Evidence supports a claim only when the words you quote point to the same idea. Write a narrow claim first, then choose the shortest quotation that proves it.
This lesson is part of SPM subjects and learning resources. It follows moving from plot summary to interpretation.
How do I choose evidence?
Use three questions.
- Does this quotation contain a word that names or shows my exact claim?
- Can I cut it to fewer words and still prove the point?
- Could I write one sentence explaining how those words prove it?
Worked example: four candidates for one claim
This original passage is not from any set text.
Ana kept the delivery van parked two streets away from school. “It’s for the cousins,” she told her friend, when the paint-flecked door swung open. Her father waved from the driver’s seat, and she pretended to look for her keys.
Claim: Ana is embarrassed by her father’s work.
Candidate A: “kept the delivery van parked two streets away from school”. It shows she keeps the van away from school, so she wants it out of sight. Strong.
Candidate B: “‘It’s for the cousins,’ she told her friend”. It shows a lie, which supports embarrassment. Strong, because the excuse hides the truth.
Candidate C: “Her father waved from the driver’s seat”. This shows he is friendly. It says nothing about Ana, so it does not prove the claim.
Candidate D: “she pretended to look for her keys”. It shows avoidance, so it supports the claim, but less directly. She is dodging his wave, not his work.
The best pair for a short paragraph is A and B. Each shows a different behaviour, distance and an excuse, and both point to the same feeling.
The mistake: pasting the passage
A weak answer copies the whole sentence and hopes the marker will find the proof. It also wastes words on details that prove nothing.
| Version | Quotation | Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Pasted | “Ana kept the delivery van parked two streets away from school. ‘It’s for the cousins,’ she told her friend, when the paint-flecked door swung open.” | Two ideas mixed, no focus |
| Trimmed | “parked two streets away from school” | One idea, one comment |
With the trimmed version you can comment on “two streets away”, which is the real evidence, instead of retelling the scene.
A broad claim wastes good evidence
Suppose the claim was only “Ana has feelings about her father”. Candidate C would now count, and so would almost every line. A broad claim lets any quotation in, while a narrow claim makes each quotation earn its place.
Check yourself
Use the same passage. Claim: Ana is willing to lie to protect her image. Choose the best quotation and trim it.
Answer
The best quotation is “‘It’s for the cousins’”. The words are a false excuse, so they show lying directly.
Comment: she invents a reason for the van, which shows she will say something untrue to avoid her friend seeing her father’s work.
What to study next
Next, learn to comment on the words you have chosen in explaining a language choice in context. To check your own work, use the structured-answer self-review.
If you would like a teacher to test your quotations against your claims, see online one-to-one English Literature tuition.