GED Language Arts Study Guide

Introduction

The GED Reading Through Language Arts (RLA) test assesses your reading and writing skills. Here’s what to expect on test day.

The number of questions in parts 1 and 3 may vary, but expect to have 1.5­–2 minutes per question. Keep in mind that each question requires reading and analyzing one or more texts. That’s why it is important to take a full-length practice test shortly after completing this guide. The results will reveal whether you need to improve your time management.

Note
In the following sections, important vocabulary words and concepts are highlighted in bold.

A Note About the Break

At the break, you will have been sitting in front of a computer for 75 uninterrupted minutes. Your eyes may be tired, your fingers sore, and your bladder full.

That said, here’s the best way to use your 10 minutes:

• Go to the bathroom.
• Stretch your arms and hands.
• Use some eyedrops.
  • If you don’t have any, close your eyes for an extended period.

Question Types

In parts 1 and 3, you will encounter question types other than multiple choice. They include:

• Fill in the blank
  • You will need to type a word or phrase.
• Drop down
  • You will need to select from a list of options.
    • This question type most closely resembles multiple choice.
• Drag and drop
  • You will need to drag one or more items into the right place.
• Hot spot
  • You will need to click on part of a passage, image, or other graphic.

Fortunately, nothing about interacting with these question types is difficult.