Citing Textual Evidence
Aligned to RL.7.1 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
Strong analysis points to several specific spots in a story, not just one. Quote or paraphrase exact details to prove both what the text states outright and what you can reasonably infer.
Worked examples
Example 1
Claim: The narrator is nervous. Evidence 1: 'My hands shook as I reached for the door.' Evidence 2: She reads the same sentence three times. Two details together build a stronger case than one.
Example 2
Claim: the family is struggling for money. Evidence: the lights are described as 'off again', and the mother counts coins at the table.
Example 3
Two weak details can add up to one strong case, but two details that say the same thing are still only one piece of evidence.
Practice questions
- In any story you're reading, find one sentence that states a fact about a character directly.
- Find two more details that let you infer how that character feels, and explain your reasoning.
- Write a claim about the main character and back it with three separate pieces of evidence.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Citar evidencia del texto
Un buen análisis señala varios lugares específicos del texto, no solo uno. Cita o parafrasea detalles exactos para probar lo que el texto dice y lo que puedes inferir.
Ejemplo 1: Afirmación: El niño está asustado. Evidencia 1: 'Le temblaban las manos al abrir la reja.' Evidencia 2: Mira hacia atrás dos veces. Dos detalles juntos convencen más que uno solo.
Ejemplo 2: Afirmación: la familia tiene problemas de dinero. Evidencia: describe la luz como 'otra vez cortada', y la madre cuenta monedas en la mesa.
Ejemplo 3: Dos detalles débiles pueden sumar un caso fuerte, pero dos detalles que dicen lo mismo siguen siendo una sola evidencia.
More Reading: Literature lessons
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