The GED Test Essay: Timed Writes
The thing about the GED test that I think was most scary was writing a timed essay. I like to have a lot of time to think about what I’m writing. So, for GED preparation, it really helps to time your writing.
I started out by using writing exercises, like the ones I’ve been talking about, and writing a little bit every day. Say, take 5 or 10 minutes and write the whole time. That helps you write faster, so you’re not stuck on a blank page, like what happens to me all the time.
Then, the next step is figuring out how to write an organized GED essay in just a little bit of time. Well, I guess it’s not too little. The GED test gives you 45 minutes to write an essay. You only need to write 4-5 paragraphs… so I guess it’s not too bad. But you don’t want to write just anything, so that makes it harder.
For the GED essay test, I tried to make a time plan. So, I thought, 10 minutes to read the question and brainstorm some ideas. 5 minutes to organize them. Then 20 minutes to write the essay. And 10 minutes to read it over and make any changes.
Maybe you need more time to brainstorm, or more time to write. But you’ll only know that by practicing. So, after you’ve been freewriting for a little bit, try a timed writing practice for the GED test. Here’s a GED practice question to get you started, from the people who put the GED test together:
What is one important goal you would like to achieve in the next few years?
In your essay, identify that one goal and explain how you plan to achieve it. Use your personal observations, experience, and knowledge to support your essay.
Give this test question a try, and see how it goes.
