Elimination – What do you remove first?
❌ Wrong answers
Cross out answers you know are wrong to increase your chances.
Example: remove impossible or unrelated choices.
⚠ Common Mistake: Trying to find the right answer before removing wrong ones.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Which option is clearly wrong?
Guessing – When should you guess?
🎯 When unsure but time is low
If you run out of time, guess — no penalty for wrong answers.
Example: choose the most reasonable remaining option.
⚠ Common Mistake: Leaving answers blank.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Did you eliminate at least one choice?
Question First – Why read it before the passage?
🔍 Know what to look for
Reading the question first helps you focus while reading the text.
Example: “What is the author’s main claim?” → look for it.
⚠ Common Mistake: Reading the whole passage with no purpose.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What is the question asking?
Keywords – What should you mark?
✨ Main ideas, names, numbers
Circle key words to stay focused and find answers faster.
Example: dates, names, phrases repeated.
⚠ Common Mistake: Highlighting too much text.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What keyword stands out?
Pacing – What prevents running out of time?
⏱ Set mini-deadlines
Move steadily. Don’t spend too long on a single question.
Example: thirty seconds for easy questions, one minute for harder ones.
⚠ Common Mistake: Getting stuck and losing minutes.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Are you spending too long on this?
Overthinking – What’s the danger?
🌀 Changing correct answers
Your first instinct is often right when the question is clear.
Example: switching answers without reason.
⚠ Common Mistake: Adding information not in the passage.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What does the question ONLY ask?
Evidence – Where should answers come from?
📚 The text or data
Base answers on the passage, graph, or table — not your memory.
Example: answering directly from the chart.
⚠ Common Mistake: Guessing from personal experience.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What in the text supports this?
Extreme Words – What do they signal?
🚨 Often wrong answers
Choices with words like “always,” “never,” “only” are usually incorrect.
Example: “The author ALWAYS…”
⚠ Common Mistake: Choosing emotional or extreme choices.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Is this answer too extreme?
Best Answer – What’s the rule?
🏆 Several may be true
Choose the answer that MOST directly and completely answers the question.
Example: two answers correct → pick the one that fits better.
⚠ Common Mistake: Picking the first “true” answer.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Which answer fits best?
Distractors – What are they designed to do?
🎭 Trick you
Distractors look right but don’t answer the question.
Example: a true fact unrelated to the question.
⚠ Common Mistake: Choosing an answer just because it’s familiar.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Does this choice answer the question?
POE – Why does it help?
➖ Narrow down choices
Removing wrong answers increases your odds and clarity.
Example: strike out unrelated options first.
⚠ Common Mistake: Eliminating answers too quickly.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Which options are impossible?
Last Sentence – Why is it important?
🔎 Often contains the answer
Many questions ask about conclusions, summaries, or author purpose — often found at the end.
Example: “What does the author conclude?”
⚠ Common Mistake: Skipping the final lines.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What is the final message?
Signal Words – What do they show?
➡ Cause, effect, contrast
Words like “because,” “however,” “therefore” guide meaning.
Example: “However” → contrast.
⚠ Common Mistake: Missing transitions that change the meaning.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What signal word appears?
Graph Title – Why read it first?
📌 It explains what you’re seeing
The title tells what the graph measures — essential for correct answers.
Example: “U.S. Unemployment 2000–2020.”
⚠ Common Mistake: Interpreting data without context.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What is this graph about?
Axes – What do they show?
📈 What’s measured & how
The axes show categories, time, percentages, or numbers you must interpret.
Example: y-axis in percent, not raw numbers.
⚠ Common Mistake: Ignoring units (e.g., thousands vs millions).
⏱ In 10 seconds: What are the axes measuring?
Prediction – What helps avoid confusion?
🤔 Think before checking choices
Predicting the answer before reading choices keeps you focused.
Example: think: “Author agrees” → then check options.
⚠ Common Mistake: Letting answer choices confuse you.
⏱ In 10 seconds: What do YOU think the answer is?
No Penalty – What should you always do?
📝 Answer all questions
There is no penalty for guessing on the GED. Never leave blank answers.
Example: guess when time is almost over.
⚠ Common Mistake: Leaving questions empty.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Did you answer everything?
Simplify – What should you rewrite?
✏ The question in your own words
Rewriting the question helps you understand exactly what is being asked.
Example: “Which statement best describes the theme?” → “What’s the message?”
⚠ Common Mistake: Overthinking long wording.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Can you restate the question simply?
Perfection Trap – What to avoid?
❌ Searching for “perfect” answers
The GED rarely has perfect answers — choose the best fit, not the “perfect” one.
Example: two answers partly right → choose the one most correct.
⚠ Common Mistake: Rejecting good answers because they’re not perfect.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Which answer fits MOST?
Stay Calm – What helps your brain?
🧘 Slow breathing = clear thinking
A few slow breaths can reset stress and help you focus.
Example: inhale four seconds → exhale four seconds.
⚠ Common Mistake: Rushing answers during panic.
⏱ In 10 seconds: Take one slow breath. Ready?
