Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

To make an inference, you --

• use background knowledge and details from the text.

• make a prediction.

• use foreshadowing in your writing.

• guess about what will happen next.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Our family raises honeybees. This spring one of our ten hives was destroyed. Recently, a bear was sighted in our neighborhood.

The reader can infer that --

• the bear destroyed the hive.

• the bees swarmed.

• a storm destroyed the hive.

• none of the above

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Today, I was late for my volleyball game. Mom pulled the car over several times to study the map she had printed off the Internet. Mom even made me go into a convenience store to see if I could get some help in there. When we finally got to the gym, the girls on my team were almost finished warming up.

Which of these conclusions can the reader draw based on the text?

• The girl and her mom got lost on the way to the game.

• The girl and her mom had car trouble on the way to the game.

• The coach was angry when the athlete showed up late.

• The girl was not an important player on her team.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

He had always wanted to serve his country, but this seemed like madness. He was supposed to fight a war in a foreign land, helping to protect people whom he didn't even know. Michael had a strong sense of patriotism, but he was worried about the bombs, death, and carnage that could await him in Iraq. He pondered whether he would ever see his family again.

What conclusion can you draw about how Michael is feeling about going to war?

• He feels proud of his country

• He is looking forward to the challenge of being in the military

• He is afraid of going into battle

• He regrets joining the military

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Jane is great at almost everything she does. She is a great student and makes excellent grades. Jane loves to work out for extended amounts of time each day. Her favorite sport is swimming. Jane could swim in the ocean for hours. Carly is Jane's best friend. Carly enjoys school although she makes middle of the road grades. Carly hates the water because she has never learned to swim. Carly works out, but she thinks that Jane takes working out too seriously.

What can the reader best conclude about the two girls.

• Jane and Carly both love swimming.

• Jane and Carly both like school.

• Jane and Carly both dislike school.

• Jane and Carly both love working out.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Excerpt from "The Bracelet" by Yoshiko Uchida

"Mama, is it time to go?" I hadn't planned to cry, but the tears came suddenly, and I wiped them away with the back of my hand. I didn't want my older sister to see me crying. "It's almost time, Ruri," my mother said gently. Her face was filled with a kind of sadness I had never seen before.

I looked around at my empty room. The clothes that Mama always told me to hang up in the closet, the junk piled on my dresser, the old rag doll I could never bear to part with--they were all gone. There was nothing left in the rest of the house. The rugs and furniture were gone, the pictures and drapes were down, and the closets and cupboards were empty. The house was like a gift box after the nice thing inside was gone; just a lot of nothingness.

What conclusion can the reader draw after reading this excerpt?

• Ruri's family is moving to another place.

• Ruri is going off to college.

• Ruri is getting married and leaving her childhood home.

• Ruri's parents are divorcing.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

The sun was shining on the flowers, and the grass was a pretty shade of green. There weren’t any clouds in the sky, and the butterflies looked beautiful as they fluttered around.

It is most likely --

• early in the morning

• a spring day

• evening time

• a winter morning

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Jenny held her stomach and leaned back on the sofa. She grabbed a blanket and curled up in a ball. All she could think about was that big funnel cake she ate earlier.

Jenny is most likely --

• hasn't slept in a while

• has a stomach ache from the cake

• wants another funnel cake

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

We could smell the crackling bacon and eggs as the aroma filled the house. My brother grabbed his glass of orange juice and sat down at the table. His hair was a mess and he looked sleepy.

The reader can infer --

• it is late at night

• the kids do not like bacon

• the kids don't like bacon and eggs

• it is early in the morning

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1