes and do your best to write an essay with your own analysis and ideas.
You can practice more writing skills with this free test or enroll today in the GED Academy to get access to more GED essay prompts and personalized feedback from GED Essay graders.
The structure for the GED essay can take a few different forms, depending on how you decide to organize your ideas. No matter what, it should include an introduction paragraph, 1-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. To receive a passing score, your essay must present a clear topic supported by details from both passages. Include your main idea in an introductory paragraph. In middle paragraphs, make connections between your details and your main idea. Your conclusion should also fit logically with the details.
The introduction should demonstrate your understanding of the overall topic based on the passages you read and a claim. The claim is a statement of your argument. It doesn’t need to go into detail, but should state your essay’s position on the questions presented.
The body paragraphs will go into more detail. They will include a combination of summary, analysis, and evidence to back up your claim. Be sure to include analysis of both passages.
The conclusion should explain the result of your findings and reinforce your original claim.
You can earn up to six points on the GED extended response. There are three main categories your essay is graded on, and you can earn up to two points for each.
Creation of arguments and use of evidence: Craft a strong claim and use analysis of the arguments and evidence from the passages to support it.
Development of ideas and organizational structure: Write a substantial essay with clear transitions between ideas, including a strong introduction and conclusion.
Clarity and command of standard English conventions: Use appropriate language and demonstrate strong language and grammar skills.
The extended response accounts for 20% of the total RLA score.
- Read all the instructions. The most common reason people score low on the essay is because they misunderstand the prompt.
- Make an outline. After reading the passages and the prompt, write down your ideas and organize them during your pre-writing.
- Make a list of evidence. When you read the passages, take notes on the important details you want to remember later, so you don’t have to spend time searching for it later.
- Write your introduction last. A lot of people get tripped up by how to start the essay. If that’s you, just skip this step and go back to it once you’ve written the rest of the essay.
- Write first, edit later. You only have 45 minutes, so use your time wisely. Write your first draft of the essay before you start fine-tuning and editing it. Save that for your remaining time so you don’t turn in a half-written essay.
- Use formal language. Avoid “I” statements like, “I think” or casual language like slang.
- Don’t check the clock. Time always seems to go faster when you need it to go slow. Every time you look at the clock, that’s breaking your focus on your essay.
- Practice! The only way to get better at writing essays is to write more essays. Practice using the GED Writing Practice Test , and remember to time yourself!
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Many students fear the writing part of the GED test. And we understand. After all, it takes effort and time to organize your ideas, fix sentence structures, and ensure that grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling are correct. With only 45 minutes to complete your essay, how will you be able to finish your piece? Thankfully, there are ways to make this part easy for you. You don’t have to be a gifted writer to write succeed in writing a winning essay for the Extended Response portion of the GED writing test. There are tips to succeed in writing your essay.
Start reviewing with our helpful contents: GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Guide
What’s in the GED Writing Extended Response Portion of the Test?
This test will check how well you create arguments and use evidence. Also, it would also test your clarity and command of Standard English language.
Quick Tips to Remember When Writing Your Essay:
- Take a deep breath. Nervous about the test? Ease anxiety by taking deep breaths before writing your essay. Being stressed while writing might keep your focus away from the task and affect the quality of your essay.
- Read the two passages carefully . Make sure you understand each passage before choosing your position.
- Make an outline . Don’t write right away. Create an outline first. Choose a position that you can easily defend based on what you’ve read, then list down the main points to support this position.
- Your essay should have:
- 1. An introduction that states your main argument 2. At least 3 paragraphs with your supporting evidence 3. A conclusion that restates your main argument and main points.
- Focus on the first and last paragraphs first . This will help you stick to your argument and main points.
- Be clear . The paragraphs in between your first and last paragraphs should clearly explain your main points. Start each paragraph by stating the main point that you want to talk about.
- Proofread your work . Check your work for grammar and spelling errors. Improve sentence structures with the time that’s left.
Keep in mind that the saying, “practice makes perfect” applies here. Mastering essay writing takes a lot of practice and reading. Begin practicing your writing as well improving your comprehension skills with our Free GED Practice Tests for Language Arts. We also recommend reading high-quality newspapers, publications, and literary pieces to help build your English writing skills.
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Ged language arts practice test.
The GED exam contains 4 subjects, broken into separate exams: Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies. You don't have to take all four exams simultaneously; you can space them out and take them at your convenience.
You'll learn about all related things to the GED writing portion of the test in this article. Take our free GED Writing Practice Test to get a personalized assessment of where you stand now and what you need to learn.
GED reasoning through language arts test
Your writing skills are assessed on the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) test, based on communication, which you've probably done a lot of.
You will take the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test all at once as it's a one writing and reading writing test. There will be one 10-minute break.
- Take the RLA test at a testing center on a computer.
- The test lasts 150 minutes, or 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- The test contains about 50 questions and one essay.
- It is scored on a scale of 100 to 200 points.
- To pass the test, you will need a score of 145. (In New Jersey, 150 is required.)
Part I: Reading, Writing, and Essay
- Have 3 minutes to read the instructions.
- The first part is 72 minutes long.
- Part I will contain a set of questions and an essay or extended answer.
- You’ll have a 10-minute break after Part I.
Part II: Reading and Writing
- Part II is 65 minutes long.
- In Part II, you will answer most of the multiple-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop questions.
Let’s get started with our free GED language arts writing practice test to pass the exam on the first attempt.
GED writing test
There are four subtests in the GED, however, there is no separate GED writing test. Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) test is used to assess your writing and reading abilities.
- Expect about ten language editing questions and two passages to edit.
- You'll choose the best way to complete the sentence in most questions, which will be a drop-down in a sentence.
- Part I or Part II could have editing questions.
- Part I has one essay question. You'll need to read and compare two passages.
- The essay is called the extended response.
The GED writing test makes up around 20% of the test and includes the following topics:
- Can you edit to correct commonly confused words?
- Can you correct grammatical errors such as the wrong verb form or pronoun?
- Can you make the language clear or fix it if it's confusing?
- Can you correct the capitalization?
- Can you correct run-on sentences, fragments, or connecting words?
- Can you correctly use apostrophes?
- Can you correctly punctuate your sentences?
- This essay question tests your reading and writing abilities.
- Two passages should be read.
- Compare the two arguments in an essay. Which side has more evidence? Why?
Several writing parts of the GED exam are used to assess your writing abilities, but your 5-paragraph essay on the GED Language Arts Test is particularly important.
As a result, the GED® exam's other subtests assess your writing abilities as well. The four GED subtests are Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA), Mathematical Reasoning, Social Studies, and Science.
Your GED Language Arts Essay is also referred to as the Extended Response. You have 45 minutes to write an argumentative essay based on the prompt and stimulus provided.
Don’t forget to take our free GED grammar practice test to get your highest possible score.
Stimulus and prompt
The GED essay stimulus is a passage providing two opposing views or opinions on a current subject or event. You will be told what to do by the prompt.
Keep in mind that you are not allowed to express your personal opinion in your essay. But that doesn’t matter.
You'll have to decide which point of view in the passage is stronger, and you'll have to demonstrate that with arguments from the text.
You will need to explain why which argument is better after reading the provided stimulus with two different points of view or arguments on the topic.
Remember that you are writing about the two positions the author gives you, and you will need to explain why one of the arguments presented in the stimulus is better or stronger.
Once again, and we say it again since so many GED test participants make this error, you are not required to present your own reasoning or examples.
High impact indicators
You need to understand how your GED Essay or Extended Response is graded in order to achieve the greatest possible score on your essay. Then your GED Language Arts exam won't be as difficult to pass.
For the GED Reasoning through Language Arts subtest, your essay is worth 20% of your entire score.
Let's take a deeper look at some of the so-called High Impact Indicators that are crucial for achieving the highest possible score.
Literary texts
- Make sure you understand what the text is about (what it means) and that you can order the events in the text in the correct order.
- You must be able to reorder the passage's non-chronological events into chronological order.
- If you understand the passage, you should be able to explain how one event in the passage leads to the next (e.g. cause-and-effect, and so on).
Word meaning
You must be able to determine and identify the meaning of words and phrases in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings that are relevant to the context of both literary and informative texts.
- You must be able to tell the difference between denotative, figurative, and connotative meanings of words or phrases.
- Understanding how the context may shape or lend different meanings to phrases and words is critical.
Analyze transitional language and signal words
In both literary and informational texts, there are various words that indicate a structural relationship and clarify the meaning of words, reinforce the author's intent, or emphasize specific ideas. Words like "otherwise," "nevertheless," and "consequently" fall into this category.
- You must be capable to determine transitional phrases and words in the given passage and understand the function.
- It is crucial that you comprehend why and how transitional language was used to convey the meaning of the phrases or words in the passage.
- You must comprehend how the passage's structural cues serve to express the author's purpose.
Evaluation of offered evidence
It's crucial that you indicate that you've read and comprehended the evidence and supporting details related to the presented claims.
- You must be able to explain how the evidence presented is relevant to the author's point of view or argument, as well as if it is sufficient to justify the author's overall message or singular point.
- You must demonstrate that you can distinguish between relevant and irrelevant evidence, as well as between ideas with sufficient support and those without.
- It's crucial that you know the difference between reasoning and explanation, as well as given evidence. This will assist you in making an informed decision based on relevant and sufficient evidence. Remember that taking multiple practice tests will significantly improve your results!
Identifying underlying assumptions and premises
You need to be able to identify premises and/or assumptions in the arguments or viewpoints. It is crucial that you are able to recognize and evaluate the evidence and logical support offered.
- You must be able to indicate explicit and/or implicit assumptions and premises in a passage's argument.
- Based on details in the passage, you must demonstrate an understanding of the author's assumptions and biases.
- You must show evidence that you indicate whether the author made any judgments based on implicit assumptions and/or premises and whether they are supported or justified (partially or totally) by expressly provided information in the passage.
Benefits of taking GED language arts writing practice test
Once you feel you have a solid grasp on the fundamentals of what you will need to pass the GED writing section, you should go over your materials again and take the many free GED English writing practice tests available on our website.
It's a great idea to start with a solid practice test! You can learn about the different types of questions on the GED exam and what you should study. You can take a free online practice test for the GED writing practice test.
Practice makes perfect. As a result, you should take as many practice tests as possible to prepare for the GED writing section, as this will also familiarize you with the GED testing format.
You will become familiar with this section of the GED Reasoning's key concepts by taking the Language Arts subtest. Taking a lot of practice tests can help you learn all of the concepts that will be tested.
Understanding, identifying, and summarizing the text's main idea, as well as recognizing the supporting aspects, are all key concepts.
You must show that you can make proper inferences from the provided details and recognize the details that support the passage's subject or main concept. You must also demonstrate that you can draw assumptions and/or generalizations based on the passage's details.
You'll also need to understand how a passage is formed, how paragraphs, sentences, and the entire text are linked, and how they all contribute to the development of the section's main idea.
Read more>>> GED Language Arts Study Guide
FREE GED writing practice tests
Our free GED practice test has questions that are categorized based on the actual GED test framework as stated above, and the quiz is graded immediately at the end. We're always working to improve the quality and quantity of our GED practice test questions so that they're as near to the real thing as possible.
After you've finished the quiz, you'll receive a score report that includes a detailed explanation and justification for each question you answered incorrectly, allowing you to better grasp the root causes of problems and pass the test the first time! We're happy to report that our free GED Writing practice test 2022, which is one of the best platforms for practicing, has helped many people pass the test with flying colors!
Again, your essay should not be about your personal feelings regarding the subject! Simply analyze the points offered and show which opinion is better supported in the passage.
You should not express your opinion or state which side of the argument you support. As a result, refrain from expressing your subjective opinion. This means that phrases and statements like "I think that," "in my opinion," "I disagree because," and even "I" should be avoided.
You must be able to analyze which of the stimulus-presented arguments or points of view is better, and you must also explain why that argument or viewpoint is superior based on evidence provided in the passage to receive the best results on your GED Essay (Extended Response).
Make sure your reasoning is based on the passage you've been given! You should avoid presenting your own evidence, viewpoints, or examples. Make sure you stick with what’s presented in the passage.
This article brings you beneficial information and we hope that you can enhance your skill by taking our free GED Writing practice test to pass your exam with a high score the first time.
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Topic reprinted with permission of the GED Testing Service. 396 GED Essay Topics, Prompts, & Good Ideas
General Educational Development (GED) essay topics span a broad range of themes intended to test one’s comprehension, analytical abilities, and proficiency in written communication. These subjects often delve into prominent social issues, such as climate change, poverty, and racial discrimination, demanding an insightful exploration of these themes. Furthermore, personal development topics prompt candidates to introspect, examine crucial life choices, or demonstrate resilience amidst challenging circumstances. Discussions on societal systems also form a critical part of GED essay topics, urging candidates to scrutinize structures, like the justice system, education policies, and healthcare facilities. In turn, evaluative tasks pertaining to historical events, literary analysis, or data interpretation are needed to be explored. The objective is not only to state one’s thoughts but also to present them in a clear, coherent, and persuasive manner, substantiating them with appropriate examples, personal anecdotes, or statistical data. The ultimate goal of these GED essay topics is to enhance a candidate’s critical thinking and communication skills, fostering competencies for future endeavors. Best GED Essay Topics
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 GED Essay Sample ResponseBelow is a sample response to our GED Essay Practice Question . Review this response to develop familiarity with the structure of a high-scoring essay. You may notice that this essay follows the template that’s featured in our GED Essay Writing Guide . At the end of this response, there is a short commentary that explains why this is an effective essay and why it would receive a perfect score. The writer of the pro-recycling passage, unlike the writer of the anti-recycling passage, employs excellent logical reasoning to convince the audience, explaining that recycling is more than simply placing paper and plastic in their proper bins; it is an “involved process of harvesting, transporting, building and shipping.” The author proves that recycling is logical by detailing how much waste is produced when goods are created from scratch, driving home her logical argument with the simple question: “Why cut down a forest instead of recycling paper?” To lend even more credibility to her already logical argument, the writer includes statistics relevant to recycling. In a clear, bullet-pointed list of data showing the importance of recycling, she provides relevant and useful information: “It takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from raw materials.” Recycling aluminum is worth the effort because making new aluminum is less efficient, and the writer has data to prove it. The writer goes on to list four more pieces of data to support her argument while the writer of the other passage only provides one. Finally, the writer’s purposeful ethical plea in the pro-recycling passage more effectively calls the audience to action. By writing, “It is the morally sound thing to do to protect our beautiful planet for future generations,” the writer conjures images of clear blue skies and clean shining seas, helping the reader emotionally connect to the argument. If we do not recycle, the writer implies, we will be committing a sin against future generations. The writer finishes her argument with a passionate and motivating plea to the audience: “Please make sure you recycle!” Commentary This sample essay would receive a perfect score on the GED. The writer clearly reviewed the prompt and outlined the argument before writing. Generally, the response exhibits the following organization:
The introduction clearly previews the passage’s topic, explains both sides, and demonstrates that the student understands each writer’s argument. The student uses strong, clear language and concludes with a bold thesis statement that lists three reasons why the argument he or she chose is “better-supported.” In the body paragraphs, the student demonstrates a strong command of each of the scoring criteria:
Finally, the passage concludes with a brief concession to the opposing side, showing an ability to recognize the complexity of the issue, before wrapping up the discussion with a summation of why the pro-recycling passage is better-supported than the anti-recycling passage. Return to Main Menu >>  GED Essay TopicsPlease note that the GED essay went through major changes with the 2014 revision. The topics listed below are no longer valid. For updated essay information you can visit these pages:
The essay portion of the GED will require you to compose a short essay on a pre-selected topic. The essay will be either a narrative, descriptive, or persuasive essay. Narrative essays require you to tell a story from your own life. Descriptive essays require you to paint a picture for your audience by focusing on individual characteristics. Persuasive essays require you to express your personal opinion on a topic. Each essay type will require a strong thesis and several well-developed paragraphs. You may ONLY write on the assigned topic, so it’s helpful to practice writing several essays from multiple practice topics. Set a timer for 45-minutes, and try your hand at one of the GED essay topics below! 1. What is the true meaning of honesty? In your essay, determine whether or not honesty is always the best policy. 2. What is one event from your life that taught you a powerful life lesson? Use your personal observations and experience to describe why that lesson was valuable. 3. Who is the most important member of your family to you? Describe your relationship to this person and your reasons for selecting him or her. 4. Consider how our society has changed over time. Are young people today better off than they were in the past? Write an essay explaining why or why not. 5. Is the current high school system sufficient to educate our country’s youth? Describe what is valuable about our country’s system or what might be changed in order to produce better results. 6. Do hobbies have any real value to the individuals who participate in them? If so, how do extracurricular activities benefit participants? Write an essay describing your own activities outside of school and work. 7. If you won the lottery today, what aspects of your life would you change? What would you keep the same? Write an essay discussing your ideas. Support them with reasons and examples. 8. What can be done to prevent drivers from texting while driving? Give suggestions and examples to support your opinion. 9. Is a college degree important in today’s workplace? Describe your opinions on the value of higher education, and use details from your own life. 10. The Internet is an invention that has done irreparable harm to our collective ability to engage in long-term research. How do you think that the benefits of instantaneous information provided by the Internet compare with the potential drawbacks of shortened attention spans? 11. Do you most admire people your own age or people older than you? Write an essay explaining what you think, and give specific examples of an individual you admire, and the reasons you admire him or her. 12. In your opinion, should schools require students to complete a minimum number of community service hours? Discuss whether you believe mandatory community service would benefit most young people. 13. If you could live in another time period, when would it be and why? Be sure to include relevant historical details. 14. Describe a situation in which you made a difficult decision involving an ethical issue. Show how the experience was important and developed your character. 15. Describe one of your most prized possessions. Make sure to isolate three or four different characteristics of the item, and explain why it’s important to you. |
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Follow this strategy when writing your GED Essay: Step 1 Read and Analyze the Stimulus Passages (5 Minutes). Start by reading both of the passages. Make sure you understand the issue and the position that each passage is taking. Try to ignore your own personal feelings on the topic as you read.
The following is an example of a high-scoring essay response to our free practice GED Essay Prompt. Below our GED sample essay is a brief analysis justifying its perfect score. Police militarization is a hot-button topic these days. Some believe that criticizing the actions of the police hurts their ability to do their job, while others argue ...
Here are a few examples of GED Essay Topics. Click on the title to read a full stimulus and a prompt. Topic 1. An Analysis of Daylight-Saving Time. The article presents arguments from both supporters and critics of Daylight-Saving Time who disagree about the practice's impact on energy consumption and safety.
This is simply an essay question. You will have 45 minutes to type your answer. This is a tricky part of the GED test, so it's very important to familiarize yourself with this task ahead of time. First read our essay guide and then review our sample question. Try typing out your own essay before you look at our sample response.
Hundreds of free GED practice questions that have been fully updated for 2024. This is the best collection of GED practice tests that are available online. ... fill-in-the-blank, drop-down, hot spot, and short answer. Instead of a stand-alone essay question, the latest version of the test features an extended response essay question as part of ...
Here is an example GED essay question: Analyze the arguments presented in the press release and the letter to the editor. In your response, develop an argument in which you explain how one position is better supported than the other. Incorporate relevant and specific evidence from both sources to support your argument.
There are is now an extended response (essay) question on the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts Test (RLA). You are given 45 minutes to type your GED Essay on the RLA test. Read through our tips and strategies, use our sample prompt to write out a practice essay, and then examine our essay examples to gauge your strengths and weaknesses. GED.
GED writing practice tests and Tips to succeed in writing your essay with only 45 minutes to complete. Practice tests to improve your GED score. Start now! A Quick Guide to Writing an Extended Response to the GED Language Arts Test. This test will check how well you create arguments and use evidence. Also, it would also test your clarity and command of Standard English language.
The GED essay is intimidating to many people. Writing an entire essay from scratch in 45 minutes or less may seem difficult, but it does not have to be. This GED essay writing overview will help you prepare for and learn about the written section of the exam.In this post, Get-TestPrep will show everything you need to know about GED essays, including their structure, sample topics, tips, and ...
As a part of the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test, there is a 45-minute extended response question. For this question, two articles are presented that discuss a topic and take opposing positions. You are required to write an essay arguing that one of the positions is better-supported than the other. Be sure to read our GED Essay Writing ...
Use these free videos, guidelines and examples to prepare and practice for the essay section of the Language Arts test. Videos: How to write a great GED extended response Overview of the GED Extended Response Format (1:28)
You will take the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test all at once as it's a one writing and reading writing test. There will be one 10-minute break. Take the RLA test at a testing center on a computer. The test lasts 150 minutes, or 2 hours and 30 minutes. The test contains about 50 questions and one essay.
The articles below present arguments from supporters and critics of police militarization. In your essay, analyze both articles to determine which position is best supported. Use relevant and specific evidence from both articles to support your response. Type your essay. You should expect to spend up to 45 minutes planning, drafting, and ...
Reasoning Through Language Arts. This section of the GED Test is timed for 150 minutes as follows: Section 1: 35 minutes of content questions. Section 2: 45 minutes for the Extended Response portion (essay) Break: 10 minutes. Section 3: 60 minutes of content questions.
Below are an essay topic and four sample essays with the holistic scores they received from the GED Testing Service. Readers may use these samples as they familiarize themselves with the Essay Scoring Guide. Notice that there is no required minimum number of words. The essays with higher scores have are a clear organization of ideas and contain ...
396 GED Essay Topics, Prompts, & Good Ideas. General Educational Development (GED) essay topics span a broad range of themes intended to test one's comprehension, analytical abilities, and proficiency in written communication. These subjects often delve into prominent social issues, such as climate change, poverty, and racial discrimination ...
GED Essay Practice Question; GED Essay Sample Response; GED in Spanish. GED En Español; GED Test. The GED is the leading high school equivalency test. More than 20 million people have taken the GED, and the GED transcript is accepted by 97% of colleges and employers. The test is designed to measure the knowledge and skills that are essential ...
A 2012 report on game-based learning notes that "there is research evidence demonstrating positive impact on higher order skills such as decision making and problem solving.". The report adds that using video games can also reduce training time, an advantage for both managers and employees.
Writing Guidelines. Rely upon these timing guidelines as you write your GED essay: PLAN — Spend 10 minutes reading the source material and organizing your essay response. PRODUCE — Spend 30 minutes writing your (ideally) 5-paragraph essay. PROOFREAD — Save 5 minutes for re-reading what you wrote and making necessary changes and improvements.
GED Practice Essay The passages present arguments for and against an office installing instant messaging software. Write a response analyzing the arguments in both passages and determining which argument is stronger. Use relevant and specific evidence from the passages to support your response. Take approximately 45 minutes to write your response.
GED Writing Sample Test Start Studying Now. Choose another sample test. GED Writing Sample Test . Toggle navigation. By closing the practice test now you are agreeing to submit your current answers. ... The goal is to help you prepare for the types of questions you will see on the GED test. If you are unsure of an answer, select 'Review Later ...
Below is a sample response to our GED Essay Practice Question.Review this response to develop familiarity with the structure of a high-scoring essay. You may notice that this essay follows the template that's featured in our GED Essay Writing Guide.At the end of this response, there is a short commentary that explains why this is an effective essay and why it would receive a perfect score.
GED Essay - Reasoning Through Language Arts; GED Essay - Social Studies; GED Short Answer Questions - Science; The essay portion of the GED will require you to compose a short essay on a pre-selected topic. The essay will be either a narrative, descriptive, or persuasive essay. Narrative essays require you to tell a story from your own life.