RLA Structuring the Extended Response 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A writer has 45 minutes for the Extended Response. Which time allocation is most effective?
- Spend 40 minutes writing and 5 minutes planning
- Spend 5 minutes planning, 30 minutes writing, and 10 minutes revising (Correct answer)
- Spend 20 minutes planning and 25 minutes writing with no revision time
- Write continuously for 45 minutes without planning or revision
Correct answer: Spend 5 minutes planning, 30 minutes writing, and 10 minutes revising
A brief planning phase produces a clearer argument, and revision time catches errors that cost points on language conventions.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the difference between summarizing and analyzing a source in the Extended Response?
- Summarizing uses quotations; analyzing uses paraphrase
- Summarizing retells what the source says; analyzing explains what the evidence means for the argument (Correct answer)
- Summarizing is rewarded more highly on the rubric than analyzing
- Summarizing and analyzing are the same task in academic writing
Correct answer: Summarizing retells what the source says; analyzing explains what the evidence means for the argument
Summary merely restates content, while analysis interprets the evidence and connects it to the writer's thesis—analysis is what the rubric rewards.
Question 3: A student notices that one passage uses anecdotal evidence while the other uses statistical data. How should this observation be used in the Extended Response?
- Ignore the difference because both types of evidence are equal
- Note it in passing but focus only on the content of each passage
- Evaluate which type of evidence more effectively supports the claim and explain why (Correct answer)
- Automatically favor the passage with statistical data as always stronger
Correct answer: Evaluate which type of evidence more effectively supports the claim and explain why
Evaluating evidence type—and explaining why one is more persuasive in context—demonstrates the analytical thinking the rubric scores highly.
Question 4: Which sentence best serves as a bridge between two body paragraphs in an Extended Response?
- 'This concludes my first point.'
- 'While the first argument addresses economic costs, a second critical issue concerns public safety.' (Correct answer)
- 'Now I will talk about something else.'
- 'My next paragraph has more evidence.'
Correct answer: 'While the first argument addresses economic costs, a second critical issue concerns public safety.'
An effective bridge summarizes the point just made and previews the next, using a logical connector that shows how the ideas relate.
Question 5: What is the effect of using overly general language such as 'society' or 'everyone' as the subject of claims in the Extended Response?
- It makes the essay sound more authoritative and broad
- It weakens the argument by making claims that are difficult to prove and lack precision (Correct answer)
- It improves the score on the language conventions dimension
- It shows the grader that the writer understands the big picture
Correct answer: It weakens the argument by making claims that are difficult to prove and lack precision
Vague subjects like 'everyone' overstate scope and cannot be supported by the specific evidence in the source texts.
Question 6: A writer's body paragraph contains three quotations in a row with no commentary. What is the most significant problem?
- Three quotations in one paragraph exceed the allowed limit
- The paragraph lacks the writer's own analysis connecting the evidence to the thesis (Correct answer)
- The quotations should be paraphrased instead of quoted directly
- The paragraph is too long and should be split into three separate paragraphs
Correct answer: The paragraph lacks the writer's own analysis connecting the evidence to the thesis
Stacking quotations without analysis leaves the argument undeveloped; the writer's voice and interpretation are what score points.
Question 7: Which statement about the Extended Response scoring rubric is accurate?
- Grammar errors have no effect on the final score
- The response is scored on argument development, evidence use, and language/mechanics (Correct answer)
- A longer response always receives a higher score regardless of content
- Personal opinions unsupported by the texts can earn full credit
Correct answer: The response is scored on argument development, evidence use, and language/mechanics
The GED Extended Response is evaluated across three traits: argument development and organization, evidence use, and language/mechanics conventions.
RLA Structuring the Extended Response 5
A writer has 45 minutes for the Extended Response.
Which time allocation is most effective?