Reasoning Through Language Arts Study Guide for the GED Test

Extended Response (Essay, RLA Part 2)

For many students, any writing portion of a test seems scary, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to break it down into manageable tasks, then do them, one by one. Pretty soon, you’ll have a finished essay.

This writing test may be different from others you have taken. Instead of responding to a one or two-sentence prompt, you will be reading someone else’s writing and responding to it.

What You Will Do

Let’s look at your task during this 45-minute section of the 2014 Reasoning Through Language Arts test. You will be asked to:

• Read two passages that present opposing opinions on a topic.

• Decide which passage presents the better argument for that position. The key here is that you will need to choose based only on how the position is supported. This may not, necessarily, be the argument with which you agree.

• Write an essay telling which passage you picked and support your choice with evidence from the passage.

• Review your essay to correct errors and make sure you have clearly expressed your point of view, using specific examples from the prompt.

As you write, keep in mind that your score on this task will depend on how well you:

• Analyze two arguments and give evidence from the text that proves your points

• Develop ideas and structure your writing in a logical, meaningful order

• Use standard English, including all of its rules and conventions

Time Management

Since you will only have 45 minutes to complete all of this, it is a good idea to have a plan of attack. First, keep the time in mind. Here is a good plan for budgeting that time:

• 10 minutes: Read the passages. Using a simple 2 column list format (on the wipe-off scratch board you are given), jot down key words for the points made by each side. Decide which position is better supported and list their points in a logical order.

• 25 minutes: Write your response, using the key words in your notes for paragraph topics.

• 10 minutes: Review by proofreading and editing what you have written. Look for clarity in your writing, as well as grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

How to Prepare

You can practice this type of writing easily. Look for opposing opinion pieces in a newspaper, either hard copy or online. Many magazines also feature point/counterpoint types of columns you can use. Time yourself for 45 minutes and practice doing the steps listed above. It will help to have a study partner or other person read your work to see if you made your point and used enough evidence from the prompt to support it. For help in correcting spelling and grammar errors, try putting your writing into a spell check program (available in most word processing programs) that also picks up grammatical errors.

This is a sample of an organizational chart for the Extended Response RLA Test. Position A and position B would be brief statements of the opinions of the 2 authors of the passages in the prompt. The points 1, 2, and 3 under each would be the reasons the authors gave for their opinions. By sketching this out on the wipe-off board you will be given for scratch paper, you may be able to choose your position more easily. Also, you can use this chart as a prompt when you write your essay. Just use brief notes on this and don’t spend a lot of time writing out complete sentences. This is for your use only, to get your thoughts together.

Here is a plan for an organized 5 paragraph essay:

• Paragraph 1: State the position you chose. Then, briefly mention the three best points the author of that position made well. Restate your choice, briefly.

• Paragraphs 2-4: Use each paragraph to state a separate point the author made and explain why you think it is a valid point, citing evidence from the author’s writing to support your opinion.

• Paragraph 5: This will be similar to paragraph 1 but in totally different words. Its purpose is to sum up the essay. You could begin with something like: “All of these are the reasons I think that the author of (passage A) has a more valid argument.”

Tips to Improve your Writing:

• Try to vary your word choice, not repeating the same words in the essay. For help with this, study lists of synonyms and practice using a thesaurus when you practice writing.

• Make it a point to not start 2 sentences in the same paragraph with the same word. Also, be careful not to start 2 paragraphs with the same word.

• It’s a pretty good rule to avoid using the word and more than once in a sentence. This way, you can avoid run-on sentences and your writing will be more clear.

• Know your punctuation rules and practice proofreading for them.

• The more you read, the more familiar you will be with what good writing looks like.