10.4 Essay Planning, Writing, and Revision

Essay Planning, Writing, and Revision

The GED RLA Extended Response gives you 45 minutes to read two source texts, plan, write, and revise on the computer using a basic text box (cut, copy, paste, undo; no spell-check or grammar-check). That is enough time with a simple process. The goal is not a literary masterpiece — it is a clear, evidence-based argument that shows control of organization and standard English across the three rubric traits.

A full response usually needs several developed paragraphs. Very short responses give scorers too little to judge, while overlong ones waste time you need for revision. Aim for a focused 4 to 7 paragraphs, each doing one specific job.

A 45-Minute Plan

Do not skip planning. A two-minute outline prevents the most common failure — summarizing both passages instead of analyzing which is better supported.

Essay Structure

Use a structure that makes your reasoning visible:

• Introduction: Name the better-supported argument and the main reason. Source A presents the stronger argument because it uses local data, addresses cost, and explains how the proposal would affect residents.
• Body 1: Develop the strongest evidence from the better source; tie the detail to the claim.
• Body 2: Add another strength — credibility, a specific example, or sound reasoning.
• Body 3: Address the weaker source; show it may raise a fair concern but lacks evidence, leans on assumption, or uses less relevant support.
• Conclusion: Restate the judgment in fresh words; do not introduce a new reason that needed development earlier.

Evidence Plus Explanation

Each body paragraph should follow this pattern: point → evidence → explanation → comparison. Explanation is where essays gain or lose Trait 1 points. Do not stop at the fact: Source A says 62 percent of residents support the plan. Add why it matters: Because the survey measures the affected community, it gives stronger support than Source B's general claim that people may dislike change. Quote sparingly and paraphrase often — your own words must do the analytic work.

Revision Targets

Reserve time to read your essay as a scorer would, checking each trait:

1. Trait 1 (evidence): Did I clearly choose the better-supported side and cite text evidence?
2. Trait 2 (organization): Are paragraphs in a logical order with transitions that show relationships?
3. Trait 3 (conventions): Are sentence boundaries, agreement, pronouns, punctuation, capitalization, and word choice mostly correct?

Fix high-impact problems first. A missing thesis, an unsupported body paragraph, or a fused sentence harms clarity far more than a single typo. If time runs short, polish the introduction and topic sentences, then sweep for run-ons, fragments, comma splices, vague pronouns, and informal wording.

Exam Mindset

You do not have to agree with the better-supported source — you have to prove you can judge support. Keep the tone formal, stay close to the texts, and explain your reasoning step by step. A focused, evidence-based, mostly clean essay earns strong marks across all three double-weighted traits, which is exactly what this task is built to measure.

Sample Paragraph Walk-Through

See how the point-evidence-explanation-comparison pattern reads in a finished body paragraph about the library-hours prompt:

Source A offers stronger evidence because it measures actual demand. The author reports that a survey of 240 cardholders found 62 percent could not visit before 5 p.m. due to work or school. This statistic matters because it identifies the exact group affected by the hours and shows a clear need for the change. Source B, by contrast, only predicts that evening hours "might attract too many people," but it provides no count, no staffing data, and no example. Because Source A supports its claim with measured demand while Source B relies on an untested prediction, Source A is the better-supported argument.

Notice that the paragraph names the strength, quotes a precise detail, explains its relevance, and then compares it to the weaker source — all four moves in one tight paragraph. That is the model to repeat across your body paragraphs.

Using the On-Screen Tools and Avoiding Time Traps

The Extended Response is typed, and the timer is visible on screen. There is no automatic spell-checker, so build a final 60-second sweep for the errors you make most often. Use the cut and paste tools to reorder a misplaced sentence rather than retyping it. Two time traps sink many test-takers: spending more than ten minutes reading and re-reading the sources before writing, and writing a long, polished introduction that delays the body analysis.

If you reach the 38-minute mark without a conclusion, stop drafting new ideas, write one or two clear sentences restating your judgment, and use the remaining minutes to fix sentence boundaries and unclear pronouns. A complete, organized response always outscores a half-finished, elegant one.