CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1
The Standard
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students make a clear claim about an informational text, then choose the passage that best proves it. They separate facts stated directly from conclusions built from clues.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student answers a question with a clear claim and a precise quotation or paraphrase. The student explains how the evidence supports the claim and why it is stronger than other details.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often choose a detail that relates to the claim but does not prove it well. They may use personal opinions for inferences or include a quotation without explaining its connection.
How to Assess It
- Give students a 200-word news article. Ask, "What is the author's main concern? Cite the sentence that best supports your answer, then explain why it is strongest."
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Print a short article and evidence strips, then have pairs rank the strips from strongest to weakest support for one claim.
Ask students to write one inference, underline two supporting clues, and explain which clue offers stronger support.
Play Evidence Match by giving teams claim cards and detail cards, then awarding points for the best supported matches.
Compare two product reviews and identify which review uses specific facts rather than unsupported opinions to support its rating.
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Printable RI.8.1 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetLearning progression
Where This Standard Sits
See the whole path on the Reading: Informational Text progression map.
Before This Standard
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What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1
The 8th Grade version of this standard.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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