The Three Evidence Types

Metaphor: makes abstract ideas vivid and physical
Expert citation: borrows authority from a named credible source
Statistics: grounds the argument in scale and pattern

Key Terms

Persuasive function: what the evidence achieves beyond just proving the point
Naming the type: L2 — says what the evidence is
Explaining the function: L4 — says what the evidence does and why

Function Phrases

Metaphor: “perhaps to frame… as…”
Expert: “borrows institutional authority” / “aligns with consensus”
Statistic: “converts sympathy to systemic scale” / “shifts from individual to universal”

What Examiners Reward

Name the type + explain its function (not just “it supports the argument”)
Reframe statistics: the sentence after the number does the persuasive work
Combining types (expert + statistic) shows structural control AQA rewards

This topic summary covers Knowledge Organiser: Evidence Moves 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 6 of 6 in this topic. Use this topic summary 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.

⚠️ Two Evidence Traps That Cap Marks

Knowledge Organiser: Evidence Moves