Text Features + Technique
35%of exam
Evidence + Arguments
45%of exam
Language Conventions
20%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- GED RLA
- Credential
- GED Diploma
- Time
- 150 min
- Pass
- 145/200
- Items
- ~45 + ER
- Fee
- ~$36/subj
- Blueprint
- Current 2026
Rhetorical Triangle
Ethos=credibility | Pathos=emotion | Logos=logic
Ethos: characterPathos: feelingLogos: reason
Literary vs Informational
Literary
- Fiction/poetry/drama
- Theme + characters
- Figurative language
Informational
- Nonfiction texts
- Facts + structure
- Author purpose
Imagined vs real
Literary Devices
- Simile
- Like/as compare
- Metaphor
- Direct comparison
- Personification
- Human to nonhuman
- Hyperbole
- Extreme exaggeration
- Imagery
- Sensory details
- Symbolism
- Object = idea
- Alliteration
- Repeated initial sound
- Idiom
- Figurative phrase
Main Idea vs Theme
Main Idea
- Informational text
- Stated directly
- Topic sentence
Theme
- Literary text
- Implied message
- Universal truth
Nonfiction vs fiction
Text Structure
- Chronological
- Time order
- Cause/Effect
- Why + result
- Compare/Contrast
- Alike vs different
- Problem/Solution
- Issue + fix
- Proposition/Support
- Claim + evidence
- Argument
- Claim + reasons
Tone + Mood
- Tone
- Author attitude
- Mood
- Reader feeling
- Diction
- Word choice
- Syntax
- Sentence structure
- Irony
- Opposite meaning
- Formal/Informal
- Register level
ER Essay Traits
T1: Arg | T2: Evidence | T3: Conventions
T1: argumentT2: evidenceT3: conventions
Summary vs Analysis
Summary
- Restates text
- Shorter than source
- Neutral tone
Analysis
- Interprets text
- Adds judgment
- Deeper meaning
Restate vs interpret
Reading Skill Picker
- Main idea→Title + topic(First/last)
- Detail question→Scan keywords(Find exact)
- Inference→Text + reasoning(Not guess)
- Vocabulary→Context clues(Surrounding)
- Author purpose→Tone + content(Inform/argue)
- Argument eval→Claim + evidence(Strength)
- Structure→Transitions(Pattern)
Reading Strategies
- Main Idea
- Central point
- Inference
- Text + reasoning
- Explicit Detail
- Stated in text
- Summary
- Restate briefly
- Prediction
- Next likely
- Context Clues
- Surrounding hints
- Text Evidence
- Quote support
Fact vs Opinion
Fact
- Verifiable
- Evidence-based
- Objective
Opinion
- Belief-based
- Subjective
- May be biased
Prove vs believe
ER Essay Plan
- Read sources→Annotate both(5 min)
- Pick stronger→More/better evidence(Not opinion)
- Outline→Claim + reasons(5 min)
- Draft→Cite text evidence(30 min)
- Check traits→Arg/evidence/conventions(3 traits)
- Proofread→Fix mechanics(5 min)
Argument Structure
- Claim
- Main argument
- Counterclaim
- Opposing view
- Premise
- Starting assumption
- Evidence
- Supporting facts
- Reasoning
- Logic connecting
- Rebuttal
- Refute counterclaim
- Concession
- Acknowledge point
- Fallacy
- Flawed reasoning
Argument vs Persuasion
Argument
- Evidence + reasoning
- Logical appeal
- Acknowledges counterclaim
Persuasion
- Emotional appeal
- Bias-loaded
- May ignore counter
Logic vs emotion
Vocabulary in Context
- Denotation
- Literal meaning
- Connotation
- Emotional meaning
- Context Clue
- Surrounding hint
- Academic Vocab
- School words
- Domain-Specific
- Field jargon
- Figurative
- Not literal
ER Essay Traits
- Trait 1
- Argument creation
- Trait 2
- Evidence + ideas
- Trait 3
- Conventions clarity
- Claim
- Clear stance
- Evidence
- Cite sources
- Elaboration
- Explain evidence
- Organization
- Logical flow
Confused Pairs
Affect=verb | Effect=noun | Than=compare | Then=time
Affect: actionEffect: resultThen: time
Comma vs Semicolon
Comma
- Short pause
- List separator
- Join with conjunction
Semicolon
- Join independent clauses
- Stronger than comma
- No conjunction needed
Pause vs connect
Edit Sentence Picker
- Run-on→Semicolon or split(Two sentences)
- Comma splice→Conjunction or semicolon(Comma joins)
- Fragment→Add subject/verb(Incomplete)
- Subject-verb→Check number(Singular/plural)
- Pronoun→Case + agreement(I/me antecedent)
- Modifier→Place near word(Dangling)
Grammar Rules
- Subject-Verb
- Number agreement
- Pronoun Case
- I vs me
- Pronoun Agreement
- Matches antecedent
- Verb Tense
- Time consistent
- Antecedent
- Pronoun refers to
- Collective Noun
- Group singular
- Parallel Structure
- Same form
Sentence Errors
Run-on | Splice | Fragment | Dangling
Run-on: too longSplice: comma onlyFragment: incompleteDangling: misplaced
Punctuation + Mechanics
- Comma
- Pause list join
- Semicolon
- Join clauses
- Colon
- Introduce list
- Apostrophe
- Possession contraction
- Quotation Marks
- Direct speech
- Capitalization
- Proper noun start
- End Marks
- Sentence close
Sentence Structure
- Run-on
- Two sentences joined
- Comma Splice
- Comma joins sentences
- Fragment
- Incomplete sentence
- Dangling Modifier
- Misplaced referent
- Sentence Combine
- Join clauses
- Parallel Form
- Same structure
Commonly Confused
- Affect/Effect
- Verb vs noun
- Than/Then
- Compare vs time
- Their/There/They're
- Own place are
- Your/You're
- Own vs are
- Its/It's
- Own vs is
- Who/Whom
- Subject vs object
Common Traps
ER is not opinion essay
Use source evidence ≠ No personal stance
No outside knowledge
Return to passage ≠ Text supports answer
Summary is not analysis
Summary restates ≠ Analysis judges meaning
Comma splice = run-on
Comma joins sentences ≠ Use semicolon/conjunction
Affect vs effect
Affect usually verb ≠ Effect usually noun
Inference is not guess
Text + reasoning ≠ Not pure guess
Theme is not main idea
Theme universal ≠ Main idea specific
Last Minute
- 1.Weights: 35/45/20
- 2.Pass: 145/200
- 3.ER: 45 min 20%
- 4.Texts: 75% info 25% lit
- 5.ER = source evidence
- 6.Reading = text support
- 7.Arg = evidence + reasoning
- 8.Convention = grammar/mechanics
- 9.Their=own; There=place; They're=are
- 10.Affect=verb; Effect=noun
- 11.Comma splice -> semicolon
- 12.Inference = text + reasoning
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