The reading and writing and language portions of the redesigned SAT account for a significant part of your exam score, so it’s important that you are prepared for all the questions you will encounter. One type of question you’ll find on both sections are command of evidence questions.
This type of question requires you to closely examine — and, in some instances, improve — the evidence that is used in particular passages. Although it is a great idea to always base your answers on evidence, command of evidence items mandate it.
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Fortunately, you can sometimes easily identify these questions by their use of the word “evidence.” For instance, Question 17 in the Practice Test 1 reading section asks you to identify the specific passage that best supports your answer to Question 16. Question 20, in the same practice exam, also includes the word “evidence.” You may also be asked to find answer choices that “support” or “best support” a given excerpt or idea.
As you practice answering this question type, ask yourself these four questions. Each question prompts you to critically consider what you read, which can help you develop key skills for command of evidence questions.
1. What evidence does the author use to support his or her claims and how?
Following your instincts is not always the best approach, since some SAT answers may seem plausible at first glance but do not hold up to evidence. So, once you know you are working on a command of evidence question, ask yourself this question as your first step.
To see this first step in action, refer to the previously mentioned Practice Test 1 questions 16 and 17. As is common with command of evidence items, these two questions are linked. A correct answer to Question 16 should depend on evidence that is presented in the text — evidence you are then prompted to identify in Question 17.
Given that the correct answer to Question 16 — choice C — is that gift-givers’ assumptions are incorrect, which subsequent lines in the passage demonstrate an incorrect assumption? Of the options presented in question 17, only choice C explicitly deals with a mismatch between two people’s expectations and perceptions.
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2. Do any data support the author’s claims?
Certain passages in the reading and writing and language sections will use data as part of their attempt to persuade readers. Question 20 in Practice Test 1 is one example. The graph mentioned in this question relates directly to the issues discussed in the passage.
The question asks you to determine which thesis about gift-givers the graph supports. The graph, simply put, supports the text: Gift-givers believe monetary value affects the worth of a gift, while recipients appear to derive similar value from more- and less-expensive presents.
Even without such a direct question, it is always wise to ask yourself what evidence the author has cited to support his or her main point. Understanding the evidence makes answering command of evidence SAT questions considerably easier.
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3. How did the author reach his or her conclusion?
Most well-constructed essays rely on multiple lines of evidence. Understanding how the author arrives at his or her conclusion means that you see how those multiple lines converge.
In the passage discussed above, the authors describe a shortcoming of society that appears mystifying at first: The values people buying gifts place on those gifts are disproportionate from the values the receivers perceive.
The conclusion that people poorly estimate the real value of gifts is based on anthropological evidence that individuals poorly understand other people’s motivations and values — even of people with whom they are close and with whom they have engaged in gift giving and receiving.
4. Can I improve the author’s claims? If so, how?
You will only find command of evidence questions that focus on improvement in the writing and language section. These items will ask you to assess how the arguments could be strengthened.
For example, Question 2 in the Practice Test 1’s writing and language portion asks you to identify the best phrase for completing a sentence. To do so, you must first notice that the previous sentence mentions that farmers are finding ways to address the problem of waste material in yogurt production.
The author has already addressed one solution in the opening clause of this sentence: whey as a food additive. Only option B offers an additional use for whey — as a fuel. Choice B is thus an improvement over the existing text.
Command of evidence questions can be intimidating when you first encounter them. Practice finding evidence for each answer, regardless of whether it is officially a command of evidence question, and you will be ahead of the curve.
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