E-Resource Center
CPE TEST TUTORIALS
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Task 2: How to Write an Explanation of a Claim
Explaining Supported Claims
When explaining supported claims:

Quote the claim directly from the reading.

Describe the data in the graphs using precise numbers or amounts.

Explain your math calculations to show how the data in the graph support the
claim.
You can write your explanations of supported claims in three sentences as follows:
1st sentence:
According to the reading, …
or
“The value of the U.S. stock market rose by
over two trillion dollars between 1985 and 1991.”
The reading states that…
(WHAT THE CLAIM STATES—quoted directly from the
reading)
2nd sentence:
This is supported by the data in Figure 1,
which show that…
or
The data in Figure 1 support this claim by
showing that…
the value of the U.S. stock
market rose from 2.4 trillion
dollars in 1985 to 4.6 trillion
dollars in 1991.
(DATA FROM THE GRAPH—includes
precise numbers)
3rd sentence:
The difference between 2.4 trillion and 4.6 trillion
is 2.2 trillion, which is over 2 trillion dollars.
(EXPLANATION OF YOUR
CALCULATIONS—how the data in
the graph support the claim)
Created in 2009 at the Center for English Language Support, John Jay College, on a U.S. Department of Education
(Title V Collaborative) Grant awarded to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Queensborough Community College .
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E-Resource Center
CPE TEST TUTORIALS
Explaining Contradicted Claims
When explaining contradicted claims:

Quote the claim directly from the reading.

Describe the data in the graphs using precise numbers or amounts.

Explain your math calculations to show how the data in the graph contradict
the claim.
You can write your explanations of contradicted claims in three sentences as follows:
1st sentence:
According to the reading, …
or
The reading states that…
“The percentage of household income that
Americans saved fell by more than half
between 1998 and 1999.”
(WHAT THE CLAIM STATES- quoted directly from
the reading)
2nd sentence:
However, this is contradicted by
the data in Figure 2, which show that…
or
However, the data in Figure 2 contradict
this claim by showing that…
the percentage of household
income that Americans saved fell
from 4.0% in 1998 to 2.6% in
1999.
(DATA FROM THE GRAPH- includes
precise amounts)
3rd sentence:
The difference between 4.0% and 2.6% is 1.4%,
which is not more than half of 4.0%.
(EXPLANATION OF YOUR
CALCULATIONS—how the data in
the graph contradict the claim)
Created in 2009 at the Center for English Language Support, John Jay College, on a U.S. Department of Education
(Title V Collaborative) Grant awarded to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Queensborough Community College .
Page 2 of 2