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Citing evidence precisely
Can do: Quotes the exact words that support a point, and explains the inference between quote and claim.
Why it matters
"Use evidence from the text" is the single most common instruction in middle school English, and vague evidence is the commonest reason marks are lost.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Refers to "the bit where he was sad" instead of quoting, or quotes an entire paragraph and hopes.
⏱️ Two-minute check
"Prove the narrator doesn't trust her. Quote the shortest possible piece of text."
Solid looks like: A short, precise quote plus an explanation of the inference.
The full activity for this topic · 15 minutes
Shortest Possible Quote
- 1Make a claim about the text together.
- 2They highlight the evidence, then challenge them to cut it shorter and shorter.
- 3Write it as: point, quote in quotation marks, then "this suggests…".
- 4Check the explanation adds something the quote doesn't literally say.
- 5Repeat with a claim they disagree with, so they must argue for a position that isn't theirs.
If it's too hard
You supply the claim and they find the evidence.
If it's too easy
Support a claim with evidence from two different parts of the text.
Say this
"Cut the quote in half. What's the smallest bit that still proves it?"