🎓 Study English中文版
What does “evidence” mean?
evidence (of / for sth)
/ˈevɪdəns/
＝ facts or information that show something is true
“Evidence” is uncountable: no “an evidence” and no “evidences”. To count it, say “a piece of evidence” or “two pieces of evidence”.
In plain English
Evidence is anything that helps people believe something is true: numbers, research findings, quotes, photos, what a witness says.
Like “information” and “advice”, it is uncountable, so no “s” and no “a”. To say there is a lot, use “a lot of evidence” or “strong evidence”.
In an essay, every claim needs evidence, plus an explanation of how that evidence proves your point.
5 meanings of evidence
- evidence that something is truefacts that show something is trueAcademic writing
There is strong evidence that sleep affects memory.
- evidence of somethingsigns that something exists or has happenedCommon
The survey found little evidence of cheating in online exams.
- evidence for a claim or theoryfacts that support an idea or theoryResearch
The study provides evidence for the link between exercise and mood.
- evidence in courtinformation used in a court of lawGeneral
The CCTV footage was used as evidence in court.
- evident and evidentlyclear and easy to see; clearlyAcademic writing
It is evident from the graph that sales fell after 2020.
Sentence patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| there is little / no / growing evidence that… | There is little evidence that homework improves results in primary school. |
| evidence suggests / shows that… | Evidence suggests that students learn better in short sessions. |
| a piece of evidence | The most convincing piece of evidence is the 2022 census. |
| provide / find / present evidence | You need to provide evidence for every claim in your essay. |
| be supported by evidence | This argument is not supported by evidence from the sources. |
Real-life examples
👩🏫 A teacher marking a DSE essay
Teacher: Your argument is clear, but where is your evidence? Add a figure or an example.
Ka Yan: Can I use the news report we read in class?
Teacher: Yes, and explain how it supports your point.
📚 Searching for sources in the library
Sam: I found three papers, but the evidence is mixed.
Winnie: That is fine. Say so in the literature review.
🔬 Writing the discussion section of a lab report
These results provide further evidence for the hypothesis that temperature affects the rate of reaction.
Common mistakes
✗ There are many evidences to prove my point.
✓ There is a lot of evidence to support my point.
“Evidence” is uncountable: no “s”, and the verb is “is”. In academic writing, “support” is more careful than “prove”.
✗ This is an evidence that the policy failed.
✓ This is evidence that the policy failed. / This is one piece of evidence that the policy failed.
Do not put “a” or “an” before an uncountable noun. To count one, say “a piece of evidence”.
✗ The evidence proves that social media causes depression.
✓ The evidence suggests that social media may contribute to depression.
Research rarely proves cause and effect completely. “Suggests”, “indicates” and “may” are more accurate and more academic.
✗ It is evidence that the city is ageing.
✓ It is evident that the city is ageing.
For “it is clear that”, use the adjective: “It is evident that…”. “Evidence” is a noun.
Before and after ✨
An argument paragraph from a university essay, rewritten with Dictionify’s Polish: removed words are crossed out and new words are highlighted.
Many evidences prove that working part-time is bad for students. For example, my friend works in a café and his result become worse. So it is evidence that part-time job affect study.
Many evidences prove There is some evidence that working long part-time is bad working hours can affect students’ grades. A 2021 survey of local undergraduates, for students. For example, my friend works in found that students working more than 15 hours a café and his result become worse. So it is week had lower GPAs. However, this evidence does not show that part-time job affect study. work itself causes poorer results.
- Many evidences prove → There is some evidence that: “evidence” is uncountable, and “some evidence” with “can affect” avoids overclaiming.
- my friend works in a café is personal experience and weak support. A survey with a source is real academic evidence.
- So it is evidence that → this evidence does not show that…causes: adding a limit to the evidence shows you read sources critically.
Similar and opposite phrases
| Phrase | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| proof | evidence that shows something is completely true | Stronger than “evidence”. Used less often in academic writing. |
| data | facts and numbers that have been collected | Raw information. Once analysed, it becomes evidence for a point. |
| sign / indication | something that shows something may be true | Weaker and less direct. Countable: a sign of something. |
| support | information that backs up an idea | Often used as a verb, e.g. “The data support this view”, to avoid repeating “evidence”. |
Opposite: assumption (an idea you accept as true without proof); speculation (guessing without enough facts)
Quick quiz
Pick an answer to check it straight away.
Which sentence is correct?
Answer: B. “Evidence” is uncountable, so count it with “pieces of evidence”.
Which sentence fits best in a research report?
Answer: C. “Evidence” is uncountable, and “suggests” and “may” are careful and accurate.
“It is ______ from the table that more students now take the bus.” Fill the gap.
Answer: A. “It is evident that…” means “it is clear that…”, so you need the adjective “evident”.
FAQ
Why can’t I add “s” to “evidence”?
English treats evidence as a mass of information, like “information”, “advice” and “research”. To count it, say “a piece of evidence” or “several pieces of evidence”. To say there is a lot, use “a lot of evidence” or “strong evidence”.
“Evidence of” vs “evidence for”: what is the difference?
“Evidence of” usually means signs that something exists or happened, e.g. evidence of damage. “Evidence for” usually means support for a claim or theory, e.g. evidence for the theory. They sometimes overlap, but “evidence for” is more common when discussing arguments.
What counts as evidence in a DSE essay?
Data with a source, research findings, news events, expert opinions and specific examples. “My friend said” or a vague “many people think” is weak. After the evidence, add a sentence or two explaining how it supports your point.
Can “evidence” be a verb?
Yes, but it is formal and rare, e.g. “as evidenced by the rise in rents”. In student writing, “show”, “suggest” and “demonstrate” sound much more natural.
DictionifyChrome extension
Found an English word you don’t know?
Double-click any word on any website. Dictionify reads the whole sentence and explains what the word means in that sentence, in plain English, with pronunciation and examples. Go Pro for unlimited lookups and translations, plus Summary and Polish.
Add to Chrome- Pro: unlimited lookups
- Summary and Polish
- 7-day Pro trial