SAT Reading: Supporting Evidence Questions

Supporting Evidence questions test your understanding of how to logically justify your answer choices by finding rational evidence which may be stated either explicitly or implicitly

• True

• False, that is Function questions

Supporting evidence questions are primarily paired with two other question types:

• Literal comprehension = questions that ask what the passage states or indicates (EXPLICIT).

• Inference = questions that ask what the passage suggests or implies (IMPLICIT).

• Rhetorical comprehension = questions that ask what the underlying language of a passage does for the reader.

While not every literal comprehension or inference question will be followed by supporting evidence questions, most will follow this pattern.

• True

• False

The most important thing to understand is that paired questions are not two questions, but rather a single question asked two different ways.

• True

• False, that is Inference questions

Supporting evidence pairs come in two types: 1. In the majority of cases, the question will not contain a line reference.

2. In the rest, the question will refer to a specific line.

• True

• False

Just like you want to leave Big Picture questions for last, you want to first identify the supporting evidence question pairs before answering any of them.

• True

• False

The key to answering the first type of paired questions is to plug the answer choices from the second question into the first question, then use that information to answer both questions simultaneously.

• True

• False

How do we solve the second type of Supporting Evidence questions (the type that does not have a line reference)?

• Identify the claim, and rephrase it if necessary.

  If the claim is stated simply in the question, underline it. If it’s worded more complexly, rephrase it more simply and write it down. You can’t determine whether a set of lines would support an idea unless you know what that idea is.

• Determine what sort of information would support the claim.

  You should at least attempt to do this on your own, and no assume you’ll be able to recognize the information from the answer choices.

• Check the answers.

  Remember that you may need to read above/below the lines referenced for context in some cases. Remember also not to eliminate any answers just because you find them confusing.