In this activity, we will need to justify our answers to comprehension questions.
To prove our answers, we need to use evidence from the text.
To do this, we can use the P.E.E method!
It may sound funny but it stands for:
Point
Evidence
Explain
First, you make a point.
Then, you give a quotation from the text as evidence.
Then you explain how that quotation proves your point.
Read the passage below:
Jay stood on the edge of the saltwater lagoon; its surface was glistening like a sheet of liquid silver under the relentless Lanzarote sun. He had spent the past six months stubbornly training for this triathlon and finally, the moment had arrived. The water whispered promises of victory and invited him in. The soothing sea sloshed around his wetsuit as he took his starting position. As the starting horn echoed through the air, Jay dived in, slicing through the water like a knife through soft butter. His powerful arms pulled him forwards with every stroke. With each breath, he could taste the tang of salt on his lips. Whenever he heard the splashes of other competitors approaching him, his salty surroundings seemed to whisper words of encouragement, urging him forward. Reaching the finishing line within seconds, Jay emerged from the water to see that he was ahead of the others. He could really win this. Catching his breath before the next section of the race, he saw the lagoon’s surface shimmering, applauding him for his efforts.
How would you describe Jay’s swimming ability? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
There were a few quotations from the passage giving us clues that Jay was a good swimmer.
"Jay dived in, slicing through the water like a knife through soft butter."
"His powerful arms pulled him forwards with every stroke."
"Reaching the finishing line within seconds, Jay emerged from the water to see that he was ahead of the others."
We just need one quotation to support our point so let's pick the last one.
Here is a P.E.E. answer:
Jay is a very strong swimmer. It says in the text that Jay reached “the finishing line within seconds, Jay emerged from the water to see that he was ahead of the others”. This shows he is a strong swimmer because he finished the race quickly and he was faster than the other swimmers.
Our point was: Jay is a very strong swimmer.
The evidence was: It says in the text that Jay reached “the finishing line within seconds, Jay emerged from the water to see that he was ahead of the others”.
We should use quotation marks around our evidence.
The explanation was: This shows he is a strong swimmer because he finished the race quickly and he was faster than the other swimmers.
The explanation explains why the quotation supports the point.
Great sentence starters to begin explanations include:
This shows…
This suggests…
This implies…
In this activity, you will be making points and supporting them with appropriate evidence.
Always remember to P.E.E!