Liz’s World

Writing can be scary. Especially writing that asks you to talk about things you don’t normally talk about. Like, if the GED essay asked me about what sort of things I might go grocery shopping for and why, I could probably fill up page after page. And sometimes the writing prompt does ask some pretty interesting questions, but explaining it in a real clear way that everyone can understand is hard. And I think the only way to prepare for it is to write write write.

So, I’m thinking I need to write a little more. Nothing too long, not a full essay, just a little paragraph to get some practice in. And you can write too. We can help correct each other’s mistakes and learn more about the rules of writing together.

Here’s a prompt from Can Teach, and what I wrote:

What is something you do well?

I think that I am good at parenting. I had kids pretty young, and I know I made a lot of mistakes when I was raising my two boys, but I worked hard to make sure they had a good upbringing. They always had nutritious meals, and there was no disrespect allowed to their elders like I’ve seen with some other kids. I also always made sure they knew they were loved. I always went to their games, and now that they’re older, I visit them as much as I can. I know no one’s perfect, and I certainly wasn’t the perfect mom. However, I think I did a good job and that it’s something I do pretty well.

That’s a good start. It’s not a full essay, like the GED test asks for, but I could definitely write an essay from the ideas I came up with in this paragraph. Writing up short paragraphs like this as often as you can gets your brain working and thinking about how to answer these types of questions, and when you have time, you can use a paragraph you already wrote to practice writing a longer GED essay, with 4 or 5 paragraphs.

Write your own answer to this prompt, just a short paragraph, then think about how you can turn that into a full essay.

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit the GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

Joachim writes:

Thanks for giving me chance to contact with you. i appeared ged exam for two times. But i can’t make it. i don’t know why i couldn’t pass essay part. my grammar part is fine. Now i decide to appear again. Will you suggest me, how i can get better number in essay part.

Okay, the essay part can be hard. Here are a couple of tips… brainstorm beforehand about ideas, people, and events that are important to you. You won’t know what the test is going to ask about, but it’ll get the ideas flowing. Then, when you take the test:

(1) Make sure you understand what the question’s asking, and really respond to the prompt. That’s a big deal. Spend some time reading the prompt and thinking about it, so you’ll be able to answer the question, otherwise, you’ll be “off-topic,” and that’s not passing!

(2) Write enough detail. Don’t just write a couple of sentences or be really general. Think of real-life examples…. things that happened to you, something you saw on the news, what your son did… having details is important to passing! If you’re too general, that’s not going to pass!

(3) Get your writing organized. Have A MAIN IDEA, and tell what it is in the beginning. In the middle, give details that support or give reasons for your MAIN IDEA. In the end, make a conclusion about what you wrote. What’s it all mean? Why’s it important?

If you do those three things, and the readers can understand what you wrote, then you’ll pass!

Brock writes:

I have A.D.D and staying on task is really hard for me I have been to take practice tests for the GED and would have passed if the essay was not a part of it. I also have a few problems when it comes to writing. Do you know of any good methods to stay on task.

Here’s my advice:

A.D.D. can be tough! First, have you checked whether you qualify for extra time or breaks because of your A.D.D.? It’s at least worth looking into. There’s information on the ACE GED website: http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/test/Take/Accommodations_Disab.htm

Now, you may or may not be able to get accommodations, depending on your medical history. There are still things you can do to maintain focus. One is breaking apart the essay into smaller tasks. Write a list on your notepaper of the things you’re going to do:
1) Read the prompt and restate it in my own words:
2) Make an outline of a main idea, two supporting ideas, and a conclusion:
3) Write an intro paragraph:
4) Write the first body paragraph:
5) Write the second body paragraph:
6) Write the conclusion:

That gives you six small things to do, instead of one big thing that you can be lost in. It’ll also help your writing stay organized and focused. A couple more tips: (1) Give yourself a break. If you find yourself drifting, take a deep breath, look around, say “I can do this,” and re-focus. It can help to have a ritual, like doodling a cat or saying a mantra (I will pass!) to yourself, to give a short break and then be back on track. (2) Eat before the test, layer your clothes so you won’t get too hot or cold, and choose a seat that won’t be distracting. Being hungry or by a window or cold or hot can ruin your concentration, so pay attention to your needs!

Hope this helps!

For more information on the GED test or GED test preparation, visit the GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.

One of the things that the GED essay is scored on is called “EAE” … that stands for Edited American English. Basically, EAE is the normal grammar, spelling, use of words, and sentence structure that is taught in classrooms around the U.S. The idea of having a “standard” language is to make sure that writers in English can communicate with each other. Here’s one thing I’ve learned about language… we all speak and write a little differently. We’ve all lived in different areas, with different people, and different groups of people use language in slightly different ways. That’s how slang starts. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the things your GED essay is scored on is whether it’s organized. It’s got to all work together, and it’s got to be easy to follow. In other words, you’ve got to write something that makes sense. The basic idea of organization is simple, especially since the GED essay is pretty short: You’ve got to have a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Read the rest of this entry »

Vic wrote:

Well Good advice. But still unable to get Idea or moving to start to write essay I am worried to take my test on January 15th . and I need to start or just giving up. I did try reading every day for one month and copying others. Or, what was the other word for copying statements making it your own?
Still having hard time to come up with an idea to write!

Okay, Vic, here’s some more advice! Hopefully we can get you going: Read the rest of this entry »

Hello, everyone! Tanya wrote a good question, and I thought I’d put it in a blog post, too. She writes:

Im takeing my test next week,and I have a question about,how I start out an essay.Im also a little nervouse about,when they give you a topic,you have to write about it,my brain kinda freezes up.what if I can’t think of anything?How do I go about this? Please help!

Hi, Tanya! I know the essay can be a little intimidating. Here are some things to help… Read the rest of this entry »

Hi, everyone! Hope the studying is going great! I get a lot of comments that ask, how do you start? How do you even begin writing a GED essay? Here’s one:

I need help starting my essay.My mind go blank when I have to write anything let alone an essay please tell me where to begin thanks

Here’s my advice… Read the rest of this entry »

Hi, GED studiers! I got a comment from Deedee, who’s going to take her GED test:

I am going to take the Ged test,and i really need help for my essay because im not good at writting essays.so it would be a pleasure if you guys help me out with it!

So, I thought it would be a good idea to give some suggestions for the GED essay today! The GED essay isn’t too hard, but it’s important to know what they expect. Read the rest of this entry »

Hi, again! I’ve got another student essay for everyone to look at…. this is one I really liked. It’s got a pretty good structure, and what’s really good is that it uses examples from life. That’s the best thing… to put in real-life things that happened to you. Read the rest of this entry »