How is the GED essay scored?

The essay is the one part of the Language Arts test where you write your own words instead of picking an answer. For many adults, that is the part that feels the most stressful. But the scoring is not a mystery. GED Testing Service publishes how essays are scored, and once you know what the scorers look for, you can practice for exactly that.

Three traits

The essay, which GED calls the extended response, is scored on three traits.^[1] These are the names in the rubric GED gives to teachers:

1. Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
2. Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational Structure
3. Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English Conventions

The GED technical manual names the first two traits a little differently: Analysis of Arguments and Use of Evidence, and Development of Ideas and Structure.^[2] Whichever names you see, Trait 1 is about your argument and your evidence, Trait 2 is about how you develop and organize your ideas, and Trait 3 is about clear, correct English.

What each trait looks for, in plain words

Trait 1: your argument and your evidence

This trait asks whether you make a clear argument and back it up with evidence from the passages you read. Explaining is the key. A summary of the passages with no comment on them is not enough to score above 0 on Trait 1.^[3]

So do more than retell what the passages say. Point to a piece of evidence, then say what it shows and why it matters for your argument.

Trait 2: how you build your essay

The name says it: this trait is about developing your ideas and organizing them. In practice, that means two things. Each idea needs enough detail to make sense to a reader. And the ideas need to come in an order that is easy to follow, from your opening to your closing.

Trait 3: clear, correct English

This trait is about writing clear sentences that follow the rules of standard English. Here is some good news: because the essay is written in 45 minutes, it does not have to be error free to earn a 2 on Trait 3.^[3] In other words, a few small slips in otherwise clear writing do not rule out the top score on this trait.

How the points add up

Each trait is scored 0, 1 or 2.^[2] The essay is then double weighted when it is added into the Language Arts score.^[2] In all, the essay makes up about 20 percent of the total Language Arts score.^[4]

That is a large share for one task. It also means that each step up on a trait, from 0 to 1 or from 1 to 2, can make a real difference to your score.

Who scores your essay?

Mostly, a computer. An automated scoring engine scores the large majority of essays, but the official sources give slightly different shares. The GED technical manual puts the share at about 97 percent.^[2] A 2022 GED Testing Service webinar puts it at about 95 percent, with the rest scored by people.^[1] Either way, the vast majority of essays are scored by the engine.

Some essays are unusual, and the engine cannot score them with confidence. Those go to two human readers. If the two readers agree, or differ by one point, the higher score stands, and a bigger gap goes to a third expert.^[2]

You do not wait long for the result. Test takers receive their scores, essay included, within 3 hours.^[1]

What earns a zero

Some essays cannot be scored at all, and they get 0.^[3] An essay that only copies text from the passages or the prompt is one of them. So are essays that are off topic, that cannot be understood, that are not in English, or that are left blank.^[3]

The lesson is simple: write your own sentences. Quote a short piece of evidence when it helps, then explain it in your own words.

How to practice for each trait

You can practice for the scoring, one trait at a time.

1. For Trait 1: before you write, decide what you will argue, and pick two or three pieces of evidence from the passages. For each one, plan a sentence that explains what it shows.
2. For Trait 2: plan a simple shape. Open by stating your point, give each body paragraph one idea, and close by bringing the ideas together. Use linking words such as "for example," "however" and "as a result" to move from one idea to the next.
3. For Trait 3: save a few minutes at the end to reread your essay and fix the errors you can spot. Read slowly, one sentence at a time.
4. For all three: get feedback on practice essays, then rewrite one paragraph using that feedback. Rewriting is where much of the learning happens.

Practice the essay with feedback

Feedback on each trait shows you what to work on next. On OpenEssayMe you can write practice essays and get feedback on all three traits. Improve your writing with your first practice essay. To see how the essay fits into the whole test, read our GED RLA test guide.