How long is the GED Language Arts test?

The GED site lists 150 minutes in 3 sections. That includes a 45-minute written essay and a 10-minute break between parts 2 and 3.

Is there still an essay on the GED RLA test?

Yes. As of October 2026 the GED site lists 1 written essay (extended response) with 45 minutes for writing it. You read two passages, decide which argument is better supported, and explain why using evidence from the passages. This site's practice questions do not include the essay.

What score do I need to pass?

The GED site says you need 145 out of 200 on each test, including Reasoning Through Language Arts. GED Testing Service does not publish how many questions you must get right, so this site uses 65% correct as a practice goal.

Are these real GED questions?

No. GED Testing Service shares sample questions and sells official practice tests, but it does not release the questions used on the real test. Every question and reading passage on this site is original AI-written practice material based on the official assessment targets, and it may contain errors. Please report anything that looks wrong.

GED Language Arts

Past exam questions and practice questions based on official past exams

Checked 10/25/26

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Full mock exam48 questions · 150 min · 4 choices →Key conceptsAI-written · VerifiedRead the key concepts by subject and unit before you practice.2 subjects · 7 unitsOpen key concepts →

Exam info

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Type: Exam
Field: Education
Provider: GED Testing Service
Sections: Reading Comprehension (38) · Language and Editing (10)
Questions · Time: 48 questions · 150 min
Format: The official GED site lists the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) test as 150 minutes in 3 sections, including a 45-minute written essay (extended response) and a 10-minute break between parts 2 and 3. The other questions are multiple choice, drag and drop, select an area, and drop-down. GED Testing Service's Assessment Guide says every question is based on a reading passage, about 75% of the passages are informational texts (science, social studies, and workplace) and about 25% are literary texts, and the score is reported in three categories: text features and technique (35%), using evidence and arguments (45%), and English conventions and usage (20%). GED Testing Service does not publish a fixed number of questions on its site; this practice mock uses 48 four-choice questions (38 reading, 10 language editing) in the full 150 minutes. It does not include the essay. All questions and passages on this site are original AI-written practice material.
Passing score: The real test is scored on a scale, and you pass with 145 out of 200 or higher. GED Testing Service does not publish a percent-correct cutoff, so this site uses 65% correct as a practice goal only. It is not an official score.
Eligibility: The GED test is for adults who did not finish high school. Age limits, residency rules, and fees are set by each state. Check your state's rules on ged.com before you schedule.

Exam outline

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Tap a unit name to see its key concepts and sample questions.

Reading Comprehension38 questions

Unit 1: Main Ideas and Details in Informational Texts★★★★★Weight 35%Concepts
Unit 2: Reading Literary Texts★★★★☆Weight 20%Concepts
Unit 3: Word Meaning, Tone, and Text Structure★★★★☆Weight 20%Concepts
Unit 4: Author's Purpose, Arguments, and Evidence★★★★★Weight 25%Concepts

Language and Editing10 questions

Unit 1: Grammar and Usage★★★★★Weight 45%Concepts
Unit 2: Sentence Structure and Clarity★★★★☆Weight 30%Concepts
Unit 3: Capitalization and Punctuation★★★☆☆Weight 25%Concepts

GED Language Arts study tips

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Study order: Start with Main Ideas and Details in Informational Texts, which has the biggest weight in the Reading Comprehension part of this site's outline, because finding the main idea and the supporting detail is the base for every other reading question. Next study Author's Purpose, Arguments, and Evidence, then Word Meaning, Tone, and Text Structure, and then Reading Literary Texts. Mix in the three Language chapters along the way, since those rules are short and the editing questions are 10 of the 48 questions in this practice mock.
Topics people often miss: In Author's Purpose, Arguments, and Evidence, the hard part is telling a claim that is backed by facts from one that only sounds convincing. In Word Meaning, Tone, and Text Structure, pick the meaning a word has in that sentence, not its most common meaning. In Grammar and Usage, watch for a long phrase between the subject and the verb, because the verb must agree with the real subject.
Test day tips: The test is 150 minutes in 3 sections, with the 45-minute essay timed on its own and a 10-minute break between parts 2 and 3. Read the question first, then read the passage looking for what it asks. On editing questions, read the whole sentence with your choice in place before you move on.

▼ More about GED Language Arts (trends · overview · FAQ)▲ Hide

GED Language Arts exam trends

GED Testing Service says about 75% of the reading passages are informational (science, social studies such as U.S. founding documents and speeches, and workplace documents like memos and letters) and about 25% are literary. Reading questions ask about main ideas and details, inferences, the meaning of words in context, how a passage is organized, the author's purpose, and whether evidence really supports a claim. Language questions are editing items: you choose the correct word or phrase for a highlighted part of a workplace or community document, covering confused words, subject-verb and pronoun agreement, modifiers, parallel structure, run-ons and fragments, capitalization, apostrophes, and commas.

Practice reading short passages and saying the main idea in one sentence before you look at the answer choices. Always go back to the passage to find the line that proves your answer. For the editing questions, learn a small set of rules well: subject-verb agreement, pronouns, its and it's, their, there, and they're, run-on sentences, and commas.

GED Language Arts Sample Questions and Explanations →

About GED Language Arts

The GED Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) test is one of the four GED tests you must pass to earn a high school equivalency credential. It checks whether you can read carefully, find the main idea and the evidence behind it, judge an author's argument, and fix errors in grammar, usage, and punctuation. Every question is tied to a reading passage, and the test also includes one 45-minute essay in which you compare two passages and explain which argument is better supported.

FAQ

Q. How long is the GED Language Arts test?: The GED site lists 150 minutes in 3 sections. That includes a 45-minute written essay and a 10-minute break between parts 2 and 3.
Q. Is there still an essay on the GED RLA test?: Yes. As of October 2026 the GED site lists 1 written essay (extended response) with 45 minutes for writing it. You read two passages, decide which argument is better supported, and explain why using evidence from the passages. This site's practice questions do not include the essay.
Q. What score do I need to pass?: The GED site says you need 145 out of 200 on each test, including Reasoning Through Language Arts. GED Testing Service does not publish how many questions you must get right, so this site uses 65% correct as a practice goal.
Q. Are these real GED questions?: No. GED Testing Service shares sample questions and sells official practice tests, but it does not release the questions used on the real test. Every question and reading passage on this site is original AI-written practice material based on the official assessment targets, and it may contain errors. Please report anything that looks wrong.

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