A claim on its own ("Recycling is important") is much weaker without evidence to back it up — a fact, statistic, example or expert opinion that supports it. Good writers follow a claim with specific evidence and then briefly explain how that evidence supports the point (sometimes called "claim, evidence, explain"). Vague evidence ("lots of people think so") is far weaker than specific evidence ("a 2023 survey found 80% of respondents agreed").
Example
Claim: "Regular exercise improves mental health." Evidence: "A study by the University of Sydney found teenagers who exercised three times a week reported 25% lower stress levels." Explanation: "This shows a clear, measurable link between physical activity and reduced stress."
Key terms
Evidence:
A fact, statistic, example or expert opinion that supports a claim.
Claim:
A statement or argument a writer is trying to prove.
Questions
1. Evidence is used to:
Replace a claim entirely
Support a claim
End a paragraph
Confuse the reader
2. A claim without evidence is generally:
Very convincing
Weaker and less convincing
Always true
A type of punctuation
3. Which is an example of evidence?
I think so.
A 2023 survey found 80% agreed.
This is obvious.
Everyone knows it.
4. "Claim, evidence, explain" describes:
A structure for supporting an argument
A type of punctuation
A narrative structure
A grammar rule
5. Specific evidence (like a named study) is generally:
Weaker than vague evidence
Stronger than vague evidence
Never useful
The same as an opinion
6. A claim is:
A fact everyone already knows
A statement or argument being made
A type of evidence only
A conjunction
7. Vague evidence like "lots of people think so" is:
Very strong evidence
Weak, non-specific evidence
The best kind of evidence
Not evidence at all, ever
8. Which sentence provides the strongest evidence?
Exercise is good for you.
Some people say exercise is good.
A university study found exercise reduced stress by 25%.
Exercise is definitely the best thing ever.
9. After presenting evidence, a good writer should also:
Ignore it completely
Briefly explain how it supports the claim
Immediately contradict it
Remove the claim
10. Which claim is best supported by evidence in this pair? "Recycling helps the environment. A council report found recycling reduced local landfill waste by 30% last year." The second sentence is the:
Claim
Evidence
A rhetorical question
An idiom
11. An expert opinion used as evidence is strongest when:
The expert has no real knowledge of the topic
The expert has relevant expertise in that area
It contradicts all other evidence
It is anonymous
12. Which of these is the weakest form of evidence?
A named 2023 study
'Everyone knows this'
A specific statistic
A relevant expert quote
13. Explaining how evidence supports a claim mainly helps the reader:
Understand why the evidence matters
Ignore the evidence
Forget the claim
Read faster with no understanding
14. A paragraph with a claim, strong evidence, and a clear explanation is considered:
Poorly structured
Well-supported and persuasive
Impossible to write
Always too short
15. Which paragraph best follows the "claim, evidence, explain" structure?
Exercise is good. It just is. Trust me.
Exercise improves mental health. A 2023 study found a 25% drop in reported stress among teens who exercised regularly. This shows a clear link between activity and wellbeing.
A study found something once. Exercise. Good.
Exercise, good, study, teens, stress.
16. Why is a specific, named source (like a university study) generally more persuasive than "some people say"?
Specific sources can be checked and are less likely to be made up
Vague sources are always more reliable
Named sources are always biased
There is no real difference
17. A writer citing an outdated or clearly irrelevant statistic as evidence is committing what kind of weakness?
Using strong, well-matched evidence
Using evidence that doesn't actually support the claim well
Providing no evidence at all
Writing a rhetorical question
18. Which best explains why the "explain" step matters even after strong evidence is given?
Evidence always speaks for itself with no explanation needed
The explanation connects the dots for the reader between evidence and claim
Explanations are optional and rarely useful
Explanations should always contradict the evidence
19. A claim repeated three times without any new evidence is:
Highly convincing due to repetition alone
Not actually better supported just because it's repeated
The strongest possible argument
Impossible to identify
20. The main purpose of using evidence in persuasive or informative writing is to:
Make an argument or claim more credible and trustworthy
Make the writing longer for no reason
Confuse the reader
Replace the need for a clear claim
Answer key (parent copy)
1. Support a claim
2. Weaker and less convincing
3. A 2023 survey found 80% agreed.
4. A structure for supporting an argument
5. Stronger than vague evidence
6. A statement or argument being made
7. Weak, non-specific evidence
8. A university study found exercise reduced stress by 25%.
9. Briefly explain how it supports the claim
10. Evidence
11. The expert has relevant expertise in that area
12. 'Everyone knows this'
13. Understand why the evidence matters
14. Well-supported and persuasive
15. Exercise improves mental health. A 2023 study found a 25% drop in reported stress among teens who exercised regularly. This shows a clear link between activity and wellbeing.
16. Specific sources can be checked and are less likely to be made up
17. Using evidence that doesn't actually support the claim well
18. The explanation connects the dots for the reader between evidence and claim
19. Not actually better supported just because it's repeated
20. Make an argument or claim more credible and trustworthy