From evidence to a sentence
1When readers meet a difficult passage, the first answer often comes from the most familiar word. That quick answer may feel efficient, but it can hide a change in the writer's claim. A limiting word such as some or may, for example, can turn a broad statement into a cautious one.
2A more reliable reader pauses before choosing. The reader marks the claim, the limiting expression, and the sentence that explains the result. These marks are then reduced to three meaning slots: who or what acts, what action occurs, and what result follows. The slots do not replace the passage; they preserve its essential relationships.
3The same process improves a written response. Instead of copying the whole passage, the student builds one complete sentence from the three slots and checks the stated conditions separately. If the draft fails, the student identifies whether the loss came from meaning, a required condition, or sentence form. Revision becomes useful when the student can explain which risk disappeared and which textual evidence justified the change.