Quoting Accurately from Texts
Quote accurately from literary and informational texts when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences, using quotation marks and citations correctly
What a learner can do afterwards
- Select and copy exact words from a text to support an inference about character motivation
- Use quotation marks correctly when incorporating textual evidence into written responses
- Introduce quotes with signal phrases such as 'The author states' or 'According to the text'
The lesson
You already know how to figure out how a character feels from clues in the story. Now you need to prove it. The best proof is the text's own words, copied exactly and placed in quotation marks.
In a story, Maya's hands shook as she read the letter. To prove she felt nervous, you could write: According to the text, "Maya's hands shook as she read the letter." The quotation marks show these are the author's exact words, not yours.
If you copy the text's words, always wrap them in quotation marks. Writing the idea in your own words is not a quote, even if it means something similar.
Start your quote with a signal phrase so the reader knows where it comes from. Try phrases like 'The author states,' 'According to the text,' or 'In the story, it says.'
Copy the exact words, wrap them in quotation marks, and introduce them with a signal phrase.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
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Where this leads
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.