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Learn to spot what an author is trying to say—and the proof they use to back it up!
Have you ever tried to convince a friend that your favorite movie is the best? You probably didn't just say, "It's awesome!" You gave reasons—like the funny jokes or the exciting ending. You may have even shared evidence, such as the fact that it won an award. Authors of informational texts do the exact same thing!
For thousands of years, people have been thinking about how to write clearly and persuade others. Let's look at how this idea grew over time.
So here's the big question this lesson answers: How can you figure out what an author is trying to say, and how do you check whether they have good reasons and evidence to support it?
Before we dig deeper, let's learn four key words. These are the building blocks for everything else in this lesson.
The diagram below shows how an author's point, reasons, and evidence fit together. Notice how the point sits on top, supported by reasons, and each reason is backed up by evidence at the bottom.
Look at the diagram above. The author's point ("Dogs make the best pets") is at the very top. Below it are three reasons that explain why the author thinks this. At the bottom, each reason is connected to evidence—real facts, numbers, or expert quotes that prove the reason is true. When you read an informational text, try to picture this same kind of structure in your mind!
When an author writes an informational text, they follow a pattern. Learning this pattern helps you find the point, the reasons, and the evidence every time you read. Let's walk through the steps.
The point is usually near the beginning of a passage or paragraph. Look for a sentence that tells you what the author thinks or wants you to know. Ask yourself: "What is the author trying to convince me of?"
After the point, the author explains why they believe it. Reasons often start with signal words like because, first, also, another reason, or in addition. Each reason is like a mini-answer to the question "Why?"
For each reason, the author shares evidence. This could be a fact (something that can be proven true), a statistic (a number from research), an example (a real-life story), or a quote from an expert. Evidence answers the question: "How do you know that reason is true?"
That's your job! When you read, check whether the evidence truly supports the reason, and whether the reason truly supports the point. If everything connects well, the argument is strong. If something is missing, the argument might be weak.
Not all evidence looks the same. Authors choose different kinds of evidence depending on what they're writing about. Here are the most common types you'll see in informational texts.
| Type of Evidence | What It Is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fact | A statement that can be proven true | "The Earth orbits the Sun." |
| Statistic (Number) | A number from research or a survey | "75% of kids drink milk at lunch." |
| Example | A real story or situation that shows the point | "In 2020, our school recycled 500 bottles." |
| Expert Quote | Words from someone who knows a lot about the topic | "Dr. Smith says, 'Breakfast helps kids focus.'" |
| Description | A detailed picture with words that helps you "see" something | "The coral reef was full of bright orange and blue fish." |
When you're reading, try to name the type of evidence the author uses. This helps you decide if the evidence is strong enough to support the reason. For instance, a statistic from a science study is usually stronger evidence than a description of what someone saw one time.
Let's practice with a short passage. Read it carefully, then follow each step to find the author's point, reasons, and evidence.
Not every author does a great job of supporting their points. Sometimes the reasons are unclear, or the evidence is missing. Let's compare strong and weak examples so you can tell the difference.
| Strong Support ✓ | Weak Support ✗ |
|---|---|
| The reason clearly connects to the point. | The reason doesn't really relate to the point. |
| Evidence includes facts, numbers, or expert quotes. | Evidence is just the author's opinion or feeling. |
| The evidence matches the reason it's supposed to support. | The evidence is about a different topic than the reason. |
| There are multiple pieces of evidence. | There is little or no evidence at all. |
| Signal words help the reader follow the argument. | Ideas are jumbled and hard to follow. |
Why is this weak? The "reasons" are really just opinions ("yummy" and "I think everyone likes it"). The only "evidence" is that one friend likes pizza. That's not a fact, a statistic, or an expert quote. It wouldn't convince most readers!
Right now, you're learning to find the reasons and evidence an author uses. As you move into 5th grade and beyond, you'll start doing even more with this skill! Here's a peek at what's ahead.
| What You're Learning Now (4th Grade) | What Comes Next (5th Grade and Beyond) |
|---|---|
| Find the author's point in a passage. | Explain whether the author's point is well supported or not. |
| Identify reasons and evidence. | Judge the quality of the evidence (Is it trustworthy? Is it enough?). |
| Name types of evidence (facts, quotes, examples). | Compare how two different authors support the same topic. |
| Use signal words to follow the argument. | Write your own arguments with strong reasons and evidence. |
Everything you learn in this lesson is the foundation for becoming a strong critical thinker. A critical thinker doesn't just believe everything they read—they look for the proof! That's a superpower that will help you in every subject, from science to social studies.
Now it's your turn! Try these five problems. They go from easier to harder. Click "Show Answer" when you're ready to check your thinking.
In this lesson, you learned that authors of informational texts build their writing like a structure. At the top is the point—the main idea the author wants you to understand or agree with. Supporting the point are reasons, which explain why the point makes sense. Under each reason is evidence—the real proof that makes each reason believable. Evidence can be facts, statistics, examples, expert quotes, or descriptions.
You also learned to tell the difference between strong support (with real facts and trustworthy sources) and weak support (with only opinions or personal stories). When you read, use signal words like because, first, also, and for example to find where reasons and evidence appear. Always ask yourself: "Did the author give enough proof?" This skill will make you a stronger, smarter reader in every subject you study!