Inferences in Reading

Inferences in Reading

Making Inferences

Making inferences is a comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to “read between the lines,” make connections, and draw conclusions about the text’s meaning and purpose.

You already make inferences all of the time. For example, imagine you go over to a friend’s house and they point at the sofa and say, “Don’t sit there, Cindy came over with her baby again.” What could you logically conclude?

Making Inferences as You Read

To make inferences from reading, take two or more details from the reading and see if you can draw a conclusion. Remember, making an inference is not just making a wild guess. You need to make a judgment that can be supported, just as you could reasonably infer there is a baby in a stroller, but not reasonably infer that there are groceries, even though both would technically be a “guess.”

A man wearing dark glasses taps his cane against the pavement. His German Shepherd leads him across an alley.

Inference:  The man is blind.

Clues:  

1. Wears dark glasses

             

2.  Walks with a cane

            

 3.   Is directed by a German Shepherd, probably trained as a seeing eye dog

Example:

Hybrid cars are good for the environment, but they may not perform as well as cars that run only on gasoline. The Toyota Prius gets great gas mileage and has low emissions making it a good “green” option. However, many people think that it is unattractive. The Prius also cannot accelerate as quickly as other models, and cannot hold as many passengers as larger gas-fueled SUVs and vans. Compared to similar gas-fueled options, hybrid cars also cost more money up front. A new hybrid car costs almost $3,500 more than the same car configured to run just on gasoline.

Which of the following can you infer from the passage?

• Hybrid cars are more dangerous than other options

• Toyota is making a lot of money from the Prius

• Cars that use gasoline are going to destroy the environment

• Hybrid cars may not be the best choice for everyone

Charlene awoke with a shriek. Her pajamas were soaked with sweat, and she could feel herself trembling inside. The night was dark and still, and the furniture in her room loomed like shadowy monsters. Charlene closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep again. But the night was too quiet, and her eyes popped open. Suddenly Charlene heard a scratching noise at her window, and she buried her head under her pillow.

Which of the following can you infer from the passage?

• Charlene was scared.

• A nightmare awoke Charlene.

• Charlene’s pajamas were soaked.

• The night was quiet.