Reading · Key ideas & details
Making Inferences
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Start here: your learning goal
Combine textual clues to make an inference without adding unsupported assumptions.
Read the explanations, try the quick checks, then take the lesson quiz to see what to review next.
Optional video introduction
Making Inferences - Reading Comprehension — watch on YouTube ↗
Why This Matters: An inference fills a gap by combining textual evidence with limited, relevant background knowledge. The goal is not to invent a possible story; it is to choose the explanation best supported by the passage.
What You Need to Know
An inference is a logical conclusion based on evidence + prior knowledge. It's NOT directly stated in the text—you figure it out.
The Inference Formula:
Text Evidence + Background Knowledge = Inference
Text evidence must do most of the work. Background knowledge may connect clues, but it cannot replace missing evidence. If two answers are possible, prefer the one explained by more independent details and requiring fewer assumptions.
Four Evidence-Based Reasoning Products
| Product | Question it answers | Evidence standard |
|---|---|---|
| Inference | What unstated idea best explains these clues? | Fits all key details |
| Prediction | What is most likely to happen next? | Follows the current pattern, goal, or conflict |
| Interpretation | What does this word, image, action, or event mean here? | Matches local and whole-passage context |
| Conclusion | What broader judgment follows from the major evidence? | Reflects the evidence's scope and limits |
A prediction is not a guess about anything that could happen. It projects the most supported next event. On every task, point to the words that support the answer and the detail that rules out a tempting rival.
Think of it as being a detective: You gather clues (evidence) and use what you already know to solve the mystery (reach a conclusion).
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