Factual and Inferential Questions

A factual question requires you to...

• have good background knowledge
• pick the answer from the passage only
• list down 3 random facts

An inferential question requires you to...

• form your answer with clues given in the pasage
• consult a friend
• lift the answer from the passage

[Mary folded her arms and frowned at her little brother. His mouth was covered with cookie crumbs.]
Which of the following is a factual question?

• How was Mary feeling?
• What was her brother's mouth covered with?
• What do you think her brother did?

[Mary folded her arms and frowned at her little brother. His mouth was covered with cookie crumbs.]
Which of the following is an inferential question?

• How was Mary feeling?
• What was Mary's expression like?
• What was her brother's mouth covered with?

[Lucas beamed as he went on stage to collect his medal for coming in second at the annual cross-country event.]
Which of the following is a factual question?

• How was Lucas feeling?
• What event was Lucas at?

[Lucas beamed as he went on stage to collect his medal for coming in second at the annual cross-country event.]
Which of the following is an inferential question?

• Which position did Lucas place in?
• How was Lucas feeling?
• What did Lucas collect on stage?

[The vice-principal warned the students sternly to sit down or else they would not be dismissed on time. Gingerly, the boys seated themselves down on the muddy ground.]
Which of the following is a factual question?

• Why did the boys not want to sit down?
• How do you think the boys were feeling about sitting down?
• Why did the vice-principal want the boys to sit down?

[The vice-principal warned the students sternly to sit down or else they would not be dismissed on time. Gingerly, the boys seated themselves down on the muddy ground.]
Which of the following is an inferential question?

• How do you think the boys were feeling about sitting down?
• What was the consequence of not heeding the vice-principal's warning?
• How was the ground like?

[Each time the journals were given back to the class, the students would open them eagerly. "Yay! A unicorn!" squealed Matthew. "I got a koala!" exclaimed Zechariah.]
Which of the following is a factual question?

• How did Matthew feel about the stamp he received?
• What stamp did Zechariah get?
• Why did the students open their journals eagerly?

[Each time the journals were given back to the class, the students would open them eagerly. "Yay! A unicorn!" squealed Matthew. "I got a koala!" exclaimed Zechariah.]
Which of the following is an inferential question?

• Why did the students open their journals eagerly?
• What stamp did Matthew get?
• What stamp did Zechariah get?