CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.3
The Standard
Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Speaking and Listening Standards
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students break a spoken argument into its main claim, supporting claims, reasons, and evidence. They judge whether the logic works and whether the evidence connects to and fully supports the claims.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can map a speaker’s main claim, supporting claims, reasons, and evidence. The student can point out weak logic, unrelated details, or gaps in support and explain why they matter.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat a confident delivery as proof that an argument is strong. They may list evidence without explaining how it supports a claim. They may also accept related evidence even when there is too little of it.
How to Assess It
- Play a one-minute argument and ask students to write the main claim, one supporting reason, and whether the evidence is relevant and adequate. Require one sentence explaining their judgment.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs color-coded cards labeled claim, reason, and evidence, then have them sort statements from a short recorded argument.
Play a short speech and ask, “Which piece of evidence is strongest, and what makes it support the speaker’s claim?”
Run an evidence judge game where teams rate examples as strong, weak, or unrelated and defend each rating.
Compare two short product advertisements, then have students decide which makes the better-supported claim and explain their choice.
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Printable SL.7.3 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.3, 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 Speaking & Listening progression map.
Before This Standard
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What This Unlocks
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evide...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recogni...
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