Make Inferences and Draw Conclusions
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What you will learn
- 1Make inferences by combining text clues with prior knowledge
- 2Draw logical conclusions supported by evidence from the text
- 3Explain the difference between an inference and a direct statement
Mini Lesson
An inference is an educated guess based on clues in the text plus what you already know. Authors do not always say everything directly — good readers "read between the lines." A conclusion is a final judgment or logical outcome drawn from the evidence in the text.
How to Make an Inference
- Find the clue in the text — a detail the author provides.
- Add what you already know from your own experience or knowledge.
- Combine them to reach a reasonable inference.
- Check your inference by asking: "Does the text support this?"
Inferences vs Direct Statements
- A direct statement is information the text states clearly: "It was raining."
- An inference uses a clue: "She grabbed her umbrella" — you infer it was raining.
- An inference is not a wild guess — it must be supported by evidence.
- A conclusion pulls together multiple inferences to reach a final understanding.
Words to know
Inference
A logical guess based on text clues and prior knowledge
e.g. "She was shivering" — I infer she was cold.
Conclusion
A final judgment drawn from evidence gathered across the text
e.g. After reading all the clues, I concluded the character was lying.
Text clue
A detail in the text that hints at something not directly said
e.g. "His hands shook as he opened the envelope" — clue: he was nervous.
Prior knowledge
What you already know from experience or earlier reading
e.g. Knowing that dark clouds often bring rain helped me infer the storm.
Use this formula: Text clue + What I know = My inference. Then ask: could I be wrong? If the text could mean something else, look for more evidence before concluding.
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