SAT Reading & Writing: Command of Evidence Practice Questions
Test yourself on Command of Evidence with 10 original SAT practice questions. Pick an answer to see instant feedback and a full explanation.
Free original practice questions for study purposes. Open Exam Prep is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the makers of SAT.
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Answer the questions below — you get instant feedback and a full explanation for each.
1. A researcher claims that urban green spaces reduce residents' stress levels. Which finding, if true, would most directly support this claim?
A study measured cortisol (a stress hormone) in residents before and after a new park opened in their neighborhood.
Explanation. The claim is specifically about reduced stress. A measurable decrease in a stress hormone (cortisol) directly supports it. The other choices address popularity, recreation, or property value—none of which is direct evidence about stress reduction.
2. A student argues that a new tutoring program improved test scores. Which data point would most effectively support this argument?
Explanation. To support a claim about improved scores, you need evidence comparing outcomes. The 12-point gain over a comparison group directly shows improvement. Enjoyment, cost, and enrollment growth do not demonstrate that scores improved.
3. Text: 'The naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian challenged the long-held belief that insects arose spontaneously from mud. Through careful observation, she documented complete life cycles.'
Which quotation from Merian's notebooks would best illustrate her method of careful observation?
Explanation. The blank requires evidence of 'careful observation.' Choice A describes systematically tracking and drawing each life stage over time—exactly that method. The others discuss fascination, prior writers, or publication, none of which illustrate her observational technique.
4. A scientist hypothesizes that a particular fertilizer increases tomato yield only in nitrogen-poor soil. Which experimental result would best support this specific hypothesis?
Explanation. The hypothesis is conditional: the fertilizer helps ONLY in nitrogen-poor soil. Choice A shows the fertilizer makes a difference in poor soil but not in rich soil—matching the conditional claim. The other options either ignore the soil distinction or do not isolate the fertilizer's effect.
5. Table data (summarized): In a survey, 70% of teens who exercised daily reported good sleep, compared with 40% of teens who exercised less than once a week.
Which statement is best supported by these data?
Explanation. The data show a correlation in reported good sleep (70% vs. 40%), supporting only a comparative likelihood claim. B asserts causation, which a survey cannot establish; C reverses the direction unjustifiably; D claims 'most' report poor sleep, but 40% reported good sleep—so we can't conclude a majority slept poorly without more info.
6. Text: 'The team concluded that the ancient pottery was used for storing grain rather than water, despite its location near a well.'
Which finding would most directly support the team's conclusion?
Explanation. The conclusion is about grain storage versus water. Detecting cereal starch residue directly indicates grain contact. The wide-opening point (D) is suggestive but weaker—a wide opening doesn't prove grain over water. Stacking and well age (B, C) don't address contents.
7. A writer wants to make the generalization that 'reading aloud to young children boosts their later vocabulary.' Which piece of evidence would most strengthen this generalization rather than merely describing one case?
Explanation. A broad generalization is best supported by large-scale, representative evidence. The longitudinal study of 2,000 children measures the vocabulary outcome across many subjects. A single anecdote (B) cannot support a generalization; sales figures (C) and recommendations (D) don't measure vocabulary outcomes.
8. Text: 'Critics argued that the bridge design was unsafe in high winds. The engineering firm responded that wind-tunnel testing had addressed these concerns.'
Which result from the wind-tunnel testing would best support the firm's response?
Explanation. The firm's response is that testing addressed safety in high winds. Stability at wind speeds exceeding any local record directly supports that claim. Scale (B) and an independent lab (C) speak to test design or credibility but not to the result itself; paint color (D) is irrelevant.
9. A study reports: 'Plants exposed to classical music grew 5% taller than those in silence, but plants exposed to rock music grew at the same rate as those in silence.' A student concludes that 'sound itself does not affect plant growth.' Which evidence from the study best challenges that conclusion?
Explanation. The student's conclusion is that sound has no effect. But the classical-music result shows sound WAS associated with a difference, contradicting that broad claim. The rock-music result (B) is consistent with the student's claim, not a challenge; B, C, D don't undercut the conclusion.
10. Text: 'The author asserts that medieval cities grew most rapidly where rivers met major roads.'
Which data would most strongly support this assertion?
Explanation. The assertion links rapid growth specifically to river-road intersections. A survey showing the fastest-growing cities cluster at such intersections directly tests and supports that link. B is unrelated to growth; C and D establish general importance of rivers/roads but don't show the intersection effect on growth.
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FAQ
What exactly is a 'command of evidence' question on the SAT?
These questions ask you to identify which piece of textual or quantitative information best supports, illustrates, or undermines a stated claim, hypothesis, or argument. Some present a graph or table and ask which conclusion the data support; others ask which quotation or finding completes a logical claim.
How do I choose the right answer quickly?
First, pinpoint exactly what the claim says—note any specific or conditional wording (e.g., 'reduces stress,' 'only in poor soil'). Then pick the option that directly addresses that exact point. Eliminate choices that are true but irrelevant, that change the scope, or that confuse correlation with causation.
What are the most common traps in these questions?
Watch for distractors that (1) are accurate but don't address the specific claim, (2) overstate the evidence (e.g., turning correlation into causation), (3) reverse the direction of a relationship, or (4) use an anecdote to support a broad generalization. The correct answer matches the claim's scope precisely.