Inferencing

Terrence is camping alone. It is dry and windy out. He falls asleep in his sleeping bag near the blazing campfire. What is the BEST inference you could make?

• There will be a hurricane.

• Someone will stop by.

• An animal will leap into the flames.

• The fire may spread.

Ben is auditioning for a part in the school play. He's been fine all day, but right before the audition he says he feels sick. You might infer that Ben __________.

• a. is nervous about the audition

• b. is happy about the play

• c. never gets sick

• d. is allergic to peanuts

James is standing near the corner when a bus roars by. James yelps and runs after it, waving his arms frantically. The BEST inference you can make is that James ________.

• a. is going on a field trip

• b. is training to run a race

• c. wanted to ride that bus

• d. recognized someone on the bus

Inferencing means ________.

• a. understanding exactly what the text says

• b. using background knowledge and the text to read between the lines

• c. determining what's a fact and what's an opinion

• d. using word parts to decode an unknown word

Which statement about an inference is correct?

• a. an inference is not based on any evidence.

• b. an inference is based only on what a text says.

• c. an inference always turns out to be right.

• d. an inference requires that you use clues.

Macey's mom noticed that she was squinting as she read her book, which was only a few inches away from her face. She scheduled a doctor's appointment for the next week, and when the doctor said Macey needed glasses, she tried on every single pair in the office. After spending an hour looking at glasses, mom suggested that perhaps she should sleep on it and come back and decide in the morning. Macey agreed, but she kept talking about the pros and cons of each pair all night long. 
What can you infer about Macey?

• She likes to waste her mom's time. 

• She is picky because she doesn't want glasses. 

• She liked some of the glasses, but she has trouble making decisions. 

• She wants her mom to pick the glasses for her. 

Caylin stomped her feet, spun around, and ran back upstairs. She couldn't believe that her mom wouldn't let her go to the party! Yes, Mary had been mean to her before, but her party was going to be the biggest party of the whole year. All of her best friends would be there! As she slouched against the wall, Caylin mumbled, "this isn't fair!"
What can you infer about why Caylin's mom won't let her go to the party?

• Caylin's mom thinks Caylin should be grounded. 

• Caylin's mom is being protective, because she knows Mary isn't nice.

• Caylin's mom thinks parties are too dangerous. 

• Caylin's mom wants Caylin to learn a lesson. 

When making an inference, the most important thing is...

• What you know about the topic

• The topic of the text

• The characters in the text

• Being able to prove your inference using evidence from the text.

Greg won a story telling contest. What can you infer?

• Greg is creative.

• Greg has beautiful voice.

• Greg looks like a character from Minecraft.

• Greg has 3 legs.

Which of the following best describes the process of making an inference in reading comprehension?

• A) Identifying the main idea of the text

• B) Summarizing the text in your own words

• C) Using clues from the text and your own knowledge to draw conclusions

• D) Listing all the facts presented in the text