About the ged writing exam 4 docx

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Who Takes the GED—and Why
The 860,000 people who take the GED each year are a
very diverse group who come from a rich variety of back-
grounds. As different as their situations and experiences
may be, their main reasons for taking the GED are the
same. Passing the GED:
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enables them to apply to colleges and universities
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allows them to apply for jobs or promotions that
require a high school diploma
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demonstrates to others the importance of
education
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is a significant accomplishment that improves
self-esteem
GED candidates range in age from 16 to over 60. The
ACE’s publication Who Took the GED? reports that
slightly over half the GED candidates in 2001 were
between the ages of 20 and 39, with an average age of
25.2 years. Two-thirds of the test takers reported com-
pleting tenth grade; one-third had completed their jun-
ior or senior years. Nearly two-thirds of the test takers
reported plans to pursue higher education after earning
their GED diploma.
More GEDs Than Ever
2001 was a record year for the GED—over one
million people took all or part of the exams. The
record number was partly due to the new GED

2002 test series. Test takers had to complete
the old GED by December 31, 2001, or else
begin all over with the new exam. Of the
979,829 adults who took all five exams,
669,403 (68%) earned their high school equiv-
alency diplomas.
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GED Eligibility Requirements
GED candidates must first meet certain eligibility
requirements set by the ACE and participating states and
territories. You are eligible to take the GED if you meet
the following conditions:
1. You are not enrolled in high school AND
2. You have not graduated from high school AND
3. You are at least 16 years of age AND
4. You meet the requirements of your state,
province, or territory regarding age, residency, and
the length of time since leaving school. Arkansas,
for example, requires that you be a “legal resident”
of the state, which means that you must spend
most of your time in Arkansas, pay property taxes,
and possess a valid Arkansas driver’s license or
state-issued identification card. Kentucky’s eligi-
bility requirements vary depending upon the can-
didate’s age. Be sure to check with your state
department of education or your local testing cen-
ter for specific eligibility requirements.
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Testing Centers and Registration
There are approximately 3,400 GED testing centers

around the world. These centers are typically operated by
local school boards, community colleges, and/or centers
for adult education. Test takers outside the United States,
Canada, or their territories may be able to take the GED
at a Thomson Prometric facility.
Because test centers are run locally, registration pro-
cedures, fees, and testing times vary. You need to contact
the center where you would like to take the tests to find
specific registration, fee, and test time information.
If you live inside the United States, Canada, or their
territories, you can find the testing center nearest you by:
1. Calling 1-800-62-MY-GED OR
2. Checking in the blue pages of your local tele-
phone book (look for “GED Testing” under the
state department of education listing) OR
3. Going to www.acenet.edu/clll/ged/area-contacts-
TT.cfm. From there, select your specific area to
find out how to contact your local testing center.
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International Testing
If you live outside the United States, Canada, or their
territories, you can still take the GED through one of
Thomson Prometric’s testing centers. Thomson Promet-
ric, in partnership with the ACE, offers a computer-based
GED and a high school diploma through the state of
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Maine. If you reside outside the United States, Canada,
or their territories and wish to take the online exam, you
must be at least 17 years old.

For more information on international testing for
the GED, contact 866-776-6387 or Thomson Prometric,
1000 Lancaster Street, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Ask for the Regional Registration Center in your
country or province. Or visit their website at www.
prometric.com.
Thomson Prometric has testing centers available in
the following regions:
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Australia/New Zealand
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China
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Europe
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India
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Indonesia
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Japan
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Korea
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Latin America/Caribbean
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Middle East/North Africa
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Pakistan
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Southeast Asia

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Sub-Sahara/Africa
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Ta iw an
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Thailand
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Spanish and French Versions of
the GED
In addition to the standard English version of the GED,
there are also Spanish and French versions, initially devel-
oped for Puerto Rico and Canada, respectively. These tests
are now authorized for use throughout the United States
but may not be available in all areas and are not available
at international testing centers (international GED can-
didates must take the English version). A new version of
both the Spanish and French GEDs went into effect on
January 1, 2004. Any partial scores from individual Span-
ish or French exams taken prior to December 31, 2003,
are invalid, and candidates must take the complete battery
of new exams.
The Spanish GED
The structure and content of the Spanish GED is essen-
tially the same as the English GED, with the important
exception that the examples and test questions are based
on Spanish language and culture. In the Language Arts,
Reading Test, all excerpts are from Spanish-language
writers with an emphasis on writers from the Caribbean
and Central and South America. In the Language Arts,
Writing Exam, grammar questions focus on issues spe-

cific to the Spanish language, such as gender agreement
and multiple-object pronouns. The essay is scored by
readers whose first language is Spanish or who are sec-
ondary or college-level Spanish instructors.
The French GED
The French GED also follows the English GED in format
and structure. Like the Spanish GED, it draws its ques-
tions and context from French language and culture.
Most measurement questions use the metric system.
Essays on the French exam are scored by readers whose
first language is French or who have taught French at the
secondary or college level.
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Special Accommodations
Special testing accommodations are available for GED
candidates with documented disabilities that may affect
their ability to pass the GED. These accommodations
include:
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testing in English-language Braille
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testing by audiocassette
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large-print test editions
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extended time
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frequent, supervised breaks
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use of a calculator or scribe

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private testing rooms
Dictionaries and spell checkers are not permitted, nor is
having someone read the questions aloud to the candidate.
If you will need special accommodations to take the
GED, request the appropriate form from your local test-
ing center:
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Form L-15 for learning disabilities and attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder
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Form SA-001 for emotional and physical
disabilities
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Once you have completed the form and provided the
necessary documentation, return the form to your GED
testing center. Be sure to request and complete this form
well in advance of your test date to allow sufficient time
for processing.
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GED Testing Fees
Fees for the GED vary widely. In some states, you can
take the GED exams at no charge; in others, all testing
centers charge the same fee (usually between $20–$80);
and in others, individual testing centers determine their
own fees (also usually between $20–$80). In Pennsylva-
nia, for example, the fee varies from $25–$55, depending
upon the location of the center. In Georgia, the fee at any
testing center is $55.

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When the Test Are Offered
Each test center determines when and how often it will
offer the GED exams. Some centers may offer the tests
only two or three times a year; others offer them much
more frequently. The Paterson Adult and Continuing
Education Center in Paterson, NJ, for example, offers the
tests two or three times a month. The Aurora Public
High School System in Aurora, CO, on the other hand,
offers the tests every Thursday and two Saturdays each
month. Contact your local testing center to see when the
tests will be offered. If the dates and times are inconven-
ient, check other centers nearby. Their offerings may bet-
ter fit your schedule.
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How the Tests Are Scored
Each of the five GED tests is scored separately on a stan-
dard scale of 200 to 800 points. Each correct answer is
worth one point, but because the individual tests have
different numbers of questions, the score for each test is
converted to this 200–800 standard. This allows the
scores on all five tests to be compared. The Language
Arts, Writing Test score is a statistical combination of the
scores for the multiple-choice questions and the essay,
but a high score on Part I is no longer enough to pass the
exam. Since 2002, candidates must pass both parts of the
test in order to pass the Language Arts, Writing Exam.
The GED score reflects an estimate of your skills and
knowledge in each content area as compared to recent
high school graduates.Your score will be reported in two

ways: a number from 200–800 and a percentage. The
percentage indicates how your score compares with the
performance of graduating high school students. If your
percentile rank is 85, for example, that means you have
scored better than 85% of graduating high school sen-
iors. Here’s a more detailed example:
GED TESTS SCORE
Language Arts, Writing 606
Social Studies 688
Science 490
Language Arts, Reading 621
Mathematics 552
Average Overall Score 591
Percentile Rank 81%
What Is a Passing Score?
The minimum score required to pass the GED and earn
the GED diploma is set by individual states, provinces,
and territories. The passing score is usually a combina-
tion of both a minimum score per test and a minimum
average score overall. Most testing jurisdictions use the
passing score set by the GED Testing Service:
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a minimum score of 410 on each test
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a minimum average score of 450 overall
If you answer approximately 60–65% of the questions
correctly, you should receive a standard score of about
410 points per exam.
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Enough to Pass
In most states, you must score 410 on each
exam and an average score of 450 overall in
order to pass the GED.
Getting Your Scores
How and when you get your GED results will also vary
from testing center to testing center. Most centers, how-
ever, will mail your results for all tests except Language
Arts, Writing in 2–4 weeks. Scoring of the essay part of the
exam typically takes longer, so you may have to wait 4–6
weeks for those test results. Some centers may also post
test scores or provide a number to call for test results.
Getting Your Diploma
Most states will automatically issue your diploma if you
pass the GED. The names of candidates with passing
scores are forwarded to the state department of educa-
tion, and you can expect to receive your diploma in the
mail in approximately 6–8 weeks.
Retaking the GED
Fortunately, if you do not pass the full battery of tests or
would like to improve your score, you can retake the
GED. Most states allow you to retake the tests two or
three times within a specified time period. Often, you
can retest only after you have completed all five exams.
New Jersey, for example, allows GED candidates to retake
the tests two times, with no additional fee, within six
months of the initial testing date and no more than three
times within one year. Georgia’s retesting policy, on the
other hand, depends upon the candidate’s scores. If the
candidate earned an average standard score of 430 or

more, he or she may retake the tests at any time. If the
candidate’s score was between 400–429, the candidate
must wait three months or provide evidence of remedial
study before retaking the exams. Candidates scoring
below 400 must wait six months or present evidence of
remedial study before retaking the tests.
Check with your state or providence to find out the
regulations regarding retesting. Also, be sure to check
with your testing center regarding fees for retaking the
exams. These fees are usually significantly lower than the
initial exam fee, typically between $5–$30.
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The Structure of the GED
Each of the five GED tests contains 40–50 multiple-
choice questions, with the exception of the mathematics
exam, which also contains 25% “alternate format” ques-
tions (this will be explained further in Chapter 40). The
Language Arts, Writing Test also contains an essay sec-
tion. The time allotted for each test varies from 45 min-
utes (essay) to 90 minutes (math exam). The table on the
next page describes the basic structure of the exams,
including length, number of questions, and type of ques-
tions. You will learn more about the kinds of questions
on each exam as you read Parts II–VI.
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The GED 2002
A new battery of GED exams went into effect on January
1, 2002. The tests were revised to include a greater
emphasis on higher-level thinking skills such as critical
analysis and to incorporate reading skills on all of the

tests, especially the science and social studies exams.
Other specific changes include:
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more questions about interpreting graphics, espe-
cially on the math, science, and social studies exams
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inclusion of business documents and more com-
plete documents (instead of excerpts)
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revised scoring of the Language Arts, Writing Test,
so that the essay is now scored separately, making
writing skills essential for passing the GED
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an increase in the percentage of questions about
history on the social studies exam
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allowing the use of calculators for Part I of the
math exam (test centers supply all candidates
with a Casio FX-260 Solar Calculator)—both
parts of the test are weighted equally and both
must be completed to pass the exam
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inclusion of “alternate format” questions on the
math exam (questions that require students to
respond in a format other than multiple choice)
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more questions about higher math concepts (stu-
dents must know more than arithmetic to pass
the math exam)
You will find out much more about each of the GED

exams in the chapters ahead. But first, it’s time to review
study skills and create your study plan.
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NUMBER OF
GED TESTS QUESTIONS SUBTOPIC/TYPE OF QUESTION TIME LENGTH
Language Arts, 50 Multiple choice: 75 minutes
Writing, Part I 30% sentence structure
30% usage
25% mechanics
15% organization
Language Arts, 1 Essay 45 minutes
Writing, Part II
Social Studies 50 Multiple choice: 70 minutes
40% history (25% national history, 15% world history)
25% civics and government
20% economics
15% geography
Science 50 Multiple choice: 80 minutes
45% life science
35% physical science
20% Earth and space science
Language Arts, 40 Multiple choice: 65 minutes
Reading 30–35% analysis
30–35% synthesis
20% comprehension
15% application
75% literary texts
25% nonfiction
Mathematics, 50 Multiple choice (80%) and 90 minutes

Parts I and II alternate format (20%):
(Note: A standard 75% calculations
calculator is per- 25% set-up (determining the correct way
mitted for Part I of to solve the problem)
the math test. Cal- 20–30% geometry and measurement
culators are provided 20–30% number operations and number sense
at the test site. No 20–30% algebra, functions, and patterns
calculators are per- 20–30% data analysis, statistics, and probability
mitted for Part II.)
Total: 240 + essay 7 hours, 5 minutes
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