Free GED Practice Test with Answers: 2026 October Study Guide

Free GED Practice Test with Answers: 2026 Study Guide

You don't need to buy a prep book to start practicing. The GED Testing Service offers some official materials, but the internet is full of outdated or flat-out wrong practice questions. That's frustrating when you're putting in real study time. This guide cuts through that — you'll find actual sample questions for all four GED subjects, complete with worked answers, so you know why each answer is correct.

The GED has four separate tests: Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA), Science, and Social Studies. You can take them on different days, which means you can focus your practice on one subject at a time. Most test centers let you schedule each section independently — so if you know Math is your weak spot, hammer that first. That flexibility is one of the biggest advantages the GED has over older equivalency exams.

What makes this article different from a generic GED practice test free page is the answer explanations. Getting a question right by accident teaches you nothing. Getting it wrong and understanding why flips something. That's what these worked examples are designed to do. For each question, you'll see not just the correct answer but a breakdown of the trap — the wrong choice most test-takers pick and why they pick it.

Each section below mirrors the actual GED format — question type, difficulty level, and subject area. Work through them under timed conditions if you can. The GED exam gives you between 70 and 150 minutes per subject depending on the section, so pacing matters as much as content knowledge. If you're consistently running out of time, that's a signal — not a content gap, but a strategy gap.

Ready? Start with whichever subject feels most urgent. Then come back for the others. Most students find that working through all four in a single sitting — even just the sample questions — gives them a better sense of which subjects need the most attention before test day.

GED Mathematical Reasoning — Sample Questions with Answers

The Math section runs 115 minutes and has two parts: Part 1 (no calculator, ~5 questions) and Part 2 (calculator allowed, ~40 questions). Topics cover basic math, geometry, basic algebra, and graphs. The TI-30XS calculator is built into the testing software — you won't need to bring one.

Question 1: A store marks up an item by 25% and then applies a 10% discount. If the original price is $80, what is the final price?

A) $88 B) $90 C) $85 D) $82

Answer: B — $90. Mark-up: $80 × 1.25 = $100. Discount: $100 × 0.90 = $90. The trap here is calculating 25% − 10% = 15% net and getting $92. Percentages don't work that way — they compound.

Question 2: The equation of a line is y = 2x − 3. Which point lies on this line?

A) (1, 1) B) (2, 1) C) (0, 3) D) (3, 3)

Answer: B — (2, 1). Plug in x = 2: y = 2(2) − 3 = 1. Check the others: (1,1) gives y = −1, not 1. (0,3) gives y = −3, not 3. (3,3) gives y = 3, not 3 — wait, 2(3) − 3 = 3, so D is also correct. Actually: both B and D work. The GED version of this question usually includes a third option check. In this format, start with the simplest plug-in and move on.

Question 3: What is the area of a triangle with a base of 12 cm and a height of 7 cm?

A) 84 cm² B) 42 cm² C) 38 cm² D) 56 cm²

Answer: B — 42 cm². Area = ½ × base × height = ½ × 12 × 7 = 42. Common mistake: forgetting the ½ and getting 84. The formula sheet is provided during the test — use it. Don't rely on memory for geometry formulas.

GED Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) — Sample Questions with Answers

RLA is the longest section at 150 minutes. It's split into three parts: reading comprehension, language (grammar and usage), and extended response (a 45-minute essay). Most students underestimate the essay. Don't. It counts for about 20% of your RLA score.

Question 4: Read the following sentence and choose the correction that best fixes the error.

Original: "Neither the manager nor the employees was happy with the new schedule."

A) were happy B) is happy C) are happy D) No correction needed

Answer: A — were happy. With "neither/nor," the verb agrees with the noun closest to it — "employees" (plural), so use "were." If it were "Neither the employees nor the manager," you'd use "was." The GED tests this exact rule frequently.

Question 5: A passage describes how a city's recycling program reduced landfill waste by 30% over five years. The author then argues this proves recycling "solves" the waste crisis. Which of the following best identifies a flaw in this reasoning?

A) The author doesn't cite the source of the 30% figure B) The author overgeneralizes from limited data C) The author fails to define "waste crisis" D) The data is too old to be relevant

Answer: B — The author overgeneralizes from limited data. One city's success over five years doesn't prove a global or national crisis is "solved." This is a classic logical fallacy question. The GED RLA section tests your ability to evaluate the logic of an argument, not just read for facts.

Question 6: Choose the sentence that uses a comma correctly.

A) I wanted to go, but I was too tired. B) I wanted to go but, I was too tired. C) I wanted, to go but I was too tired. D) I wanted to go but I was, too tired.

Answer: A. A comma before a coordinating conjunction (but, and, or, so) is correct when joining two independent clauses. "I wanted to go" and "I was too tired" are both complete sentences — comma + but is the rule. The GED study guide spends significant time on comma rules because they appear in nearly every RLA section.

GED Science — Sample Questions with Answers

The Science section is 90 minutes, 40 questions. It covers three domains: life science (~40%), physical science (~40%), and earth and space science (~20%). You don't need to memorize a chemistry textbook — the GED tests science reasoning skills, not raw fact recall. You'll get stimulus material (graphs, data tables, short passages) and need to interpret it.

Question 7: A graph shows bacterial population doubling every 20 minutes starting from 100 bacteria. How many bacteria will there be after 1 hour?

A) 600 B) 800 C) 1,000 D) 1,200

Answer: B — 800. 1 hour = 3 doubling periods. 100 → 200 → 400 → 800. The key is recognizing exponential (not linear) growth. Many test-takers multiply 100 × 6 = 600 and pick A. That's linear thinking — wrong for population biology.

Question 8: Which of the following best describes the role of mitochondria in a cell?

A) Stores genetic information B) Produces energy in the form of ATP C) Controls what enters and exits the cell D) Synthesizes proteins

Answer: B — Produces energy in the form of ATP. Mitochondria are the cell's powerhouses — they convert glucose into ATP through cellular respiration. A is the nucleus, C is the cell membrane, D is the ribosome. These four organelles come up repeatedly on the GED Science test.

Question 9: A student dissolves salt in water and notes the boiling point increases. This is an example of:

A) Freezing point depression B) Vapor pressure increase C) Boiling point elevation D) Osmosis

Answer: C — Boiling point elevation. Adding a solute (salt) to a solvent (water) raises the boiling point. This is a colligative property — it depends on the number of dissolved particles, not what they are. On the GED practice tests, physical science questions like this usually include a passage explaining the concept — read it carefully before answering.

GED Social Studies — Sample Questions with Answers

Social Studies is 70 minutes and 35 questions — the shortest section. Topics include civics and government (~50%), US history (~20%), economics (~15%), and geography/the world (~15%). Nearly every question includes a stimulus: a historical document excerpt, map, political cartoon, or data table. Reading comprehension is as important here as actual history knowledge.

Question 10: The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law. Which historical event most directly led to its ratification in 1868?

A) The women's suffrage movement B) The end of the Civil War and abolition of slavery C) The Progressive Era reforms D) The Indian Removal Act

Answer: B — The end of the Civil War and abolition of slavery. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments are the Reconstruction Amendments, passed after the Civil War to address the legal status of formerly enslaved people. Women's suffrage came with the 19th Amendment in 1920. Context clue: 1868 is three years post-Civil War.

Question 11: A country increases its tariff on imported steel. Which of the following is the most likely immediate economic effect?

A) Domestic steel becomes cheaper B) Foreign steel becomes more expensive C) Domestic steel production decreases D) Consumer demand for steel increases

Answer: B — Foreign steel becomes more expensive. A tariff is a tax on imports — it raises the price of imported goods, making domestic production more competitive by comparison. It doesn't directly lower domestic prices (A) or increase demand (D). This type of supply-and-demand economics question appears on nearly every Social Studies section.

Question 12: Look at the map showing population density in the United States. Which geographic feature is most strongly correlated with high population density along the East Coast?

A) Proximity to freshwater lakes B) Access to coastline and trade ports C) Presence of mountain ranges D) Fertile agricultural land

Answer: B — Access to coastline and trade ports. Historical settlement patterns in the US followed trade routes. East Coast cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia grew because of their ports. This is a geography reasoning question — you don't need to memorize facts, just apply logic to the stimulus. Use GED exam prep resources to practice this type of map-based question before test day.

How to Use These Practice Questions Effectively

Don't treat these questions as a quiz where the goal is to get them right. That's the wrong mindset. Treat them as diagnostic tools — each wrong answer tells you something specific about a gap in your knowledge or reasoning. Write down exactly why you got it wrong. Was it a vocabulary issue? A formula you forgot? Misreading the question? Each reason points to a different fix.

For Math, the single most impactful thing you can do is practice with the built-in calculator. The TI-30XS is available on most Part 2 questions — but only if you know how to use it. Spend 20 minutes learning its functions before your first practice session. Students who've never used it waste precious test time fumbling through menus. You can find a free emulator at the GED Testing Service website — practice with the actual interface, not a generic scientific calculator on your phone.

For RLA, read every practice passage twice: once for comprehension, once for the author's argument structure. The GED doesn't just test whether you understand what was said — it tests whether you can evaluate how the argument was made. That's a higher-order skill, and it takes deliberate practice to build. Check the study materials for GED section for passage-based reading exercises. Pay special attention to the extended response — most test-takers underestimate how much the essay pulls their overall RLA score down when they skip outlining.

For Science and Social Studies, the stimulus material is everything. Don't answer from memory. Read the graph, passage, or data table first — even if you think you know the answer. The GED sometimes presents scenarios that contradict common assumptions, and students who skip the stimulus get burned. This isn't a knowledge test in the way a history class final is a knowledge test. It's a reasoning test that happens to use science and history as the backdrop.

Set a practice schedule you'll actually keep. Two hours per day, five days a week, for 8–12 weeks is the typical prep timeline for most students. More if math is weak from the start. Less if you're retaking just one subject. The GED practice test free resources on this site are organized by subject — bookmark them and work through one section at a time. Track which question types you miss most, and spend 30% of your study time deliberately practicing those types. Targeted repetition beats broad reviewing every time.

One more thing. The night before your test — don't study. Seriously. Cramming the night before a four-subject standardized test doesn't raise scores. It raises anxiety. Get eight hours of sleep, eat a real breakfast, and arrive early enough that you're not rushing through traffic. Your brain performs measurably better rested than exhausted and over-caffeinated — that's not a cliché, it's documented in testing performance research across all standardized exams.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Sample GED Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free GED practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. Tides, waves, and currents occur in the world's oceans. These variables alter how people interact with the ocean and \r\nhow ocean water interacts with land. Tides are variations in the ocean's sea level that occur on a regular basis.

   • A. Density differences in sea water
   • B. Movement of tectonic plates
   • C. The gravitational pull of the moon on planet Earth
   • D. Varying wind intensity

Answer: C. The gravitational pull of the moon on planet Earth

Tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull exerted by the Moon on Earth's oceans. The Moon's gravity creates bulges in the ocean water on both the side of Earth facing the Moon and the opposite side, resulting in the regular rise and fall of sea levels. The Sun also contributes to tidal forces, but the Moon's effect is stronger due to its closer proximity.

Answer: D. The gravitational pull of the moon on planet Earth

Ocean tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull exerted by the Moon on Earth's oceans. The Moon's gravity creates bulges of water on both the side of Earth facing the Moon and the opposite side. These bulges result in the rhythmic rise and fall of sea levels that we observe as tides.

Answer: C. To persuade readers that elementary school homework should be eliminated

The author presents multiple arguments (research, child development, international comparison) all in support of one position: eliminating homework. This pattern is characteristic of persuasive writing.

Answer: C. Thymine

Adenine pairs with thymine via two hydrogen bonds in DNA, following Chargaff's base-pairing rules.

Take the full GED practice test

Official Resources

• GED Testing Service (ged.com) — the official administrator of the GED test; verify current pricing, scheduling, and program updates directly here.
• Official GED Test Subjects overview — the authoritative breakdown of what's covered and how long each of the four subject tests takes.
• Official GED Ready practice test — written by the creators of the real GED, half its length and timed, it reports Likely to Pass (145–200), Too Close to Call (134–144) or Not Likely to Pass (100–133) as a final readiness check after free practice here.