Claim and evidence
A claim is a statement you say is true: "Cycling is good for our city." A reader will not believe it only because you said it. They need evidence: something that can be checked.
A claim with no evidence is just an opinion. Words like "everyone knows", "obviously" and "I feel" are not evidence.
Four kinds of evidence
- Fact: something that is true and can be checked. "Cycling makes no smoke."
- Number: an exact count or measure. "A cyclist saves about 2 kg of carbon dioxide on a 10 km trip."
- Example: a real case. "In our school, 40 students now cycle to class."
- Expert words: what a person who knows the topic said. "A city planner said cycle lanes reduce traffic."
Use at least two kinds. They support the claim like pillars under a plank.
Name the source
Say where it came from: who and which year. "According to the school survey, 2025..." Put exact words in quote marks. If you change them, do not use quote marks.
Explain precisely
Precise means exact. Replace vague words with exact ones:
- "a lot of people" becomes "6 of 10 students"
- "recently" becomes "in March 2025"
- "it is bad" becomes "it makes students tired"
Then link the evidence to the claim, so the reader sees why it matters. Useful link words: because, so, this shows that, for example, as a result.
Pattern: Claim, then Evidence, then Explain ("This shows that...").
Clear explanation: short sentences and order
- One idea in each sentence. Keep sentences short.
- Put the claim first, then the evidence, then the explanation.
- Define a new word the first time you use it.
- Read it aloud. If you run out of breath, split the sentence.
- Ask: could a Class 6 student follow this?
Try it
Write one claim about your school day. Add two kinds of evidence from the four above. Write one sentence starting "This shows that...". Give it to a friend and ask: "Do you believe it? What proof is missing?"
Key formulas and definitions
- Strong writing = Claim + Evidence + Explain
- Evidence = fact, number, example, or expert words
- Explain = exact words + a link ("because", "this shows that")
- Key term, claim: what you say is true
- Key term, evidence: proof the reader can check
Worked examples
1. Add two kinds of evidence to the claim "Reading daily improves marks".
Number: in our class, the 8 students who read 20 minutes a day scored 12 marks higher on average. Expert: our language teacher says daily reading builds vocabulary. Explain: this shows that reading helps marks because students understand questions better.
2. Make this sentence precise: "Lots of kids came late recently."
"On 5 days in March 2025, 14 students came after the bell." It has a number, a time and a place.
3. Rewrite with a source and a quotation: the headmaster said that the library will open on Saturdays.
According to the headmaster, "the library will open on Saturdays from 9 to 12". (Name the person and use the exact words in quote marks.)
Common mistakes
- Stating a claim and moving on with no evidence.
- Using vague words like "many", "lots", "recently" when you know the exact figure.
- Dropping in a fact but never saying why it matters (no explain step).
- Quoting without quote marks or without naming the source.