Making Inferences

What is an inference?

• A reasonable conclusion based on information and prior knowledge.

• A guess about what you're supposed to learn.

• Information that helps readers ask questions.

• What a character or reader learns after a conflict is resolved.

Drawing an inference from a book or text follows the same process as drawing inferences in everyday life.

• True

• False

Which of the following statements is true?

• Writers never leave out any information in their texts.

• Writers always tell their readers everything.

• Writers always make their meanings perfectly clear.

• Writers sometimes seem to leave our pieces of information in their texts.

The steps to making an inference are...

• Consider what you know from personal experience.

• Look for clues in the text.

• Put the pieces together to make a logical conclusion.