What strategies help identify the central claim in a persuasive paragraph?

• A. Guess what the author believes by tone alone.
• B. Locate the main assertion and the evidence supporting it; check for a thesis-like sentence.
• C. Focus only on the concluding sentence.
• D. Look for the longest sentence and assume that's the claim.

Answer: (B)

Identifying the central claim means finding the main point the author wants you to accept and the evidence that backs it. The best strategy is to locate that main assertion and the supporting evidence, and to check for a thesis-like sentence that states the claim plainly. This ties the reasons and data directly to the position, showing how the paragraph builds its argument. Relying on tone alone can mislead, since tone reveals attitude but not the actual claim. Focusing only on the concluding sentence or on the longest sentence doesn’t reliably reveal the central claim, because those parts can restate or vary in length without signaling the main point. By identifying the claim and the evidence, you see how the paragraph supports its position as a whole.