A plan for a passage-based answer has three parts: the point that answers the question, the evidence from the passage, and the explanation that links them. You can write it in thirty seconds.
This lesson sits in answer construction and recall, part of the SPM Bible Knowledge learning guide. The passage below is original and written for practice, not a prescribed text.
The original passage
“The gatekeeper would not open the gate after dark. Yet when the late traveller shivered outside, the gatekeeper passed a blanket through the window and told him to wait until morning.”
The question
“Explain one way the gatekeeper showed care for the traveller.” Suppose this is worth 3 marks, as an example of a short-answer question.
Step 1: find the question’s task
The verbs matter. “Explain” means give a reason, not only a fact. “One way” means choose one and develop it, not list several.
Step 2: write the three-part plan
| Part | Notes |
|---|---|
| Point | He gave the traveller a blanket |
| Evidence | “passed a blanket through the window” |
| Explanation | The traveller was cold, so the blanket met a real need even though the gate stayed shut |
The plan is short enough to jot in the margin, and complete enough to write from.
Step 3: write the answer
“The gatekeeper showed care by giving the traveller a blanket. The passage says he ‘passed a blanket through the window’ when the traveller shivered. This met the traveller’s need for warmth even though the gate stayed closed.”
Each sentence comes from one row of the plan. The answer is three sentences, and it is easy to check.
What goes wrong without a plan
An unplanned answer often starts well and then wanders: “The gatekeeper was a strict man who kept the gate closed, and the traveller was late, and it was dark, so he gave him a blanket.”
| Feature | Unplanned | Planned |
|---|---|---|
| First sentence | Describes the gatekeeper | States the point that answers the question |
| Evidence | Mixed into the story | Quoted in one clear phrase |
| Explanation | Missing | Links blanket to need |
The unplanned version contains the same facts. It loses marks because the facts are not arranged to answer the question.
Check yourself
Use the same passage to plan an answer to: “Explain one way the gatekeeper kept to his duty.” Write the three-part plan only.
Answer
Point. He kept the gate closed after dark.
Evidence. “would not open the gate after dark”.
Explanation. He followed his responsibility even when the traveller was in need, so he did not break the rule; he helped in another way.
Notice that the same passage supports a different point for a different question. A good plan always starts from the question, not from the passage.
What to study next
Go on to improving an answer that retells events without answering the question. Then test the plan habit on the answer construction practice set.
If you want a teacher to watch you plan and write in real time, see online one-to-one Bible Knowledge tuition, which starts with a one-hour trial class (from RM50).