lesson
Choose the strength of a claim deliberately
1 · Learn
Words such as 'all', 'often', 'may' and 'suggests' make different commitments. Precision includes choosing a claim no stronger than the evidence supports. Qualification can strengthen an argument by making it accurate, not simply weaken it.
If five of eight respondents preferred a proposal, 'a majority of these respondents' is justified; 'everyone in the town' is not. State the group actually measured.
2 · Worked example
'The passage suggests reluctance' leaves room for interpretation, whereas 'the passage states reluctance' requires an explicit statement.
3 · Your turn
For five of eight respondents in a small sample, is 'everyone supports it' justified?
Check your answer
No. Only a majority of that sample is established.
4 · Apply your learning
Revise three overstatements into precise claims while retaining their useful information.
Adult guidance and safety
Use supplied evidence and allow defensible alternative readings. Do not manufacture quotations or treat model responses as the only valid phrasing. Whole-text literary study, period breadth, chosen examination texts and board-specific assessment require separate completion.
Open your writing and drawing pad
Write, draw or show your working. Use a mouse, pen or finger. This pad is not a submitted answer.
Not saved to your account. Download your drawing as PNG and your typed notes as TXT before leaving or refreshing. They are separate files. Do not enter private information.
Open a picture saved on this device to draw on it again. Opening replaces the drawing, but Undo can restore it. PNG only, up to 4 MB and 4096 × 4096 pixels. The picture stays in this browser; it is not uploaded. Paper lines in a saved picture become part of that picture.
Clear the drawing? Your typed notes will stay. You can undo this action.
Your pad is empty.
Open a UTF-8 TXT file from this device, up to 40 KB and 10,000 characters. It stays in this browser. Opening can be undone until you type again. Downloads keep a new copy; they do not change the file you opened.
Replace the notes on this page with the opened file? Download the current notes first if you want to keep them.
Typed notes are not submitted answers.
Practice this lesson
Lesson resources
Browse the available practice activities and worksheets for this lesson.
Your progress