The Reasoning through Language Arts portion of the GED contains an essay section, also known as the extended response, where you will be asked to use evidence-based writing. This section is 45 minutes long and 20% of your overall RLA score.
Benefits of the Extended Response Section
So why is it so important to prepare for this section if it only makes up 20% of your score? Here are a few reasons:
- Evidence-based writing is not just a type of question. It’s a form of writing that everyone needs to be successful. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 73.4% of employers want someone with strong written communication skills. It was also the third most desired quality overall, behind leadership skills and teamwork.
- Writing in the workplace is all about facts, not opinion. You may have an opinion about how to fix a problem, but if you want to convince your boss to use this solution, you need evidence to back up your opinion. Writing prepares you with communication and thinking skills to help explain your ideas to others.
- Lastly, the higher you score on this section, the more likely you are to pass the RLA test! As a bonus, you could score College Ready or College Ready + and receive credits for college!
Tools to Help you Study
When you begin studying for the extended response section, log in to your GED.com and head to the extended response section. There you can find an abundance of video tutorials that offer the best tips and tricks for writing.
Additionally, GED Marketplace offers a writing tutor product designed to prepare you for the essay section. Using practice writing prompts and over 75 online lessons, GED Writing Tutor will create a personalized learning plan designed to improve your writing skills quickly.
Start Preparing for the Essay Portion Today
While it may seem like the obvious choice not to prepare for the essay section, you will need these skills later on. So get started now. For more information, log in to your GED.com account and go to the RLA extended response section.
