Evidence and Quotation

In the CSSE 11+ English paper, the ability to use evidence from the text is what separates good answers from great ones. Almost every comprehension question — whether it asks about character, setting, language, or meaning — requires you to support your answer with a quotation from the passage.

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Why Is Evidence So Important?

Think of it this way: in a courtroom, a lawyer cannot simply say "the defendant is guilty" — they must present evidence. In the same way, you cannot simply state what you think about a passage — you must prove it with words from the text.

In the CSSE exam, examiners are looking for answers that:

Quality	What it means
Supported	Backed up with a quotation from the passage
Specific	Focused on particular words or phrases, not vague references
Explained	The quotation is not just presented but analysed — you explain what it shows
Relevant	The evidence directly relates to the question being asked

Without evidence, even a correct answer may not receive full marks.

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How to Choose the Right Evidence