Text Evidence Sentence Frames
Three sentence-starter frames for turning a claim about a text into a fully cited answer: make the claim, introduce the evidence, then explain what the evidence proves.
- 1. Make your claimState your answer or idea in one sentence.
- I think ___ because...
- The author shows that ___.
- 2. Introduce the evidencePoint to exactly where the evidence comes from.
- The text states, "___."
- According to the text, ___.
- For example, the text says, "___."
- 3. Explain the connectionSay what the evidence proves, in your own words.
- This shows that ___.
- This means ___.
- This proves ___ because...
How to use this chart
- Model the three-step frame aloud on a shared text before students use it independently: claim, then evidence with a direct quote, then explanation in the student's own words.
- Keep this poster beside any comprehension worksheet that asks students to "support your answer with evidence from the text."
- The middle frame requires an exact quote in quotation marks; the last frame should never repeat the quote; it explains what the quote proves.
Where this chart is taught
Teaching units