EXPLAINING QUOTATION

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QUOTATIONS AS EVIDENCE

When you use quotations as evidence, you need to explain how the quotation supports your idea. When explaining a quotation you need to:

make a link between your idea and the quotation

Refer to specific word or words in the quotation and explain why the writer has chosen those words.

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE FROM A CHRISTMAS CAROL

POINT = Bob Cratchit is a very caring father.

QUOTATION = “Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep him by his side.”

EXPLANATION = The tender way Bob holds Tim’s hand and keeps him close to him, shows how he wants to protect and reassure the little boy. Dickens uses the words ‘withered’ and ‘little’ to emphasise how fragile Tiny Tim is and how much he depends on his father.

LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE EXPLANATION AGAIN

This part makes a link between the idea (that Bob Cratchit is a caring father) and the quotation

The tender way Bob holds Tim’s hand and keeps him close to him, shows how he wants to protect and reassure the little boy.

This part refers to specific words in the quotation and considers why the writer chose them

Dickens uses the words ‘withered’ and ‘little’ to emphasise how fragile Tiny Tim is and how much he depends on his father.

NOW LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE FROM A POEM

POINTWilliam Blake describes the tiger as something

dangerous and powerful:QUOTATION“Tiger! Tiger! Burning BrightIn the forests of the night.”EXPLANTION

Using the word ‘burning’ makes the tiger seem like a fire that burns through everything in its path. This suggests that people would be as terrified of the tiger as they would be of a raging fire.

THINK: Does the explanation link to the idea?Does it refer to specific words in the quotation?

Now you’re ready to have a go at writing some explanations of your own