Language Arts Writing GED Prep Online

For most students, the essay portion of any standardized test can be the hardest. Because essays require a combination of critical thinking, analysis, good writing skills and excellent expression, the essay challenges students to use a variety of modes, all contained in one product - the paper. For GED students, the Language Arts Writing section, commonly called "the GED essay," poses an even larger challenge, as 71 percent of all GED students has completed less than an 11th-grade education. GED students facing the Language Arts Writing section have many resources and supports to help with GED success - if you know where to look.

The GED Essay

The Language Arts Writing section of the GED is unique among the five sections. The other four - math, science, social studies and language arts reading - all involve multiple choice, standardized testing. The GED essay, on the other hand, requires writing and multiple-choice questions. Free writing, based on a topic given, but with no specific instructions for how to structure the essay. In other words - it's all about your writing skills.

For many GED students those writing skills are weak, yet writing is a critical component of job advancement and proceeding on to college. Mastering the GED essay, then, becomes not only a factor in passing the GED exam, but also a skill that students need to acquire for life long career and education success.

Language Arts Writing GED Prep

The American Council on Education (ACE) offers some outstanding sample GED prep materials for the Language Arts Writing section, dividing the study guide into two sections. The first is designed to help with writing mechanics, organization, and structure, so this sample GED is a bit more tilted toward traditional grammar.

For the actual GED essay, the ACE provides a sample Language Arts Writing essay topic and explains the specifics of the test: 45 minutes for completion, two pages of lined paper for writing, and the fact that two readers will grade your essay.

Free Online Language Arts Writing Study Guide

In addition to the ACE prep materials, Wisconsin Technical College offers sample Language Arts Writing testing materials as well as an outstanding PowerPoint slide presentation you can view online to better understand the requirements for the GED essay.

As with any portion of the GED, the key to passing the Language Arts Writing section is to practice. Essay writing is as much art as it is skill, and using study guides and GED prep materials will make you a better reader, writer, and critic of the written word. Use these free online samples to help pass the GED to improve your career or to access higher education.