Good evidence proves the exact point the question asks about. It is short, copied accurately from the passage and matched to the question’s key word. This skill appears in any question that says “berikan bukti”, “petik” or “what in the passage shows”.
It belongs to the first-language comprehension module. If you can already name an implied idea, see explaining an implied idea first.
How do you choose the right evidence?
Many passages contain several details that sound relevant. The task is to choose the one that fits the question’s claim, not the one that sounds most dramatic.
- Underline the claim in the question. What exactly must be proved: effort, kindness, fear, change?
- Scan for matching clues. List two or three candidates.
- Test each candidate. Ask: if I show only these words, does the claim follow?
- Trim. Keep the shortest stretch of words that still proves it.
- Copy exactly. Keep the spelling and punctuation from the passage.
Worked example
The passage is invented.
Kebun sekolah itu dahulunya semak samun. Pada hari Sabtu, dua puluh orang pelajar datang tanpa disuruh. Mereka mencangkul sehingga tengah hari walaupun hujan renyai. Cikgu Salmah hanya memerhati dari bawah pohon, kerana pelajar sudah tahu apa yang perlu dibuat.
Question: Berikan satu bukti bahawa pelajar tidak perlu diarah.
Step 1. The claim is that the students acted on their own, not that they worked hard.
Step 2. Candidates: “datang tanpa disuruh”, “mencangkul sehingga tengah hari walaupun hujan renyai”, “sudah tahu apa yang perlu dibuat”.
Step 3. The first and third show acting without orders. The second shows persistence, which is a different claim.
Step 4 and 5. Choose the shorter one and copy it exactly:
“datang tanpa disuruh”
A full answer adds a few words: Pelajar tidak perlu diarah kerana mereka “datang tanpa disuruh”.
The mistake to watch for
A student answers with the most vivid detail.
Off-target answer: “mencangkul sehingga tengah hari walaupun hujan renyai”
This is accurate and well copied, but it proves that the students were hardworking, not that they needed no instructions.
The correction is to write the claim from the question next to your quotation and read them together. If the quotation does not prove the claim without any help from you, choose another. A second habit is to avoid copying the whole sentence: it often contains the right words surrounded by wrong ones.
Check yourself
All content is invented. Use the passage above.
1. Give evidence that the students were persistent.
Show answer
“mencangkul sehingga tengah hari walaupun hujan renyai”. The word “walaupun” shows they continued despite the rain.
2. Give evidence that the garden had been neglected.
Show answer
“dahulunya semak samun”. It describes the garden’s earlier state as overgrown.
3. A student uses “Cikgu Salmah hanya memerhati” as evidence of persistence. Why does this not work?
Show answer
It describes what the teacher did and says nothing about how long or how firmly the students worked. It could support a different point, such as the teacher trusting the students.
Where this leads next
After evidence, move to telling theme from plot retelling, where the question asks for the big idea behind the events. Check your choices with the first-language comprehension practice set. The summary selection and paraphrase studio gives you original passages for more repetitions.
If you want a teacher to test your quotations against questions with you, that is part of online one-to-one Malay tuition.