The GED Essay Test: Understanding the Essay and Improving the Score

Before you panic, remember that your essay will be graded holistically. This means that the two readers will give you a score based on the overall impression made by your writing. Nobody will be counting each and every minor mistake. Instead, the readers will use the scoring guidelines to determine if you can clearly express yourself in writing. They will be looking for evidence that you can make a clear point, supported with specific examples, and that you can organize your ideas logically, correctly using general writing skills. 

With those objectives in mind, readers will score your essay based on five categories. These readers are trained to never weigh one area more heavily than another. For this reason, you will want to focus on performing well in each category. Every part is equally important. Each category is scored on a numerical scale (1= inadequate, 2= marginal, 3= adequate, 4= effective). Remember that the readers know your essay was written in only 45 minutes.

Nobody expects your writing to be perfect. Instead, they are looking to see if you can write a good “first draft” and with this advice you can!

Response to the Prompt: Effective writing contains a focused main idea that clearly addresses the prompt. The reader can identify and understands the writer’s ideas without difficulty.

This is possibly the easiest category for earning a high score. Always brainstorm and organize your thoughts before you begin writing. Having a plan makes it much easier to make your points clear to the reader. This is important throughout the entire essay. However, the introduction and conclusion are the most useful for demonstrating that you understand the prompt. Restate, in your own words, the question and provide your own answer. Starting with a strong introduction (always include a thesis statement!) and ending the essay with a conclusion that summarizes your statements will leave the readers convinced that they understand your ideas.

Organization: Effective writing is clearly and logically organized. 

Your writing should always be structured. Readers will easily recognize a 5-paragraph essay as well-organized. Again, the process before you begin writing is important. At first, you will want to jot down your ideas in whatever order they come to mind. Then you will need to rearrange them in a logical order, grouping similar thoughts into main ideas. These ideas will serve as the topics of your three body paragraphs, sandwiched between a solid introduction and conclusion. Use transitions and other writing mechanics to string your ideas together in a logical way and your essay will flow naturally although it sticks to a clear plan.  

Development and Details: Effective writing is marked by even development of ideas through use of specific and relevant detail. Ideas are developed equally with relevant examples for depth.

This is sometimes the most difficult category for writers. GED essay prompts are always broad (in order to give you freedom to write without difficulty) but it is your job to answer this general question as specifically as possible. Use precise examples and details to support main ideas, not generalizations or repetition of the same information. If you realize that you cannot support one of your ideas with specific detail in the same way you developed your other ideas you may want to discard it.

You will get a higher score for doing a good job of detailing one or two ideas than you would for briefly mentioning a number of topics without getting specific about any of them. Additionally, this category is scored on the evenness of your development so it is not helpful to develop two ideas over the course of a page and then write only two sentences on a third topic. Practice and plan accordingly so that you do not run out of time and end up doing this.

Conventions of EAE (Edited American English): Effective writing consistently controls sentence structures and conventions of EAE.

Although this may seem difficult, this category simply focuses on your ability to use proper sentence structure and grammar. And that’s easy because you already studied this for Part I of the Language Arts exam! While you write, be sure to create coherent sentences and paragraphs from your ideas and start new paragraphs with each new idea (sticking to the 5-paragraph structure will make this easy). When you revise your essay (always leave a few minutes to do this!) check over your work and correct spelling, grammar, and other mistakes. 

Word Choice: Effective writing includes varied and precise vocabulary. The writer’s word choice demonstrates a large vocabulary and appropriate word selection.

The best way to achieve a varied vocabulary is through practice. Read newspapers, magazines, and books, noticing language that you like (and looking up words you don’t know!). You might even keep a list of good words and phrases to remember. Look up sample GED essay prompts and do some of your own writing as well.

After you finish your essay review it (on your own or ask a friend/family member to score it using the grading guidelines). Notice if there are certain words you use repeatedly or if your word choice is boring or vague. Brainstorm or look up better alternatives so that these will come to mind more easily when you are writing during the exam.

Remember, as the writer, it is your goal to “build the bridges of communication.” These bridges take the form of the five categories above. Through organizing and developing your ideas in a clear way that utilizing appropriate word choice and EAE conventions you will be able to express yourself well and impress your reader!