Below are the instructions as you will see them on the actual GED test.  To give yourself some experience with the testing situation, find a quiet place that you can write for 45 minutes.  Read the directions, then randomly choose a topic.  Do not look through the topics before you choose.  This will help you with the testing situation because you are assigned a topic at the test; there is no choice. 

Use the Plan for Success below to ensure a good essay.  When it's complete, turn it in to me either handwritten or via email.  I'll give you feedback and a score according to the GED scoring rubric.

45 minute Plan for Success

Read directions and topic:  3 minutes

Prewriting (freewriting, brainstorming, clustering or mapping, etc.): 5 minutes

Organize (write a thesis statement or controlling idea and outline main ideas): 3 minutes

Draft (write the essay): 20 minutes

Revise (read through the essay and make changes to ideas): 8 minutes

Edit (check for correctness in grammar and spelling): 6 minutes

GED Essay Testing Simulation

Essay Directions and Topic

Look at the box on the following page.  In the box are your assigned topic and the letter of that topic. (For this assignment, choose one of the links below.)

 You must write on the assigned topic ONLY.

 *Mark the letter of your assigned topic in the appropriate space on your answer sheet booklet.  Be certain that all other requested information is properly recorded in your answer sheer booklet.

 You will have 45 minutes to write on your assigned essay topic.  *If you have time remaining in this test period after you complete your essay, you may return to the multiple-choice section.  Do not return the Language Arts, Writing Test booklet until you finish both Parts I and II of the Language Arts, Writing Test.

 Two evaluators will score your essay according to its overall effectiveness.  Their evaluation will be based on the following features:

 ·        Well-focused main points

·        Clear organization

·        Specific development of your ideas

·        Control of sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, word choice and spelling

 *REMEMBER, YOU MUST COMPLETE BOTH THE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (PART I) AND THE ESSAY (PART II) TO RECEIVE A SCORE ON THE LANGUAGE ARTS, WRITING TEST.  To avoid having to repeat both parts of the test, be sure to do the following:

 ·        Do not leave pages blank.

·        Write legibly in ink so that the evaluators will be able to read your writing.

·        Write on the assigned topic.  If you write on a topic other than the one assigned, you will not receive a score for the Language Arts, Writing Test.

·        Write your essay on the lined pages of the separate answer sheet booklet.  Only the writing on these pages will be scored.

 *IMPORTANT:

You may return to the multiple-choice section after you complete your essay if you have time remaining in this test period.  Do not return the Language Arts, Writing booklet until you finish both Parts I and II of the Language Arts, Writing Test.  

*Indicates instructions included in actual testing situation and not necessarily used for simulation.

 Source: Official GED Practice Test: Language Arts, Writing; American Council on Education

Choose ONE topic below and do not change your choice.