GED Tests – Test Formats
Summary
Each of the five tests uses a multiple-choice format. Additionally, Part II of the Language Arts––Writing Test requires students to write an essay. The GED Language Arts––Writing Test is the only test out of the five that has a written-response format. For the GED Mathematics Test, 40 of the 50 questions are multiple-choice questions. The remaining 10 questions require you to calculate individual answers and then shade in the appropriate circles on an answer grid.
The Mathematics Test has two question booklets and one answer sheet. Each of the other four subjects has one question booklet. Do not write in any of the question booklets.
Answer sheets accompany the question booklets. Responses for Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts––Reading are recorded on one answer sheet. The Language Arts––Writing Test (parts I and II) has its own answer sheets. The final copy of your essay is to be written in ink on the lined pages that are provided.
Note: Refer to GED Tests: Answer Sheet Formats for examples of how the GED answer sheets appear for all five subjects.
Test 1: GED Language Arts––Writing Test (Part I and Part II)
Part I has 50 multiple-choice questions. You will have 75 minutes to complete this part.
Part I uses three types of multiple-choice question formats: correction questions, construction-shift questions, and revision questions. The multiple-choice questions measure your ability to use standard written English clearly and effectively. Each question is based on a paragraph with numbered sentences. Some of the numbered paragraphs are from narrative writing, and other paragraphs are from business and “how to” writing samples.
You will be asked to identify correct and incorrect examples of sentence structure, usage, and mechanics. There will be organization questions that require you to identify how to improve logic and clarity. You will be expected to recognize answers that identify topic sentences, remove irrelevant sentences, and join or divide paragraphs. Each multiple-choice question requires that you choose the correct or best answer from five alternatives.
Part I: Weighted Emphasis Sentence Structure—35% |
In Part II, you will be required to write a general 250-word expository essay in which you must explain something or express an opinion. You will have 45 minutes to complete Part II.
You will be expected to provide specific reasons, details, and examples to support your position. Two evaluators will score your essay according to its overall effectiveness. They will evaluate
- how clearly you make the main point of your composition
- how thoroughly you develop and support your ideas
- how clearly and correctly you write
Essays must be written on the specified topic to receive a score. Note any questions you are expected to answer. Also note if you are expected to select a position or an opinion and support it. Plan your essay carefully, and allow yourself time to read it and to make corrections.
Scores from each part of the Writing Test will be combined and reported as a single score; therefore, it is critical that you complete the entire test.
Please see Appendix A for sample questions.
Test 2: GED Social Studies Test
The Social Studies test has 50 multiple-choice questions. You will have 70 minutes to complete the test.
Material is drawn from Canadian, American, and world sources. The questions will test your ability to comprehend, apply, analyze, and evaluate information from written and visual sources (maps, cartoons, charts, diagrams, and tables).
Weighted Emphasis History—40% |
Please see Appendix A for sample questions.
Test 3: GED Science Test
The Science test has 50 multiple-choice questions. You will have 80 minutes to complete the test.
Approximately half of the multiple-choice questions will test your conceptual understanding of science. Conceptual testing requires you to understand and apply broad scientific principals. Questions will consist of written passages or other sources, such as charts or graphs, followed by questions that measure how well you understand, analyze, interpret, and apply the information. The remaining questions will test your problem-solving skills. All measurements are given in metric units.
Weighted Emphasis Life Sciences (Biology and Health)—45% |
Please see Appendix A for sample questions.
Test 4: GED Language Arts – Reading Test
The GED Language Arts, Reading Test has 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 65 minutes to complete this test.
All questions are based on excerpts from newspapers, magazines, prose, poetry, and drama. The skills that are tested are associated with reading comprehension: identifying main ideas and major concepts, identifying details, recognizing relationships such as cause and effect, recognizing the emotional reactions of characters in the passage, interpreting descriptive and figurative language, and identifying and forming conclusions and generalizations.
Weighted Emphasis Popular literature—50% |
Please see Appendix A for sample questions.
Test 5: GED Mathematics Test (Part I and Part II)
The Mathematics Test has 50 multiple-choice questions divided equally between Part I and Part II. You will have 90 minutes to complete the test.
On the test, 40 out of the 50 questions are multiple-choice questions. The remaining 10 questions require you to individually calculate the answers then shade in the appropriate circles on an answer grid. Alternate format questions are included on both parts of the test. Mathematics has two alternate format answer grids: the Standard Answer Grid and the Coordinate Answer Grid.
Part I of the test allows for the use of a calculator. GED writing centres will provide Casio fx-260SOLAR calculators. Prior to the administration of the actual test, there will be several sample questions that will allow you to practise with the calculator. Questions will identify when calculator use applies. A calculator may not be used on Part II.
Weighted Emphasis Numbers, Numbers & Operations—20%–30% |
Many of the Mathematics questions test your ability to solve real-life problems. You will be required to do some computation and problem solving, and to interpret data provided in graphs, charts, tables, and diagrams. Other questions involve ratio, proportion, percentage, dimension, and exponents. All measurements are given in metric units.
Scores from each part will be combined and reported as a single score; therefore, it is critical that you complete the entire test.
Please see Appendix A for sample questions.
