GED® RLA: Extended Response & Essay Writing
The Extended Response is the one written essay on the GED® RLA test. You have 45 minutes to read two passages that argue opposite sides of an issue and write an essay explaining which argument is better supported -- not which side you personally agree with. This course walks you through every step: understanding the task and scoring rubric, reading and annotating the source texts, writing a strong thesis, outlining your essay, building body paragraphs with real evidence, crafting the introduction and conclusion, and using the GED® rubric to self-score and revise. Concrete examples, weak-vs-strong comparisons, the PEEL method, and GED®-style practice throughout.
📚 Course Curriculum
The Extended Response (ER) is the only written essay on the GED® RLA test. Before you write a single word, you need to know exactly …
Open trial session →The two passages you receive on test day are argument passages -- each one is making a case for a position. Your first job is …
Open trial session →Your thesis statement is the single most important sentence in your entire essay. It tells the reader your position, which argument you are siding with, …
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Five minutes of planning saves ten minutes of confusion while writing. Students who skip the outline often stall mid-essay, repeat themselves, or realize their second …
Open trial session →Body paragraphs are the engine of your essay. They are where you actually prove your thesis by pointing to specific things in the source texts. …
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The introduction and conclusion are the frame of your essay. They create a first and last impression on the grader. Neither needs to be long …
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With five minutes left on the clock, switch from writer to editor. A targeted revision -- not a full rewrite -- can lift your score …
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Course Syllabus
This self-paced GED® Language Arts course follows a 7-lesson sequence. Work through the modules in order so that each skill supports the next.
Course sequence
Module 1 - Lessons 1-4
- Understanding the Extended Response Task
- Reading and Analyzing the Source Texts
- Building a Strong Thesis
- Planning Your Essay
Module 2 - Lessons 5-7
- Writing Body Paragraphs with Evidence
- Writing the Introduction and Conclusion
- Revision, Transitions & Scoring Yourself
Practice and completion
- Use worked examples and lesson practice to check understanding after each module.
- Review incorrect answers, explain the correction, and repeat weak skills.
- Complete the available mixed or final course practice to demonstrate readiness.
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Identify the central skills and conventions used in Understanding the Extended Response Task.
- Read closely and analyze evidence, structure, or language in Building a Strong Thesis.
- Apply clear reading or writing strategies to tasks involving Planning Your Essay.
- Revise reasoning and correct common errors related to Writing Body Paragraphs with Evidence.
- Combine Revision, Transitions & Scoring Yourself with other language-arts skills in mixed practice.
- Use feedback and answer explanations to diagnose and correct mistakes.
- Complete mixed, exam-style practice with clearer reasoning and greater independence.
📝 Practice Questions
28 interactive questions with instant feedback and explanations.
Enroll for free to unlock the full practice bank after the trial sessions.