Making Inferences and Predictions

The cat stretched her paws out in front of her and let out a soft purr.  She curled up on her pillow and closed her eyes.
What probably happened next?

• The cat chased a mouse across the room.

• The cat ate some food.

• The cat scratched the sofa.

• The cat fell asleep.  

The firefighters rolled out the hose and aimed he water toward the leaping flames.  Slowly, the smoke began to clear, and the fire was contained.
What most likely happened next?  

• The flames got higher. 

• The firefighters extinguished the fire.

• The firefighters started another fire.

• The firefighters took a lunch break.

Andy’s dog was covered in mud. Andy’s mom was very upset and told Andy he needed to help clean up before he could go play.

You can tell :

• a. Andy’s dog got the house muddy

• b. Andy’s mom doesn’t like dogs

• c. Andy’s favorite animal is a dog

Can you get my ball?" asked Robert. "I threw it too high and it landed on the roof." 
"I can't get the ball without a ladder," said Robert's older brother. "We'll have to wait until our neighbor, Mr. Green, comes home from work. Then I'll be able to get your ball.

• Mr. Green has a ladder.

• Mr. Green has a job.

• Mr. Green will climb on the roof to get the ball.

• Robert hit the ball over the fence.

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 probably :

• a. hasn’t slept in a while

• b. wants another funnel cake

• c. has a stomachache from the cake

Making educated guesses about what will happen next in the text.

• Summarizing and Synthesizing

• Making Predictions

• Asking Questions

• Making Connections

When you use text evidence and your background knowledge to make a guess about what is happening and characters in the story. "Reading between the lines."

• Making Inferences

• Making Predictions

• Evaluating

• Making Connections

A sentence starter for making inferences is

• I was confused by

• It seems

• I predict

• The text is mainly about

What is the difference between explicit statements and inferences in a text?

• Explicit statements are word-for-word quotes, while inferences are predictions.

• Explicit statements are predictions, while inferences are word-for-word quotes.

• Explicit statements are implied, while inferences are clearly stated.

• Explicit statements are clearly stated, while inferences are implied.

What does it mean to identify inferences in a text?

• To summarize the text

• To make an educated guess based on what you know

• To find word-for-word quotes from the text

• To analyze the text