Domain: Information and Ideas | Skill: Command of Evidence | Difficulty: Hard

Mastering the SAT’s Toughest Command of Evidence Questions

Welcome to the deep end of the SAT Reading and Writing pool. You’ve mastered the basics, but now you’re facing Command of Evidence questions that feel less like matching and more like mind-reading. These Hard level questions are designed to test not just if you can find evidence, but if you can understand the nuance, logic, and specific purpose of that evidence within a complex argument. They often involve synthesizing information from a text and a data graphic (like a table or chart) to draw a precise conclusion. Mastering this skill is a hallmark of top-tier performance on the SAT, demonstrating true critical reasoning.

Decoding the Question: What Are They Really Asking?

At the Hard level, question stems can be deceptive. They seem straightforward, but they demand a highly specific type of answer. Here’s a breakdown of common stems and what they’re truly testing.

Typical Stem	What It Really Asks	Quick Strategy
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?	Find the data point that logically and precisely fits the incomplete idea presented in the passage.	Predict the type of data needed before looking at the answer choices.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researcher’s claim?	Identify the central argument. Which hypothetical piece of evidence provides the strongest, most direct link to proving that specific argument?	Isolate the claim. Ask, “What would be undeniable proof?” Then find the choice that comes closest.
Which finding, if true, would most effectively weaken the explanation presented?	Pinpoint the core assumption of the explanation. Find the choice that introduces a fact that contradicts this assumption.	Find the logical weak spot in the passage’s argument and look for the answer that attacks it.

Real SAT-Style Example

Let’s look at a typical ‘Hard’ question that combines a passage with a (hypothetical) data table.

Anthropologists studying the spread of pottery techniques across ancient Asia have observed that certain cultures adopted new methods through interactions with neighboring societies. For example, the cord-marked pottery style, which originated in East Asia, was adopted by several groups across the continent. Notably, the terms for ‘pottery’ in some languages appear to be derived from the language of the originating culture, suggesting that the technological transfer was accompanied by linguistic borrowing. However, other languages have different words for ‘pottery’, indicating that the technology could diffuse without accompanying vocabulary. This phenomenon, where technological practices spread independently of associated terminology, is observed globally. For instance, in various regions of Asia, cord-marked pottery became widespread, yet _______

(Imagine a table showing Asian languages, their word for ‘pottery’, and its etymological origin. The table would show that the words in Khmer and Thai are unrelated to the word in the East Asian originating language, while the word in Japanese is related.)

Question:

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?

• A) the origins of words for ‘pottery’ vary across Asian languages, with languages like Khmer and Thai showing no etymological relationship to the original culture’s language. ✅
• B) the Asian linguistic landscape is diverse, encompassing language families such as Sino-Tibetan, Austroasiatic, Japonic, and Tai-Kadai.
• C) the word for ‘pottery’ in Japanese underwent changes after being borrowed from the original culture’s language.
• D) words for ‘pottery’ in Chinese and Japanese are similar due to their shared linguistic roots in the Sino-Tibetan language family.

Explanation: The passage sets up a contrast. Sometimes technology and language spread together, but the final sentence introduces the opposite idea: technology spreading without language. The blank needs evidence of this phenomenon. Choice A provides a perfect example from the data: cultures that have the pottery style but whose words for ‘pottery’ (Khmer, Thai) are unrelated to the original, proving the point that the technology spread independently of the term.

A 4-Step Strategy for Hard Command of Evidence Questions

1. Isolate the Core Claim: Before you even glance at the table or answer choices, find the specific claim, observation, or argument in the text that the question is asking you to support, complete, or weaken. Highlight it. What is the author’s precise point?
2. Formulate a Specific Prediction: Based on the claim from Step 1, predict what the evidence must show. Don’t just think vaguely. Form a sentence: “I am looking for data that shows [specific condition]”. For our example, the prediction would be: “I need data showing a language that adopted the pottery but did NOT adopt the word for it.”
3. Scan for a Match, Not Just a Topic: Now, look at the answer choices. Don’t just look for choices that mention the right topics (e.g., “pottery,” “language”). Instead, evaluate each choice against the specific prediction you made in Step 2. Does it directly prove your prediction?
4. Eliminate and Verify: Discard choices that are too broad (like B), focus on a different point (like C), or introduce irrelevant information (like D). Once you have your answer, plug it back into the sentence in the passage to ensure it creates a logical, coherent statement that reinforces the passage’s argument.

Applying the 4-Step Strategy to Our Example

Let’s walk through the example question using our advanced strategy. This is how you should think on test day.

Step 1: Isolate the Core Claim

The question asks to complete the final sentence. Let’s read the sentences leading up to it: “However, other languages have different words for ‘pottery’, indicating that the technology could diffuse without accompanying vocabulary. This phenomenon, where technological practices spread independently of associated terminology, is observed globally. For instance, in various regions of Asia, cord-marked pottery became widespread, yet _______”

The core claim is that technology can spread WITHOUT the related vocabulary. The blank needs a specific example of this happening.

Step 2: Formulate a Specific Prediction

My prediction is: “I need to find data showing specific places that have cord-marked pottery but use a word for ‘pottery’ that is NOT derived from the original language.” This is my litmus test for the answer choices.

Step 3: Scan for a Match, Not Just a Topic

Now I evaluate the choices against my prediction:

• A) the origins of words for ‘pottery’ vary across Asian languages, with languages like Khmer and Thai showing no etymological relationship to the original culture’s language. This is a perfect match. It names specific languages (Khmer, Thai) where the word for pottery has no relationship to the original, directly proving the claim that the technology spread independently of the word.
• B) the Asian linguistic landscape is diverse… This is too broad. It’s about general linguistic diversity, not the specific phenomenon of technology spreading without vocabulary. It’s off-topic. Eliminate.
• C) the word for ‘pottery’ in Japanese underwent changes after being borrowed… This is the opposite of what I need. It’s an example of a word that was borrowed, supporting the first half of the passage’s argument, not the second half where the blank is. Eliminate.
• D) words for ‘pottery’ in Chinese and Japanese are similar due to their shared linguistic roots… This is irrelevant to the claim. The claim is about borrowing (or not borrowing) a term along with a technology, not about pre-existing similarities between languages. Eliminate.

Step 4: Eliminate and Verify

I’ve eliminated B, C, and D. Choice A is the only one that matches my prediction. Let’s plug it in: “For instance, in various regions of Asia, cord-marked pottery became widespread, yet the origins of words for ‘pottery’ vary across Asian languages, with languages like Khmer and Thai showing no etymological relationship to the original culture’s language.” This flows perfectly and provides the concrete example the sentence structure demands.

Ready to Try It on Real Questions?

Theory is great, but there’s no substitute for practice on realistic questions. At mytestprep.ai, you can drill this specific skill until it becomes second nature.

• Navigate to Your Drill: From the dashboard, choose Information and Ideas → Command of Evidence → Hard.
• Choose Your Mode: Use Tutor Mode to get instant feedback on every question, or switch to Timed Mode to simulate test-day pressure.
• Get AI Help: Stuck on a question? Our Co-Pilot AI tutor can provide hints or a step-by-step explanation, helping you understand the logic without just giving away the answer.

Key Takeaways for Hard Command of Evidence Questions

• Don’t Just Match Keywords: Focus on the logical relationship between the claim and the evidence.
• Predict Before You Pick: Always formulate a specific prediction of what the evidence needs to show before looking at the choices. This is your best defense against tempting trap answers.
• Isolate the Exact Claim: The passage may have multiple ideas. Pinpoint the one the question is focused on.
• Verify Your Answer: Reread the sentence with your chosen answer plugged in to ensure it creates a logical and coherent statement.