There are three types of evidence available to persuasive writers. Each type does a different job. Recognising the type is the first move; the second is explaining its persuasive function.

Evidence type	What it does	Worked example
Metaphor	Makes an abstract idea feel vivid and physical; sneaks an argument past the reader’s critical defences	“The high street is a patient on a drip. Every closed shop is a breath closer to the last.” — The comparison makes economic decline feel like medical crisis.
Expert citation	Borrows authority; makes the writer’s position feel shared by credible others	“As Dr Chioma Eze of the British Heart Foundation notes, ‘there is no safe level of ultra-processed food consumption for adolescents.’” — The named institution amplifies the claim.
Statistics	Grounds the argument in scale; makes individual experience feel like universal pattern	“Eighty-three per cent of young people say their schools never discussed mental health openly. That is not a minority. That is almost everyone.” — The reframe after the number is the real persuasive work.

Quick Check: What type of evidence is this? “The government’s own data shows that one in three food-bank users is in full-time work.” What is its persuasive function?

This deep dive covers 🔎 The Three Evidence Moves — and How to Deploy Each within Evidence Moves (Metaphor, Expert Citation, Statistics) for GCSE English Language. Revise Evidence Moves (Metaphor, Expert Citation, Statistics) in Writing: Persuasive Structure for GCSE English Language with 10 exam-style questions and 5 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 2 of 6 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Practice questions for Evidence Moves (Metaphor, Expert Citation, Statistics)

Which of these sentences is an example of a metaphor used as persuasive evidence?

A. According to Save the Children, one million children in the UK go to school hungry every day.
B. Professor Adeyemi of Edinburgh University states that screen time over three hours impairs sleep.
C. Seventy-two per cent of teenagers report feeling anxious about their futures.
D. Our high streets are not declining — they are haemorrhaging, and no plaster will stop that blood.

1 markfoundation

A writer includes: 'As Dr Priya Mehta of Imperial College London argues, the long-term effects of poor school lunches are indistinguishable from those of childhood poverty itself.' What type of evidence is this, and what is its main persuasive function?

A. An expert citation — it borrows institutional authority to make the writer's view feel part of established professional consensus.
B. A statistic — it provides a specific measurable claim the reader can check.
C. A metaphor — it compares poor lunches to poverty to make the reader feel shocked.
D. An anecdote — it tells the story of one person's experience to create sympathy.

1 markfoundation

Quick recall flashcards

What is the difference between naming an evidence type and explaining its function?

Naming (L2): “The writer uses a statistic to support their argument.” This tells the examiner what the evidence is. It does not earn analysis marks. Explaining the function (L4): “The writer deploys ‘one in three’ immediately after an anecdote, perhaps to shift the reader from individual sympathy to systemic anger.” This explains what the evidence achieves beyond simple proof — that is where AO2 and AO5 marks live. Rule: always ask “why this type of evidence here, rather than a plain statement?” The answer to that question is the function.

What are the three evidence moves in persuasive writing, and what does each one do?

Metaphor — makes an abstract idea vivid and physical; sneaks an argument past the reader’s critical defences by making them see the comparison before they can object to it. Expert citation — borrows authority from a named, credible source; positions the writer’s view as part of established consensus rather than personal opinion. Statistics — grounds the argument in measurable scale; converts individual sympathy into a sense of systemic, universal pattern. Key rule: all three require a function sentence after them — the sentence explaining what the evidence achieves is where the marks live.

📖 Three Types of Evidence, One Recognition Move

📈 What to Do AFTER Naming the Evidence Type

&#128270; The Three Evidence Moves &#8212; and How to Deploy Each

Practice questions for Evidence Moves (Metaphor, Expert Citation, Statistics)

Quick recall flashcards

10 questions on Evidence Moves (Metaphor, Expert Citation, Statistics): practise free

🔎 The Three Evidence Moves — and How to Deploy Each