Making inferences — Literature, 7–10 years
Use clues and what you know to understand what the text does not say directly. Literature, 7–10 years.
Reading between the lines
An inference is an idea you work out from clues, even when the writer does not say it plainly. You join what the text shows with something you already know. A good inference is not a wild guess: you should be able to point to the clues that support it.
Why writers leave clues
Writers cannot explain every thought, feeling and fact without making a story heavy. Instead, they leave clues for readers to connect. This makes reading an active job: you notice a face, an action or a detail, then work out what it may mean.
Building an inference
The text says: “Marta placed an umbrella beside the door. Outside, drops tapped on the glass.” Step 1: collect the clues: umbrella, drops and glass. Step 2: add what you know: umbrellas are used in rainy weather. Step 3: infer: it is probably raining, although the text never says those exact words.
Inference is not any guess
A reader may feel that any answer is acceptable because the text does not say everything. That is a reasonable mistake: clues can seem small or unclear. But an inference must fit the clues and the whole passage. If there is no evidence for an idea, call it a guess, not an inference.
Inference in daily life
You make inferences outside reading all the time. A wet pavement, people carrying coats and grey clouds together suggest that it has rained or may rain soon. None of these clues proves the whole story alone, but together they help you choose what to do, such as taking a coat.
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