Observations and Inferences

To make an inference, we use evidence from the text, and our prior knowledge. 

Rosario was enjoying her vacation in the California sun. She was lying on araft in the ocean. This was perfect, Rosario thought. There was no noise—no childrenscreaming, no horns honking—and there were no papers to grade. All she couldhear was the crashing of the waves onto the beach. Rosario sighed and lookedaround her at the beauty of the ocean. Then she saw something long and graycoming toward her on an approaching wave. She thought, “This could only be onething!” and started yelling for help. She paddled back to shore as quickly as she could.She made it to the shore in one piece , but she realized that many people were laughing at her.
We can infer that the "thing" was not a...

Benjamin says, 'That's a sparrow.' Maya says, 'It might be a sparrow, but it could also be a finch.' What's the difference between an observation and an inference?

What is an inference?

Emma and Aria see smoke in the distance. What can they infer from this?

Evelyn, Jackson, and Lily find a cryptic note during a treasure hunt. How can they infer from this text?

When do detectives use inferences in their work?

Grace hears loud music from her neighbor, Liam sees his friend eating ice cream, Maya sees a cat meowing, and you see your friend shivering in a jacket. What can each infer from their observations?

Aria says making inferences while reading is important. Why might she say that?

What are some common blunders people often commit when making inferences?