Y07W13GR Grammar for evidence sentences
Grammar for evidence sentences
An evidence sentence is not just a quote dropped into a paragraph — it is a carefully constructed unit that introduces a source, presents the evidence, explains what it means, and connects it back to the claim. Getting the grammar of evidence sentences right is one of the most important writing skills in analytical and argumentative writing.
- How a complete evidence sentence is built from four parts: reporting clause, evidence, explanation, and link
- How to choose reporting verbs that signal your stance toward a source
- How to connect evidence back to the claim using cohesive language
- Reporting clause — the phrase that introduces evidence by naming the source and the verb that frames it. For example, Jones argues that or The study found that
- Reporting verb — the verb in the reporting clause that signals how the source presents its information; different verbs carry different levels of certainty and stance
- Paraphrase — a restatement of a source's idea in the writer's own words, used instead of a direct quote when the original wording is not essential
- Explanation — the sentence following the evidence that tells the reader what the evidence means in the context of the argument
- Link — the closing move that explicitly connects the evidence back to the paragraph's main claim, completing the evidence sentence pattern
How it works
1The reporting clause
The reporting clause is the gateway to the evidence. It names who or what the evidence comes from and signals how certain or cautious the writer is about the source's position.
- Stance verbs signal a strong or direct position held by the source. For example, The researcher argues that or Smith claims that indicate the source is making a definite point
- Hedged reporting verbs signal that the source is presenting a possibility rather than a certainty. For example, The data suggests that or Jones indicates that are more cautious than proves or shows
- Placement — the reporting clause always comes before the evidence, not after it; opening with the source grounds the reader before the evidence arrives
2Evidence: quote or paraphrase
Once the reporting clause is in place, the evidence itself follows. A writer must decide whether to quote directly or paraphrase, and this choice depends on whether the exact wording matters.
- Direct quote — use a direct quote when the specific wording of the source is important to the argument. For example, Smith argues that students who practise deliberately "outperform those who rely on natural ability alone"
- Paraphrase — use a paraphrase when the idea matters more than the exact words. For example, Research suggests that deliberate practice produces stronger outcomes than relying on talent restates the idea without quoting directly
- Avoid quote dropping — placing a quote in a paragraph without a reporting clause or any explanation leaves the reader to guess its relevance; every piece of evidence needs the parts that come before and after it
3Explanation and link
The explanation and link are the parts of the evidence sentence pattern that writers most often leave out. Without them, the paragraph presents evidence but does not do anything with it.
- Explanation immediately follows the evidence and tells the reader what it means. For example, after citing data about practice, an explanation might begin This demonstrates that or This finding shows that effort, rather than innate ability, is the more reliable predictor
- Link closes the evidence unit by connecting the explanation back to the paragraph's main claim. For example, This directly supports the argument that skill is developed rather than inherited anchors the evidence to the larger point
- Cohesion verbs — words such as demonstrates, reinforces, illustrates and confirms are useful for both explanations and links because they explicitly name the relationship between the evidence and the claim
See it in action
Missing reporting clause → added
"Students who practise deliberately outperform those who rely on natural ability." This shows talent is overrated.
Smith argues that "students who practise deliberately outperform those who rely on natural ability." This finding supports the claim that sustained effort matters more than innate ability.
Adding the reporting clause names the source and grounds the quote before the reader encounters it.
Quote dropping → repaired with explanation and link
Research shows that deliberate practice leads to expertise. Talent is often overstated.
Research shows that deliberate practice leads to expertise. This demonstrates that skill is built through sustained effort rather than inherited ability, directly supporting the argument that talent stories mislead learners.
The explanation unpacks the evidence and the link connects it explicitly back to the paragraph's claim.
Overclaiming reporting verb → replaced with hedged alternative
The study proves that talent has no role in achievement.
The study suggests that deliberate practice is a stronger predictor of achievement than talent alone.
Replacing proves with suggests and narrowing the claim to what the evidence actually supports makes the argument more credible and harder to challenge.
- A complete evidence sentence has four parts: reporting clause, evidence, explanation, and link to claim
- The reporting verb in the reporting clause signals how certain or cautious the writer is about the source
- Paraphrase is preferred when the idea matters more than the exact wording; direct quotes require accurate punctuation
- The explanation and link are the parts most often missing — without them, evidence is presented but not argued
- reporting clause(n.) — the phrase that names a source and introduces evidence; for example, The study indicates that is a reporting clause that opens an evidence sentence
- reporting verb(n.) — the verb in a reporting clause that signals stance toward the source; for example, argues signals a stronger claim than suggests
- paraphrase(n.) — a restatement of a source's idea in the writer's own words, used when the exact wording of the original is not essential to the argument
- cohesion verb(n.) — a verb used in explanations and links to name the relationship between evidence and claim; for example, demonstrates, reinforces and confirms
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