GED Reasoning Through Language Arts – College Ready Guide

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary from the GED Reasoning Through Language Arts lecture notes.

Main Idea

The primary point or concept that a text is conveying.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject matter or audience.

Purpose

The reason why the author wrote the text (to inform, persuade, entertain, etc.).

Evidence-based reasoning

Using facts and data to support an argument or claim.

Inference

A conclusion reached based on evidence and reasoning rather than explicit statements.

Central Claim

The main argument or position taken by the author in a text.

Author's Argument

The line of reasoning the author uses to persuade the audience.

Compare/Contrast texts

Analyzing similarities and differences between multiple texts.

Evaluate evidence

Assessing the quality, relevance, and credibility of the information presented.

Identify bias

Recognizing any subjective viewpoints that may influence the perspective presented in a text.

Fragments

In grammar, incomplete sentences that lack either a subject or a verb.

Run-ons

Sentences that are improperly joined together without appropriate punctuation or conjunctions.

Comma rules

Guidelines for proper usage of commas in sentences.

Apostrophes

Punctuation marks used to indicate possession or in contractions.

Subject–Verb agreement

The grammatical rule that subjects and verbs must agree in number.

Verb tense consistency

Maintaining the same tense throughout a piece of writing.

Active vs Passive voice

Active voice emphasizes the subject performing the action, while passive voice emphasizes the action received by the subject.

Parallel structure

Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.

Pronoun clarity

Ensuring pronouns clearly refer to the correct nouns to avoid confusion.

Extended Response 4-paragraph formula

A structured approach for responses that includes an introduction, two body paragraphs (one for evidence and one for counterclaim), and a conclusion.

Short quotes

Brief excerpts from a text used to support a point.

Stay objective

Maintaining neutrality without personal bias or emotional influence.

Focus on evidence

Concentrating on factual information to support arguments rather than personal opinions.