Using Evidence and Examples
Reasons are stronger when you back them up with facts or examples from life and reading.
Types of Evidence
- Facts: checked true statements (e.g. "Bees pollinate flowers"). Use simple facts that are easy to verify.
- Examples: a short story or moment that shows your idea (e.g. "When I planted flowers, bees came every day").
- Quotations: a short line from a book or article (use quotation marks and say where it came from).
- Statistics: numbers that support a point (for older KS2 learners — write what the number means).
Explain Your Evidence
Evidence alone is not enough. You must explain how it helps your opinion. Use a short sentence with words like "This shows" or "This means".
Example: "Reading outside is better because fresh air helps me focus. Last week, I finished two chapters on the bench in the garden. This shows that a calm place helps me concentrate." — Notice the evidence (finished two chapters) and the explain sentence (This shows...).
Simple 3-step method
- Make a point (opinion or fact).
- Add evidence (fact, example, or quote).
- Explain how the evidence proves the point.
Use this for short paragraphs and longer answers.
Try It — scaffolded
- Write one sentence that says what you think about reading outside.
- Add one short example from your life or a book.
- Write one sentence that explains how the example proves your point (This shows that...).
Worked example
Point: I like reading outside.
Evidence: Last Saturday I read two short stories on the school field.
Explain: This shows that when I read outside I can concentrate for longer.
Extension (KS2): add a short quotation from a book and say why it supports your idea.
Teaching sequence & quick activities
- Introduce (5 min): Explain types of evidence with simple examples.
- Spot the evidence (5–10 min): Give pupils short sentences and ask them to label Fact / Example / Quote.
- Explain practice (10–15 min): In pairs, pupils write a point, add evidence and write one explaining sentence.
- Plenary (5 min): Share one strong explain sentence and discuss why it works.
Vocabulary box
- Evidence: information that helps prove a point.
- Quote: the exact words from a text inside quotation marks.
- Explain: say how the evidence proves the point.
- Statistic: a number or percent that supports an idea (useful for KS2).
Assessment ideas
- Give pupils a short opinion and ask for 1–2 pieces of evidence and one explain sentence. Mark: correct type of evidence? clear explanation?
- KS2 extension: ask pupils to add a short quotation and explain why the author’s words support the point.