Spanish-language and French-language versions of the GED® test
(NOTE: This page is also available in Spanish and French.)
The GED® test is available in multiple language and formats to provide access to as many adult learners as possible. The Spanish-language GED® test was originally developed for use in Puerto Rico, while the French-language GED® test was developed for use in Canada. Each foreign-language test has been authorized in the United States. To find out whether these versions are available in your area, ask the contact person for GED® testing in your state, province, or territory.
Essays from the Spanish-language Writing Skills Test are scored by specially trained professionals whose first language is Spanish or by people who have experience as secondary or college-level Spanish instructors. Essays from the French-language Writing Skills Test are scored by specially trained professionals whose first language is French or by people who have experience as secondary or college-level French instructors.
Scores from the Spanish-language and French-language versions of the GED® tests may be combined with scores from any English-language version of the GED® test. Individual jurisdictions decide whether to combine scores. To find out the policy in your area, ask the contact person for GED® testing in your state, province, or territory.
The Spanish-language and French-language versions of the GED® test are administered only at GED® testing centers in the United States, in U.S. insular areas and freely associated states, and in Canada. The Spanish-language and French-language GED® test are not available at international testing center locations.
English as a Second Language (ESL) test
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO READ?
The GED® test is available in multiple languages and formats to provide access to as many adult learners as possible. The reading material on the English as a Second Language (ESL) test reflects the kind of texts an English speaker would encounter while conducting daily functional activities in an English-speaking society. Each test form has a mixture of advertisements, forms, charts, schedules, flyers, and textual information on topics such as employment, personal health, childcare, consumer information, employee information, general interest, and education.
WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS CAN YOU EXPECT TO ANSWER?
The questions on the ESL test are 75 percent literal and 25 percent interpretive. The literal questions require you to recall or return to the document for specific information. The answers to literal questions can be found directly in the text. The interpretive questions require you to think about the information in the text and draw a conclusion. For example, you may have to determine the meaning of a specific word from context clues, the intended audience or use for a text, or the main idea of a text.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO STUDY FOR THE ESL TEST?
The more extensive experience you have with English-speaking, functional reading materials, the better prepared you will be for the ESL test. Reading capability is acquired primarily through practice, and the materials on the ESL test are no different. To practice for the test, find a friend or tutor whom you can read and discuss a variety of functional materials: newspapers, magazines, employee manuals, consumer information, advertisements, bus schedules, etc. Asking and answering questions about the content of these materials will provide the kind of reading practice you’ll need for success on the ESL test.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THE ESL TEST?
While the ESL test is optional for candidates taking the French- or Spanish-language versions of the GED® test, GED Testing Service recommends any candidate who takes either version consider taking the ESL test in order to demonstrate a reasonable fluency in English. Passing the ESL test may qualify a candidate to receive an English-language credential from that candidate’s jurisdiction. You should check with your local testing center for your jurisdiction’s policy. In addition, some jurisdictions already require all GED® candidates who take a foreign-language version of the GED® test to pass the ESL test before receiving any high school-equivalency credential.
Large print, Braille, and audiocassette formats
Special editions of the U.S. English-language GED® test are available in large print, audiocassette, and Braille formats. Special editions of the Canadian English-language GED® test are available in large print and audiocassette versions. The content and level of difficulty of the special editions conform to that of the regular print editions. Some questions, when they incorporate complex visual data, may be altered or replaced during transcription.
A regular print reference copy accompanies each Braille battery, and a large print reference manual accompanies each audiocassette. These reference copies can be used during the examination to clarify any words or terms not clearly understood from the Braille type or the tapes. Sighted candidates who use the audiocassette may use the large print reference manual to supplement the tape.
Any candidate may take the large print edition of the GED® test under regular time limits and standard conditions upon request and without submitting a request for accommodations. Modifications to the testing environment are considered on a case-by-case basis for adults with documented disabilities. For more information about special editions and accommodations for adults with physical and learning disabilities, review our accommodations information.
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