Citing Textual Evidence — Practice · Grade 6 English

Chapter: Reading Informational Text

What this practice covers

By the end of Citing Textual Evidence you should be able to:

15 questions, multiple choice and written answer, each with a worked explanation.

Vocabulary used: textual evidence, explicit, inference, cite.

Problem 1

Information that is stated directly in a text, with no guessing needed, is called…
  1. An inference
  2. Explicit information
  3. A summary
  4. A topic
Answer and explanation

Explicit information

Explicit information is stated plainly in the text itself.

Problem 2

A text never says a boy is proud, but he 'held up his report card so his whole family could see it and grinned for the rest of dinner.' Deciding he feels proud is an example of…
  1. A text structure
  2. An explicit statement
  3. An inference
  4. A citation
Answer and explanation

An inference

Since the text doesn't state his pride directly, drawing that conclusion from the clues is an inference.

Problem 3

Which sentence properly cites AND explains evidence, rather than just dropping a quote in?
  1. Tickets were sold.
  2. It doubled, I think.
  3. The text says, 'ticket sales doubled.'
  4. The text says 'ticket sales doubled,' which suggests the new show was very popular.
Answer and explanation

The text says 'ticket sales doubled,' which suggests the new show was very popular.

This option quotes the text AND explains what the quote suggests, connecting it to a point.

Problem 4

Read: "The lights in the bakery were still off at noon, and a small handwritten note was taped to the locked front door." State one explicit fact and one reasonable inference based on the passage.
Answer and explanation

Explicit: the text states directly that 'a small handwritten note was taped to the locked front door.' Inference: the bakery is unexpectedly closed today, supported by the details that the lights were 'still off at noon' and the door was 'locked.'

Problem 5

Explain the difference between simply dropping a quote into your writing and properly using it as evidence. Give a short example.
Answer and explanation

Simply dropping a quote in leaves it sitting there with no explanation, so the reader has to guess why it matters. Properly using it as evidence means presenting the quote and then explaining how it supports your point. For example, instead of just writing 'The text says the streets were empty,' you would write 'The text says the streets were empty, which suggests people had already left town before the storm.'

Problem 6

Read this original passage. State one explicit fact and one reasonable inference, each supported by a quote.
Answer and explanation

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.'

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.'

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 7

Use the evidence to revise the claim with source credit.
Answer and explanation

Source A supports a preference among responding club members. Source B rules out claiming a measured achievement result from this trial. Revise to a limited proposal for a trial, citing the local reading-corner packet and its specific source labels.

Source A supports a preference among responding club members. Source B rules out claiming a measured achievement result from this trial. Revise to a limited proposal for a trial, citing the local reading-corner packet and its specific source labels.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 8

Identify the precise error and write a corrected explanation.
Answer and explanation

The citation does not repair a changed population. Preserve the actual denominator and group:18 of 20 responding club members. Source credit and accurate representation are both necessary.

The citation does not repair a changed population. Preserve the actual denominator and group:18 of 20 responding club members. Source credit and accurate representation are both necessary.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 9

Compare the reasoning in the two cases. What method transfers, and which source detail must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

In the first case, Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' In the changed case, Source A supports a preference among responding club members. Source B rules out claiming a measured achievement result from this trial. Revise to a limited proposal for a trial, citing the local reading-corner packet and its specific source labels. The method of defining the relationship and testing relevant evidence transfers; the particular source detail and scope must be checked anew.

In the first case, Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' In the changed case, Source A supports a preference among responding club members. Source B rules out claiming a measured achievement result from this trial. Revise to a limited proposal for a trial, citing the local reading-corner packet and its specific source labels. The method of defining the relationship and testing relevant evidence transfers; the particular source detail and scope must be checked anew.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 10

Explain how two relevant details support the model’s conclusion. Name the actual words or actions rather than writing “the text says.”
Answer and explanation

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.'

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.'

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 11

Write a fair alternative or a meaningful limitation to this conclusion, then explain which evidence would test it.
Answer and explanation

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' Keep the conclusion limited to the given scene or source. A competing interpretation must explain rather than ignore the detail that supports the first reading.

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' Keep the conclusion limited to the given scene or source. A competing interpretation must explain rather than ignore the detail that supports the first reading.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 12

A student copies the conclusion without giving any evidence. Add a supporting detail and the missing reasoning.
Answer and explanation

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' Name the relevant detail before explaining its connection. A conclusion alone does not demonstrate the method.

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' Name the relevant detail before explaining its connection. A conclusion alone does not demonstrate the method.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 13

Use the linked local reading to write one developed paragraph applying this unit. Cite a chapter, paragraph or distinctive brief phrase.
Answer and explanation

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' The new paragraph must name its own source detail and explain how the same method fits it; this model is not a substitute for reading.

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' The new paragraph must name its own source detail and explain how the same method fits it; this model is not a substitute for reading.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 14

Revise a sentence from your response so its meaning and scope are more precise. Show both versions and explain the change.
Answer and explanation

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' Replace an unsupported always/proves claim with the scope the record supports. A language revision must preserve intended meaning.

Explicit: Priya 'lined up her sharpened pencils in a neat row,' which the text states directly. Inference: she seems nervous or eager about the day, supported by the detail that she 'checked her backpack three times.' Replace an unsupported always/proves claim with the scope the record supports. A language revision must preserve intended meaning.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

Problem 15

Explain this method to a younger learner with one example and one warning about an error.
Answer and explanation

First make a literal account: who acts, what changes and who tells it. An inference goes beyond an explicit statement but must be supported by a specific action or phrase. A narrator’s opinion is evidence about that voice; it is not automatically the author’s opinion or an objective fact about a group. Use an example from the supplied case and explain the limit in ordinary language.

First make a literal account: who acts, what changes and who tells it. An inference goes beyond an explicit statement but must be supported by a specific action or phrase. A narrator’s opinion is evidence about that voice; it is not automatically the author’s opinion or an objective fact about a group. Use an example from the supplied case and explain the limit in ordinary language.

Response criteria

  • Answer the actual question with accurate details.
  • Explain how the evidence or language choice supports the conclusion.
  • State a relevant limit, alternative or justified revision.

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