Inferences and Conclusions

When you make inferences or draw conclusions, you make guesses about things not directly stated in the passage. You use details provided by the author along with what you know of real life to make conclusions and inferences. The author of a passage may not tell you everything directly.Some authors "show" something by using specific details. You should use details as clues to help you figure things out.

Imagine that you are in a lobby of a building that does not have windows. You see people walking in with damp clothes.Some people are wiping water off their glasses. Some people have squeaky shoes that leave water footprints. You should know that it is raining outside even though no one has told you it is raining. You can just tell from the evidence around you.

Tips for Making Inferences

• Read a passage carefully.

• Look for details about what a person does. What do the person's actions tell you? What can you conclude about the person's traits?

• Look for details that describe a place or event. Based on real life, what do those details tell you?

• Look for facts given in a nonfiction passage. Ask yourself, what do those facts mean overall? What do the facts tell me about the subject?

• Analyze the way the author discusses and describes the topic. What can you tell about the author from his or her writing? How does the author probably feel about the topic?

• Make an inference or conclusion about something in the passage. Find the details that led you to that conclusion.