The GED Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) test is a single integrated exam — 150 minutes of reading and writing together — and you must reach a minimum score of 145 to pass Kaplan. At its heart sits one writing task: the Extended Response (ER), an argumentative essay worth up to 6 points scored against a three-trait rubric GED Testing Service. Many test-takers treat the essay with dread, yet it is one of the most coachable parts of the entire GED. Here is everything you need to know to write a response that maximizes your points.
Understanding the Structure of the RLA Test
The RLA test interleaves reading comprehension questions with one Extended Response task. A typical flow looks like this:
- A reading section with passages and multiple-choice questions
- The Extended Response task: two source passages presenting opposing views on an issue, plus a prompt asking you to take a position and argue it using evidence from both texts
- Additional reading and language questions, with an optional 10-minute break somewhere during the test
The ER is usually approached with roughly 45 minutes of your time — enough to read carefully, plan, write, and revise. You will have access to an on-screen highlighter and a digital notepad that function like scratch paper; use both aggressively.
What the Extended Response Prompt Actually Asks
The ER prompt is deceptively simple in wording: something like "In your response, analyze the two positions and argue which one is better supported, using specific evidence from both passages." Behind that phrasing are three demands every high-scoring response satisfies:
- Take a clear stance. The strongest essays pick a side early and hold it consistently.
- Engage both texts. A one-sided essay that only summarizes one passage cannot earn top marks — you must use evidence from both sources, including addressing the strongest point of the opposing argument.
- Write an argument, not a summary. Pointing at what each author said is not enough; you must explain why the evidence supports your position.
How Your Essay Is Scored: The Three-Trait Rubric
Your response earns up to 6 points, with 2 points available per trait GED Scoring Tools:
Trait 1 — Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence. Do you take a clear position? Do you support claims with specific, relevant evidence drawn from both passages? Do you explain how that evidence connects to your argument?
Trait 2 — Development of Ideas and Organizational Structure. Do your ideas progress logically? Are paragraphs focused and connected with transitions? Does the essay have a recognizable introduction, body, and conclusion?
Trait 3 — Clarity and Command of Standard English Conventions. Sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. Note the emphasis on clarity — minor, occasional errors will not sink an otherwise strong response, but persistent errors that interfere with meaning will cap your score.
In short: 4 points come from thinking and organizing; 2 points from mechanics. Prioritize accordingly — a mechanically perfect essay with no argument earns at best 2–3 points, while a well-argued essay with ordinary grammar can reach 5–6.
A Proven Essay Structure for the GED ER
Use this five-part skeleton; it reliably earns top Trait 2 marks because scorers can instantly see structure.
1. Introduction (2–4 sentences). Hook the reader with one sentence of context, then state your thesis: "Although Passage A makes a reasonable point, Passage B offers the stronger argument because its evidence is more specific, its reasoning is more logical, and it directly addresses the opposing view."
2. Body Paragraph 1 — Your side's best evidence. Start with a topic sentence, cite the strongest piece of evidence from your chosen passage, and spend 2–4 sentences explaining why it beats the other side's comparable point.
3. Body Paragraph 2 — The counterargument, handled honestly. Acknowledge the other passage's strongest claim, then rebut it: "Passage A's supporters might argue X, but this claim is weakened because..." This single move separates 4-point essays from 5- and 6-point essays.
4. Body Paragraph 3 — The clincher. One more piece of evidence from your side — ideally a point the other passage fails to address — to reinforce your thesis.
5. Conclusion (2–3 sentences). Restate your position in fresh words and summarize why the evidence supports it. Never introduce new evidence here.
Time Management: The 45-Minute Blueprint
Minutes 0–6 — Read and annotate. Read both passages, underlining each author's main claim and their 2–3 strongest supporting points. Jot a one-line summary of each passage in the digital notepad.
Minutes 6–10 — Plan. In the notepad, sketch your thesis and list the evidence you will use for each body paragraph. Two minutes of planning saves ten minutes of wandering prose.
Minutes 10–38 — Write. Follow your outline. Do not stop to polish sentences; get the argument down. If you freeze on a word, write a simpler one and move on.
Minutes 38–45 — Revise. Re-read for: (1) a thesis that clearly takes a side, (2) each body paragraph beginning with a topic sentence, (3) obvious spelling and punctuation errors, (4) at least one transition word between paragraphs.
Grammar and Mechanics That Scorers Notice
Trait 3 rewards correctness, but the highest-impact conventions are the ones that block meaning. Fix these five before anything else:
- Sentence fragments: every sentence needs a subject and a verb ("Because she worked hard." → "She passed because she worked hard.")
- Run-on sentences: join independent clauses with a comma + conjunction or a period, never just a comma
- Subject-verb agreement: "The results show" not "The results shows"; "Each of the studies was" not "were"
- Capitalization: sentence starts, proper nouns, and the pronoun "I"
- Spelling of common words: their/there/they're, its/it's, your/you're — a cluster of these errors signals poor command even when the argument is strong
If grammar is a genuine weakness, spend two weeks before test day drilling exactly these five patterns; that yields more ER points per study hour than anything else.
Sample Outline in Action
Prompt: Which passage makes the stronger argument that school start times should be later?
- Thesis: Passage B is stronger because it uses statistics, cites expert medical opinion, and concedes the scheduling difficulties — while Passage A relies on unsupported assumptions about teenage habits.
- Body 1: Passage B's sleep-science study showing improved attendance and grades after an 8:30 start; explain why data outweighs opinion.
- Body 2: Passage A's claim that "students just stay up later anyway" — rebut: the study controlled for bedtimes and still found gains; the claim is an assertion with no evidence.
- Body 3: Passage B alone addresses transportation costs honestly, making its proposal more credible.
- Conclusion: Weighing evidence, specificity, and credibility, Passage B wins.
Conclusion: The ER Is a Checklist, Not a Mystery
The GED Extended Response looks like an intimidating timed essay, but it scores like a checklist: clear position, evidence from both passages, honest handling of the counterargument, visible organization, and clean-enough mechanics. Learn the three-trait rubric, memorize the five-part structure, practice the 45-minute blueprint twice with official GED prompts, and you will approach the RLA test knowing exactly what it takes to earn your 145 — and beyond.
Take the next step today: download GED Testing Service's free Extended Response scoring tools and sample essays, score three sample responses yourself against the rubric, then write your own timed practice response and compare.
