SAT command of evidence questions: text and data
TutorAura guide · Updated
Command of evidence questions ask which quotation, finding or data best supports, illustrates or weakens a claim. Some use text (a quotation from a poem or a study's findings); others use a table or graph. They're part of the Information and Ideas domain. The secret is to be precise about the claim first.
Key takeaways
- Identify the exact claim the evidence must support.
- The right choice supports that claim specifically.
- For data, check the right column, row, units and time period.
- "Weaken" questions need evidence that contradicts the claim.
Textual evidence: the method
- Find the claim in the passage or question, and restate it in a few words.
- Test each choice: if this were true, would it make the claim more believable?
- Watch for scope: evidence about one part of the claim isn't enough if the claim has two parts.
Quantitative evidence: tables and graphs
- Read the title, axes or column headings and units first.
- Find the exact data the claim is about: which group, which year, which measurement.
- Check each choice against the data: a choice can describe the data correctly but not support the claim.
Example: a table shows test scores for two teaching methods over three years. The claim is that method B improved scores more over time. The right choice compares the change from year 1 to year 3 for both methods, not just the year 3 scores.
Common traps
- Accurate but irrelevant: true according to the graph, but about a different group or time.
- Too strong: "always" or "all" when the data shows a trend.
- Support vs weaken mixed up: reread the question's verb.
A quick check
Before you choose, complete this sentence: "This choice supports the claim that ___ because ___." If you can't fill in both blanks clearly, it's probably not the answer.
Practising
Data questions also appear in SAT Math, so the skill pays off twice. Practise reading graphs carefully, then try mixed timed sets. See the question types list and SAT inference questions.
Worked example: a data question
A student claims that the number of electric car registrations in a town more than doubled from 2022 to 2024.
| Year | Electric car registrations |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 140 |
| 2023 | 210 |
| 2024 | 310 |
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the claim?
The claim is about 2022 to 2024 and more than doubled. Double 140 is 280, and 310 is more than that. The right choice compares those two years: "Registrations rose from 140 in 2022 to 310 in 2024." A choice saying registrations rose from 2022 to 2023 is accurate but doesn't show doubling, so it doesn't support this claim.
Worked example: a weaken question
A researcher claims that a new fertiliser increases tomato yield in all soil types.
Which finding would most weaken this claim? The answer would be something like "In clay soil, plants given the fertiliser produced no more tomatoes than plants without it." It shows a soil type where the claim fails. A finding that the fertiliser worked well in sandy soil would support the claim, not weaken it, which is the trap.
Frequently asked questions
How many command of evidence questions are on the SAT?
They're part of the Information and Ideas domain, about 26% of Reading and Writing (12 to 14 questions shared with central ideas and inferences). Expect a few textual and a few quantitative ones.
What if the claim is in the question rather than the passage?
Treat the question as the claim. Rewrite it in a few words, then test each choice against it.
Are command of evidence questions the same as inference questions?
They're related. Both are in the Information and Ideas domain. Command of evidence asks which evidence supports or weakens a claim; inference asks what conclusion follows from the evidence given.
How do I get faster at graph questions?
Practise reading the title, axes and units before anything else, then find the exact data point or comparison the claim needs. Most mistakes come from reading the wrong row, year or group, not from difficult maths.
Sources
- What Are Content Domains?. College Board.
- Reading and Writing Specifications. College Board.
- Digital SAT Sample Questions and Answer Explanations. College Board.
Keep reading
SAT Reading and Writing question types: the complete list
All the question types in the four Reading and Writing domains, with what each asks and how to approach it.
SAT inference questions: how to complete the text logically
Follow the passage's reasoning, predict where it's going, and avoid conclusions that go too far.
Scatter plots and lines of best fit
Interpret scatter plots, correlation and lines of best fit, and use models to make predictions.
Digital SAT Reading and Writing
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